Read The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems Online
Authors: John Milton,Burton Raffel
Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Literary Collections, #Poetry, #Classics, #English; Irish; Scottish; Welsh, #English poetry
88 | | The less not bright, nor Heav’n such journeys run, |
89 | | Earth sitting still, when she alone receives |
90 | | The benefit. |
| | |
91 | | Or bright infers |
92 | | Though in comparison of Heav’n so small, |
93 | | Nor glistering, |
94 | | More plenty than the sun that barren shines, |
95 | | Whose virtue |
96 | | But in the fruitful earth, there first received, |
97 | | |
98 | | Yet not to earth are those bright luminaries |
99 | | Officious, |
100 | | And for the Heav’n’s wide circuit, let it speak |
101 | | The Maker’s high magnificence, who built |
102 | | So spacious, and His line stretched out so far |
103 | | That man may know he dwells not in his own, |
104 | | An edifice too large for him to fill, |
105 | | Lodged in a small partition, |
106 | | Ordained for uses to his Lord best known. |
107 | | The swiftness of those circles attribute, |
108 | | Though numberless, to His Omnipotence, |
109 | | That to corporeal substances could add |
110 | | Speed almost spiritual. Me thou think’st not slow, |
111 | | Who since the morning-hour set out from Heav’n |
112 | | Where God resides, and ere mid-day arrived |
113 | | In Eden—distance inexpressible |
114 | | By numbers that have name. But this I urge, |
115 | | Admitting |
116 | | Invalid that which thee to doubt it moved. |
117 | | Not that I so affirm, |
118 | | To thee who hast thy dwelling here on earth. |
119 | | God, to remove His ways from human sense, |
120 | | Placed Heav’n from earth so far, that earthly sight, |
121 | | If it presume, might err in things too high, |
122 | | And no advantage gain. What if the sun |
123 | | Be center to the world? and other stars, |
124 | | |
125 | | Incited, dance about him various rounds? |
126 | | Their wand’ring course now high, now low, then hid, |
127 | | |
128 | | In six |
129 | | The planet earth, so steadfast though she seem, |
130 | | Insensibly three different motions move, |
131 | | Which else to several spheres thou must ascribe, |
132 | | |
133 | | Or save the sun his labor, and that swift |
134 | | Nocturnal and diurnal rhomb |
135 | | Invisible |
136 | | Of day and night, which needs not thy belief |
137 | | |
138 | | Travelling east, and with her part averse |
139 | | From the sun’s beam meet night, her other part |
140 | | Still luminous by his |
141 | | |
142 | | To the terrestrial moon be as a star, |
143 | | |
144 | | This earth, reciprocal, if land be there, |
145 | | Fields and inhabitants? Her spots thou see’st |
146 | | As clouds, and clouds may rain, and rain produce |
147 | | Fruits in her softened soil for some to eat |
148 | | Allotted |
149 | | With their attendant moons, thou wilt descry, |
150 | | Communicating male and female light, |
151 | | Which two great sexes animate the world, |
152 | | Stored in each orb perhaps with some that live. |
153 | | For such vast room |
154 | | By living soul, desert |
155 | | Only to shine, yet scarce to contribute |
156 | | Each orb a glimpse of light, conveyed so far |
157 | | Down to this habitable, |
158 | | Light back to them, is obvious to dispute. |
159 | | But whether thus these things, or whether not— |
160 | | But whether the sun, predominant in Heav’n, |
161 | | Rise on the earth, or earth rise on the sun— |
162 | | He from the east his flaming road begin, |
163 | | Or she from west her silent course advance, |
164 | | With inoffensive |
165 | | On her soft axle, while she paces ev’n, |
166 | | And bears thee soft with the smooth air along— |
167 | | Solicit |
168 | | Leave them to God above. Him serve, and fear! |
169 | | Of other creatures, as Him pleases best, |
170 | | Wherever placed, let Him dispose. Joy thou |
171 | | In what He gives to thee, this Paradise |
172 | | And thy fair Eve. Heav’n is for thee too high |
173 | | To know what passes there. Be lowly |
174 | | Think only what concerns thee, and thy being. |
175 | | Dream not of other worlds, what creatures there |