I see not who partakes. In solitude What happiness? who can enjoy alone, Or, all enjoying, what contentment find?
Thus I presumptuous; and the Vision bright, As with a smile more brighten'd, thus replied: « What call'st thou solitude? Is not the earth With various living creatures, and the air Replenish'd, and all these at thy command To come and play before thee? Their language and their ways?
Know'st thou not
They also know,
And reason not contemptibly with these
Find pastime, and bear rule; thy realm is large.
So spake the Universal Lord, and seem'd
So ordering: 1 with leave of speech implor'd, And humble deprecation, thus replied:
«Let not my words offend thee, Heavenly Power, My Maker, be propitious while I speak. Hast thou not made me here thy substitute, And these inferior far beneath me set? Among unequals what society
Can sort; what harmony, or true delight! Which must be mutual, in proportion due Given and receiv'd; but, in disparity
The one intense, the other still remiss, Cannot well suit with either, but soon prove Tedious alike of fellowship I speak Such as I seek, fit to participate
All rational delight; wherein the brute Cannot the human consort: they rejoice Each with their kind, lion with lioness; So fitly them in pairs thou hast combin'd: Much less can bird with beast, or fish with fowl
Con me non veggo. E in solitudin quale Può esser felicità? Chi godrà solo, Benchè tutto abbia, o troverà contento? >> Io tanto osai; la Vision lucente
Più bella balenò d'un riso, e disse: « Solitudin dicesti? E non è terra Di varie vive creature e l'aria
Ripiena, e queste tutte al tuo comando
A venire e scherzar con te? Non sai Lor lingua e modi tu? Pur elle intendono Ed han non vile la ragion: con queste Cerca solazzo e regna, ampio è il tuo regno. » Parlò si il massimo Signore, e parve
Si comandar Io di parlar licenza
Implorata con prego umil ripiglio:
«Non ti offenda il mio dir, celeste Possa,
Mio Fattore, perdona che io favelli.
Non facestu me qui tuo viceprence,
Nè queste tu soggette a me locasti ? E qual società fra disuguali
Può star; qual armonia o piacer verace! Mutuo esser debbe in proporzion dovuta E dato e accetto; ma fra disuguali Intenso l'un, languido l'altre ognora, Non bene ponno affarsi, e crean presto Fastidio ugual. Di società ragiono Quale io la bramo, a comunar ben atta Ogni diletto razional, che i bruti
Coll' uom comunicar non ponno. Ei godono Sua specie ognun, leon con leonessa. Si ben tra lor giugnestili: nè augello Con belva mai, nè con augel s' accoppia
So well converse, nor with the ox the ape;
Worse then can man with beast, and least of all. » Whereto the' Almighty answer'd, not displeas'd: « A nice and subtle happiness, I see,
Thou to thyself proposest, in the choice
Of thy associates, Adam! and wilt taste
No pleasure, though in pleasure, solitary.
What think'st thou then of me, and this my state? Seem I to thee sufficiently possess'd
Of happiness, or not? who am alone From all eternity; for none I know
Second to me or like, equal much less.
How have I then with whom to hold converse,
Save with the creatures which I made, and those To me inferior, infinite descents
Beneath what other creatures are to thee? »>
He ceas'd: I lowly answered: « To attain The height and depth of thy eternal ways
All human thoughts come short, Supreme of things! Thou in thyself art perfect, and in thee Is no deficience found: not so is Man, But in degree; the cause of his desire By conversation with his like to help, Or solace his defects. No need that thou Shouldst propagate, already Infinite;
And through all numbers absolute, though One: But Man by numbers is to manifest His single imperfections, and beget Like of his like, his image multiplied, In unity defective; which requires Collateral love, and dearest amity. Thou in thy secresy although alone,
Pesce, nè con bue scimia; l' uomo adunque Peggior de' bruti fia e il minor di tutti. »>
L' Onnipossente calmo allor rispose: « Cara e gentil felicitade, io veggo, A te ben tu bramasti nella scelta
De' tuoi compagni, Adam! nè niun piacere Tu solo gusterai, benchè fra gioie. Che pensi or tu di me, e di stato mio? A te sembro io già posseder bastante O nò, felicitade? E solo io sono Da tutta eternità; nè già conosco Secondo a me o simil nè pure eguale. Com' io dunque tenere altri compagni Che le mie stesse creature, e queste A me inferiori d'infiniti gradi
Più che a te sien tutt' altre creature? » - Disse: ed umile io si risposi aggiugnere L'altezza e l'imo di tue eterne vie Fina ogni uman pensiero, Ente supremo ! Tu in te compiuto sei, nè in te difetto Alcuno già non è: non tale è l'uomo, Ma gradi egli ha; ragion del suo desío D'unirsi al suo simil per dar conforto O aiuto a suoi difetti. Nè bisogno
Hai tu di propagarti già infinito,
Sei benchè un sol d'ogni ragion perfetto. Ma col numero l'uom le sue mancanze Fa palesi e il simil dal suo simíle Produce, sua moltiplicata imago, In unità manchevol, che domanda Consorte amore ed amistà gioconda. Tu negli arcani tuoi benchè solingo,
Best with thyself accompanied, seek'st not Social communication; yet, so pleas'd,
Canst raise thy creature to what height thou wilt Of union or communion, deified:
I, by conversing, cannot these erect
From prone; nor in their ways complacence find. » Thus I embolden'd spake, and freedom us'd Permissive, and acceptance found: which gain'd This answer from the gracious Voice Divine:
Thus far to try thee, Adam; I was pleas'd, And find thee knowing, not of beasts alone, Which thou hast rightly nam'd, but of thyself; Expressing well the spirit within thee free, My image, not imparted to the brute; Whose fellowship therefore unmeet for thee Good reason was thou freely shouldst dislike; And be so minded still: I, ere thou spak'st, Knew it not good for Man to be alone; And no such company as then thou saw'st Intended thee; for trial only brought,
To see how thou could'st judge of fit and meet: What next I bring shall please thee, be assur'd Thy likeness, thy fit help, thy other self, Thy wish exactly to thy heart's desire. »
He ended, or I heard no more; for now
My earthly by his heavenly overpower'd,
Which it had long stood under, strain'd to the height In that celestial colloquy sublime,
(As with an object that excels the sense)
Dazzled and spent, sunk down; and sought repair
Of sleep; which instantly fell on me, call'd
By nature as in aid, and clos'd mine eyes.
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