THE Angel ended, and in Adam's Ear

So Charming left his voice, that he a while Thought him ftill speaking, still stood fixt to hear; Then as new wak'd thus gratefully reply'd. What thanks fufficient, or what recompence Equal have I to render thee, Divine Hiftorian, who thus largely haft allay'd The thirst I had of knowledge, and vouchfaf'd This friendly condefcention to relate Things elfe by me unfearchable, now heard With wonder, but delight, and, as is due, With glory attributed to the high Creator; fomething yet of doubt remains, Which only throlutio- com refolve.

When I behold this goodly Frame, this World 15
Of Heav'n and Earth confifting, and compute,
Their magnitudes, this Earth a spot, a grain,
An Atom, with the Firmament compar'd
And all her number'd Stars, that seem to rowl
Spaces incomprehenfible (for such

Their distance argues, and their fwift return
Diurnal) meerly to officiate light
Round this opacous Earth, this punctual spot,
One day and night; in all their vast survey
Ufelefs befides, reasoning I oft admire,
How Nature wife and frugal could commit
Such difproportions, with fuperfluous hand
nobler Bodies to create,
Greater fo manifold to this one ufe,

So

many

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The benefit: confider first, that Great
Or Bright infers not Excellence: the Earth
Though, in comparison of Heav'n, so small,
Nor gliftering, may of folid good contain
More plenty than the Sun that barren fhines,
Whofe virtue on it felf works no effect,
But in the fruitful Earth; there firft receiv'd
His beams, unactive elfe, their vigour find.
Yet not to Earth are thofe bright Luminaries
Officious, but to thee Earth's habitant.

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And for the Heav'ns wide Circuit, let it fpeak 109 The Maker's high magnificence, who built

So fpacious, and his Line stretcht out fo far;
That Man may know he dwells not in his own;
An Edifice too large for him to fill,

Lodg'd in a small partition, and the 'reft Ies
Ordain'd for ufes to his Lord best known.
The fwiftnefs of thofe Circles attribute,
Though numberlefs, to his Omnipotence,
That to corporeal fubftances could add

But this I urge,

Speed almoft Spiritual; me thou thinkst not flow, 110
Who fince the Morning hour fet out from Heav'n
Where God refides, and e'er mid-day arriv'd
In Eden, diftance inexpreffible
By Numbers that have name.
Admitting Motion in the Heav'ns, to shew
Invalid that which thee to doubt it mov'd;
Not that I so affirm, though so it seem
To thee who haft thy dwelling here on Earth.
God to remove his ways from human sense,

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Plac'd Heav'n from Earth so far, that earthly fight,
If it prefume, might err in things too high.
And no advantage gain. What if the Sun
Be Center to the World, and other Stars
By his attractive virtue and their own
Incited, dance about him various rounds?

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Their wandring courfe now high, now low, then hid, Progreffive, retrograde, or standing still,

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In fix thou feeft, and what if fev'nth to these
The Planet Earth, fo ftedfaft though the feem,
Infenfibly three different Motions move?
Which elfe to feveral Sphears thou must afcribe,
Mov'd contrary with thwart obliquities,
Or fave the Sun his labour, and that swift
Nocturnal and Diurnal rhomb fuppos'd,
Invisible elfe above all Stars, the Wheel
Of Day and Night; which needs not thy belief,
If Earth induftrious of her felf fetch Day
Travelling Eaft, and with her part averfe

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From the Suns beam meet Night, her other part
Still luminous by his ray. What if that light 140
Sent from her through the wide tranfpicuous aire,
To the terreftial Moon be as a Star

Enlightning her by Day, as the by Night
This Earth? reciprocal, if Land be there,

Feilds and Inhabitants: Her fpots thou feeft

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As Clouds, and Clouds may rain, and Rain produce Fruits in her foften'd Soil, for fome to eat

Alotted there; and other Suns perhaps

With their attendant Moons thou wilt defcry

LS

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Communicating Male and Female Light,
Which two great Sexes animate the World,
Stor'd in each Orb perhaps with some that live,
For fuch vaft room in Nature unpoffeft
By living Soul, defert and defolate,

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Only to fhine, yet scarce to contribute
Each Orb a glimps of Light, convey'd so far
Down to this habitable, which returns
Light back to them, is obvious to difpute.
But whether thus these things, or whether not,
Whether the Sun predominant in Heav'n
Rife on the Earth, or Earth rife on the Sun,
He from the Eaft his flaming rode begin,
Or She from Weft her filent course advance
With inoffenfive pace that spinning fleeps
On her foft Axie, while the paces Eev'n,
And bears thee foft with the fmooth Air along,
Sollicit not thy thoughts with matters hid,
Leave them to God above, him ferve and fear;
Of other Creatures, as him pleases beft,
Where-ever plac'd, let him difpofe joy thou 170
In what he gives to thee, this Paradife
And thy fair Eve; Heav'n is for thee too high
To know what paffes there; be lowly wife:
Think only what concerns thee and thy being;
Dream not of other Worlds, what Creatures there
Live, in what ftate, condition or degree,
Contented that thus far hath been reveal'd

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Not of Earth only but of highest Heav'n.
To whom thus Adam clear'd of doubt, reply'd.

How fully haft thou fatisfy'd me, pure
Intelligence of Heav'n, Angel ferene,
And freed from intricacies, taught to live,
The easiest way, nor with perplexing thoughts
To interrupt the fweet of Life, from which
God hath bid dwell far off all anxious cares,

And not moleft us, unless we our felves

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Seck them with wandring thoughts, and notions vain.
But apt the Mind or Fancy is to rove
Uncheckt, and of her roving is no end;

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Till warn'd, or by experience taught, the learn, 190
That not to know at large of things remote
From ufe, obfcure and futtle, but to know
That which before us lies in daily life,
Is the prime Wisdom, what is more, is fume,
Or emptiness, or fond impertinence,
And renders us in things that most concern
Unpractis'd, unprepar'd, and ftill to seek.
Therefore from this high pitch let us descend
A lower flight, and fpeak of things at hand
Ufeful, whence haply mention may arise,
Of fomething not unfeasonable to ask
By fufferance, and thy wonted favour deign'd.
Thee I have heard relating what was done
E'er my remembrance: now hear me relate
My Story, which perhaps thou haft not heard; 205
And Day is yet not spent, till then thou feest

How futtly to detain thee I devife,

Inviting thee to hear while I relate,

Fond, were it not in hope of thy reply:

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