"Powdered with stars. 66 "And now on earth the seventh Evening arose in Eden, for the Sun "Was set, and Twilight from the East came on, 66 Forerunning Night; when at the holy mount "Of Heaven's high-seated top,—the imperial throne "Hath Omnipresence,) and the work ordained, 590 "Author and End of all things; and, from work "Now resting, blessed and hallowed the seventh day, "As resting on that day from all his work: "But not in silence holy kept: the harp "Had work, and rested not; the solemn pipe, "And dulcimer, all organs of sweet stop, "All sounds on fret, by string or golden wire, 66 'Tempered soft tuning, intermixed with voice "Choral or unison: of incense clouds, "Fuming from golden censers, hid the mount. "Creation and the six days' acts they sung: "Great are thy works, Jehovah ! infinite 600 "Thy power! What thought can measure thee, or tongue "Relate thee? Greater now in thy return "Than from the giant Angels; thee that day "Who can impair thee, Mighty King! or bound 66 Thy empire? easily the proud attempt "Of Spirits apostate, and their counsels vain, 610 "Thou hast repelled; while impiously they thought "Thee to diminish, and from thee withdraw "The number of thy worshippers. Who seeks "To lessen thee, against his purpose serves "To manifest the more thy might: his evil "Of amplitude almost immense, with stars "Their pleasant dwelling-place. Thrice happy Men, "And worship him; and, in reward, to rule 66 'Holy and just thrice happy, if they know "Their happiness, and persevere upright!' "So sung they, and the empyréan rung "With halleluiahs: thus was Sabbath kept. "And thy request think now fulfilled, that asked "How first this world and face of things began, "And what, before thy memory, was done 'From the beginning; that posterity, "Informed by thee, might know: if else thou seekst 66 Aught, not surpassing human measure, say." 620 630 640 ADAM inquires concerning celestial motions; is doubtfully answered, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledge; Adam assents; and, still desirous to detain Raphael, relates to him what he remembered since his own creation; his placing in Paradise; his talk with God concerning solitude and fit society; his first meeting and nuptials with Eve; his discourse with the angel thereupon; who, after admonitions repeated, departs. The angel ended, and in Adam's ear So charming left his voice, that he awhile Thought him still speaking, still stood fixed to hear; "What thanks sufficient, or what recompense 66 Equal, have I to render thee, divine "Things else by me unsearchable; now heard "When I behold this goodly frame, this world, IO 20 "Diurnal,) merely to officiate light "Round this opacous Earth, this punctual spot, So spake our sire, and by his countenance seemed And grace, that won who saw to wish her stay, Of what was high: such pleasure she reserved, Her husband the relater she preferred Before the angel, and of him to ask Chose rather; he, she knew, would intermix With conjugal caresses; from his lip Not words alone pleased her.-O! when meet now A pomp of winning Graces waited still, 3309 40 50 60 And from about her shot darts of desire And Raphael now, to Adam's doubt proposed, "To ask or search, I blame thee not; for Heaven 66 Imports not, if thou reckon right; the rest "From man or angel the great Architect 66 Conjecture, he his fabric of the heavens "Hath left to their disputes; perhaps to move "His laughter at their quaint opinions wide Hereafter, when they come to model Heaven "And calculate the stars; how they will wield 70 80 "The mighty frame;-how build, unbuild, contrive, "Who art to lead thy offspring, and supposest "That bodies bright and greater should not serve 66 Though, in comparison of Heaven, so small, "Nor glistering, may of solid good contain "More plenty than the Sun that barren shines; "Whose virtue on itself works no effect, "But in the fruitful earth; there first received, "His beams, inactive else, their vigour find. "Yet not to Earth are those bright luminaries "Officious; but to thee, Earth's habitant. "And for the Heaven's wide circuit, let it speak "The Maker's high magnificence, who built |