615 Thee to diminish, and from thee withdraw And worship him; and in reward to rule So sung they, and the empyrean rung From the beginning, that posterity 620 630 635 Inform'd by thee might know. If else thou seek'st Aught, not surpassing human measure, say. 640 PARADISE LOST. BOOK VIII. THE ARGUMENT. ADAM inquires concerning celestial motions, is doubtfully answer'd, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledge. Adam assents; and still desirous to detain Raphael, relates to him what he remember'd 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 fix'd to hear: Then, as new wak'd, thus gratefully replied. What thanks sufficient, or what recompence Equal, have I to render thee, divine 5 1 The angel] In the first edition of this Poem in ten books, here was only this line, To whom thus Adam gratefully replied. This would have been too abrupt a beginning for a new book. 5 What thanks] See Beaumont's Psyche, c. xii. st. 171. For all this honey which thy tongue hath shed.' The thirst I had of knowledge, and vouchsaf'd Things else by me unsearchable, now heard When I behold this goodly frame, this world, Their distance argues, and their swift return Round this opacous earth, this punctual spot, So many Greater so manifold, to this one use, For aught appears, and on their orbs impose 8 The thirst] See Dante Il Purgator. c. xviii. ver. 4. Di fuor taceva, e dentro dicea. 9 condescension] Conversation, ver. 649. Bentl. MS. 14 solution] Decision. Bentl. MS. 15 goodly] Hamlet, act ii. scene ii. 'This goodly frame the Earth.' 10 15 20 25 30 Repeated, while the sedentary earth, That better might with far less compass move, 335 So spake our sire, and by his count'nance seem'd Entering on studious thoughts abstruse; which Eve Perceiving where she sat retir'd in sight, With lowliness majestic from her seat, 41 45 And grace that won who saw to wish her stay, Of what was high: such pleasure she reserv'd, Her husband the relater she preferr'd Before the angel, and of him to ask Chose rather; he, she knew, would intermix 46 sprung] So Marino Adon. c. iii. st. 65, and c. vi. st. 146. Rivesta il bel giardin novi colori.' Thyer. 53 to ask] In accordance with St. Paul, Corinth. i. xiv. 35. 'And if they (women) will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home.' Grateful digressions, and solve high dispute Not words alone pleas'd her. O when meet now A pomp of winning graces waited still, To ask or search I blame thee not, for heav'n 55 solve] Sic ait, ac mediis interserit oscula verbis.' and Epist. xiii. ver. 119, ed. Burm. vol. i. p. 180. Ovid. Met. x. 559. 'Quæ mihi dum referes, quamvis audire juvabit; 02 shot] See Greene's Never too late, P. act 2. (1616.) He shot amongst them sweet desire.' 55 60 65 70 70 75 |