Thence to behold this new-created world, 555 560 565 570 Resounded, (thou remember'st, for thou heard'st ;) The heavens and all the constellations rung, The planets in their station list'ning stood, While the bright pomp ascended jubilant. Open, ye everlasting gates, they sung, Open, ye heavens, your living doors; let in The great Creator, from his work return'd Magnificent, his six days work, a world! Open, and henceforth oft; for GOD will deign To visit oft the dwellings of just men Delighted, and with frequent intercourse "Thither will send his winged messengers On errands of supernal grace. The glorious train ascending: He through heaven, That open'd wide her blazing portals, led To GOD's eternal house direct the way, A broad and ample road, whose dust is gold, And pavement stars, as stars to thee appear Seen in the galaxy, that milky way So sung 575 580 Which nightly as a circling zone thou seest Powder'd with stars. And now on earth the seventh 581 Powder'd] Sylvester's Du Bartas, p. 76. 'Powdred with stars streaming with glorious light.' Todd. Evening arose in Eden, for the sun Was set, and twilight from the east came on, 590 Hath Omnipresence,) and the work ordain'd, Fuming from golden censers hid the mount. Great are thy works, Jehovah, infinite 595 600 Thy power; what thought can measure thee, or tongue Than from the giant angels; thee that day Who can impair thee, mighty King, or bound 605 610 Thee to diminish, and from thee withdraw 615 620 Their pleasant dwelling place. Thrice happy men, 625 And worship him; and in reward to rule So sung they, and the empyrean rung From the beginning, that posterity 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 Round this opacous earth, this punctual spot, 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 30 |