"So spacious, and his line stretched out so far, "Lodged in a small partition; and the rest "" Speed almost spiritual: me thou thinkest not slow, 66 66 By numbers that have name! But this I urge, 'Admitting motion in the Heavens, to show "Invalid that which thee to doubt it moved; "Not that I so affirm, though so it seem "To thee, who hast thy dwelling here on earth. "God, to remove his ways from human sense, 110 "Placed Heaven from Earth so far, that earthly sight, 120 "If it presume, might err in things too high, "And no advantage gain. What if the Sun "Be centre to the world; and other stars, "By his attractive virtue and their own 66 Incited, dance about him various rounds? "Their wandering course, now high, now low, then hid, Progressive, retrogade, or standing still, "In six thou seest; and what if seventh to these "Of day and night: which needs not thy belief, 66 Travelling east, and with her part averse "From the Sun's beam meet night, her other part 130 140 "To the terrestrial Moon be as a star, 66 Enlightening her by day, as she by night "This Earth, reciprocal, if land be there, "Fields and inhabitants? Her spots thou seest 66 Communicating male and female light "(Which two great sexes animate the world), "Stored in each orb perhaps with some that live: "For such vast room in nature unpossessed 66 66 By living soul, desert and desolate, Only to shine, yet scarce to cóntribute 150 "Each orb a glimpse of light, conveyed so far "Down to this habitable, which returns 66 'Light back to them, is obvious to dispute. "But whether thus these things, or whether not,— 160 "Whether the Sun, predominant in Heaven, 66 'Rise on the Earth, or Earth rise on the Sun; "He from the East his flaming road begin, "Or she from West her silent course advance 66 Leave them to God above; him serve and fear. "Of other creatures, as him pleases best, "How fully hast thou satisfied me, pure 66 'Intelligence of Heaven, Angel serene! 170 180 "And, freed from intricacies, taught to live "And not molest us; unless we ourselves "Seek them with wandering thoughts, and notions vain. "But apt the mind, or fancy, is to rove 66 Unchecked, and of her roving is no end; "Till, warned, or by experience taught, she learn, 66 "Ere my remembrance: now, hear me relate 66 My story, which perhaps thou hast not heard; "And day is not yet spent: till then thou seest "How subtly to detain thee I devise, "Inviting thee to hear while I relate; "Fond! were it not in hope of thy reply: 'For, while I sit with thee, I seem in Heaven; "And sweeter thy discourse is to my ear "Than fruits of palm-tree, pleasantest to thirst "And hunger both, from labour, at the hour "Of sweet repast: they satiate, and soon fill, 66 Though pleasant; but thy words, with grace divine "Imbued, bring to their sweetness no satiety." To whom thus Raphael answered heavenly meek: "Nor are thy lips ungraceful, Sire of Men! "Nor tongue ineloquent; for God on thee Abundantly his gifts hath also poured; “Inward and outward both his image fair: 190 200 210 220 "Speaking, or mute, all comeliness and grace "Our prompt obedience. Fast we found, fast shut, "Pleased with thy words no less than thou with mine." So spake the godlike Power, and thus our Sire: "For man to tell how human life began 230 240 250 "Is hard; for who himself beginning knew? "Desire with thee still longer to converse "Induced me. As new waked from soundest sleep, "Soft on the flowery herb I found me laid, "In balmly sweat; which with his beams the Sun "Soon dried, and on the reeking moisture fed. 66 Straight toward Heaven my wondering eyes I turned, "And gazed awhile the ample sky; till, raised "By quick instinctive motion, up I sprung, "As thitherward endeavouring, and upright "Stood on my feet. About me round I saw 260 "Hill, dale, and shady woods, and sunny plains, Surveyed, and sometimes went, and sometimes ran "With supple joints, as lively vigour led: "But who I was, or where, or from what cause, "Knew not to speak I tried, and forthwith spake ; "My tongue obeyed, and readily could name "Whate'er I saw. 'Thou Sun,' said I, 'fair light! "And thou enlightened Earth, so fresh and gay! "Ye hills, and dales, ye rivers, woods, and plains, "And ye that live and move, fair creatures! tell, "Tell, if ye saw, how I came thus, how here? "Not of myself; by some great Maker then, "In goodness and in power pre-eminent: "Tell me how may I know him, how adore, 270 280 "From whom I have that thus I move and live, "And feel that I am happier than I know?' "While thus I called, and strayed I knew not whither, "From where I first drew air, and first beheld "This happy light; when answer none returned, "On a green shady bank, profuse of flowers, "Pensive I sat me down: there gentle sleep "First found me, and with soft oppression seized "My drowsèd sense, untroubled, though I thought "I then was passing to my former state, "Insensible, and forthwith to dissolve: "Whose inward apparition gently moved 66 My fancy to believe I yet had being, "And lived. One came, methought, of shape divine, "First father! called by thee, I come thy guide 290 "So saying, by the hand he took me raised, "And, over fields and waters, as in air, 300 |