,
THE ARGUMENT
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adam inquires concerning celestial motions; is doubtfully answerd; and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledg: adam assents; and still desirous to detain raphael; relates to him what he rememberd 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。
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Paradise Lost Ⅷ1
小说
the angel ended; and in adams eare
so charming left his voice; that he a while
thought him still speaking; still stood fixt to hear;
then as new wakt thus gratefully replid。
what thanks sufficient; or what repence ' 5 '
equal have i to render thee; divine
hystorian; who thus largely hast allayd
the thirst i had of knowledge; and voutsaft
this friendly condescention to relate
things else by me unsearchable; now heard ' 10 '
with wonder; but delight; and; as is due;
with glorie attributed to the high
creator; something yet of doubt remaines;
which onely thy solution can resolve。
when i behold this goodly frame; this world ' 15 '
of heavn and earth consisting; and pute;
thir magnitudes; this earth a spot; a graine;
an atom; with the firmament pard
and all her numberd starrs; that seem to rowle
spaces inprehensible (for such ' 20 '
thir distance argues and thir swift return
diurnal) meerly to officiate light
round this opacous earth; this punctual spot;
one day and night; in all thir vast survey
useless besides; reasoning i oft admire; ' 25 '
how nature wise and frugal could mit
such disproportions; with superfluous hand
so many nobler bodies to create;
greater so manifold to this one use;
for aught appeers; and on thir orbs impose ' 30 '
such restless revolution day by day
repeated; while the sedentarie earth;
that better might with farr less pass move;
servd by more noble then her self; attaines
her end without least motion; and receaves; ' 35 '
as tribute such a sumless journey brought
of incorporeal speed; her warmth and light;
speed; to describe whose swiftness number failes。
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Paradise Lost Ⅷ2
小说
so spake our sire; and by his countnance seemd
entring on studious thoughts abstruse; which eve ' 40 '
perceaving where she sat retird in sight;
with lowliness majestic from her seat;
and grace that won who saw to wish her stay;
rose; and went forth among her fruits and flours;
to visit how they prosperd; bud and bloom; ' 45 '
her nurserie; they at her ing sprung
and toucht by her fair tendance gladlier grew。
yet went she not; as not with such discourse
delighted; or not capable her eare
of what was high: such pleasure she reservd; ' 50 '
adam relating; she sole auditress;
her husband the relater she preferrd
before the angel; and of him to ask
chose rather: hee; she knew would intermix
grateful digressions; and solve high dispute ' 55 '
with conjugal caresses; from his lip
not words alone pleasd her。 o when meet now
such pairs; in love and mutual honour joynd?
with goddess…like demeanour forth she went;
not unattended; for on her as queen ' 60 '
a pomp of winning graces waited still;
and from about her shot darts of desire
into all eyes to wish her still in sight。
and raphael now to adams doubt proposd
benevolent and facil thus replid。 ' 65 '
to ask or search i blame thee not; for heavn
is as the book of god before thee set;
wherein to read his wondrous works; and learne
his seasons; hours; or dayes; or months; or yeares:
this to attain; whether heavn move or earth; ' 70 '
imports not; if thou reckn right; the rest
from man or angel the great architect
did wisely to conceal; and not divulge
his secrets to be scannd by them who ought
rather admire; or if they list to try ' 75 '
conjecture; he his fabric of the heavns
hath left to thir disputes; perhaps to move
his laughter at thir quaint opinions wide
hereafter; when they e to model heavn
and calculate the starrs; how they will weild ' 80 '
the mightie frame; how build; unbuild; contrive
to save appeerances; how gird the sphear
with centric and eccentric scribld ore;
cycle and epicycle; orb in orb:
alreadie by thy reasoning this i guess; ' 85 '
who art to lead thy ofspring; and supposest
that bodies bright and greater should not serve
the less not bright; nor heavn such journies run;
earth sitting still; when she alone receaves
the benefit: consider first; that great ' 90 '
or bright inferrs not excellence: the earth
though; in parison of heavn; so small;
nor glistering; may of solid good containe
more plenty then the sun that barren shines;
whose vertue on it self workes no effect; ' 95 '
but in the fruitful earth; there first receavd
his beams; unactive else; thir vigour find。
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Paradise Lost Ⅷ3
(小//说;网/
yet not to earth are those bright luminaries
officious; but to thee earths habitant。
and for the heavns wide circuit; let it speak ' 100 '
the makers high magnificence; who built
so spacious; and his line stretcht out so farr;
that man may know he dwells not in his own;
an edifice too large for him to fill;
lodgd in a small partition; and the rest ' 105 '
ordaind for uses to his lord best known。
the swiftness of those circles attribute;
though numberless; to his omnipotence;
that to corporeal substances could adde
speed almost spiritual; mee thou thinkst not slow; ' 110 '
who since the morning hour set out from heavn
where god resides; and ere mid…day arrivd
in eden; distance inexpressible
by numbers that have name。 but this i urge;
admitting motion in the heavns; to shew ' 115 '
invalid that which thee to doubt it movd;
not that i so affirm; though so it seem
to thee who hast thy dwelling here on earth。
god to remove his wayes from human sense;
placd heavn from earth so farr; that earthly sight; ' 120 '
if it presume; might erre in things too high;
and no advantage gaine。 what if the sun
be centre to the world; and other starrs
by his attractive vertue and their own
incited; dance about him various rounds? ' 125 '
thir wandring course now high; now low; then hid;
progressive; retrograde; or standing still;
in six thou seest; and what if sevnth to these
the planet earth; so stedfast though she seem;
insensibly three different motions move? ' 130 '
which else to several spheres thou must ascribe;
movd contrarie with thwart obliquities;
or save the sun his labour; and that swift
nocturnal and diurnal rhomb supposd;
invisible else above all starrs; the wheele ' 135 '
of day and night; which needs not thy beleefe;
if earth industrious of her self fetch day
travelling east; and with her part averse
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 transpicuous aire;
to the terrestrial moon be as a starr
enlightning her by day; as she by night
this earth? reciprocal; if land be there;
fields and inhabitants: her spots thou seest ' 145 '
as clouds; and clouds may rain; and rain produce
fruits in her softnd soile; for some to eate
allotted there; and other suns perhaps
with thir attendant moons thou wilt descrie
municating male and femal light; ' 150 '
which two great sexes animate the world;
stord in each orb perhaps with some that live。
for such vast room in nature unpossest
by living soule; desert and desolate;
onely to shine; yet scarce to contribute ' 155 '
each orb a glimps of light; conveyd so farr
down to this habitable; which returnes
light back to them; is obvious to dispute。
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Paradise Lost Ⅷ4
小!说
but whether thus these things; or whether not;
whether the sun predominant in heavn ' 160 '
rise on the earth; or earth rise on the sun;
hee from the east his flaming rode begin;
or shee from west her silent course advance
with inoffensive pace that spinning sleeps
on her soft axle; while she paces eevn; ' 165 '
and beares thee soft with the smooth air along;
sollicit not thy thoughts with matters hid;
leave them to god above; him serve and feare;
of other creatures; as him pleases best;
wherever plact; let him dispose: joy thou ' 170 '
in what he gives to thee; this paradise
and thy faire eve; heavn is for thee too high
to know what passes there; be lowlie wise:
think onely what concernes thee and thy being;
dream not of other worlds; what creatures there ' 175 '
live; in what state; condition or degree;
contented that thus farr hath been reveald
not of earth onely but of highest heavn。
to whom thus adam cleerd of doubt; replid。
how fully hast thou satisfid me; pure ' 180 '
intelligence of heavn; angel serene;
and freed from intricacies; taught to live
the easiest way; nor with perplexing thoughts
to interrupt the sweet of life; from which
god hath bid dwell farr off all anxious cares; ' 185 '
and not molest us; unles