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PARADISE LOST.

BOOK VIII.

THE angel ended, and in Adam's ear
So charming left his voice, that he a while
Thought him still speaking, still stood fix'd to hear;
Then as new wak'd thus gratefully replied.

1. The angel ended, &c.] 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; and therefore in the second edition of the poem in twelve books, when the seventh book was divided into two, the author changed this line, and changed it very much for the better, into the four first lines as they stand at present, only preserving part of this verse in the last of the four,

Then as new wak'd thus gratefully replied.

2. So charming left his voice, &c.] Imitated probably from Apollonius i. 512. who elegantly describes the effect which the harp and voice of Orpheus had upon the Argonauts. When Or

says the poet, intent and bending towards him, still listened and imagined him still speaking.

Η, και ὁ μεν φόρμιγγα συν αμβροσίη σχεθεν αυδη

Τοιδ' αμο τον λήξαντος ότι προύχοντο nagnva

Παντες όμως ορθοισιν επ' ουασιν ηρεμε

αυτές

Κηληθμος τοιον σφιν ενελλιπε θελκτιν αοιδην.

The thought was originally Homer's, Iliad. ii. 41.

-θεση δε μιν αμφίχετ' ομφη. Lucian Somn. ötɩ your- -η φωνη των ακουσθέντων εναυλος. And Socrates in Plato's Crito. Και εν εμοι αυτή ή ηχη τούτων των λόγων βομβει, και ποιει μη δυνασθαι των aλλwv axovεiv. Jortin.

3. -still stood fix'd to hear ;] Stood from Stava (Italian) reIt is not mained, continued. his attitude which is here described, but his great attention.

What thanks sufficient, or what recompense

Equal have I to render thee, divine

Historian, who thus largely hast allay'd

The thirst I had of knowledge, and vouchsaf'd
This friendly condescension to relate
Things else by me unsearchable, now heard
With wonder, but delight, and, as is due,
With glory attributed to the high
Creator? something yet of doubt remains,
Which only thy solution can resolve.
When I behold this goodly frame, this world

5. What thanks sufficient, &c.] The accounts which Raphael gives of the battle of angels and the creation of the world, have in them those qualifications, which the critics judge requisite to an episode. They are nearly related to the principal action, and have a just connexion with the fable. The eighth book opens with a beautiful description of the impression which this discourse of the archangel made on our first parents. Adam afterwards, by a very natural curiosity, enquires concerning

the motions of those celestial bodies which make the most glorious appearance among the six days' works. The poet here, with a great deal of art, represents Eve as withdrawing from this part of their conversation to amusements more suitable to her sex. He well knew, that the episode in this book, which is filled with Adam's account of his passion and esteem for Eve, would have been improper for her hearing, and has therefore

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15. When I behold this goodly frame, this world &c.] Milton, after having given so noble an idea of the creation of this new world, takes a most proper occasion to shew the two great systems, usually called the Ptolemaic and the Copernican, one making the earth, the other the sun, to be the centre; and this he does by introducing Adam proposing very judiciously the difficulties that occur in the first, and which was the system most obvious to him. The reply of the angel touches on the expedients the Ptolemaics invented to solve those difficulties, and to patch up their system, and then intimates that perhaps the sun is the centre, and so opens that system, and withal the noble improvements of the new philosophy; not however determining for one or the other: on the contrary, he exhorts our progenitor to apply his thoughts

Of heav'n and earth consisting, and compute
Their magnitudes, this earth, a spot, a grain,
An atom, with the firmament compar'd

And all her number'd stars, that seem to roll
Spaces incomprehensible (for such
Their distance argues and their swift return
Diurnal) merely to officiate light

Round this opacous earth, this punctual spot,
One day and night, in all their vast survey
Useless besides; reasoning I oft admire,
How nature wise and frugal could commit
Such disproportions, with superfluous hand
So many nobler bodies to create,
Greater so manifold to this one use,

rather to what more nearly concerns him, and is within his reach. Richardson.

19. And all her number'd stars,] Numbered by whom? by the Lord their Creator, and by him alone, Ps. cxlvii. 4. He telleth the number of the stars, he calleth them all by their names. Astronomers also tell their number, but it is of that small part only which they see and give names to.

But neither is this the numbered meant in this place. Adam only would say they are not a few, but a vast number, numerous. Richardson.

Numbered is the same here as numerous in vii. 621.

19. that seem to roll Spaces incomprehensible] That is, roll through spaces incomprehensible: when a body is at a vast distance and per

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these circumstances considered together argue that it rolls through spaces incomprehensible. Pearce.

23. this punctual spot,] He had called this earth a spot, in ver. 17. he calls it here this punctual spot, a spot no bigger than a point, compared with the firmament and fixed stars: punctual is derived from punctum a point.

28. So many nobler bodies to create,

Greater so manifold] As if he had said, So many nobler, so many greater; but he turns the words, So many nobler, Greater so many, manifold for the sake of the verse.

29. Manifold is probably used for the adverb manifoldly; so many nobler, so many times greater than the earth. E.

For ought appears, and on their orbs impose.
Such restless revolution day by day

Repeated, while the sedentary earth,

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That better might with far less compass move,
Serv'd by more noble than herself, attains
Her end without least motion, and receives,
As tribute, such a sumless journey brought
Of incorporeal speed, her warmth and light;
Speed, to describe whose swiftness number fails.
So spake our sire, and by his count'nance seem'd
Ent'ring on studious thoughts abstruse, which Eve 40

37. Of incorporeal speed,] Not that it was truly so, it signifies only very great speed, such as spirits might use. Speed almost spiritual, as he expresses it a little afterwards, ver. 110.

40. which Eve Perceiving &c.]

What a lovely picture has the poet here drawn of Eve! As it did not become her to bear a part in the conversation, she modestly sits at a distance, but yet within view. She stays as long as the angel and her husband are discoursing of things, which it might concern her and her duty to know: but when they enter upon abstruser points, then she decently retires. This is preserving the decorum of character and so Cephalus in Plato's Republic, and Scævola in Cicero's treatise De Oratore, stay only as long as it was suitable for persons of their character, and are made to withdraw when the discourse was less proper for them to hear. Eve's withdrawing is juster and more beautiful than these in

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Perceiving where she sat retir'd 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 flowers,
To visit how they prosper'd, bud and bloom,
Her nursery; they at her coming sprung,

And touch'd by her fair tendence gladlier grew.
Yet went she not, as not with such discourse
Delighted, or not capable her ear

Of what was high: such pleasure she reserv'd,
Adam relating, she sole auditress ;

Her husband the relator she preferr'd

Before the angel, and of him to ask

Chose rather; he, she knew, would intermix
Grateful digressions, and solve high dispute
With conjugal caresses; from his lip

Not words alone pleas'd her. O when meet now
Such pairs, in love and mutual honour join'd?
With goddess-like demeanour forth she went,
Not unattended, for on her as queen

46.they at her coming sprung, &c.] The same pretty thought Marino applies to his Venus, which probably Milton might have in view.

L'herbe dal sole impallidite, e gialle Verdeggian tutte, ogni fior s'apre et alza, &c.

Adone, cant. iii. st. 65. In the same manner also speaking of Adonis,

Tutto al venir d'Adon par che ri-
denti,

Rivesta il bel giardin novi colori &c.
Ib. cant. vi. st. 146.

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59. With goddess-like demeanour forth she went,

Not unattended,] In the turn of expression in these two lines, Milton seems to allude to Homer's description of Helen. Iliad. iii. 142.

Ωρματ' εκ θαλαμοιο, τερεν κατα δακρυ

χευσα,
Ουκ οιη, άμα τηγε.

Thyer.

60. Not unattended, for on her

as queen

A pomp of winning graces waited still.]

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