Page:Paradise lost by Milton, John.djvu/257

Rh Benevolent and facile thus replied:
 * "To ask or search I blame thee not, for heaven

Is as the book of God before thee set, Wherein to read his wondrous works, and learn His seasons, hours, or days, or months, or years— This to attain, whether heaven move or earth, Imports not, if thou reckon right—the rest From Man or Angel the great Architect Did wisely to conceal, and not divulge His secrets, to be scanned by them who ought Rather admire; or, if they list to try Conjecture, he his fabric of the heavens Hath left to their disputes, perhaps to move His laughter at their quaint opinions wide Hereafter; when they come to model heaven And calculate the stars, how they will wield The mighty frame, how build, unbuild, contrive, To save appearances, how gird the sphere With centric and eccentric scribbled o'er, Cycle and epicycle, orb in orb. Already by thy reasoning this I guess, Who art to lead thy offspring, and supposes That bodies bright and greater should not serve The less not bright, nor heaven such journeys run, Earth sitting still, when she alone receives The benefit. Consider first, that great Or bright infers not excellence: the earth,