BOOK VIII. PARADISE LOST. To thee who haft thy dwelling here on earth. God, to remove His ways from human fenfe, Plac'd heaven from earth fo far, that earthly fight, 120 If it prefume, might err in things too high, And no advantage gain. What if the fun Be centre to the world ; and other aars (By his attra6tive virtue, and their own, Incited) dance about him various rounds ? t25 Their wandring courfe now high, now low, then hid, Progreffive, retrograde, or finding fill, In fix thou feel': and what if fev'nth to thefe The planet Earth (fo iledfaft though fhe feem) Infenfibly three different motions move ? 130 Which elfe to feveral fpheres thou mutt afcribe, Mov'd contrary with thwart obliquities ; Or Pave the fun his labor, and that fwift Nocturnal and diurnal rhomb fuppos'd, Invifible elfe above all [tars, the wheel 135 Of day and night : which needs not thy belief, If earth, indufrious of her felf, fetch day Travelling eaft ; and with her part averfe From the fun's beam, meet night ; her other part Still luminous by his ray. What if that light, 140 (Sent from her through the wide tranfpicuous air) To the terrestrial moon be as a far, lnlightning her by day, as fhe by night This earth ? reciprocal, if land be there, Fields and inhabitants : her fpots thou feef 145 As clouds, and clouds may rain, and rain produce Fruits in her foften'd foil, for fame to eat Allotted there : and other funs perhaps, With their attendant moons, thou wilt defcry, Communicating male and female light 150 Which two great fexes animate the world ; Stor'd in each orb, perhaps, with fame that live. F f For
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