BOOK VIII. PARADISE LOST. 217 Such as I leek, fit to participate All rational delight ; wherein the brute Cannot be human confort : they rejoyce Each with their kind, lion with lionefs ; So fitly them in pairs thou haft combin'd : Much lefs can bird with beaft, or fith with fowl So well converfe, nor with the ox the ape Work then can man with beaft, and leaft ofall. 390 39; Whereto th' Almighty anfwer'd, not difpleas'd. A nice and fubtile happinefs I fee Thou to thy Pelf propofeft, in the choice 400 Of thy affociates, Adam; and wilt talk No pleafure (though in pleafure) folitary. What thinleft thou then of Me, and this My (late ? Seem 1 to thee fufficiently poffeft Of happinefs, or not, who am alone 405 From all eternity ? for none I know Second to Me, or like ; equal much lefs. How have I then with whom to hold converfe, Save with the creatures which I made, and thofe To Me inferior, infinite defcents 410 Beneath what other creatures are to thee ? He ceas'd, I lowly anfwer'd. To attain The height, and depth of Thy eternal ways, Ad human thoughts come fhort, Supreme of things I Thou in thy felt art perfet, and in Thee 415 Is no deficienee found. Not fo is Man, But in degree ; the caufe of his define, By converfation with his like for help, Or folace his dcfetts. No need that Thou Should'it propagate, already Infinite ; 420 And through all numbers abfolute, though ONE. But Man by number is to manifeit G g His
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