ts, though serious, are not austere or
gloomy, and it is in his loftiest musings that his reverence becomes
most apparent. This feeling is conspicuous in Adam's reply to the
inquiry addressed to him by Eve--

Daughter of God and Man, accomplished Eve,
These have their course to finish round the Earth
By morrow evening, and from land to land
In order, though to nations yet unborn,
Ministering light prepared, they set and rise;
Lest total Darkness should by night regain
Her old possession, and extinguish life
In Nature and all things; which these soft fires
Not only enlighten, but with kindly heat
Of various influence foment and warm,
Temper or nourish, or in part shed down
Their stellar virtue on all kinds that grow
On Earth, made hereby apter to receive
Perfection from the Sun's more potent ray.
These, then, though unbeheld in deep of night,
Shine not in vain; nor think, though men were none,
That Heaven would want spectators, God want praise:
Millions of spiritual creatures walk the Earth
Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep:
All these with ceaseless praise his works behold
Both day and night. How often from the steep
Of echoing hill or thicket, have we heard
Celestial voices to the midnight air,
Sole, or responsive each to other's note
Singing their Great Creator! Oft in bands
While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk,
With heavenly touch of instrumental sounds
In full harmonic number joined, their songs
Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to Heaven.--iv. 660-88.

The Morning Hymn of Praise which Adam and Eve offer up in concert to
their Maker contains their loftiest thoughts and most reverent
sentiments, expressed in melodiously flowing verse. In their solemn
invocations they call upon the orbs of the firmament to join in
praising and extolling the Creator, and in their devout enthusiasm and
adoration address by name those that are most conspicuous. Hesperus,
'fairest of stars,' is asked to praise Him in her sphere. The Sun, great
image of his Maker, is told to acknowledge Him his greater, and to sound
His praise in his eternal course. The Moon, the fixed stars, and the
planets are called upon to resound the praise of the Creator, whose
glory is declared in the Heavens--

Fairest of Stars, last in the train of night,
If better thou belong not to the dawn,
Sure p