d the
Moon as feminine; the light emanating from each being similarly
distinguished, and possessing different properties.

Milton supposes that, as the Earth receives light from the stars, she
returns light back to them. But in his time little was known about the
stars, nor was it ascertained how distant they are.

The Angel, in bringing to a conclusion his conversation with Adam, deems
it unadvisable to vouchsafe him a decisive reply to his inquiry
regarding the motions of celestial bodies, and in the following lines
gives a beautifully poetical summary of this elevated and philosophic
discussion:--

But whether thus these things, or whether not,
Whether the Sun, predominant in Heaven,
Rise on the Earth, or Earth rise on the Sun;
He from the east his flaming round begin,
Or she from west her silent course advance
With inoffensive pace that spinning sleeps
On her soft axle, whilst she paces even,
And bears thee soft with the smooth air along--
Solicit not thy thoughts with matters hid.--viii. 159-67.

In this scientific discourse between Adam and Raphael, in which they
discuss the structural arrangement of the heavens and the motions of
celestial bodies, we are afforded an opportunity of learning what exact
and comprehensive knowledge Milton possessed of both the Ptolemaic and
Copernican theories. The concise and accurate manner in which he
describes the doctrines belonging to each system indicates that he must
have devoted considerable time and attention to making himself master of
the details associated with both theories, which in his time were the
cause of much controversy and discussion among philosophers and men of
science.

The Ptolemaic system, with its crystalline spheres revolving round the
Earth, the addition to those of cycles and epicycles, and the heaping of
them upon each other, in order to account for phenomena associated with
the motions of celestial bodies, are concisely and accurately described.

The unreasonableness of this theory, when compared with the Copernican,
is clearly delineated by Milton where Adam is made to express his views
with regard to motion in the heavens. His argument, declared in logical
and persuasive language, demonstrates how contrary to reason it would be
to imagine that the entire heavens should revolve round the Earth to
bring about a result which could be more easily attained by imparting
motion to the Earth herself. The inconcei