“Whereto the Almighty answered, not displeased: ‘A nice and subtle happiness, I see, Thou to thyself proposest, in the choice Of thy associates, Adam, and wilt taste No pleasure, though in pleasure, solitary. What think’st thou then of me, and this my state? Seem I to thee sufficiently possessed Of happiness, or not? who am alone From all eternity; for none I know Second to me or like, equal much less. How have I then with whom to hold converse, Save with the creatures which I made, and those To me inferior, infinite descents Beneath what other creatures are to thee?’
“He ceased; I lowly answered: ‘To attain The highth and depth of thy eternal ways All human thoughts come short, Supreme of things! Thou in thyself art perfect, and in thee Is no deficience found; not so is Man, But in degree—the cause of his desire By conversation with his like to help Or solace his defects. No need that thou Should’st propagate, already infinite, And through all numbers absolute, though One; But Man by number is to manifest His single imperfection, and beget Like of his like, his image multiplied, In