Chapter 3

           "Say,goddess,whatensued,whenRaphael,Theaffablearchangel...EveThestoryheardattentive,andwasfilledWithadmiration,anddeepmuse,tohearOfthingssohighandstrange."—ParadiseLost,B.vii.

           IfithadreallyoccurredtoMr.CasaubontothinkofMissBrookeasasuitablewifeforhim,thereasonsthatmightinducehertoaccepthimwerealreadyplantedinhermind,andbytheeveningofthenextdaythereasonshadbuddedandbloomed.Fortheyhadhadalongconversationinthemorning,whileCelia,whodidnotlikethecompanyofMr.Casaubon’smolesandsallowness,hadescapedtothevicaragetoplaywiththecurate’sill-shodbutmerrychildren.

           DorotheabythistimehadlookeddeepintotheungaugedreservoirofMr.Casaubon’smind,seeingreflectedthereinvaguelabyrinthineextensioneveryqualitysheherselfbrought;hadopenedmuchofherownexperiencetohim,andhadunderstoodfromhimthescopeofhisgreatwork,alsoofattractivelylabyrinthineextent.ForhehadbeenasinstructiveasMilton’s"affablearchangel;"andwithsomethingofthearchangelicmannerhetoldherhowhehadundertakentoshow(whatindeedhadbeenattemptedbefore,butnotwiththatthoroughness,justiceofcomparison,andeffectivenessofarrangementatwhichMr.Casaubonaimed)thatallthemythicalsystemsorerraticmythicalfragmentsintheworldwerecorruptionsofatraditionoriginallyrevealed.