Air, and ye Elements the eldest birth
Of Nature's Womb, that in quaternion run
Perpetual Circle, multiform; and mix
And nourish all things, let your ceaflefs change
- Vary to our great Maker still new praife.
Ye Mifts and Exhalations that now rife
From Hill or steaming Lake, dusky or grey,
Till the Sun paint your fleecy skirts with Gold,
In honour to the World's great Author rife,
Whether to deck with Clouds the uncolour'd sky,
Or wet the thirfty Earth with falling fhowers, 190
Rifing or falling still advance his praise.
His praise ye Winds that from four Quarters blow,
Breathe foft or loud; and wave your tops, ye Pines,
With every Plant, in fign of Worship wave.
Fountains and ye, that warble, as ye flow,
Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise.
Joyn voices all ye living Souls, ye Birds,
That finging up to Heaven Gate afcend,
Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise;
Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk
The Earth, and ftately tread, or lowly creep;
Witness if I be filent, Morn or Eeven,
To Hill, or Valley, Fountain, or fresh shade
Made vocal by my Song, and taught his praise.
Hail univerfal Lord, be bounteous ftill
To give us only good; and if the night
Have gathered aught of evil or conceal'd,
Disperse it, as now light difpels the dark.
So pray'd they innocent, and to their thoughts
Firm peace recover'd foon and wonted calm. 210
On to their morning's rural work they haste
Among fweet dewes and flours; where any row
Of Fruit-trees over woodie reach'd too far
Their pamper'd boughes, and needed hands to check
Fruitless imbraces: or they led the Vine
215
To wed her Elm; the fpous'd about him twines
Her marriageable arms, and with her brings
Her dowr th'adopted Clufters, to adorn
His barren leaves. Them thus imploy'd beheld
With pity Heav'ns high King, and to him call'd 220
Raphael, the fociable Spirit, that deign'd
To travel with Tobias, and fecur'd
His marriage with the feventimes-wedded Maid.
Raphael, faid he, thou hear'ft what ftir on Earth
Satan from Hell fcap'd through the darksom Gulf
Hath rais'd in Paradife, and how disturb'd
This night the human pair, how he designs
In them at once to ruin all mankind.
Go therefore, half this day as friend with friend
Converse with Adam, in what Bower or shade 230
Thou find'ft him from the heat of Noon retir'd,
To refpit his day-labour with repast,,
Or with repofe; and such discourse bring on,
As may advife him of his happy ftate,
Happiness in his power left free to will,
Left to his own free Will, his Will though free,
Yet mutable; whence warn him to beware
He fwerve not too fecure: tell him withal
His danger, and from whom, what enemy
Late fall'n himself from Heav'n, is plotting now
The fall of others from like state of blifs;
By violence, no, for that fhall be withstood,
But by deceit and lies; this let him know,
Leaft wilfully tranfgreffing he pretend
Surprifal, unadmonisht, unforewarn'd.
So fpake th' Eternal Father, and fulfill'd All Juftice: nor delaid the winged Saint After his charge receiv'd; but from among Thousand Celestial Ardors, where he food Vail'd with his gorgeous wings, up fpringing light 250 Flew through the midft of Heav'n; th'angelic Quires On each hand parting, to his speed gave way Through all th'Empyreal road; till at the Gate Of Heav'n arriv'd, the gate felf-open'd wide On golden Hinges turning, as by work Divine the fov'reign Architect had fram'd. From hence, no cloud, or, to obstruct his sight, Star interpos'd, however small he fees,
Not unconform to other fhining Globes,
Earth and the Gard'n of God, with Cedar crown'd
Above all Hills. As when by night the Glass 261
Of Galileo, lefs affur'd, obferves
Imagin'd Lands and Regions in the Moon:
Or Pilot from amidst the Cyclades
Delos or Samos first appearing kenns
A cloudy fpot. Down thither prone in flight
He speeds, and through the vast Ethereal Sky
Sailes between worlds and worlds, with fteddy wing
Now on the polar windes, then with quick Fan
Winnows the buxom Air; till within foare
Of Towring Eagles, to all the Fowles he seems
A Phanix, gaz'd by all, as that fole Bird
When to enshrine his reliques in the Sun's
Bright Temple, to Ægyptian Theb's he flies.
At once on th' Eastern cliff of Paradife
He lights, and to his proper shape returns
A Seraph wing'd; fix wings he wore, to shade
His lineaments Divine; the pair that clad
Each shoulder broad, came mantling o'er his breaft With regal Ornament; the middle pair
Girt like a Starry Zone his wafte, and round
Skirted his loines and thighs with downy Gold
And colours dipt in Heav'n; the third his feet
Shaddow'd from either heele with feather'd maile
Sky-tinctur'd grain. Like Maia's fon he ftood, 285
And fhook his Plumes, that Heav'nly fragrance fill'd
The circuit wide. Strait knew him all the Bands
Of Angels under watch; and to his fate,
And to his meffage high in honour rife;
For on fome meffage high they guess'd him bound.
Their glittering Tents he pass'd, and now is come
Into the blissful field, through Groves of Myrrhe,
And flouring Odours, Caffia, Nard, and Balme;
A Wilderness of fweets; for Nature here
Wanton'd as in her prime, and plaid at will
Her Virgin Fancies, pouring forth more fweet,
Wild above Rule or Art; enormous bliss.
Him through the fpicie Forreft onward come
Adam difcern'd, as in the door he fat
Of his cool Bower, while now the mounted Sun
Shot down direct his fervid Raies to warme 301
Earth's inmost womb,more warmth than Adam needs;
And Eve within, due to her hour prepar'd
For dinner favoury fruits, of tafte to please
True appetite, and not difrelish thirst
Of nectarous draughts between, from milky ftream, Berry or Grape: to whom thus Adam call'd.
Hafte hither Eve, and worth thy fight behold Eaftward among thofe Trees, what glorious shape Comes this way moving; seems another Morn 310 Ris'n on mid-noon; fome great beheût from Heav'n To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchsafe This Day to be our Gueft. But go with speed, And what thy ftores contain, bring forth and pour Abundance, fit to honour and receive
Our Heav'nly ftranger; well we may afford
Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow
From large beflow'd, where Nature multiplies
Her fertil growth, and by disburd'ning grows
More fruitful, which inftructs us not to fpare. 320.
To whom thus Eve. Adam, earth's hallow'd mould,
Of God infpir'd, fmall ftore will ferve, where ftore,
All feafons, ripe for ufe hangs on the Rtalk;
Save what by frugal ftoring firmness gains
To nourish, and fuperfluous moift confumes : 325
But I will hafte and from each bough and break,
Each Plant and juciest Gourd will pluck fuch choice
To entertain our Angel gueft, as he
Beholding hall confefs that here on Earth
|