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Best image of myself, and dearer half,

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The trouble of thy thoughts this night in fleep
Affects ne equally ; nor can I like
This uncouth dream, of evil sprung I fear:
Yet evil whence? in thee, can harbour none,
Created pure. But know that in the soul
Are many lesser faculties, that serve
Reason as chief; among these Fancy next
Her office holds; of all external things,
Which the five watchful senses represent,
She forms imaginations, aery shapes,

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Which reason joining or disjoining frames
All what we' affirm, or what deny, and call
Our knowledge or opinion; then retires
Into her private cell when nature refts.
Oft in her absence mimic Fancy wakes

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To imitate her ; but misjoining shapes,
Wild work produces oft, and most in dreams,
Ill matching words and deeds long past or late.
Some such resemblances, methinks, I find
Of our last evening's talk, in this thy dream, 115
But with addition strange; yet be not fad,
Evil into the mind of God or man
May come and go, so unapprov'd, and leave
No spot or blame behind; which gives me hope
That what in sleep thou didst abhor to dream,
Waking thou never wilt consent to do.
Be not dishearten'd then, nor cloud those looks,
That wont to be more cheerful and serene,
Than when fair morning first smiles on the world;
And let us to our fresh employments rise 125
Among the groves, the fountains, and the flowers,
That open now their choicest bosom'd smells,
Reservd from night, and kept for thee in fore.

So

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So cheer'd he his fair spouse, and the was cheer'd; But filently a gentle tear let fall

130 From either eye, and wip'd them with her hair ; Two other precious drops that ready stood,

Each in their chryftal sluice, he ere they fell · Kiss’d, as the gracious signs of sweet remorse, And pious awe, that fear'd to have offended.

135 So all was clear'd, and to the field they haste. But first, from under shady arb'rous roof Soon as they forth were come to open fight Of day-spring, and the fun, who scarce up risen, With wheels yet hov'ring o'er the ocean-brim, Shot parallel to the earth his dewy ray, Discovering in wide landscape all the east Of Paradise and Eden's happy plains, Lowly they bow'd adoring, and began Their orisons, each morning duly paid

145 In various ftyle ; for neither various style Nor holy rapture wanted they to praise Their Maker, in fit ftrains pronounc'd, or sung Unmeditated, such prompt eloquence Flow'd from their lips, in profe or numerous verse, More tuneable than needed lute or harp

151 To add more sweetness; and they thus began.

These are thy glorious works, Parent of good! Almighty, thine this universal frame, Thus wondrous fair ; thyself how wondrous then ! Unspeakable, who fitt'st above these heavens, 156 To us invisible, or dimly seen In these thy lowest works; yet these declare Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine. Speak ye who beft can tell, ye sons of light, 160 Angels; for ye behold him, and with songs

, And choral fymphonies, day without night, Circle his throne rejoicing; ye in heaven,

On earth, join all ye creatures to extol
Him first, him last, him midit, and without end. 165
Fairest of stars, last in the train of night,
If better thou belong not to the dawn,
Sure pledge of day, that crown'st the smiling mora
With thy bright circlet, praise him in thy fphere,
While day arises, that sweet bour of prime. 170
Thou fun, of this great world both eye and foul,
Acknowledge him thy greater ; found his praise
In thy eternal course, both when thou climb'st,
And when high noon haft gain'd, and when thou fall'it.
Moon, that now meet'it the orient sun, now fly'ft
With the fir'd stars, fix'd in their orb that flies; 176
And

ye

five other wandring fires that move
In myftic darce, not without song, resound
His praise, who out of darkness call'd up light.
Air, and ye elements, the eldest birth

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Of Nature's womb, that in quaternion run
Perpetual circle, multiform; and mix,
And nourish all things ; let your ceaseless change
Vary to our great Maker ftill new praise.
Ye mifts and exhalations that

now

rise From bill or steaming lake, dusky or gray, Till the fun paint your fleecy skirts with gold, In honour to the world's great Author rises Whether to deck with clouds th? upcolour'd sky,. Or wet the thirsty earth with falling fhowers, 190 Rising or falling still advance his praise.is His praife, 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, 195 Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise. Join voices all ye living fouls: ye birds, That singing up to heaven-gate afcend,

Bear

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Bear on your wings, and in your notes his praise.
Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk 200
The earth, and stately tread, or lowly creep;
Witness if I be filent, morn or even,
To hill, or valley, fountain, or fresh fade,
Made vocal by my fong, and taught his praise.
Hail, universal Lord! be bounteous still 203
To give us only good ; and if the night
Have gather'd ought of evil, or concealid,
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 sweet dews and flowers; where any row
Of fruit-trees over-woody reach'd too far
Their pamper'd boughs, and needed hands to check
Fruitless embraces: or they led the vine 215
To wed her elm ; fhe spous'd about him twines
Her 'marriageable arms, and with her brings
Her dower, th'adopted clusters, to adorn
His barren leaves. Them thus employ'd beheld
With pity heaven's high King, and to him call'd 220
Raphael, the sociable spi'rit, that deigo'd
To travel with Tobias, and secur'd
His marriage with the sev'n times wedded raaid.

Raphael, said he, thou hear'it wliat flir on earth Satan, from hell'fcap'd thro’ the darksome gult: 223 Hath rais'd in Paradise, and how disturbid 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't him from the heat of noon retir'd, To respite his day-labour with repast, Or with repofe ; and such discourfe bring on,

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As may advise him of his happy ftate,
Happiness in his power left free to will,

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Left to his own free will, his will though free,
Yet mutable; whence warn bim to beware
He swerve not too fecure. Tell him withal
His danger, and from whom; what enemy,
Late fall’n himself from heaven, is plotting now 240
The fall of others from like state of bliss :
By violence ? no, for that shall be withstood ;
But by deceit and- lies; this let him know,
Left willfully tranfgreffing he pretend
Surprisal, unadmonishid, unforewarn'd.

245 So spake th' eternal Father, and fulfill'd All justice: nor detay'd the winged saint After his charge receiv'd; but from among Thousand celestial ardors, where he food Veild with his gorgeous wings, up-springing light 25: Flew thro' the midit of heaven; th'angelic quires On each-hand parting, to his speed gave way Through all th'empyreal road; till at the gate of heaven arriv'd, the gate felf-open'd wide On golden hinges turning, as by work

2:55 Divine the fou'reign Archite&t had framd. From hence, no cloud, or, to obstruct his fight, Star interpos'd; however small, he fees, Not unconforın to other thining globes, Earth, and the gard’n of God, with cedars 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, froni amidst the Cyclades, Delos or Samos first appearing, kens

265 A cloudy spot. Down thither prone in flight He speeds, and through the vast ethereal sky Sails between worlds and worlds, with fteddy wing

Now