Now on the polar winds, then with quick fan
Winnows the buxom air; till within foar
Of tow'ring eagles, to' all the fowls he seems
A phœnix, gaz'd by all, as that fole bird,
When to inthrine his reliques in the fun's
Bright temple, to Egyptian Thebes he flies.
At once on th' eastern cliff of Paradise

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275

He lights, and to his proper shape returns,
A feraph wing'd: fix wings he wore, to shade
His lineaments divine; the pair that clad

Each shoulder broad, came mantling o'er his breat

With regal ornament; the middle pair
Girt like a starry zone his waist, and round
Skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold,
And colours dipt in heaven; the third his feet
Shadow'd from either heel with feather'd mail,
Sky-tinctur'd grain. Like Maia's son he stood, 285
And shook his plumes, that heavenly fragrance fill'd
The circuit wide. Strait knew him all the bands

Of angels under watch; and to his state,
And to his message high, in honour rife;

For on fome message high they guess'd him bound. 290
Their glitt'ring tents he pass'd, and now is come
Into the blissful field, through groves of myrrh,
And flow'ring odours, caffia, nard, and balm;
A wilderness of sweets; for nature here
Wanton'd as in her prime, and play'd at will
Her virgin fancies, pouring forth more fweet,
Wild above rule or art; enormous bliss.
Him through the spicy forest onward come
Adam difcern'd, as in the door he fat

295

Of his cool bower, while now the mounted fun 300.

Shot down direct his fervid rays to warm

:

Earth's inmost womb, more warmth than Adam needs;

And Eve within, due at her hour, prepar'd

For dinner favoury fruits, of taste to please

True appetite, and not disrelish thirst

305

Of necta'rous draughts between, from milky stream, Berry or grape: to whom thus Adam call'd.

310

Hafte hither Eve, and, worth thy fight, behold, Eastward among those trees, what glorious shape Comes this way moving; seems another morn Ris'n on mid-noon; fome great beheft from heaven To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchsafe This day to be our guest. But go with fpeed, And what thy ftores contain, bring forth, and pour Abundance, fit to honour and receive

3'5

Our heavenly tranger: well we may afford
Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow
From large bestow'd, where Nature multiplies
Her fertile growth, and by disburd'ning grows
More fruitful, which instructs us not to spare. 320
To whom thus Eve. Adam, earth's hallow'd mould,
Of God inspir'd, small store will ferve, where store,
All seasons, ripe for use hangs on the stalk;
Save what by frugal storing firmness gains
To nourish, and fuperfluous moist confumes:
But I will haste, and from each bough and brake,
Each plant and juiciest gourd, will pluck such choice
To entertain our angel guest, as he
Beholding shall confess, that here on earth
God hath dispens'd his bounties as in heaven.

So saying, with dispatchful looks in haste

She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent
What choice to chuse for delicacy best,
What order, so contriv'd as not to mix
Tastes, not well join'd, inelegant, but bring
Taste after taste upheld with kindliest change;
Bestirs her then, and from each tender stalk
Whatever Earth, all-bearing mother, yields

325

330

335

340

In India East or West, or middle shore,
In Pontus, or the Punic coaft, or where
Alcinous reign'd, fruit of all kinds, in coat
Rough or smooth rin'd, or bearded husk, or shell,
She gathers, tribute large, and on the board.
Heaps with unsparing hand; for drink the grape
She crushes, inoffenfive must, and meaths
From many a berry', and from sweet kernels press'd
She tempers dulcet creams; nor these to hold
Wants her fit vessels pure; then strows the ground
With rose and odours from the shrub unfum'd.

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:

850

355

Meanwhile our primitive great fire, to meet His godlike guest, walks forth, without more train Accompanied than with his own complete Perfections; in himself was all his state, More folemn than the tedious pomp that waits On princes, when their rich retinue long Of horfes led, and grooms besmear'd with gold, Dazzles the croud, and fets them all agape. Nearer his prefence Adam, though not aw'd, Yet with fubmiss approach and reverence meek, As to a fuperior nature, bowing low, Thus faid. Native of heaven, for other place None can than heaven such glorious shape contain; Since by defcending from the thrones above, Those happy places thou hast deign'd a while To want, and honour these, vouchsafe with us 365 Two' only, who yet by fovereign gift poffefs This spacious ground, in yonder shady bower To reft, and what the garden choicest bears To fit and taste, till this meridian heat

Be over, and the fun more cool decline:

Whom thus th' angelic Virtue answer'd mild... Adam, I therefore came; nor art thou such Created, or fuch place haft here to dwell,

360

370

375

As may not oft invite, though spi'rits of heaven,
To vifit thee: lead on then where thy bower
O'ershades; for these mid hours, till evening rise,
I have at will. So to the sylvan lodge
They came, that like Pomona's arbour smil'd,
With flow'rets deck'd, and fragrant smells; but Eve
Undeck'd fave with herself, more lovely fair
Than wood-nymph, or the fairest goddess feign'd
Of three that in mount Ida naked strove,
Stood to' entertain her guest from heaven; no veil
She needed, virtue proof; no thought infirm
Alter'd her cheek. On whom the angel Hail. 3855
Bestow'd, the holy falutation us'd

Long after to bless'd Mary, second Ever

380

Hail, mother of mankind! whose fruitful womb. Shall fill the world more numerous with thy fons, Than with these various fruits the trees of God 390 Have heap'd this table. Rais'd of grafsy turf. Their table was, and mossy seats had round, And on her ample square from fide to fide All autumn pil'd, though spring and autumn here Danc'd hand in hand. A while discourse they hold; No fear lest dinner cool; when thus began. 396 Our author. Heav'nly stranger, please to taste These bounties, which our Nourisher, from whom

All perfect good, unmeasur'd out, descends,
To us for food and for delight hath caus'd
The earth to yield; unfavoury food perhaps

400

To fpiritual natures; only this I know,

That one celeftial Father gives to all.

To whom the angel. Therefore what he gives,

(Whose praise be ever sung.) to man in part Spiritual, may of purest spi'rits be found

405

No' ingrateful food: and food alike those pure

Intelligential substances require,

As

As doth your rational; and both contain
Within them every lower faculty

410.

Of fenfe, whereby they hear, fee, finell, touch, talte,

Tasting concoct, digeft, assimilate,

And corporeal to incorporeal turn.

For know, whatever was created, needs

To be sustain'd and fed; of elements,

415

The groffer feeds the purer, earth the fea,
Earth and the sea feed air, the air those fires

Ethereal, and as lowest, first the moon;

Whence in her visage round those spots, unpurg'd
Vapours not yet into her substance turn'd.

420

Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale

From her moist continent to higher orbs.
The fun, that light imparts to all, receives

From all his alimental recompenfe

In humid exhalations, and at ev'n

425

Sups with the ocean. Though in heav'n the trees
Of life ambrofial fruitage bear, and vines

Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each morn We brush mellifluous dews, and find the ground Cover'd with pearly grain: yet God hath here 430

Varied his bounty so with new delights,
As may compare with heav'n; and to taste
Think not I shall be nice. So down they fat,
And to their viands fell; nor feemingly
The angel, nor in mist, the common glofs
Of theologians; but with keen dispatch
Of real hunger, and concoctive heat

435

To transubstantiate: what redounds, transpires Through spirits with ease; nor wonder; if by fire:

Of footy coal th' empiric alchemist

Can turn, or holds it possible to turn,

Metals of droffiest ore to perfect gold

As from the mine. Meanwhile at table Eve

440