:

Left he, incens'd at fuch eruption bold,

235 Destruction with creation might have mix'd. Not that they durft without his leave attempt ; But us he fends upon bis high bebelts For Itate, as fou'reign King, and to inure Our prompt obedience. Fast we found, fast shut 240 The dismal gates, and barricado'd ftrong; But, long ere our approaching, heard within Noise, other than the found of dance or fong, Torinent, and loud lament, and furious rage. Clad we return'd up to the coasts of light 745 Ere Sabbath-ev'ning: so we had in charge. But thy relation now; for I attend, Pleas'd with thy words no less than thou with mine.

So spake the godlike pow'r, and thus our fire : For man to tell how human life began

350 Is hard; for who himself beginning knew? Delire with thee still longer to converse Induc'd me. As new wak'd from foundest fleep, Soft on the flow'ry herb I found me laid In balmy sweat, which with his beams the sun 255 Soon dry'd, and on the reeking moisture fed. Strait toward heav'n my wond'ring eyes I turp'd, And gaz'd a while the ample sky, till rais'd By quick instinctive motion, up I fprung, As thitherward endeavouring, and upright 260 Stood on my feet; about me round I faw Hill, dale, and shady woods, and funny plains, And liquid lapse of murm’ring streams; by these, Creatures that liv'd and mov'd, and walk'd, or flew, Birds on the branches warbling; all things smil'd, 265 With fragrance and with joy my heart o'erflow'd.. Myself I then perus'd, and limb by limb Survey'd, and sometimes went, and sometimes ran: With supple joints, as lively vigour lad:

But

But who I was, or where, or from what cause, 270
Knew not; to speak I try'd, and forthwith spake ;
My tongue obey'd, and readily could name
Whate'er I saw. Thou fun, faid I, fair light,
And thou enlighten'd earth, fo fresh and gay,
Ye hills and dales, ye rivers, woods, and plains, 275
And ye that live and move, fair creatures, tell,
Fell, if ye faw, how came I thus, how here?
Not of myself; by some great Maker then,
In goodness and in power pre-eminent;
Tell me, how may I know him, how adore, 28
From whom I have that thus I move and live,
And feel that I am happier than I know.
While thus I call's, and fray'd I knew not whither,
From where I first drew air, and first beheld
This happy light; when answer none return'd, 285
On a green lady bank, profuse of flowers,
Penfive I fat me down; there gentle sleep
First found me, and with soft oppression seiz'd
My droused fenfe, untroubled, though I thought
I then was, paling to my former state

20
Infenfible, and forthwith to dissolve:
When suddenly stood at my head a dream,,
Whose inward apparition gently mov'd
My. fancy to believe I yet had being,
And liv'd : One came; methought, of shape divine,
And said, Thy manfion wants thee, Adam, rise, 266
First man, of men innumerable ordain'd
First father; call'd by thee, I come thy guide:
To the garden of bliss, thy. seat prepar'd..
So faying, by the band he took me rais?d,. 300
And over fields and waters, as in air
Smooth sliding without step, laft led me up
A woody mountain; whose high top was plain,
A circuit wide, inclos'd with goodliest trees

M: 6

Planted,

310

Planted, with walks, and bowers, that what I saw 305
Of earth before scarce pleasant seem'd. Each tree
Loaden with fairest fruit, that hung to th’eye
Teinpting, firr'd in me sudden appetite
To pluck and eat; whereat I wak'd, and found
Before mine eyes all real, as the dream
Had lively shadow'd. Here had new begun
My wand'ring, had not he, who was my guide
Up hither, from among the trees appear'd,
Presence divine. Rejoicing, but with awe,
In adoration at his feet I fell

315
Submiss: he rear'd me', and whom thou fought'st I
Said mildly, Author of all this thou seest [am,
Above, or rouad about thee, or beneath.
This Paradise I give thee, count it thine
To till and keep, and of the fruit to eat:

320 Of every tree that in the garden grows Eat freely with glad heart; fear here no dearth: But of the tree whose operation brings Knowledge of good and ill, which I have fet The pledge of thy obedience and thy faith, 325 Amid the garden by the tree of life, Remember what I warn thee, shun to taste, And thun the bitter confequence; for know, The day thou eat'st thereof, my fole command Transgress’d, inevitably thou shalt die,

330 I'rom that day mortal, and this happy fate Shalt lose, expellid from hence into a world Of woe and forrow. Sternly he pronounc'd The rigid interdiction, which resounds Ver dreadful in mine ear, though in my

choice

335 Not to incur; but soon his clear afpéét Return'd, and gracious purpose thus renew'd. Not only these fair bounds, but all the earth To thee and to thy race I give; as lords

Poffefs

Possess it, and all things that therein live,

340
Or live in fea, or air, beaft, fish, and fowl.
In sign whereof each bird and beast behold
After their kinds; I bring them to receive
From thee their names, and pay thee feälty
With low subjection ; understand the same 345
Of fish within their watry residence,
Not hither summon'd, fince they cannot change
Their element to draw the thinner air.
As thus he spake, each bird and beaft behold
Approaching two and two, these cowring low 350
With blandithment, each bird stoop'd on his wing.
I oam'd them, as they pass’d, and understood
Their nature, with such knowledge God endu'd
My sudden apprehenfion : but in these
I found not what methought I wanted ftill;

355 And to the heav'nly vision thus prefum'd.

O by what name, for thou above all these,
Above mankind, or ought than mankind higher,
Surpasselt far my naming, how may I
Adore thee, Author of this universe,
And all this good to man? for whose well-being
So amply, and with hands so liberal
Thou hast provided all things : but with me
I see not who partakes. In folitude
What happiness, who can enjoy alone, 365
Or all enjoying, what contentment find ?
Thus I presumptuous; and the vision bright,
As with a smile more brighten'd, thus reply'd.

What call'st thou solitude? Is not the earth
With various living creatures, and the air 370
Replenish'd, and all these at thy command
To come and play before thee? Know'st thou not
Their language and their ways? they also know,
And reason not contemptibly; with these

Find

360

380

Find pastime, and bear rule; thy realm is large. 375
So fpake the universal Lord, and feem'd
So ord'ring. I, with leave of speech implor'd,
And humble deprecation, thus reply'd

Let not my words offend thee, heav'nly power,
My Maker, be propitious while I speak.
Halt thou not made me here thy substitute,
And these inferior far beneath me fet?
Among unequals what fociety
Can fort, what harmony or true delight?
Which must be mutual, in proportion due 385
Giv'n and receiv'd; but in disparity
The one intense, the other still remifs,
Cannot well suit with either, but soon prore
Tedious alike: Of fellowship I speak
Such as I feek, fit to participate

390 All rational delight, wherein the brute Cannot be human confort: they rejoice Each with their kind, lion with lioness ; So fitly them in pairs thou hast combind; Much less can bird with beast, or fish with fowl 395 So well converse, nor with the ox the ape; Worse then can inan with beaft, and least of all.

Whereto th' Almighty answer’d, not displeas'd.. A nice and subtle happiness I fee Thou to thyself propofeft, in the choice Of thy associates, Adam, and. wilt taste No pleasure, though in pleasure, folitary. What think'st thou then of me, and this my

state? Seem I to thee suficiently poffefs'd Of happinefs, or not? who am alone

405 From all eternity ; for none I know Second to me, or like; equal much less. How have I then with whom to hold converse, Sape with the creatures, which I made, and thofe

To

400