Of Eden frire; nor that Nyfeian ifle

275
Girt with the river Triton, where old Cham,
Whom Gentiles Ammon call, and Libyan Jove,
Hid Amalthea, and her florid son
Young Bacchus, from his step-dame Rhea's eye;
Nor where Abassin kings their issue guard, 280
Mount Amara, though this by fome suppos'd
True Paradise under the Ethiop line
By Nilus head, inclos'd with shining rock,
A whole day's journey high, but wide remote
From this Assyrian garden; where the fiend 285
Saw undelighted all delight, all kind
Of living creatures, new to fight, and strange.

Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall,
Godlike-erect, with native honour clad
In naked majesty, seem'd lords of all,

290
And worthy seem’d; for in their looks divine
The image of their glorious Maker fhone,
Truth, wisdom, fan&itude severe and pure,
(Severe, but in true filial freedom plac'd)
Whence true authority in men: though both 295
Not equal, as their sex not equal seem'd :
For contemplation he, and valour form'd ;
For softness she, and sweet attractive grace';
He for God only, she for God in him:
His fair large front and eye fublime declar'd

3co Abfolute rule; and hyacinthine locks Round from his parted forelock manly hung Clust'ring, but not beneath his shoulders broad: She, as a veil, down to the slender waste Her unadorned golden tresses wore

305 Disheveld, but in wanton ringlets wav'd As the vine curls her tendrils, which imply'd Subjection, but requir'd with gentle sway, And by her yielded, by him best receiv'd,

Yielded

H

Yielded with coy fubmiffion, modeft pride, 210:
And sweet reluétant amorous delay.
Nor those mysterious parts were then conceal'd;
Then was not guilty shame, dishonest thame
Of nature's works, honour dishonourable,
Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind

315
With shows instead, mere shows of seeming pure,
And banith'd from man's life his happiest life,
Simplicity, and spotless innocence !
So pass’d they naked on, nor shunn'd the fight
Of God or angel; for they thought no ill: 320
So hand in hand they pafs'd, the loveliest pair
That ever since in love's embraces met ;
Adam the goodliest man of men since born
His sons, the fairest of her daughters Eve.
Under a tuft of shade that on a green

325 Stood whisp'ring soft, by a fresh fountain fide They sat them down; and after no more toil Of their sweet gard’ning labour than fuffic'd To recommend cool zephyr, and made ease More easy, wholesome thirst and appetite 330 More grateful, to their fupper-fruits they fell, Nectarine fruits which the compliant boughs Yielded them, side-long as they sat recline On the soft downy bank damask'd with flowers : The favoury pulp they chew, and in the rind,

335 Still as they thirsted, scoop the brimming stream; Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing siniles Wanted, nor youthful dalliance, as beseems Fair couple, link'd in happy nuptial league, Alone as they, About them frisking play'd

340 All beasts of th' earth, since wild, and of all chafe In 'wood or wilderness, forest or den ; Sporting the lion ramp'd, and in his paw Dandled the kid; bears, tygers, ounces, pards,

Gambol'd

9

91 Gambol'd before them ; th’unwieldy elephant, 345

h To make them mirth, us'd all his might, and wreath'd His lithe probofcis; close the ferpent fly Insinuating, wove with Gordian twine His braided train, and of his fatal guile Gave proof unheeded ; others on the grass

350 Couch'd, and now fill'd with pasture gazing fat, Or bedward ruminating; for the fun Declin'd was hasting now with prone career To th'ocean-ifles, and in th'ascending scale Of heav'n the stars that usher evening rose:

355 When Satan still in gaze, as first he food, Scarce thus at length fail'd speech recover'd fad.

O hell! what do mine eyes with grief behold! Into our room of bliss thus high advanc'd Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps, 360 Not fpirits, yet to heav'nly spirits bright Little inferior ; whom my thoughts pursue With wonder, and could love, fo lively shines In them divine resemblance, and such grace The hand that form’d them on their shape hath pour’d. Ah gentle pair, ye little think how nigh

366 Your change approaches, when all these delights Will vanish and deliver ye to woe; More woe, the more your

taste is now of joy ; Happy, but for so happy ill secur'd

370 Long to continue, and this high seat your heaven Ill fenc'd for heaven to keep out such a foe As now is enter'd; yet no purpos'd foe To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn, Though I'unpitied. League with you I feek

375 And mutual amity so strait, so close, That I with you must dwell, or you with me Henceforth: my dwelling haply may not please, Like this fair Paradise, your sense ; yet such H 2

Accept

a

Accept your Maker's work; he gave it me, 380
Which I as freely give; hell fall unfold,
To entertain you two, her widest gates,
And send forth all her kings; there will be room,
Not like these narrow limits, to receive
Your numerous offspring; if no better place, 385
Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge
On you who wrong me not for hiin who wrong'd.
And should I at your harmless innocence
Melt, as I do, yet public reason just,
Honour and empire with revenge enlarg'd, 390
By conqu’ring this new world, compels me now
To do what else, though damn'd, I should abhor.

So spake the fiend, and with neceffity,
The tyrant's plea, excus’d his devilish deeds.
Then from his lofty stand on that high tree 395
Down he alights among the sportful herd
Of those four-footed kinds, himself now one,
Now other, as their shape ferv'd belt his end
Nearer to view his prey, and unespy'd
To mark what of their state he more might learn 400
By word or action mark’d: about them round
A lion now he talks with fiery glare;
Then as a tyger, who by chance hath spy'd
In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play,
Strait couches close, then rising changes oft 405
His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground,
Whence ruthing he might surelt feize them both
Grip'd in each paw: when Adam, first of men,
To first of women Eve, thus moving speech,
Turn'd him, all ear to hear new utterance flow. 410

Sole partner, and sole part, of all these joys,
Dearer thyself than all; needs must the Power
That made us, and for us this ainple world,
Be infinitely good, and of his good

As

As liberal and free as in inite;

415 That rais'd us from the dust and plac'd us here In all this happiness, who at his hand Have nothing merited, nor can perform Ought whereof he hath need; he who requires From us no other service than to keep

420 This one, this easy charge, of all the trees In Paradise that bear delicious fruit So various, not to taste that oniy tree Of knowledge, planted by the tree of life ; So near grows death to life, whate'er death is, 425 Some dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou know'lt God hath pronounc'd it death to taste that tree, The only sign of our obedience left, Among so many signs of power and rule . Conferr'd upon us, and dominion given 430 Over all other creatures that possess Earth, air, and fea. Then let us not think hard One easy prohibition, who enjoy Free leave so large to all things elfe, and choice Unlimited of manifold delights:

435 But let us ever praise him, and extol His bounty, following our delightful taik, [Powers; To prune these growing plants, and tend there Which were it toilfome, yet with thee were sweet.

To whom thus Eve reply'd. O thou for whom 449 And from whom I was form'd ficth of the flesh, And without whom am to no end, iny guide And head, what thou hast said is jult and right. For we to him indeed all praises owe, . And da ily thanks; I chiefly, who enjoy 445 So far the happier lot, enjoying thee Pre-eminent by so much odds, while thou Like consort to thyself can't no where find. That day I oft reinember, when from sleep I first awak’d, and found myself repos’u

Under

450

H 3