Under a fhade on flowers, much wond'ring where
And what I was, whence thither brought, and how.
Not diftant far from thence a murm'ring found
Of waters iffu'd from a cave, and spread
Into a liquid plain, then stood unmov'd
Pure as th' expanse of heav'n; I thither went
With unexperienc'd thought, and laid me down
On the green bank, to look into the clear
Smooth lake, that to me seem'd another sky.
As I bent down to look, juft oppofite
A fhape within the wat'ry gleam appear'd,
Bending to look on me: I started back,
It started back; but pleas'd I foon return'd,
Pleas'd it return'd as foon with anfw'ring looks
Of fympathy and love: there I had fix'd
Mine eyes till now, and pin'd with vain defire,
Had not a voice thus warn'd me, What thou seeft,
What there thou feeft, fair creature, is thyfelf;
With thee it came and goes: but follow me,
And I will bring thee where no fhadow ftays
Thy coming, and thy foft embraces, he
Whofe image thou art; him thou fhalt enjoy
Infeparably thine, to him fhalt bear
Multitudes like thyfelf, and thence be call'd
Mother of human race. What could I do,
But follow firait, invifibly thus led?
Till I efpy'd thee, fair indeed and tall,
Under a platan; yet methought lefs fair,
Lefs winning foft, less amiably mild,
Than that smooth wat'ry image: back I turn'd; 480
Thou following cry'dft aloud, Return fair Eve,
Whom fly't thou? whom thou fly'st, of him thou art,
His flesh, his bone; to give thee be'ing I lent
Out of my fide to thee, nearest my heart,
Substantial life, to have thee by my side
Henceforth an individual folace dear;
Part of my foul I feek thee, and thee claim
My other half: with that thy gentle hand
Seiz'd mine; I yielded, and from that time fee
How beauty is excell'd by manly grace
And wifdom, which alone is truly fair.
So fpake our general mother, and with eyes.
Of conjugal attraction unreprov'd,
And meek furrender, half-embracing lean'd
On our first father; half her fwelling breaft
Naked met, his, under the flowing gold
Of her loose treffes hid: he in delight,
Both of her beauty and fubmiffive charms,
Smil'd with fuperior love, as Jupiter
On Juno fmiles, when he impregns the clouds
That shed May-flow'rs; and press'd her matron lip
With kiffes pure Afide the Devil turn'd
For envy; yet with jealous leer malign
Ey'd them afkance, and to himself thus plain'd.
Sight hateful, fight tormenting! thus these two, 505
Imparadis'd in one another's arms,
The happier Eden, fhall enjoy their fill
Of blifs on blifs; while I to hell am thruft,
Where neither joy nor love, but fierce defire,
Among our other torments not the leaft,
Still unfulfill'd with pain of longing pines.
Yet let me not forget what I have gain'd
From their own mouths: all is not theirs it feems;
One fatal tree there ftands, of knowledge call'd,
Forbidden them to tafte. Knowledge forbidden? 515
Sufpicious, reafonlefs. Why fhould their Lord
Envy them that? can it be fin to know?
Can it be death? and do they only ftand
By ignorance is that their happy state,
The proof of their obedience and their faith?
O fair foundation laid whereon to build
Their ruin! Hence I will excite their minds
With more defire to know, and to reject
Envious commands, invented with defign
To keep them low, whom knowledge might exalt 525
Equal with gods: afpiring to be fuch,
They taste and die: what likelier can enfue?
But firft with narrow fearch I must walk round
This garden, and no corner leave unfpy'd;
A chance but chance may lead where I may meet 530
Some wand'ring fpi'rit of heav'n by fountain-fide,
Or in thick fhade retir'd, from him to draw
What further would be learn'd. Live while ye may,
Yet happy pair; enjoy, till I return,
Short pleasures, for long woes are to fucceed.
So faying, his proud ftep he fcornful turn'd,
But with fly circumfpection, and began
Thro' wood, thro' waffe, o'er hill, o'er dale, his roam. Mean while in utmost longitude, where heav'n
With earth and ocean meets, the fetting fun
Slowly defcended, and with right aspéct
Against the eastern gate of Paradife
Levell'd his ev'ning rays: it was a rock
Of alabafter, pil'd up to the clouds,
Confpicuous far, winding with one afcent
Acceffible from earth, one entrance high;
The reft was craggy cliff that overhung
Still as it rofe, impoffible to climb.
Betwixt thefe rocky pillars Gabriel sat,
Chief of th' angelic guards, awaiting night;
About him exercis'd heroic games
Th' unarmed youth of heav'n, but nigh at hand
Celestial armoury, fhields, helms, and fpears,
Hung high, with diamond flaming and with gold.
Thither came Uriel, gliding thro' the even
On a funbeam, fwift as a fhooting star
In Autum thwarts the night, when vapours fir'd
Imprefs the air, and fhows the mariner
From what point of his compafs to beware
Impetuous winds: He thus began in hae.
Gabriel, to thee thy courfe by lot hath given.
Charge and strict watch, that to this happy place
No evil thing approach or enter in.
This day at height of roon-came to my fphere
A fpirit zealous, as he feem'd, to know
More of th' Almighty's works, and chiefly man,
God's latest image: I defcrib'd his way,
Bent all on speed, and mark'd his airy gate;
But in the mount that lies from Eden north,
Where he first lighted, foon difcern'd his looks 570
Alien from heav'n, with palions foul cbfcur'd:
Mine eye purfu'd him ftill, but under fhade
Loft fight of him: one of the banish'd crew,
bfear, hath ventur'd from the deep, to raise
New troubles; him thy care must be to find.
To whom the winged warrior thus return'd.
Uriel, no wonder if thy perfect fight,
Amid the fun's bright circle where thou fitt'ft,
See far and wide: in at this gate none pafs
The vigilance here placid, but fuch as come
Well known from heav'n; and fince meridian hour.
No creature thence: if fpi'rit of other fort,
So minded, have o'erleap'd thefe earthy bounds
On purpose, hard thou know't it to exclude
Spiritual fubftance with corporeal bar.
But if within the circuit of these walks,
In whatsoever shape he lurk, of whom
Thou tell it, by morrow dawning I fhall know.
So promis'd he; and Uriel to his charge
Return'd, on that bright beam whofe point now rais'd Bore him flope downward to the fun now fall'n 591 Beneath th' Azores; whether the prime orb,
Incredible how swift, had thither roll'à
Diurnal, or this lefs volubile earth,
By fhorter flight to th' eaft, had left him there
Arraying with reflected purple' and gold
The clouds that on his weftern throne attend.
Now came ftill ev'ning on, and twilight gray
Had in her fober livery all things elad;
Silence accompany'd; for beat and bird,
They to their graffy couch, these to their nefts
Were flunk, all but the wakeful nightingale;
She all night long her amorous defcant fung;
Silence was pleas'd: now glow'd the firmament
With living fapphires: Hefperus, that led
The starry hoft, rode brightest, till the moon
Rifing in clouded majefty, at length
Apparent queen, unveil'd her peerless light,
And o'er the dark her filver mantle threw.
When Adam thus to Eve. Fair confort, th' hour Of night, and all things now retir'd to reft, Mind us of like repofe, fince God hath fet Labour and reft, as day and night, to men Succeffive; and the timely dew of fleep
Now falling with foft flumb'rous weight, inclines 615
Our eye-lids: other creatures all day long
Rove idly unemploy'd, and lefs need reft;
Man hath his daily work of body' or mind
Appointed, which declares his dignity,
And the regard of heav'n on all his ways;
While other animals unactive range,
And of their doings God takes no account.
To-morrow, ere fresh morning streak the east
With first approach of light, we must be rifen,
And at our present labour, to reform
Yon flow'ry arbours, yonder alleys green,
Our walk at noon, with branches overgrown,
That mock our fcant manuring, and require
More hands than ours to lop their wanton growth:
Thofe bloffoms alfo, and thofe dropping gums, 630
|