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Her old poffeffion, and extinguish life

In nature and all things; which these foft fires
Not only' enlighten, but with kindly heat
Of various influence foment and warm,
Temper or nourish, or in part shed down
Their ftellar virtue on all kinds that s

grow

On earth, made hereby apter to receive
Perfection from the fun's more potent ray.

These then, tho' unbeheld in deep of night,

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Shine not in vain; nor think, tho' men were none,

That heav'n would want fpectators, God want praise:
Millions of fpiritual creatures walk the earth
Unfeen, both when we wake and when we sleep:
All these with ceaseless praise his works behōld
Both day and night: how often, from the steep 680
Of echoing hill or thicket, have we heard

Celestial voices to the midnight-air,

Sole, or refponfive to each others note,

Singing their great Creator? oft in bands

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While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk, 685
With heav'nly touch of inftrumental founds
In full harmonic number join'd, their fongs
Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to heaven.
Thus talking hand in hand alone they pass'd
On to their blissful bower: it was a place
Chos'n by the fov'reign Planter, when he fram'd
All things to man's delightful ufe; the roof
Of thickeft covert was inwoven fhade
Laurel and myrtle, and what higher grew
Of firm and fragrant leaf; on either fide
Acanthus, and each odorous bufhy fhrub,
Fenc'd up the verdant wall; each beauteous flower
Iris all hues, rofes and jeffamine,

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Rear'd high their flourish'd heads between, and wrought Mofaic; underfoot the violet,

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Crocus, and hyacinth, with rich inlay

Broider'd the ground, more colour'd than with ftone

Of costlieft emblem: other creature here,

Beast, bird, insect, or worm, durft enter none;
Such was their awe of man, In fhadier bower
More facred and fequefter'd, tho' but feign'd,
Pan or Sylvanus never flept, nor nymph,
Nor Faunus haunted. Here, in clofe recefs,
With flowers, garlands, and fweet-fmelling herbs
Efpoufed Eve deck'd first her nuptial bed,
And heav'nly quires the hymenæan fung,
What day the genial angel to our fire,
Brought her, in naked beauty more adorn'd,
More lovely, than Pandora, whom the gods
Endow'd with all their gifts, and O too like
In fad event, when to th' unwifer fon
Of Japhet brought by Hermes, fhe infnar'd
Mankind with her fair looks, to be aveng'd
On him who had ftole Jove's authentic fire.

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Thus at their fhady lodge arriv'd, both stood, 720 Both turn'd, and under open fky ador'd

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The God that made both sky, air, earth, and heav'n,
Which they beheld, the moon's refplendent globe,
And ftarry pole: Thou alfo mad'ft the night,
Maker Omnipotent, and thou the day,
Which we in our appointed work employ'd
Have finifh'd, happy in our mutual help,
And mutual love, the crown of all our bliss
Ordain'd by thee; and this delicious place,
For us too large, where thy abundance wants
Partakers, and uncropt falls to the ground.
But thou haft promis'd from us two a race
To fill the earth, who fhall with us extol
Thy goodness infinite, both when we wake,
And when we seek, as now, thy gift of sleep.

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This faid unanimous, and other rites. Obferving none, but adoration pure,

Which God likes beft, into their inmoft bower
Handed they went; and eas'd the putting off
Thefe troublesome disguises which we wear,
Strait fide by fide were laid; nor turn'd, I ween,
Adam from his fair fpoufe, nor Eve the rites
Myfterious of connubial love refus'd:
Whatever hypocrites aufterely talk
Of purity, and place, and innocence,
Defaming as impure what God declares

Pure, and commands to fome, leaves free to all.
Our Maker bids increase; who bids abstain
But our destroyer, foe to God and man?
Hail wedded love! myfterious law, true fource
Of human offspring, fole propriety

In Paradife of all things common else.

By thee adult'rous luft was driv'n from men,
Among the bestial herds to range; by thee
Founded in reafon, loyal, juft, and pure,
Relations dear, and all the charities

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Of father, fon, and brother, firft were known.
Far be' it, that I fhould write thee fin or blame,
Or think thee unbefitting holieft place,
Perpetual fountain of domeftic fweets,
Whofe bed is undefil'd and chafte pronounc'd,
Prefent, or paft, as faints and patriarchs us'd.
Here Love his golden fhafts employs, here lights
His conftant lamp, and waves his purple wings,
Reigns here and revels; not in the bought fmile 765
Of harlots, lovelefs, joylefs, unendear'd,

Cafual fruition; nor in court-amours,

Mix'd dance, or wanton mafque, or midnight-ball, Or fercnate, which the ftarv'd lover fings

To his proud fair, beft quitted with difdain. 770

Thefe, lull'd by nightingales embracing flept;
And on their naked limbs the flow'ry roof

Shower'd rofes, which the morn repair'd. Sleep on, Blefs'd pair; and O yet happieft, if ye feek

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No happier ftate, and know to know no more.
Now had Night meafur'd'with her fhadowy cone
Half way up hill this vaft fublunar vault,
And from their ivory port the Cherubim
Forth iffuing at th' accustom'd hour, stood arm'd
To their night-watches in warlike parade ;
When Gabriel to his next in power thus fpake.

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Uzziel, half these draw off, and coaft the fouth
With strictest watch; these other wheel, the north;
Our circuit meets full weft. As flame they part,
Half wheeling to the shield, half to the spear. 785
From thefe, two strong and fubtle spi'rits he call'd
That near him ftood, and gave them thus in charge.
Ithuriel and Zephon, with wing'd speed
Search thro' this garden, leave unfearch'd no nook;
But chiefly where those two fair creatures lodge, 790
Now laid perhaps afleep, fecure of harm.

This evening from the fun's decline arriv'd,
Who tells of fome infernal spirit seen

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Hitherward bent (who could have thought?) efcap'd
The bars of hell, on errand bad no doubt:
Such where ye find, feize faft, and hither bring.
So faying, on he led his radiant files,

Dazzling the moon; thefe to the bower direct,

In fearch of whom they fought: him there they found Squat like a toad, clofe at the ear of Eve,

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Affaying by his devilifh art to reach

The organs of her fancy', and with them forge
Illufions as he lift, phantafms and dreams;

Or if, inspiring venom, he might taint

Th' animal fpirits, that from pure blood arife

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Like gentle breathes from rivers pure, thence raise At least diftemper'd, discontented thoughts, Vain hopes, vain aims, inordinate defires, Blown up with high conceits ingend'ring pride.. Him thus intent Ithuriel with his spear Touch'd lightly; for no falsehood can endure Touch of celeftial temper, but returns Of force to its own likeness: up he starts Discover'd and furpris'd. As when a spark Lights on a heap of nitrous powder, laid Fit for the tun fome magazine to store Against a rumour'd war, the smutty grain With fudden blaze diffus'd, inflames the air; So ftarted up, in his own fhape, the fiend. Back ftept thofe two fair angels, half amaz'd So fudden to behold the grifly king; Yet thus, unmov'd with fear, accoft him foon.

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Which of thofe rebel fpi'rits adjudg'd to hell
Com't thou, escap'd thy prison? and transform'd,
Why fatt'st thou like an enemy in wait,
Here watching at the head of these that sleep?
Know ye not then, faid Satan, fill'd with fcorn,
Know ye not me? ye knew me once no mate
For you, there fitting where ye durft not foar :
Not to know me argues yourselves unknown,
The lowest of your throng; or if ye know,
Why afk ye, and fuperfluous begin.

Your meffage, like to end as much in vain ?

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To whom thus Zephon, anfw'ring fcorn with fcorn. Think not, revolted fpi'rit, thy fhape the fame,, 835 Or undiminish'd brightness to be known,

As when thou ftood'ft in heav'n upright and pure:
That glory then, when thou no more waft good,
Departed from thee'; and thou resemblest now
Thy fin and place of doom obfcure and foul.

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