Satan's dire dread; and in his hand the spear. Adam! Heaven's high behest no preface needs. 250 Given thee of grace; wherein thou mayst repent, 255 Permits not to remove thee I am come, O unexpected stroke, worse than of Death' 260 265 Thee, native soil! these happy walks and shades, 270 Fit haunt of Gods? where I had hope to spend, Quiet though sad, the respite of that day That must be mortal to us both. That never will in other climate grow, My carly visitation, and my last At even, which I bred up with tender hand O flowers, 275 From the first opening bud, and gave ye names! Your tribes, and water from the ambrosial fount? 290 And wild? how shall we breathe in other air ess pure, accustom'd to immortal fruits? 225 Whom thus the Angel interrupted mild · 204 295 Celestial, whether among the Thrones, or named Of them the highest; for such of shape may seem Of sorrow, and dejection, and despair, Our frailty can sustain, thy tidings bring, Departure from this happy place, our sweet Familia to our eyes! all places clse Inhospitable appear, and desolate; 300 305 Nor knowing us, nor known: and, if by prayer Incessant I could hope to change the will Of Him who all things can, I would not cease To weary him with my assiduous cries: 310 But prayer against his absolute decree No more avails than breath against the wind, Blown stifling back on him that breathes it forth: Therefore to his great bidding I submit. This most afflicts me, that, departing hence, 315 As from his face I shall be hid, deprived His blessed countenance: here I could frequent With worship place by place where he vouchsafed On this mount he appear'd; under this tree 320 Of grassy turf, and pile up every stone Of lustre from the brook, in memory, Or monument to ages, and therecn 325 330 Offer sweet-smelling gums, and truits, and flowers : To whom thus Michaël with regard benign: Adam, thou know'st Heaven his, and all the Earth; Not this rock only; his Omnipresence fills Land, sea, and air, and every kind that lives, Fomented by his virtual power and warm'd: All the earth he gave thee to possess and rule, No despicable gift; surmise not then 336 340 His presence to these narrow bounds confined Perhaps thy capital scat, from whence had spread From all the ends of the earth, to celebrate And reverence thee, their great progenitor. But this preeminence thou hast lost, brought down God is, as here, and will be found alike Present; and of his presence many a sign 345 350 Still following thee, still compassing thee round Which that thou mayst believe, and be confirm'd 355 360 364 And pious sorrow; equally inured My obvious breast; arming to overcome By suffering, and earn rest from labour won, In the visions of God. It was a hill, Of Paradise the highest; from whose top 370 375 Stretch'd out to the amplest reach of prospect lay. 380 Not higher that hill, nor wider looking round, Whereon, for different cause, the Tempter set Our second Adam, in the wilderness; To show him all Earth's kingdoms and their glory. His eye might there command wherever stood 385 City of old or modern fame, the seat Of mightiest empire, from the destined wall And Samarchand by Oxus, Temir's throne, 394 To Paquin of Sincan kings; and thence In Hispahan; or where the Russian Kar 203 And Sufala, thought Ophir, to the realm 400 On Europe thence, and where Rome was to sway 405 The world: in spirit perhaps he also saw Rich Mexico, the seat of Montezume, And Cusco in Peru, the richer seat That Adam, now enforced to close his eyes, 416 415 Sunk down, and all his spirits became entranced; 420 But him the gentle Angel by the hand Soon raised, and his attention thus recall'd: Adam, now ope thine eyes; and first behold The effects which thy original crime hath wrougnt In some to spring from thee; who never touched 425 The excepted tree; nor with the snake conspired; Nor einned thy sin; yet from that sin derive Corruption, to bring forth more violent deeds. Ilis eyes he opened, and beheld a field, Part arable and tilth, whereon were sheaves New reap'd; the other part sheep-walks and folds; I' the midst an altar as the landmark stood, Rustic, of grassy sord: thither anon A sweaty reaper from his tillage brought 430 First fruits, the green car, and the yellow sheaf, 438 Incull'd, as came to hand: a shepherd next |