Thofe bloffoms alfo, and thofe dropping gums,
That lie beftrown, unfightly, and unfmooth,
Ask riddance, if we mean to tread with ease:
Mean-while, as nature wills, night bids us reft.

630

To whom thus EVE, with perfect beauty adorn'd. My author, and difpofer! what thou bidft Un-argu'd I obey; fo GOD ordains :

635

640

645

GOD is thy law, thou mine: to know no more
Is woman's happieft knowledge, and her praife.
With thee converfing I forget all time;
All feafons, and their change, all please alike:
Sweet is the breath of morn, her rifing sweet,
With charm of earliest birds: pleasant the fun,
When first on this delightful land he fpreads
His orient beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flow'r,
Glift'ring with dew: fragrant the fertile earth
After foft fhow'rs and fweet the coming on
Of grateful ev'ning mild: then, filent night,
With this her folemn bird, and this fair moon,
And thefe the gems of heav'n, her starry train.
But neither breath of morn, when the afcends
With charm of carlieft birds: nor rifing fun
On this delightful land: nor herb, fruit, flow'rs,
Glift'ring with dew: nor fragrance after show'rs:
Nor grateful evening mild: nor filent night,
With this her folemn bird: nor walk by moon: 655
Or glittering ftar-light, without thee is fweet.
But wherefore all night long shine these? for whom
This glorious fight, when fleep hath shut all eyes?

650

To whom our general ancestor reply'd. Daughter of GOD and man, accomplish'd EVE! 660 These have their course to finish, round the earth, By morrow ev'ning; and from land to land

In order, though to nations yet unborn,
Miniftring light prepar'd, they fet, and rife:
Left total darkness fhould by night regain
Her old poffeffion, and extinguifh life

665

670

674

In nature, and all things; which thefe foft fires
Not only enlighten, but with kindly heat,
Of various influence, foment, and warm,
Temper, or nourifh; or in part fhed down
Their ftellar virtue, on all kinds that grow
On earth; made hereby apter to receive
Perfection from the fun's more potent ray.
These then, though un-beheld in deep of night,
Shine not in vain nor think, though 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 fleep:
All these, with ceaseless praise, his works behold
Both day, and night: how often, from the fteep 680
Of echoing hill, or thicket, have we heard
Cœleftial voices, to the midnight air
Sole, or refponfive each to other's note,
Singing their great Creator? oft in bands
While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk,
With heav'nly touch of inftrumental founds,
In full harmonic number join'd, their fongs
Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to heaven.

686

690

THUS talking, hand in hand, alone they pafs'd On to their blissful bow'r 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 od'rous bufhy shrub,

695

Fenc'd

Fenc'd up the verdant wall: each beauteous flow'r,
Iris all hues, roses, and jeffamin

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

Crocus, and hyacinth, with rich in-lay

700

705

710

Broider'd the ground; more colour'd, than with ftone
Of costlieft emblem: other creature here,
Beaft, bird, infect, or worm, durft enter none;
Such was their awe of man! In fhady bow'r
More facred, and fequefter'd, though 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 firft her nuptial bed
And heav'nly Choirs 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 stole Jove's authentic fire.

715

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

725

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 finish'd, happy in our mutual help,
And mutual love, the crown of all our blifs
Ordain'd by thee; and this delicious place,
For us too large, where thy abundance wants

730. Partakers,

Partakers, and un-crop'd 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 feek, as now, thy gift of fleep,

THIS faid unanimous, and other rites
Obferving none, but adoration pure,
Which GOD likes beft, into their inmoft bow'r
Handed they went; and, eas'd the putting off
Thefe troublefome difguifes which we wear,
Strait fide by fide were laid: nor turn'd, I ween,
ADAM from his fair spouse; nor EVE the fites
Mysterious 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 deftroyer, foe to GOD, and mán?

735

740

745

Hail wedded love! myfterious law, true fource 750
Of human offspring, fole propriety

In Paradife of all things common elfe.
By thee adult'rous luft was driv'n from men,
Among the beftial herds to range; by thee,
Founded in reason, loyal, juft, and pure,
Relations dear, and all the charities

Of father, fon, and brother, firft were known.
Far be it, that I fhould write thee fin, or blame!
Or think thee un-befitting holiest place;
Perpetual fountain of domeftic fweets!
Whose 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;

I 2

755

760

Reigns

766

Reigns here, and revels: not in the bought smile
Of harlots, lovelefs, joyless, un-endear'd;
Cafual fruition! nor in court-amours,
Mix'd dance, or wanton mask, or midnight ball,
Or ferenate, which the ftarv'd lover fings
To his proud fair; beft quitted with disdain.
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,
Bleft pair! and O! yet happieft, if ye feek

770

No happier state, and know to know no more. 775

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' accuftom'd hour, flood arm'd To their night watches in warlike parade, 780 When GABRIEL to his next in pow'r thus fpake.

UZZIEL! half thefe draw off, and coaft the fouth With ftrictest watch: these other wheel the north: Our circuit meets full weft. As flame they part, Half wheeling to the fhield, half to the fpear. 785 From thefe, two strong and fubtile fpirits he call'd, That near him stood, and gave them thus in charge.

; 1

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 fpirit, feen Hitherward bent, who could have thought? efcap'd The bars of hell; on errand bad, no doubt : Such, where ye find, feize fast, and hither bring.

795

So