Why With this her solemn bird; nor walk by moon, the stars Or glittering starlight, without thee is sweet. But wherefore all night long shine these? for
This glorious sight, when sleep hath shut all eyes?'
To whom our general ancestor replied Daughter of God and Man, accomplished Eve,
Those have their course to finish round the Earth By morrow evening, and from land to land In order, though to nations yet unborn, Ministering light prepared, they set and rise; Lest total Darkness should by night regain Her old possession, and extinguish life In nature and all things; which these soft fires Not only enlighten, but with kindly heat Of various influence foment and warm, Temper or nourish, or in part shed down Their stellar virtue on all kinds that grow On Earth, made hereby apter to receive Perfection from the Sun's more potent ray. These, then, though unbeheld in deep of night, Shine not in vain. Nor think, though men
That Heaven would want spectators, God want praise.
Millions of spiritual creatures walk the Earth Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep: All these with ceaseless praise his works behold Both day and night. How often, from the
steep Of echoing hill or thicket, have we heard Celestial voices to the midnight air,
Sole, or responsive each to other's note, Singing their great Creator! While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk,
With heavenly touch of instrumental sounds In full harmonic number joined, their songs Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to Heaven.'
Thus talking, hand in hand alone they passed On to their blissful bower. It was a place 690 Chosen by the sovran Planter, when he framed All things to Man's delightful use. The roof Of thickest covert was inwoven shade, Laurel and myrtle, and what higher grew Of firm and fragrant leaf; on either side Acanthus, and each odorous bushy shrub, Fenced up the verdant wall; each beauteous flower,
Iris all hues, roses, and jessamine,
Reared high their flourished heads between, and wrought
Mosaic; under foot the violet,
Crocus, and hyacinth, with rich inlay
Broidered the ground, more coloured than with
Of costliest emblem. Other creature here, Beast, bird, insect, or worm, durst enter none; Such was their awe of Man. In shadier bower More sacred and sequestered, though but feigned, Pan or Sylvanus never slept, nor Nymph Nor Faunus haunted. Here, in close recess, With flowers, garlands, and sweet-smelling herbs, Espoused Eve decked her first nuptial bed, 710 And heavenly choirs the hymenæan sung,
The What day the genial Angel to our sire evening Brought her, in naked beauty more adorned, prayer More lovely, than Pandora, whom the gods
Endowed with all their gifts; and, O! too like In sad event, when, to the unwiser son
Of Japhet brought by Hermes, she ensnared Mankind with her fair looks, to be avenged On him who had stole Jove's authentic fire. Thus at their shady lodge arrived, both stood,
Both turned, and under open sky adored The God that made both Sky, Air, Earth, and
Which they beheld, the Moon's resplendent
And starry Pole :-Thou also madest the
Maker Omnipotent; and thou the Day, Which we, in our appointed work employed, Have finished, happy in our mutual help And mutual love, the crown of all our bliss Ordained by thee; and this delicious place, For us too large, where thy abundance wants 730 Partakers, and uncropt falls to the ground. But thou hast promised from us two a race To fill the Earth, who shall with us extol Thy goodness infinite, both when we wake, And when we seek, as now, thy gift of sleep.' This said unanimous, and other rites Observing none, but adoration pure,
Which God likes best, into their inmost bower
Handed they went; and, eased the putting-off These troublesome disguises which we wear, 740
Straight side by side were laid; nor turned, I Hail,
Adam from his fair spouse, nor Eve the rites Mysterious of connubial love refused: Whatever hypocrites austerely talk Of purity, and place, and innocence, Defaming as impure what God declares
Pure, and commands to some, leaves free to all. Our Maker bids increase; who bids abstain But our destroyer, foe to God and Man? Hail, wedded Love, mysterious law, true
Of human offspring, sole propriety
In Paradise of all things common else! By thee adulterous lust was driven from men Among the bestial herds to range; by thee, Founded in reason, loyal, just, and pure, Relations dear, and all the charities
Of father, son, and brother, first were known. Far be it that I should write thee sin or blame, Or think thee unbefitting holiest place, Perpetual fountain of domestic sweets, Whose bed is undefiled and chaste pronounced, Present, or past, as saints and patriarchs used. Here Love his golden shafts employs, here lights His constant lamp, and waves his purple wings, Reigns here and revels; not in the bought smile Of harlots-loveless, joyless, unendeared, Casual fruition; nor in court amours,
Mixed dance, or wanton mask, or midnight ball, Or serenate, which the starved lover sings To his proud fair, best quitted with disdain. 770 These, lulled by nightingales, embracing slept, And on their naked limbs the flowery roof
The Showered roses, which the morn repaired. Sleep night
watch Blest pair! and, O! yet happiest, if ye seek
No happier state, and know to know no more!
Now had Night measured with her shadowy
Half-way up-hill this vast sublunar vault, And from their ivory port the Cherubim Forth issuing, at the accustomed hour, stood armed
To their night-watches in warlike parade; 780 When Gabriel to his next in power thus spake :- 'Uzziel, half these draw off, and coast the south
With strictest watch; these other wheel the north:
Our circuit meets full west.' As flame they
Half wheeling to the shield, half to the spear. From these, two strong and subtle Spirits he called
That near him stood, and gave them thus in charge:
"Ithuriel and Zephon, with winged speed Search through this Garden; leave unsearched no nook;
But chiefly where those two fair creatures lodge, Now laid perhaps asleep, secure of harm. This evening from the Sun's decline arrived Who tells of some infernal Spirit seen Hitherward bent (who could have thought?), escaped
The bars of Hell, on errand bad, no doubt: Such, where ye find, seize fast, and hither bring.'
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