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A Flew through the midst of Heaven. The
descrip- angelic quires,
tion of On each hand parting, to his speed gave way
Raphael
Through all the empyreal road, till, at the gate,
Of Heaven arrived, the gate self-opened wide,
On golden hinges turning, as by work
Divine the sovran Architect had framed.
From hence-no cloud or, to obstruct his sight,
Star interposed, however small-he sees,
Not unconform to other shining globes,
Earth, and the Garden of God, with cedars
crowned

Above all hills; as when by night the glass
Of Galileo, less assured, observes
Imagined lands and regions in the Moon;
Or pilot from amidst the Cyclades
Delos or Samos first appearing kens,

260

A cloudy spot. Down thither prone in flight
He speeds, and through the vast ethereal sky
Sails between worlds and worlds, with steady
wing

270

Now on the polar winds; then with quick fan
Winnows the buxom air, till, within soar
Of towering eagles, to all the fowls he seems
A phoenix, gazed by all, as that sole bird,
When, to enshrine his relics in the Sun's
Bright temple, to Egyptian Thebes he flies.
At once on the eastern cliff of Paradise
He lights, and to his proper shape returns,
A Seraph winged. Six wings he wore, to shade
His lineaments divine: the pair that clad
Each shoulder broad came mantling o'er his

breast

With regal ornament; the middle pair

280

Girt like a starry zone his waist, and round
Skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold
And colours dipt in heaven; the third his feet
Shadowed from either heel with feathered mail,
Sky-tinctured grain. Like Maia's son he stood,
And shook his plumes, that heavenly fragrance
filled

The circuit wide. Straight knew him all the
bands

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Of Angels under watch, and to his state
And to his message high in honour rise;
For on some message high they guessed him
bound.
Their glittering tents he passed, and now is come
Into the blissful field, through groves of myrrh,
And flowering odours, cassia, nard, and balm,
A wilderness of sweets; for Nature here
Wantoned as in her prime, and played at will
Her virgin fancies, pouring forth more sweet,
Wild above rule or art, enormous bliss.
Him, through the spicy forest onward come,
Adam discerned, as in the door he sat

Of his cool bower, while now the mounted Sun
Shot down direct his fervid rays, to warm
Earth's inmost womb, more warmth than Adam

needs;

And Eve, within, due at her hour, prepared
For dinner savoury fruits, of taste to please
True appetite, and not disrelish thirst

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Of nectarous draughts between, from milky

stream,

Berry or grape: to whom thus Adam called :— Haste hither, Eve, and, worth thy sight, behold

A

wilder. ness of

sweets

Eve on Eastward among those trees what glorious Shape hospitable Comes this way moving; seems another morn 310 thoughts Risen on mid-noon. Some great behest from

intent

Heaven

To us perhaps he brings, and will voutsafe
This day to be our guest. But go
with speed,

And what thy stores contain bring forth, and

pour Abundance fit to honour and receive Our heavenly stranger; well we may afford Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow From large bestowed, where Nature multiplies Her fertile growth, and by disburdening grows More fruitful; which instructs us not to spare.' To whom thus Eve ::-'Adam, Earth's hallowed mould,

321

Of God inspired, small store will serve where

store,

All seasons, ripe for use hangs on the stalk;
Save what, by frugal storing, firmness gains
To nourish, and superfluous moist consumes.
But I will haste, and from each bough and brake,
Each plant and juiciest gourd, will pluck such
choice

To entertain our Angel-guest, as he

Beholding, shall confess that here on Earth
God hath dispensed his bounties as in Heaven.'
So saying, with dispatchful looks in haste 331
She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent
What choice to choose for delicacy best,
What order so contrived as not to mix
Tastes, not well joined, inelegant, but bring
Taste after taste upheld with kindliest change:
Bestirs her then, and from each tender stalk

34°

Whatever Earth, all-bearing mother, yields
In India East or West, or middle shore
In Pontus or the Punic coast, or where
Alcinöus reigned, fruit of all kinds, in coat
Rough or smooth rined, or bearded husk, or shell,
She gathers, tribute large, and on the board
Heaps with unsparing hand. For drink the grape
She crushes, inoffensive must, and meaths
From many a berry, and from sweet kernels
pressed

She tempers dulcet creams-nor these to hold
Wants her fit vessels pure; then strews the
ground

With rose and odours from the shrub unfumed.
Meanwhile our primitive great Sire, to meet
His godlike guest, walks forth, without more

351

train
Accompanied than with his own complete
Perfections; in himself was all his state,
More solemn than the tedious pomp that waits
On princes, when their rich retínue long
Of horses led and grooms besmeared with gold
Dazzles the crowd and sets them all agape.
Nearer his presence, Adam, though not awed,
Yet with submiss approach and reverence meek,
As to a superior nature, bowing low,
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Thus said: "Native of Heaven (for other place
None can than Heaven such glorious Shape
contain),

Since, by descending from the Thrones above,
Those happy places thou hast deigned a while
To want, and honour these, voutsafe with us,
Two only, who yet by sovran gift possess
This spacious ground, in yonder shady bower

Adam goes forth to meet

his guest

Eve To rest, and what the Garden choicest bears in her To sit and taste, till this meridian heat sylvan Be over, and the sun more cool decline.' lodge

370

Whom thus the angelic Virtue answered
mild:-

•Adam, I therefore came; nor art thou such
Created, or such place hast here to dwell,
As may not oft invite, though Spirits of Heaven,
To visit thee. Lead on then, where thy bower
O'ershades; for these mid-hours, till evening rise,
I have at will.' So to the sylvan lodge
They came, that like Pomona's arbour smiled,
With flowerets decked and fragrant smells. But
Eve,
Undecked, save with herself, more lovely fair
Than wood-nymph, or the fairest goddess feigned
Of three that in Mount Ida naked strove,
Stood to entertain her guest from Heaven; no
veil

379

She needed, virtue proof; no thought infirm
Altered her cheek. On whom the Angel 'Hail!'
Bestowed-the holy salutation used

Long after to blest Mary, second Eve:

'Hail! Mother of mankind, whose fruitful
womb

Shall fill the world more numerous with thy sons
Than with these various fruits the trees of God 390
Have heaped this table!' Raised of
grassy turf
Their table was, and mossy seats had round,
And on her ample square, from side to side,
All Autumn piled, though Spring and Autumn

here

Danced hand-in-hand. A while discourse they hold

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