Infeparably thine, to him shalt bear
Multitudes like thyself, and thence be call'd
Mother of human race. What could I do, But follow strait, invisibly thus led ? -- Till I efpy'd thee, fair indeed and tall, Under a platan; yet methought lefs fair, Lefs winning foft, lefs amiably mild,
Than that smooth watry image back I turn'd; 480 Thou following cry'dft aloud, Return fair Eve,
Whom fly'st thou? whom thou fly'st, of him thou art,
His flesh, his bone; to give thee be'ing I lent
Out of my fide to thee, nearest my heart
Subftantial life, to have thee by my fide
Henceforth an individual folace dear ;
Part of my foul I seek thee, and thee clame
My other half; with that thy gentle hand
Seis'd mine; I yielded, and from that time fee How beauty is excell'd by manly grace
And wifdom, which alone is truly fair.
So fpake our general mother, and with eyes Of conjugal attraction unreprov'd, And meek surrender, half embracing lean'd On our first father; half her fwelling breast Naked met his under the flowing gold Of her loose treffes hid: he in delight Both of her beauty and fubmiffive charms
Smil'd with fuperior love, as Jupiter
On Juno smiles, when he impregns the clouds That shed May flow'rs; and prefs'd her matron lip With kiffes pure: afide the Devil turn'd
For envy, yet with jealous leer malign
Ey'd them askance, and to himself thus plain'd. Sight hateful, fight tormenting! thus these two 505 Imparadis'd in one another's arms,
The happier Eden, fhall enjoy their fill
Of blifs on blifs; while I to Hell am thruft, Where neither joy nor love, but fierce defire, Among our other torments not the least, Still unfulfill'd with pain of longing pines. Yet let me not forget what I have gain'd From their own mouths: all is not theirs it feems; One fatal tree there ftands of knowledge call'd, Forbidden them to taste: Knowledge forbidden? 515 Sufpicious, reafonlefs. Why fhould their Lord Envy them that? can it be fin to know? Can it be death? and do they only stand By ignorance? is that their happy state, The proof of their obedience and their faith? O fair foundation laid whereon to build Their ruin! Hence I will excite their minds With more defire to know, and to reject Envious commands, invented with defign
To keep them low whom knowledge might exalt 525 Equal with Gods: afpiring to be fuch
They taste and die: what likelier can enfue? But firft with narrow fearch I must walk round
This garden, and no corner leave unspy'd ;
A chance but chance may lead where I may meet 530 Some wand'ring Spi'rit of Heav'n by fountain fide, Or in thick fhade retir'd, from him to draw
What further would be learn'd. Live while you may, Yet happy pair; enjoy, till I return,
Short pleasures, for long woes are to fucceed.
So faying, his proud step he scornful turn'd,
But with fly circumfpection, and began
Through wood, through waste,o'er hill,o'er dale, his roam. Mean while in utmost longitude, where Heaven
With earth and ocean meets, the fetting fun
Slowly defcended, and with right aspéct Against the eastern gate of Paradise Levell❜d his evening rays: it was a rock Of alabaster, pil'd up to the clouds, Confpicuous far, winding with one afcent Acceffible from earth, one entrance high; The reft was craggy cliff, that overhung Still as it rofe, impoffible to climb. Betwixt these rocky pillars Gabriel fat, Chief of th' angelic guards, awaiting night; About him exercis'd heroic games
Th' unarmed youth of Heav'n, but nigh at hand Celestial armoury, fhields, helms, and fpears, Hung high with diamond flaming, and with gold. Thither came Uriel, gliding through the even On a fun beam, fwift as a shooting star In autumn thwarts the night, when vapors fir'd Imprefs the air, and fhows the mariner From what point of his compass to beware Impetuous winds: he thus began in haste.
Gabriel, to thee thy course by lot hath given Charge and strict watch, that to this happy place
Her crystal mirror holds, unite their streams. The birds their quire apply; airs, vernal airs, Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune The trembling leaves, while universal Pan Knit with the Graces and the Hours in dance Led on th' eternal fpring. Not that fair field Of Enna, where Proferpin gathering flowers, Herfelf a fairer flow'r by gloomy Dis
Was gather'd, which coft Ceres all that pain To feek her through the world; nor that fweet Of Daphne by Orontes, and th' infpir'd Caftalian spring, might with this Paradise Of Eden ftrive; nor that Nyseian ile
Girt with the river Triton, where old Cham, Whom Gentiles Ammon call and Libyan Jove, Hid Amalthea and her florid fon
Young Bacchus from his stepdame Rhea's eye; Nor where Abaffin kings their iffue guard, Mount Amara, though this by fome suppos'd True Paradise under the Ethiop line By Nilus head, inclos'd with shining rock, A whole day's journey high, but wide remote From this Affyrian garden, where the Fiend Saw undelighted all delight, all kind Of living creatures new to fight and strange. Two of far nobler shape erect and tall, Godlike erect, with native honor clad
In naked majefty feem'd lords of all,
And worthy feem'd; for in their looks divine, The image of their glorious Maker fhone,
Truth, wisdom, fanctitude fevere and pure, (Severe but in true filial freedom plac'd) Whence true authority in men; though both Not equal, as their fex not equal seem'd; For contemplation he and valor form'd, For softness she and sweet attractive grace, He for God only, the for God in him : His fair large front and eye fublime declar'd Abfolute rule; and hyacinthin locks
Round from his parted forelock manly hung
Cluftring, but not beneath his shoulders broad: She as a veil down to the flender wafte
Her unadorned golden treffes wore
Dishevel'd, but in wanton ringlets wav'd
As the vine curls her tendrils, which imply'd
Subjection, but requir'd with gentle sway,
And by her yielded, by him beft receiv'd,
Yielded with coy fubmiffion, modest pride, And sweet reluctant amorous delay.
Nor those mysterious parts were then conceal'd, Then was not guilty fhame, dishonest shame Of nature's works, honor dishonorable, Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind With fhows inftead, mere fhows of feeming pure, And banish'd from man's life his happiest life,
Simplicity and spotless innocence !
So pafs'd they naked on, nor shunn'd the fight
Of God or Angel, for they thought no ill: So hand in hand they pass'd, the loveliest pair That ever since in love's embraces met;
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