Each perturbation fmooth'd with outward calme,
Artificer of Fraud, and was the first

That practis'd falfhood under faintly fhew,
Deep malice to conceale, coucht with revenge:
Yet not anough had practis'd to deceive

121

Uriel once warn'd; whofe eye purfu'd him down 125
The way
he went, and on th'Affyrian mount
Saw him disfigur'd, more than could befall
Spirit of happy fort: his geftures fierce
He mark'd and mad demeanour, then alone,
As he fuppos'd, all unobferv'd, unfeen.
So on he fares, and to the border comes,
Of Eden, where delicious Paradise,
Now nearer, Crowns with her enclosure green,
As with a rural mound the champain head
Of a steep wilderness whose hairie sides
With thicket overgrown, grottefque and wilde,
Access deny'd; and over head up grew
Infuperable heighth of loftieft fhade,

Cedar, and Pine, and Firr, and branching Palm,
A Silvan Scene, and as the ranks afcend
Shade above Shade, a woody Theatre
Of stateliest view. Yet higher than their tops
The verdurous wall of Paradise up sprung:
Which to our general Sire gave prospect large
Into his neather Empire neighbouring round.
And higher than that Wall a circling row
Of goodlieft Trees laden with faireft Fruit,
Bloffoms and Fruits at once of golden hue
Appear'd, with gay enamel'd colours mixt:

135

14.0

145

On which the Sun more glad impress'd his beams 150 Than'in fair Evening Cloud, or humid Bow,

When God hath fhow'rd the earth, fo lovely feem'd
That Lantskip: And of pure now purer air

Meets his approach, and to the heart inspires
Vernal delight and joy, able to drive

755

All fadness but defpair: now gentle gales
Fanning their odoriferous wings dispense
Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole
Those balmie spoiles. As when to them who faile
Beyond the Cape of Hope, and now are past
Mozambic, off at Sea North-Eaft winds blow
Sabean Odour from the fpicie fhore
Of Arabie the bleft, with fuch delay

160

170

Well pleas'd they flack their course,and many a League
Chear'd with the grateful fmell old Ocean fmiles. 165
So entertain'd thofe odorous fweets the Fiend
Who came their bane,though with them better pleas'd
Than Afmodeus with the fishie fume,
That drove him, though enamour'd, from the Spouse
Of Tobit's Son, and with a vengeance fent
From Media poft to Egypt, there faft bound.
Now to th'afcent of that fteep favage Hill
Satan had journied on, penfive and flow;
But further way found none, fo thick entwin'd,
As one continu'd brake, the undergrowth
Of fhrubs and tangling bushes had perplext
All path of Man or Beaft that past that way:
One Gate there only was, and that look'd Eaft
On th'other fide: which when th'arch-fellon faw

175

180

Due entrance he difdain'd, and in contempt,
At one flight bound high over leap'd all bound
Of Hill or highest Wall, and sheer within
Lights on his feet. As when a prowling Wolfe,
Whom hunger drives to feek new haunt for prey,
Watching where Shepherds pen their Flocks at ceve
In hurdl'd Cotes amid the field fecure,
186

19

Leaps o'er the fence with ease into the Fould:
Or as a Thief bent to unhoo:d the cash
Of fome rich Burgher, whofe fubftantial dores,
Crofs-barr'd and bolted faft, fear no affault,
In at the window climbs, or o'er the tiles;
So clomb this first grand Thief into God's Fould;
So fince into his Church lewd Hirelings climbe.
Thence up he flew, and on the Tree of Life
The middle Tree and highest there that grew, 195
Sat like a Cormorant; yet not true Life
Thereby regain'd, but fat devifing Death

To them who liv'd; nor on the virtue thought
Of that life-giving Plant, but only us'd

For profpect, what well us'd had been the pledge Of immortality. So little knows

Any, but God alone, to value right

The good before him, but perverts beft things

To worst abufe, or to their meanest use.

201

Beneath him with new wonder now he views 205

To all delight of human Sense expos'd

In narrow room Nature's whole wealth, yea more,
A Heav'n on Earth, for blifsful Paradife
Of God the Garden was, by him in the East

21

Of Eden planted; Eden ftretch'd her Line
From Auran Eastward to the Royal Towrs
Of great Seleucia, built by Grecian Kings,
Or where the Sons of Eden long before
Dwelt in Telaffar: in this pleafant foile
His far more pleafant Garden God ordain'd;
Out of the fertil ground he caus'd to grow
All Trees of nobleft kind for fight, fmell, tafte;
And all amid them ftood the Tree of Life,
High eminent, blooming Ambrofial Fruit
Of vegetable Gold; and next to Life,

215

220

Our Death the Tree of knowledge grew faft by,
Knowledge of Good bought dear by knowing ill.
Southward through Eden went a River large,
Nor chang'd his courfe, but through the shaggie hill
Pafs'd underneath ingulft, før God had thrown 225
That Mountain as his Garden mould high rais'd
Upon the rapid current, which through veins
Of porous Earth with kindly thirft up drawn,
Rofe a fresh Fountain, and with many a rill
Water'd the Garden; thence united fell
Down the steep glade, and met the neather Floud
Which from the darkfome paffage now appears,
And now divided into four main Streams,
Runs divers, wandring many a famous Realm
And Country whereof here needs no account,
But rather to tell how, if Art could tell,
How from that Saphire Fount the crifped Brooks,
Rowling on Orient Pearl and sands of Gold,
With mazie error under pendant fhades

230

235

240

Ran Nectar, visiting each plant, and fed
Flours worthy of Paradife which not nice Art
In Beds and curious Knots, but Nature boon
Pow'rd forth profuse on Hill and Dale and Plain,
Both where the morning Sun firft warmly smote
The open field, and where the unpierc'd shade 245
Imbround the noontide Bowrs: Thus was this place,
A happy rural feat of various view;

[and Balme, Groves whose rich Trees wept odorous Gumms Others whofe fruit burnifht with Golden Rinde Hung amiable, Hefperian Fables true,

If true, here only, and of delicious taste:

250

Betwixt them Lawns, or level Downs, and Flocks Grafing the tender herb, were interpos'd,

Or palmie hillock, or the flourie lap

Of fome irriguous valley fpred her flore,

255

Flours of all hue, and without Thorn the Rose:
Another fide, umbrageous Grots and Caves
Of cool recess, o'er which the mantling vine
Lays forth her purple Grape, and gently creeps
Luxuriant; mean while murmuring waters fall 260
Down the flope hills, difperft, or in a Lake,
That to the fringed Bank with Myrtle crown'd,
Her chrystal mirror holds, unite their streams.
The Birds their quire apply; aires, vernal aires,
Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune 265
The trembling leaves, while Univerfal Pan
Knit with the Graces and the Hours in dance.
Led on th' Eternal Spring. Not that fair field
Of Enna, where Proferpin gathering flours