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Of grateful evening mild; then silent night,
With this her solemn bird, and this fair moon,
And these the gems of heaven, her starry train:
But neither breath of morn, when she ascends
With charm of earliest birds; nor rising sun
On this delightful land; nor herb, fruit, flower,
Glistering with dew; nor fragrance after showers;
Nor grateful evening mild; nor silent night,
With this her solemn bird, nor walk by moon,
Or glittering star-light, without thee is sweet.
But wherefore all night long shine these? for whom
This glorious sight, when sleep hath shut all eyes?"
To whom our general ancestor replied:

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Daughter of God and man, accomplish'd Eve!
These 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 were

none,

[praise. That heaven would want spectators, God want 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 others note,
Singing their great Creator! Oft in bands,
While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk,
With heavenly touch of instrumental sounds
In full harmonic number join'd, their songs
Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to Heaven."
Thus talking, hand in hand alone they pass'd
On to their blissful bower: it was a place
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,

Rear'd high their flourish'd heads between, and
Mosaic: underfoot the violet,

Crocus, and hyacinth, with rich inlay,

[wrought

Broider'd the ground, more color'd than with stone
Of costliest emblem: other creature here,

Bird, beast, insect, or worm, durst enter none,
Such was their awe of man. In shadier bower
More sacred and sequester'd, though but feign'd,
Pan or Sylvanus never slept; nor Nymph
Nor Faunus haunted. Here, in close recess,
With flowers, garlands, and sweet-smelling herbs,
Espoused Eve deck'd first her nuptial bed;
And heavenly quires the hymenean sung:
What day the genial angel to our sire
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 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 stolen Jove's authentic fire.
Thus at their shady lodge arrived, both stood,
Both turn'd; and under open sky adored
The God that made both sky, air, earth, and heaven,
Which they beheld; the moon's resplendent globe,
And starry pole: "Thou also madest 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 bliss
Ordain'd by Thee; and this delicious place,
For us too large; where thy abundance wants
Partakers, and uncropp'd 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,
Straight side by side were laid: nor turn'd, Iween,
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 source
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, unendear'd,
Casual fruition: nor in court-amours,

Mix'd dance, or wanton mask, or midnight ball,
Or serenate, which the starved lover sings
To his proud fair, best quitted with disdain.
These, lull'd by nightingales, embracing slept;
And on their naked limbs the flowery roof
Shower'd roses, which the morn repair'd. Sleep on,
Bless'd pair! and O yet happiest, if ye seek
No happier state, and know to know no more!
Now had night measured with her shadowy cone
Half way up hill this vast sublunar vault;
And from their ivory port the Cherubim,
Forth issuing at the' accustom'd hour, stood arm'd
To their night-watches in warlike parade;
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 part, Half wheeling to the shield, half to the spear. From these, two strong and subtle Spirits he call'd That near him stood, and gave them thus in charge: "Ithuriel and Zephon! with wing'd speed

Search through this garden; leave unsearch'd 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 [caped
Hitherward bent (who could have thought?) es-
The bars of hell, on errand bad no doubt:
Such, where ye find, seize fast, and hither bring."
So saying, on he led his radiant files,

Dazzling the moon: these to the bower direct
In search of whom they sought. Him there they
Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve, [found
Essaying by his devilish art to reach

The organs of her fancy; and with them forge
Illusions, as he list, phantasms and dreams:
Or if, inspiring venom, he might taint

The' animal spirits, that from pure blood arise
Like gentle breaths from rivers pure, thence raise
At least distemper'd, discontented thoughts,
Vain hopes, vain aims, inordinate desires,
Blown up with high conceits ingendering pride.
Him, thus intent, Ithuriel with his spear
Touch'd lightly; for no falsehood can indure
Touch of celestial temper, but returns
Of force to its own likeness: up he starts
Discover'd and surprised. As when a spark
Lights on a heap of nitrous powder, laid
Fit for the tun some magazine to store
Against a rumor'd war: the smutty grain,

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