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Of Eden strive; nor that Nyfeian ifle
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 step-dame Rhea's eye;
Nor where Abaffin kings their issue guard,
Mount Amara, though this by fome suppos'd
True Paradife 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 honour clad
In naked majesty, seem'd lords of all,
And worthy feem'd; for in their looks divine
The image of their glorious Maker shone,
Truth, wifdom, sanctitude severe and pure,
(Severe, but in true filial freedom plac'd,)
Whence true authority in men: though both
Not equal, as their sex not equal seem'd:
For contemplation he, and valour form'd;
For foftness she, and sweet attractive grace;
He for God only, the for God in him:
His fair large front and eye fublime declar'd
Absolute rule; and hyacinthine locks
Round from his parted forelock manly hung
Clust'ring, but not beneath his shoulders broad:
She, as a veil, down to the slender waste
Her unadorned golden tresses 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 best receiv'd,

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Yielded 310

Yielded with coy fubmiffion, modest pride,
And fweet reluctant amorous delay.
Nor those mysterious parts were then conceal'd;

Then was not guilty shame, dishonest shame
Of nature's works, honour dishonourable,

Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind
With shows instead, mere shows of seeming pure,
And banith'd from man's life his happiest life,

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Simplicity, and spotless innocence!

So pass'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

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That ever fince in love's embraces met;
Adam the goodliest man of men fince born
His fons, the fairest of her daughters Eve.
Under a tuft of shade that on a green
Stood whisp'ring soft, by a fresh fountain fide-
They fat them down; and after no more toil

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-Of their sweet gard'ning labour than fuffic'd
To recommend cool zephyr, and made eafe
More easy, wholesome thirst and appetite
More grateful, to their fupper-fruits they fell,
Nectarine fruits which the compliant boughs
Yielded them, fide-long as they fat recline
On the foft downy bank damask'd with flowers:
The favoury pulp they chew, and in the rind, 335
Still as they thirsted, scoop the brimming stream;

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Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles
Wanted, nor youthful dalliance, as beseems
Fair couple, link'd in happy nuptial league,
Alone as they. About them frisking play'd
All beasts of th' earth, since wild, and of all chase

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In wood or wilderness, forest or den ;

Sporting the lion ramp'd, and in his paw

Dandled the kid; bears, tygers, ounces, pards,

Gambol'd

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Gambol'd before them; th' unwieldy elephant, 345 To make them mirth, us'd all his might, and wreath'd His lithe probofcis; close the ferpent fly

Infinuating, wove with Gordian twine
His braided train, and of his fatal guile
Gave proof unheeded; others on the grafs
Couch'd, and now fill'd with pasture gazing sat,
Or bedward ruminating; for the fun

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Declin'd was hasting now with prone career
To th' ocean-ifles, and in th' ascending fcale
Of heav'n the stars that usher evening rose:
When Satan still in gaze, as first he stood,
Scarce thus at length fail'd speech recover'd fad.
O hell! what do mine eyes with grief behold!
Into our room of bliss thus high advanc'd
Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps, 360
Not spirits, yet to heav'nly spirits bright
Little inferior; whom my thoughts pursue
With wonder, and could love, so lively shines
In them divine resemblance, and such grace
The hand that form'd them on their shape hath pour'd.
Ah gentle pair, ye little think how nigh
Your change approaches, when all these delights
Will vanish and deliver ye to woe;

More woe, the more your taste is now of joy;
Happy, but for so happy ill secur'd

Long to continue, and this high feat your heaven
Ill fenc'd for heaven to keep out such a foe
As now is enter'd; yet no purpos'd foe
To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn,
Though I unpitied. League with you I seek
And mutual amity so strait, so close,

That I with you must dwell, or you with me
Henceforth: my dwelling haply may not please,
Like this fair Paradise, your sense; yet fuch

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Accept

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Accept your Maker's work; he gave it me,
Which I as freely give; hell shall unfold,
To entertain you two, her widest gates,
And fend forth all her kings; there will be room,
Not like these narrow limits, to receive

Your numerous offspring; if no better place, 385
Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge
On you who wrong me not for him who wrong'd.

And should I at your harmless innocence

Melt, as I do, yet public reafon just,

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Honour and empire with revenge enlarg'd,
By conqu'ring this new world, compels me now
To do what else, though damn'd, I should abhor.

So spake the fiend, and with neceffity,
The tyrant's plea, excus'd his devilith deeds.
Then from his lofty (tand on that high tree
Down he alights among the sportful herd
Of those four-footed kinds, himself now one,
Now other, as their shape serv'd best his end
Nearer to view his prey, and unespy'd

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To mark what of their state he more might learn 400
By word or action mark'd: about them round
A lion now he stalks with fiery glare;
Then as a tyger, who by chance hath spy'd
In fome purlieu two gentle fawns at play,
Strait couches close, then rifing changes oft
His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground,
Whence ruthing he might surest seize them both
Grip'd in each paw: when Adam, first of men,
To first of women Eve, thus moving speech,
Turn'd him, all ear to hear new utterance flow. 410

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Sole partner, and fole part, of all these joys, Dearer thyself than all; needs must the Power That made us, and for us this ample world,

Be infinitely good, and of his good

As

As liberal and free as infinite;
That rais'd us from the dust and plac'd us here

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In all this happiness, who at his hand

Have nothing merited, nor can perform

Ought whereof he hath need; he who requires

From us no other service than to keep

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This one, this easy charge, of all the trees

In Paradife that bear delicious fruit

So various, not to taste that only tree

Of knowledge, planted by the tree of life;
So near grows death to life, whate'er death is, 425
Some dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou know'it

God hath pronounc'd it death to taste that tree,

The only fign of our obedience left,
Among fo many figns of power and rule
Conferr'd upon us, and dominion given
Over all other creatures that poffefs

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Earth, air, and fea. Then let us not think hard

One eafy prohibition, who enjoy

Free leave so large to all things elfe, and choice

Unlimited of manifold delights:

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But let us ever praise him, and extol

His bounty, following our delightful task, [flowers; To prune these growing plants, and tend these

Which were it toilsome, yet with thee were sweet.

To whom thus Eve reply'd. O thou for whom 440 And from whom I was form'd flesh of thy flesh, And without whom am to no end, my guide And head, what theu haft faid is just and right. For we to him indeed all praises owe,. And daily thanks; 1 chiefly, who enjoy So far the happier lot, enjoying thee Pre-eminent by so much odds, while thou Like confort to thyself can'st no where find. That day I oft remember, when from fleep I first awak'd, and found myself repos'd

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