Much fairer to my fancy than by day:
And as I wond'ring look'd, befide it flood
One fhap'd and wing'd like one of those from heav'n
By us oft feen; his dewy locks diftill'd
Ambrofia; on that tree he alfo gaz'd;
And, O fair plant, faid he, with fruit surcharg'd,
Deigns none to ease thy load, and taste thy sweet,
Nor GOD, nor man? Is knowledge fo defpis'd?
Or envy', or what reserve forbids to tafte?
Forbid who will, none fhall from me withhold
Longer thy offer'd good; why elfe fet here?
This faid, he paus'd not, but with vent'rous arm
He pluck'd, he tasted: me damp horror chill'd
At fuch bold words, vouch'd with a deed fo bold.
But he thus overjoy'd, O fruit divine,
Sweet of thyself, but much more fweet thus cropt,
Forbidden here, it feems, as only fit
For gods, yet able to make gods of men:
And why not gods of men, fince good, the more
Communicated, more abundant grows,
The author not impair'd, but honour'd more?
Here, happy creature, fair angelic Eve,
Partake thou alfo; happy though thou art,
Happier thou may'ft be, worthier canst not be :
Taste this, and be henceforth among the gods
Thyfelf a goddefs, not to earth confin'd,
But fometimes in the air, as we; fometimes
Afcend to heav'n, by merit thine, and fee
What life the gods live there, and fuch live thou.
So faying, he drew nigh, and to me held,
Ev'n to my mouth, of that fame fruit held part
Which he had pluck'd; the pleasant favoury fmell
So quicken'd appetite, that I, methought,
Could not but tafte. Forthwith up to the clouds
With him I flew, and underneath beheld
The earth outstretch'd immenfe, a profpect wide
And various wond'ring at my flight and change
To this high exaltation, fuddenly
My guide was gone, and I, methought, funk down,
And fell afleep: but, O how glad I wak’d,
To find this but a dream! Thus Eve her night
With the fix'd stars, fix'd in their orb that flies;
And ye five other wond'ring fires that move
In myític dance not without fong, refound
His praife, who out of darkness call'd up light.
Air and ye elements, the eldeft-birth
Of Nature's womb, that in quaternion run
Perpetual circle, multiform, and mix,
And nourish all things, let your ceafelefs change
Vary to our great Maker ftill new praise ;
Ye mifts and exhalations that now rife
From hill or steaming lake, dufky or gray,
Till the fun paint your fleecing fkirts with gold,
In honour to the world's great Author rife,
Whether to deck with clouds th' uncolour'd sky,
Or wet the thirfty earth with falling fhowers,
Rifing or falling ftill advance his praife.
His praife, ye winds, that from four quarters blow,
Breathe foft or loud; and wave your tops, ye pines,
With ev'ry plant, in fign of worship wave.
Fountains, and ye that warble, as ye flow,
Melodious numbers, warbling tune his praife.
- Join voices all ye living fouls; ye birds,
That finging up to heav'n-gate afcend,
Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise.
Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk
The earth, and ftately tread, or lowly creep:
Witnefs if I be filent, morn or ev'n,
To hill, or valley, fountain or fresh fhade,
Made vocal by my fong, and taught his praife.
Hail, univerfal LORD! be bounteous ftill
To give us only good: and if the night
Have gather'd ought of evil, or conceal'd,
Difperfe it, as now light difpels the dark.
So pray'd they innocent, and to their thoughts Firm peace recover'd foon, and wonted calm. On to their morning's rural work they haste, Among fweet dews and flow'rs; where any row Of fruit trees over woody rea h❜d too far Their pamper'd boughs, and needed hands to check Fruitless embraces: or they led the vine To wed her elm; fhe 'fpous'd about him twines
Her marriageable arms, and with her brings
Her dow'r, th' adopted clusters, to adorn
His barren leaves. Them thus employ'd beheld
With pity heav'n's high KING, and to him call'd 220
Raphael, the fociable fp'rit, that deign'd
To travel with Tobias, and fecur'd
His marriage with the fev'ntimes wedded maid.
Raphael, faid he, thou hear'ft what stir on earth
Satan, from hell 'fcap'd through the darkfome gulf, 225
Hath rais'd in Paradife, and how disturb'd
This night the human pair, how he defigns
In them at once to ruin all mankind.
Go, therefore, half this day, as friend with friend
Converse with Adam, in what bow'r or shade
Thou findft him from the heat of noon retir'd,
To refpite his day labour with repast,
Or with repofe; and fuch difcourfe bring on,
As may advife him of his happy ftate,
Happiness in his pow'r left free to will,
Left to his own free will; his will though free,
Yet mutable; whence warn him to beware
He fwerve not too fecure. Tell him withal
His danger, and from whom; what enemy,
Late fall'n himfelf from heav'n, is plotting now 240
The fall of others from like flate of bliss:
By violence? No, for that fhall be withstood;
But by deceit and lies: this let him know,
Left wilfully tranfgreffing he pretend
Surprizal unadmonifh'd, unforewarn'd.
So fpake th' eternal Father, and fulfill'd
All juftice: nor delay'd the winged faint
After his charge receiv'd; but from among
Thoufand celeftial Ardors, where he stood
Veil'd with his gorgeous wings, up fpringing light 250
Flew through the midst of heav'n; th' angelic quires,
On each hand parting, to his fpeed gave way
Through all th' empyreal road; till at the gate
Of heav'n arriv'd, the gate felf open'd wide,
On golden hinges turning, as by work
Divine the fov'reign Architect had fram'd.
From hence, no cloud, or to obftruct his fight,
Leaning half rais'd, with looks of cordial love
Hung over her enamour'd, and beheld
Beauty, which whether waking or afleep
Shot forth peculiar graces; then with voice
Mild, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,
Her hand foft touching, whisper'd thus. Awake,
My faireft, my efpous'd, my latest found,
Heav'n's laft beft gift, my ever new delight,
Awake: the morning fhines, and the fresh field
Calls us; we lofe the prime, to mark how spring
Our tended plants, how blows the citron grove,
What drops the mirrh, and what the balmy reed,
How nature paints her colours, how the bee
Sits on the bloom extracting liquid fweet.
Such whifp'ring wak'd her, but with startled eye On Adam; whom embracing, thus fhe fpake.
O fole in whom my thoughts find all repose,
My glory, my perfection, glad I fee
Thy face, and morn return'd: for I this night
(Such night till this I never pafs'd) have dream'd,
If dream'd, not, as I oft am wont, of thee,
Works of day paft, or morrow's next defign;
But of offence and trouble, which my mind
Knew never till this irkfome night: methought
Clofe at mine ear one call'd me forth to walk
With gentle voice: I thought it thine: it faid,
Why fleep'st thou Eve? now is the pleasant time,
The cool, the filent, fave where filence yields
To the night warbling bird, that now awake
Tunes fweeteft his love-labour'd fong; now reigns
Full orb'd the moon, and with more pleafing light
Shadowy fets off the face of things; in vain,
If none regard: heav'n wakes with all his eyes;
Whom to behold but thee, Nature's defire?
In whofe fight all things joy, with ravishment
Attracted by thy beauty ftill to gaze.
I rofe as at thy call, but found thee not;
To find thee I directed then my walk;
And on, methought, alone I pass'd through ways 50 That brought me on a fudden to the tree
Of interdicted knowledge: fair it feem'd,
Much fairer to my fancy than by day:
And as I wond'ring look'd, befide it tood
One fhap'd and wing'd like one of those from heav'n
By us oft feen; his dewy locks diftill'd
Ambrofia; on that tree he also gaz'd;
And, O fair plant, faid he, with fruit furcharg'd,
Deigns none to eafe thy load, and tafte thy fweet,
Nor GOD, nor man? Is knowledge fo defpis'd?
Or envy', or what referve forbids to tafte?
Forbid who will, none fhall from me withhold
Longer thy offer'd good; why elfe fet here?
This faid, he paus'd not, but with vent'rous arm
He pluck'd, he tasted: me damp horror chill'd 65
At fuch bold words, vouch'd with a deed fo bold.
But he thus overjoy'd, O fruit divine,
Sweet of thyself, but much more fweet thus cropt,
Forbidden here, it feems, as only fit
For gods, yet able to make gods of men :
And why not gods of men, fince good, the more
Communicated, more abundant grows,
The author not impair'd, but honour'd more?
Here, happy creature, fair angelic Eve,
Partake thou alfo; happy though thou art,
Happier thou may't be, worthier canst not be :
Tafte this, and be henceforth among the gods
Thyfelf a goddefs, not to earth confin'd,
But fometimes in the air, as we; fometimes
Afcend to heav'n, by merit thine, and fee
What life the gods live there, and fuch live thou.
So faying, he drew nigh, and to me held,
Ev'n to my mouth, of that fame fruit held part
Which he had pluck'd; the pleasant favoury smell
So quicken'd appetite, that I, methought,
Could not but tafte. Forthwith up to the clouds
With him I flew, and underneath beheld
The earth outstretch'd immense, a prospect wide
And various wond'ring at my flight and change
To this high exaltation, fuddenly
My guide was gone, and I, methought, funk down,
And fell afleep: but, O how glad I wak'd,
To find this but a dream! Thus Eve her night
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