Truth, wisdom, fan&titude 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 feem'd';
For contemplation he and valor form'd,
For softness she and fweet 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 fhoulders 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 fweet 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 fpotlefs innocence!

So pafs'd they naked on, nor fhunn'd the fight
Of God or Angel, for they thought no ill:
So hand in hand they pafs'd, the loveliest pair
That ever fince in love's embraces met;

Adam

Adam the goodliest man of men fince born
His fons, the fairest of her daughters Eve.
Under a tuft of fhade that on a green
Stood whifp'ring foft, by a fresh fountain fide
They fat them down; and after no more toil
Of their sweet gard'ning labor than fuffic'd
To recommend cool Zephyr, and made ease
More eafy, wholsome thirst and appetite
More grateful, to their fupper fruits they fell,
Nectarin fruits which the compliant boughs
Yielded them, fide-long as they fat recline
On the foft downy bank damask'd with flowers:
The favory pulp they chew, and in the rind
Still as they thirsted scoop the brimming stream;
Nor gentle purpofe, nor endearing fmiles
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 chafe
In wood or wilderness, foreft or den;

Sporting the lion ramp'd, and in his paw

Dandled the kid; bears, tigers, ounces, pards,
Gambol'd before them; th' unwieldy elephant

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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 breaded train, and of his fatal guile
Gave proof unheeded; others on the grass

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Couch'd, and now fill'd with pasture gazing fat,

Or bedward ruminating; for the fun

Declin'd

Declin'd was hafting now with prone carreer
To th' ocean iles, and in th' afcending scale
Of Heav'n the stars that usher evening rofe:
When Satan ftill 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 mold, earth-born perhaps,
Not Spirits, "yet to heav'nly Spirits bright
Little inferior; whom my thoughts pursue
With wonder, and could love, fo lively fhines
In them divine resemblance, and fuch grace

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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 fo happy ill fecur'd

Long to continue, and this high feat your Heaven

Ill fenc'd for Heav'n to keep out fuch 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 feek,
And mutual amity fo strait, so close,

That I with you must dwell, or you with me
Henceforth; my dwelling haply may not please,
Like this fair Paradife, your fense, yet such
Accept your Maker's work; he gave it me,
Which I as freely give; Hell fhall unfold,
To entertain you two, her widest gates,
VOL. I.

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And fend forth all her kings; there will be room,
Not like thefe narrow limits, to receive

Your numerous offspring; if no better place,
Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge

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On you who wrong me not for him who wrong'd.
And fhould I at your harmlefs innocence

Melt, as I do, yet public reafon just,

Honor and empire with revenge inlarg'd,

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By conqu❜ring this new world, compels me now
To do what else though damn'd I should abhor.
So fpake the Fiend, and with neceility,
The tyrant's plea, excus'd his devilish deeds..
Then from his lofty stand on that high tree
Down he alights among the sportful herd
Of those four-footed kinds, himself now one,
Now other, as their fhape ferv'd beft his end,

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Nearer to view his prey, and unespy'd

To mark what of their ftate he more might learn

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By word or action mark'd: about them round
A lion now he talks with fiery glare;

Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spy'd
In fome purlieu two gentle fawns at play,

Strait couches clofe, then rifing changes oft

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His couchant watch, as one who chofe his ground,

Whence rushing he might surest seise them both

Grip'd in each paw when Adam first of men
To firft of women Eve thus moving speech,
Tura'd him all ear to hear new utterance flow.
Sole partner, and fole part, of all these joys,
Dearer thyfelf than all; needs: must the Power

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That made us, and for us this ample world,

Be infinitely good, and of his good

As liberal and free as infinite;

That rais'd us from the duft 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 fervice 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,

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Some dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou know'st

God hath pronounc'd it death to taste that tree,
The only sign of our obedience left.

Among fo many figns of pow'r and rule
Conferr'd upon us, and dominion given
Over all other creatures that poffefs

Earth, air, and fea.

Then let us not think hard One eafy prohibition, who enjoy

Free leave fo large to all things elfe, and choice

Unlimited of manifold delights:

But let us ever praife him, and extol

His bounty, following our delightful task

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To prune thefe growing plants, and tend these flowers, Which were it toilfome, yet with thee were fweet.

To whom thus Eve reply'd. O thou for whom 440* And from whom I was form'd flesh of thy fleth,

And without whom am to no end, my guide

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And