A sylvan scene, and, as the ranks ascend, Shade above shade, a woody theatre. Of stateliest view. Yet higher than their tops The verd'rous wall of Paradise up sprung: Which to our general sire gave prospect large Into his nether empire neighb'ring round. And higher than that wall a circling row Of goodliest trees, loaden with fairest fruit, Blossoms and fruits at once of golden hue, Appear'd, with gay enamel'd colours mix'd:
On which the sun more glad impress'd his beams
Than in fair evening cloud, or humid bow,
When God hath show'r'd the earth; so lovely seem'd
That landscape: and of pure, now purer air
Meets his approach, and to the heart inspires
Vernal delight and joy, able to drive All sadness but despair; now gentle gales,
Fanning their odoriferous wings, dispense Center
Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole Those balmy spoils. As when to them who sail Beyond the Cape of Hope, and now are past Mozambic, off at sea north-east winds blow
Sabean odours from the spicy shore un Of Araby the blest; with such delay
Well pleas'd they slack their course, and many a league, Cheer'd with the grateful smell, old Ocean smiles: So entertain'd those odorous sweets the Fiend Who came their bane, tho' with them better pleas'd Than Asmodeus with the fishy fume
That drove him, tho' enamour'd, from the spouse Of Tobit's son, and with a vengeance sent From Media post to Egypt, there fast bound. Now to th' ascent of that steep savage hill Satan had journey'd on, pensive and slow; But further way ound none, so thick intwin'd, As one continued brake, the undergrowth Of shrubs and tangling bushes had perplex'd
All path of man or beast that pass'd that way: One gate there only was, and that look'd east On th' other side; which when the Arch-felon saw, Due entrance he disdain'd,
and in contempt, an 180
Sitting le limitri
dat men At one slight bound high overleap'd all bound Of hill or highest wall, and sheer within Lights on his feet. As when a prowling wolf, Whom hunger drives to seek new haunt for prey, Watching where shepherds pen their flocks at eve, In hurdled cotes amid the field secure,
Leaps o'er the fence with ease into the fold; or clos Or as a thief bent to unhoard the cash
Of some rich burgher, whose substantial doors, Cross-barr'd and bolted fast, fear no assault, In at the window climbs, or o'er the tiles: So clomb this first grand thief into God's fold; So since into his church lewd hirelings climb. Thence up he flew, and on the tree of life, The middle tree and highest there that grew, Sat like a cormorant; yet not true life
Thereby regain'd, but sat devising death ye To them who liv'd; nor on the virtue thought Of that life-giving plant, but only us'd
For prospect, what well us'd had been the pledge Of immortality. So little knows
In narrow room Nature's whole wealth, yea more, A Heav'n on Earth: for blissful Paradise
Of God the garden was, by him in th' east Of Eden planted. Eden stretch'd her line From Auran eastward to the royal towers Of great Seleucia, built by Grecian kings, Or where the sons of Eden long before
Dwelt in Telassar; in this pleasant soil His far more pleasant garden God ordain'd. Out of the fertile ground he caus'd to grow All trees of noblest kind for sight, smell, taste; And all amid them stood the tree of life, High eminent, blooming ambrosial fruit Of vegetable gold; and next to life,
Our death, the tree of knowledge, grew fast by, Knowledge of good bought dear by, knowing ill. Southward through Eden went a river large, Nor chang'd his course, but through the shaggy hill Pass'd underneath ingulf'd; for God had thrown That mountain as his garden mould high rais'd Upon the rapid current; which through veins Of porous earth, with kindly thirst up drawn, Rose a fresh fountain, and with many a rill Water'd the garden; thence united, fell Down the steep glade, and met the nether flood, Which from his darksome passage now appears, And now divided into four main streams, Runs diverse, wand'ring many a famous realm And country, whereof here needs no account; But rather to tell how, if Art could tell,
How from that sapphire fount the crisped brooks, Rolling on orient pearls and sands of gold, With mazy error under pendent shades Ran nectar, visiting each plant, and fed
Flow'rs, worthy' of Paradise, which not nice Art, In beds and curious knots, but Nature boon
Pour'd forth profuse on hill and dale and plain,ist
Both where the morning sun first warmly smote The open field, and where the unpierc'd shade
Imbrown'd the noontide bow'rs. Thus was this place *
A happy rural seat of various view;
Groves whose rich trees wept odorous gums and balm,
Others whose fruit, burnish'd with golden rind,
Hung amiable, Hesperian fables true,
If true, here only', and of delicious taste: Betwixt them lawns, or level downs, and flocks, Grazing the tender herb, were interpos❜d,
Or palmy hillock'; or the flow'ry lap Of some irriguous valley spread her store, Flow'rs of all hue, and without thorn the rose: Another side, umbrageous grots and caves Of cool recess, o'er which the mantling vine --
Lays forth her purple grape, and gently creepster
Luxuriant; meanwhile murmʼring waters fall Down the slope hills, dispers'd, or in a lake, That to the fringed bank with myrtle crown'd Her crystal mirror holds, unite their streams. The birds their quire apply; airs, vernal airs, Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune The trembling leaves, while universal Pan, Knit with the Graces and the Hours, in dance Led on th' eternal spring. Not that fair field Of Enna, where Proserpine gathering flowers, Herself a fairer flow'r, by gloomy Dis
Was gather'd, which cost Ceres all that pain
To seek her thro' the world; nor that sweet grové
Of Daphne by Orontes, and th' inspir'd
Castalian spring, might with this Paradise
Of Eden strive; nor that Nyseian isle,
Girt with the river Triton, where old Cham,
Whom Gentiles Ammon call and Libyan Jove, Hid Amalthea, and her florid son,
Young Bacchus, from his stepdame Rhea's eye; Nor where Abassin kings their issue guard, Mount Amara, though this by some suppos'd' True Paradise, under the Ethiop line By Nilus' head, enclos'd with shining rock, A whole day's journey high, but wide remote From this Assyrian garden, where the Fiend Saw undelighted all delight, all kind Of living creatures new to sight 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 seem'd; for in their looks divine The image of their glorious Maker shone, Truth, wisdom, 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 softness she and sweet attractive grace, He for God only, she for God in him. His fair large front and eye sublime 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 waist Her unadorned golden tresses wore Dishevel❜d, but in wanton ringlets way'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. Yielded with coy submission, modest pride, And sweet 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 banish'd from man's life his happiest life, Simplicity and spotless innocence !
So pass'd they naked on, nor shunn'd the sight Of God or Angel, for they thought no ill: So hand in hand they pass'd, the loveliest pair That ever since in love's embraces met; Adam, the goodliest man of men since born His sons; the fairest of her daughters, Eve.
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