To find this but a dream! Thus Eve her night Best image of myself and dearer half, This uncouth dream, of evil sprung I fear: Yet evil whence? in thee can harbour none, Created pure. But know that in the soul 95 100 Are many lesser faculties that serve Reason as chief: among these fancy next 105 110 115 98 night for the "dreams of night." v. S. Ital. iii. 216. 'Promissa evolvit somni, noctemque retractat.' Hume. 117 god] God here signifies 'angel.' See ver. 59 and 70. Newton. No spot or blame behind; which gives me hope That what in sleep thou didst abhor to dream, 120 Waking thou never wilt consent to do. 125 Be not dishearten'd then, nor cloud those looks 130 So cheer'd he his fair spouse, and she was cheer'd ; But silently a gentle tear let fall From either eye, and wip'd them with her hair: Two other precious drops that ready stood, Each in their crystal sluice, he ere they fell Kiss'd as the gracious signs of sweet remorse, And pious awe that fear'd to have offended. 135 So all was clear'd, and to the field they haste. But first, from under shady arborous roof Soon as they forth were come to open sight Of dayspring and the sun, who, scarce uprisen With wheels yet hov'ring o'er the ocean brim, 140 Shot parallel to the earth his dewy ray, Discovering in wide landscape all the east Of Paradise and Eden's happy plains, Lowly they bow'd adoring, and began 127 bosom'd] Bosom.' Bentl. MS. 187 roof] In Milton's own edition, a comma stands after roof,' which Tickell, Fenton, Bentley followed. Pearce properly corrected it. Their orisons, each morning duly paid 145 150 Flow'd from their lips, in prose or numerous verse, Thus wondrous fair; thyself how wondrous then! 160 In these thy lowest works; yet these declare 164 Him first, him last, him midst, and without end. 150 numerous] 'To enter David's numerous fane.' Sandys's Psalms: Ded. 166 Fairest] Hom. Il. xxii. 318. and Ov. Met. ii. 114. 170 Newton. Thou sun, of this great world both eye and soul, Acknowledge him thy greater, sound his praise In thy eternal course, both when thou clim❜st, And when high noon hast gain'd, and when thou fall'st. 174 Moon, that now meet'st the orient sun, now fly'st, 180 185 And nourish all things, let your ceaseless change His praise, ye winds that from four quarters blow, 177 five] Verum etiam quinque stellas, quæ vulgo vaga nuncupantur.' v. Apul. de Deo Socratis, ed. Delph. vol. ii. p. 666. 181 quaternion] Heywood's Hier. p. 193. 'What ternions and classes be In the cælestial hierarchie.' 195 Fountains, and ye that warble, as ye flow, To hill, or valley, fountain, or fresh shade, 200 205 210 So pray'd they innocent, and to their thoughts Firm peace recover'd soon and wonted calm. On to their morning's rural work they haste, Among sweet dews and flowers, where any row Of fruit-trees overwoody reach'd too far Their pamper'd boughs, and needed hands to check Fruitless embraces; or they led the vine To wed her elm; she spous'd about him twines Her marriageable arms, and with her brings Her dow'r, th' adopted clusters, to adorn 198 heaven-gate] So in Cymbeline, act ii. sc. 3. 'Hark! hark, the lark at heaven's gate sings.' Newton. 200 Ye that] How could the fish witness? Bentl. MS. 216 206 give] Not unlike the Prayer of Clytemnestra in Soph. Elect. 646. A. Dyce. 217 marriageable] See Apulei Apolog. p. 540. ed. Delph. |