Who stooping open'd my left side, and took From thence a rib, with cordial spirits warm, And life-blood streaming fresh; wide was the wound, But suddenly with flesh fill'd up and heal'd: The rib he form'd and fashion'd with his hands; Under his forming hands a creature grew, Man-like, but different sex; so lovely fair, That what seem'd fair in all the world, seem'd now Mean, or in her summ'd up, in her contain'd And in her looks; which from that time infus'd Sweetness into my heart, unfelt before, And into all things from her air inspir'd The spirit of love and amorous delight. She disappear'd, and left me dark; I wak'd To find her, or for ever to deplore
Her loss, and other pleasures all abjure: When out of hope, behold her, not far off, Such as I saw her in my dream, adorn'd With what all Earth or Heaven could bestow To make her amiable: On she came, Led by her heavenly Maker, though unseen, And guided by his voice; nor uninform'd Of nuptial sanctity, and marriage rites: Grace was in all her steps, Heaven in her eye, In every gesture dignity and love.
I, overjoy'd, could not forbear aloud.
This turn hath made amends; thou hast fulfill'd Thy words, Creator bounteous and benign, Giver of all things fair! but fairest this
Of all thy gifts! nor enviest. I now see
Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, myself Before me: Woman is her name; of Man Extracted for this cause he shall forego Father and mother, and to his wife adhere; And they shall be one flesh, one heart, one soul. She heard me thus; and though divinely brought, Yet innocence, and virgin modesty,
Her virtue, and the conscience of her worth, That would be woo'd, and not unsought be won, Not obvious, not obtrusive, but, retir'd, The more desirable; or, to say all,
Nature herself, though pure of sinful thought, Wrought in her so, that, seeing me, she turn'd: I follow'd her; she what was honour knew, And with obsequious majesty approv'd
My pleaded reason. To the nuptial bower I led her blushing like the morn: All Heaven, And happy constellations, on that hour Shed their selectest influence; the Earth Gave sign of gratulation, and each hill; Joyous the birds; fresh gales and gentle airs Whisper'd it to the woods, and from their wings Flung rose, flung odours from the spicy shrub, Disporting, till the amorous bird of night Sung spousal, and bid haste the evening-star On his hill top, to light the bridal lamp. Thus have I told thee all my state, and brought My story to the sum of earthly bliss, Which I enjoy; and must confess to find
In all things else delight indeed, but such
As, us'd or not, works in the mind no change,
Nor vehement desire; these delicacies
I mean of taste, sight, smell, herbs, fruits, and flowers, Walks, and the melody of birds: but here Far otherwise, transported I behold, Transported touch; here passion first I felt, Commotion strange! in all enjoyments else Superior and unmov'd; here only weak Against the charm of Beauty's powerful glance. Or Nature fail'd in me, and left some part Not proof enough such object to sustain; Or, from my side subducting, took perhaps More than enough; at least on her bestow'd Too much of ornament, in outward show Elaborate, of inward less exact.
For well I understand in the prime end Of Nature her the inferior, in the mind And inward faculties, which most excel; In outward also her resembling less
His image who made both, and less expressing The character of that dominion given O'er other creatures: Yet when I approach Her loveliness, so absolute she seems And in herself complete, so well to know Her own, that what she wills to do or say, Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best: All higher knowledge in her presence falls Degraded; Wisdom in discourse with her Loses discountenanc'd, and like folly shows; Authority and Reason on her wait,
As one intended first, not after made
Occasionally; and, to consummate all, Greatness of mind and Nobleness their seat Build in her loveliest, and create an awe About her, as a guard angelic plac'd.
To whom the Angel with contracted brow. Accuse not Nature, she hath done her part; Do thou but thine; and be not diffident Of Wisdom; she deserts thee not, if thou Dismiss not her, when most thou need'st her nigh, By attributing overmuch to things
Less excellent, as thou thyself perceiv'st.
For, what admir'st thou, what transports thee so, An outside? fair, no doubt, and worthy well Thy cherishing, thy honouring, and thy love; Not thy subjection; Weigh with her thyself; Then value: Oft-times nothing profits more Than self-esteem, grounded on just and right Well manag'd; of that skill the more thou know'st, The more she will acknowledge thee her head, And to realities yield all her shows: Made so adorn for thy delight the more,
So awful, that with honour thou may'st love Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen least wise. But if the sense of touch, whereby mankind Is propagated, seem such dear delight Beyond all other; think the same vouchsaf'd To cattle and each beast; which would not be To them made common and divulg'd, if aught Therein enjoy'd were worthy to subdue
The soul of man, or passion in him move. What higher in her society thou find'st Attractive, human, rational, love still; In loving thou dost well, in passion not, Wherein true love consists not: Love refines The thoughts, and heart enlarges; hath his seat In reason, and is judicious; is the scale
By which to heavenly love thou may'st ascend, Not sunk in carnal pleasure; for which cause, Among the beasts no mate for thee was found.
To whom thus, half abash'd, Adam replied. Neither her outside form'd so fair, nor aught In procreation common to all kinds (Though higher of the genial bed by far, And with mysterious reverence I deem), So much delights me, as those graceful acts, Those thousand decencies, that daily flow From all her words and actions mix'd with love And sweet compliance, which declare unfeign'd Union of mind, or in us both one soul; Harmony to behold in wedded pair
More grateful than harmonious sound to the ear. Yet these subject not; I to thee disclose What inward thence I feel, not therefore foil'd, Who meet with various objects, from the sense Variously representing; yet still free,
Approve the best, and follow what I approve.
To love, thou blam'st me not; for Love, thou say'st, Leads up to Heaven, is both the way and guide; Bear with me then, if lawful what I ask:
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