Inward and outward both, his image fair:
Speaking or mute all comeliness and grace
Attents thee, and each word, each motion,
forms:

Nor lefs think we in Heav'n of thee on Earth,
Than of our fellow-fervant; and inquire 225
Gladly into the ways of God with Man:
For God we fee hath honor'd thee, and fet
On Man his equal love. Say therefore on;
For I that day was abfent, as befel,

Bound on a voyage uncouth and obfcure, 230
Far on excurfion toward the gates of hell,
Squar'd in full legion, fuch command we had,
To fee that none thence iffy'd forth a spy,
Or enemy, while God was in his work,

235

Left he, incens'd at fuch eruption bold, Destruction with creation might have mix'd. Not that they durft without his leave attempt; But us he fends upon his high behefts

For state, as Sov'reign King; and to inure' Our prompt obedience. Faft we found, faft

fhut

240

The dismal gates, and parricado'd strong!
But long e're our approaching heard within
Noife other than the found of dance or fong!
Torment, and lond lament, and furious rage.
Glad we return'd up to the coaft of light 245
Ere Sabbath ev'ning: fo we had in charge.
But thy relation now! for I attend,

Pleas'd with thy words no less than thou with mine,

So fpake the Godlike Pow'r, and thus our

fire.

For Man to tell, how human life began,
Is hard; for who himself beginning knew?
Defire with thee still longer to converse
Induc'd me.

250

As new wak'd from foun-
deft fleep,

Soft on the flow'ry herb I found me laid,
In balmy fweat; which with his beams the

fun

255

Soon dry'd, and on the reaking moisture fed. Straight toward heav'n my wond'ring eyes I turn'd,

And gaz'd a while the ample sky; 'till rais'd
By quick instinctive motion up I sprung,
As thitherward indeavoring, and upright 260
Stood on my feet. About me round I saw
Hill, dale, and fhady woods, and funny plains,
And liquid lapse of murm'ring streams: by
these,

Creatures that liv'd, and mov'd, and walk'd,

or flew;

Birds op the branches warbling; all things

fmil'd;

265

With fragrance, and with joy, my heart o'er

flow'd.

Myself I then perus'd, and limb by limb

With fupple joints, as lively vigor led.

But who I was, or where, or from what

Knew not to fpeak I try'd, and forth with

[pake;

My tongue obey'd, and readily could name
Whate'er I saw. Thou Sun, faid I, fair light!
And thou inlighten'd Earth, so fresh and gay!
Ye hills and dales, ye rivers, woods and
275
And ye that live and move, fair creatures! tell,
Tell, if ye faw, how came I thus, how here?
Not of myself
By fome great Maker

plains!

then,

In goodness and in pow'r praeeminent.

Tell me, how may I know him, how

adore,

280

From whom I have, that thus I move and live, And feel, that I am happier, than I know. While thus I call'd and ftray'd, I knew not whither,

From where I firft drew air, and first beheld This happy light; when answer none return'd,

On a green fhady bank profuse of flowr's,
Penlive I fat me down. There gentle fleep

285

First found me, and with foft oppreffion seis'd

My droufed fenfe, untroubl'd, though I thought,
I then was paffing to my former state
Infenfible, and forthwith to diffolve;

When suddenly stood at my head a dream,
Whose inward apparition gently mov'd

290

My fancy, to believe I yet had being,
And liv'd. One came, methought, of shape

And faid,

99

Firft man, of men innumerable ordain'd

,, First Father! call'd by thee I come thy guide
,, To the garden of blifs, they feat prepar'd. "
So faying, by the hand he took me rais'd; 300
And over fields and waters, as in air,
Smood fliding without step, last led me up
A woody mountain, whose high top was plain,
A circuit wide, inclos'd, with goodlieft trees
Planted, with walks, and bow'rs; that what

1 faw 305 Of earth before, fcarce pleasant seem'd. Each

tree

Loaden with faireft fruit, that hung to th' eye
Tempting, stirr'd in me sudden appetite
To pluck and eat; whereat I wak'd, and found
Before mine eyes all real, as the dream
310
Had lively fhadow'd. Here had new begun
My wand'ring, had not he, who was my guide
Up hither, from among the trees appear'd,

Prefence divine! rejoicing, but with awe,
In adoration at his feet I fell

315

Submils: he rear'd me, and whom thou

a

99

sought'st, I am,

Said mildly. ., Author of all this thou seeft ,,Above, or round about thee, or beneath. ,, This Paradife I give thee, count it thine To till and keep, and of the fruit to eat: 320 Of every tree, that in the garden grows ,, Eat freely with glad heart;

death;

fear here no

,,But of the tree, whose operation brings ,,Knowledge of good and ill, which I have

fet

The pledge of thy obedience and thy faith, 325 ,,Amid the garden by the Tree of Life, ,, Remember, what I warn thee! fhun to tafie, ,,And fhun the bitter confequence; for know, ,, The day, thou eat'ft thereof, my fole command Tranfgrefs'd, inevitably thou shalt dye; 539 From that day mortal: and this happy state ,, Shalt lofe, expell'd from hence into a world ,,Of woe and forrow." Sternly he pro

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