By nature as in aid, and clos'd mine eyes. Mine eyes he clos'd, but open left the cell 460 Of fancy my internal fight: by which, Abstract as in a trance, methought I faw, Though fleeping, where I lay, and faw the shape

Still glorious, before whom awake I ftood: Who ftooping open'd my left fide, and took 465 From thence a rib, with cordial fpirits warm, And life-blood streaming frefh: wide was the wound,

But fuddenly with flefh fill'd up and heal'd. The rib he form'd and fashion'd with his hands: Under his forming hands a creature grew 470 Man like, but different fex: fo lovely fair! That, what feem'd fair in all the world, feem'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: 475
And into all things from her air inspir'd
The fpirit of love, and amorous delight.
She difappear'd, and left me dark! I wak'd
To find her, or for ever to deplore

Her lofs, and other pleafures all abjure. 480
When out of hope, behold her! not far off';
Such as I faw her in my dream, adorn'd
With what all Earth or Heaven could beflow,
To make her amiable: On The came,

Led by her heav'nly Maker, though unseen, 485
And guided by his voice; nor uniform'd
Of nuptial fanctity, and marriage rites:
Grace was in all her steps, Heav'n in her eye,
In every gesture dignity and love.

I overjoy'd could not forbear aloud.
This turn hath made amends;

fulfill'd

490

Thou haft

Thy words, Creator bounteous and benign!
Giver of all things fair! but faireft this

Of all thy gifts, nor envieft. I now see
Bone of my bone, flefh of my flefh, myfelf 495
Before me: Woman is her name, of Man

Extracted for this caufe he fhall forego

Father and mother, and t' his wife adhere;

And they shall be one flesh, one heart,

foul.

one

She heard me thus, and tho' divinely

brought,

Yet innocence, and virgin modefty,

500

Her virtue, and the confcience of her worth,
That would be woo'd, and not unfought be

won,

Not obvions, not obtrufive, but retir'd,

The more defirable: or, to fay all,

505

Nature herself, though pure of finful thought,
Wrought in her so, that seeing me, she turn'd;
I follow'd her; fhe what was honor knew,
And with obfequious majesty approv'd,

My pleaded reafon.

bow'r

To the nuptial

510

I led her blushing like the morn: all Heav'n,
And happy conftellations, on that hour
Shed their felecteft influence: the earth
Gave fign of gratulation, and each hill:
Joyous the birds; frefh gales, and gentle

air's

515 Whisper'd it to the woods, and from their

wing

Flung rofe, flung odors from the fpicy fhrub,
Difporting! till the amorous bird of night
Sung fponfal, and bid hafte the bridal lamp. 520
Thus have I told thee all my state, and
brought

My story to the fum of earthly bliss,

Which I enjoy; and must confefs to find

In all things elfe delight indeed, but fuch

As us'd or not, works in the mind no

change,

Nor vehement defire; theese delicacies

525

I mean of taste, fight, smell, herbs, fruits,

and flow'rs,

Walks, and the melody of birds: but here.
Far otherwise, transported I behold,
Transported touch: here passion first I felt, 530
Commotion strange! in all enjoyments elfe
Superior, and unmov'd; here only weak,
Against the charm of beauty's powerful glance.

535

Or Nature fail'd in me, and left some part
Not proof enough fuch object to sustain:
Or from my fide fubducting, took perhaps
More than enough at leaft, on her beltow'd
Too much of ornament; in outward show
Elaborate, of inward lefs exact.

For well I understand in the prime end 549
Of nature, her th' inferior, in the mind
And inward faculties, which moft excel:
In outward also her refembling lefs

His image who made both; and lefs expreffing
The character of that dominion giv'n 545
O'er other creatures. Yet, when I approach
Her lovelinefs, fo abfolute the feems
And in herself complete, fo well to know
Her own; that what fhe wills to do or fay,
Seems wifeft, virtuoufeft, difcreteft, beft: 550
All higher knowledge in her prefence falls
Degraded; wifdom in difcourfe with her
Lofes difcountenanc'd, and like folly fhews:
Authority and reafon on her wait,

555

As one intended first, not after made Occasionally: and, to confummate all, Greatnels of mind, and noblenefs, their feat Build in her lovelieft, and create an awe About her, as a guard Angelic plac'd.

To whom the Angel with contracted browi 560 Accufe not Nature, fhe hath done her part; Do thou but thine, and be not diffident

Of wifdom: The deferts thee not, if thou Dismiss not her, when most thou need's her nigh;

By attributing over-much to things

565

Lefs excellent, as thou thyfelf perceiv'st.
For what admir'ft thou, what tranfports thee fo?
An outfide? fair no doubt, and worthy well
Thy cherifhing, thy honoring, and thy love;
Not thy fubjection. Weigh with her thy-

Then value: oft-times nothing profits more Than felf'efteem, grounded on juft an right, Well manag'd: of that fhill the more thou know'ft,

The more fhe will acknowledge thee her Head, And to relaties yield all her shows:

Made fo adorn for thy delight the more;

575

So awful, that with honor thou may'ft love Thy mate; who fees, when thou art feen leaft wife.

589

But if the fenfe of touch, whereby mankind
Is propagated, feem fuch dear delight
Beyond all other; think the fame vouchfaf'd
To cattel, and each beaft; which would
not be

To them made common, and divulg'd, if ought
Therein enjoy'd were worthy to fubdue
The foul of man, or paffion in him move. 585
What higher in her fociety thou find❜ft