Attractive, human, rational, love ftill: In loving thou doft well, in passion not; Wherein true love confifts not. Love refines The thoughts, and heart enlarges; hath his
In reason, and is judicious: is the scale By which to heav'nly love thou may'ft afcend; Not funk in carnal pleasure; for which cause, Among the beasts no mate for thee was found. To whom thus, half abash'd, Adam re- ply'd.
595 Neither her out-fide form'd so fair, nor ought 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
Union of mind, or in us both one foul; Harmony to behold in wedded pair,
More grateful than harmonious found to th' ear.
Yet thefe fubject not: I to thee disclose
What inward thence I feel; nor therefore
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'ft me not; for love thou fay'st Leads up to Heav'n, is both the way and guide; Bear with me then, if lawful what I afk: Love not the heav'nly spirits? And now their 615
Express they? By looks only? Or do they mix Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch? To whom the Angel, with a smile that
Gelestial rofy-red, love's proper hue,
Answer'd. Let it fuffice thee, that thou
Us happy, and without love no happiness. Whatever pure thou in thy body enjoy'ft, And pure thou wert created, we enjoy In eminence: and obstacle find none
Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclufive
Eafier than air with air, if spirits embrace, Total they mix; union of
Defiring: nor restrain'd conveyance need, As flefh to mix with flesh, or foul with foul. But I can now no more: the parting fun 650 Beyond the earth's green cape, and verdant ifles, Hefperian fets, my fignal to depart.
Be strong, live happy, and love! But, first of all,
Him, whom to love is to obey, and keep His great command: take heed left paffion fway 635
Thy judgment to do ought, which elfe free will Would not admit: thine, and of all thy fons, The weal or woo in thee is plac'd; beware! I in thy perfevering shall rejoice,
And all the bleft. Stand faft! to ftand or
Free in thine own arbitrement it lies: Perfect within, no outward aid require, And all temptation to transgress repel.
So faying, he arofe: whom Adam thus Follow'd with benediction. Since to part, 645 Go heav❜ly guest, ethereal messenger,
Sent from whose sov'reign goodness I adore! Gentle to me affable hath been
Thy condefcenfion, and fhall be honor'd ever With grateful memory: thou to mankind, 650 Be good and friendly ftill, and oft return!
So parted they, the Angel up to Heav'n From the thick fhade, and Adam to his bow'r.
The End of the Eighth Book.
No more of talk where God or Angel guest
With Man as with his friend, familiar us'd To fit indulgent, and with him partake Rural repaft; permitting him the while Venial difcourfe unblam'd. I now must change 5 Thofe notes to tragic! Foul diftruft, and breach Difloyal on the part of man, révolt,
And difobedience: on the part of Heav'n, Now alienated! diftance, and diftafte, Anger, and just rebuke, and judgement giv'n, io That brought into this world a world of woe, Sin, and her shadow Death, and Mifery, Death's harbinger. Sad tafk! yet argument Not lefs, but more heroic than the wrath Of stern Achilles on his foe purfu'd Thrice fugitive about Troy wall: or rage Of Turnus for Lavinia disefpous'd, Or Neptune's ire, or Juno's, that fo long Perplex'd the Greek, and Cytherea's fon : If answerable ftile I can obtain
Of my celestial patronefs, who deigns
Her nightly vifitation unimplor'd,
And dictates to me flumb'ring; or inspires Ealy my unpremeditated verse:
Since first this fubject for Heroic fong
Pleas'd me, long chufing, and beginning late; Not fedulous by nature to indite
Wars, hitherto the only argument
Heroic deem'd; chief maft'ry to diffect
With long and tedious havock fabled Knights 30 In battels feign'd: the better fortitude Of patience, and Heroic Martyrdom, Unfung; or to defcribe Races, and Games, Or tilting furniture, emblazon'd fhields, Impreffes quaint, caparisons, and steeds; Bafes, and tinfel trappings, gorgeous Knights At jouft and torneament: then marfhal'd fealt Serv'd up in hall with fewers, and seneshals: The skill of artifice, or office, mean; Not that which juftly gives Heroic name To perfon, or to poem. Me of these Nor skill'd, nor ftudious, higher argument Remains; fufficient of itfelf to raife.
That name, unless an age too late, or cold Climate, or years damp my intended wing 45 Deprefs'd: and much they may, if all be mine, Not hers, who brings it nightly to my ear. The Sun was funk, and after him the star Of Helperus, whofe office is to bring Twilight upon the earth, short arbiter
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