All sadness but despair: now gentle gales, Fanning their odorif'rous wings, dispense Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole Those balmy spoils. As when to them who sail Beyond the Cape of Hope, and now are past Mozambic, off at sea north-east winds blow Sabean odours from the spicy shore
Of Araby the Blest; with such delay
Well pleas'd they slack their course, and many a league Cheer'd with the grateful smell old Ocean smiles: 165 So entertain'd those od'rous sweets the Fiend, Who came their bane: though with them better pleas'd Than Asmodeus with the fishy fume
That drove him, though enamour'd, from the spouse Of Tobit's son, and with a vengeance sent From Media post to Egypt, there fast bound.
Now to th' ascent of that steep savage hill Satan had journey'd on, pensive and slow; But farther way found none, so thick entwin'd, As one continu'd brake, the undergrowth Of shrubs and tangling bushes, had perplex'd All path of man or beast that pass'd that way. One gate there only was, and that look'd east On th' other side: which when th' arch-felon saw, Due entrance he disdain'd; and, in contempt, At one slight bound high over-leap'd all bound Of hill or highest wall, and sheer within Lights on his feet. As when a prowling wolf, Whom hunger drives to seek new haunt for prey, Watching where shepherds pen their flocks at eve, 185 In hurdl'd cotes amid the field secure,
Leaps o'er the fence with ease into the fold: Or as a thief bent to unhoard the cash Of some rich burgher, whose substantial doors, Cross-barr'd and bolted fast, fear no assault, In at the window climbs, or o'er the tiles: So clomb the first grand thief into God's fold;
So since into his church lewd hirelings climb. Thence up he flew, and on the tree of life,- The middle tree and highest there that grew, Sat like a cormorant; yet not true life Thereby regain'd, but sat devising death To them who liv'd; nor on the virtue thought Of that life-giving plant, but only us'd
For prospect, what well us'd had been the pledge 200 Of immortality. So little knows
Any, but God alone, to value right
The good before him, but perverts best things To worst abuse, or to their meanest use. Beneath him with new wonder now he views, To all delight of human sense expos'd, In narrow room, nature's whole wealth, yea more, A heav'n on earth: for blissful Paradise Of God the garden was, by him in th' east Of Eden planted; Eden stretch'd her line From Auran eastward to the royal towers Of great Seleucia, built by Grecian kings, Or where the sons of Eden long before Dwelt in Telassar: in this pleasant soil His far more pleasant garden God ordain'd: Out of the fertile ground he caus'd to grow All trees of noblest kind for sight, smell, taste; And all amid them stood the tree of life,
High eminent; blooming ambrosial fruit
Of vegetable gold; and next to life,
Our death, the tree of knowledge, grew fast by,- Knowledge of good, bought dear by knowing ill. Southward through Eden went a river large, Nor chang'd his course, but through the shaggy hill Pass'd underneath ingulf'd; for God had thrown 225 That mountain as his garden-mould, high rais'd Upon the rapid current, which, through veins Of porous earth, with kindly thirst up-drawn, Rose a fresh fountain, and with many a rill
Water'd the garden; thence united fell Down the steep glade, and met the nether flood, Which from his darksome passage now appears, And now, divided into four main streams, Runs diverse, wand'ring many a famous realm And country, whereof here needs no account; But rather to tell how, if art could tell,— How from that sapphire fount the crisped brooks, Rolling on orient pearl and sands of gold, With mazy error under pendent shades Ran nectar, visiting each plant, and fed Flow'rs worthy of Paradise, which not nice art In beds and curious knots, but nature boon Pour'd forth profuse on hill, and dale, and plain, Both where the morning sun first warmly smote The open field, and where the unpierc'd shade 245 Imbrown'd the noontide bow'rs: thus was this place A happy rural seat of various view;
Groves whose rich trees wept od'rous gums and balm; Others whose fruit, burnish'd with golden rind, Hung amiable, (Hesperian fables true, If true, here only,) and of delicious taste: Betwixt them lawns, or level downs, and flocks Grazing the tender herb, were interpos'd, Or palmy hillock; or the flow'ry lap Of some irriguous valley spread her store, Flow'rs of all hue, and without thorn the rose: Another side, umbrageous grots and caves Of cool recess, o'er which the mantling vine Lays forth her purple grape, and gently creeps Luxuriant: meanwhile murm'ring waters fall Down the slope hills, dispers'd, or in a lake, That to the fringed bank with myrtle crown'd Her crystal mirror holds, unite their streams. The birds their quire apply; airs, vernal airs, Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune The trembling leaves, while universal Pan,
Knit with the Graces and the Hours in dance, Led on th' eternal Spring. Not that fair field Of Enna, where Prosérpine gath'ring flow'rs, Herself a fairer flow'r, by gloomy Dis
Was gather'd, which cost Ceres all that pain To seek her through the world; nor that sweet grove Of Daphne by Orontes, and th' inspir'd Castalian spring, might with this Paradise Of Eden strive; nor that Nyseian isle Girt with the river Triton, where old Cham, (Whom Gentiles Ammon call, and Libyan Jove,) Hid Amalthea, and her florid son
Young Bacchus, from his stepdame Rhea's eye: Nor where Abassin kings their issue guard, Mount Amara, (though this by some suppos'd True Paradise,) under the Ethiop line By Nilus' head, enclos'd with shining rock, A whole day's journey high, but wide remote From this Assyrian garden, where the Fiend Saw, undelighted, all delight, all kind
Of living creatures, new to sight, and strange. Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall, Godlike erect, with native honour clad, In naked majesty seem'd lords of all: And worthy seem'd: for in their looks divine The image of their glorious Maker shone, Truth, wisdom, sanctitude severe and pure, (Severe, but in true filial freedom plac'd,) Whence true authority in men; though both Not equal, as their sex not equal seem'd; For contemplation he, and valour form'd; For softness she, and sweet attractive grace; He for God only; she for God in him: His fair large front and eye sublime declar'd Absolute rule; and hyacinthine locks Round from his parted forelock manly hung Clust'ring, but not beneath his shoulders broad:
She, as a veil, down to the slender waist Her unadorned golden tresses wore Dishevell❜d, but in wanton ringlets wav'd, As the vine curls her tendrils, which implied Subjection, but requir'd with gentle sway, And by her yielded, by him best receiv'd, Yielded with coy submission, modest pride, And sweet, reluctant, amorous delay.
So hand in hand they pass'd, the loveliest pair That ever since in love's embraces met: Adam the goodliest man of men since born His sons, the fairest of her daughters Eve. Under a tuft of shade that on a green Stood whisp'ring soft, by a fresh fountain-side They sat them down; and, after no more toil Of their sweet gard'ning labour than suffic'd To recommend cool zephyr, and made ease More easy, wholesome thirst and appetite More grateful, to their supper-fruits they fell, Nectarine fruits, which the compliant boughs Yielded them, side-long as they sat recline On the soft downy bank damask'd with flowers: The savoury pulp they chew, and in the rind, Still as they thirsted, scoop the brimming stream; Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles, Wanted, nor youthful dalliance, as beseems Fair couple, link'd in happy nuptial league, Alone as they. About them frisking play'd All beasts of th' earth, since wild, and of all chace In wood or wilderness, forest or den;
Sporting the lion ramp'd, and in his paw Dandled the kid; bears, tigers, ounces, pards, Gamboll'd before them; th' unwieldy elephant, 345 To make them mirth, us'd all his might, and wreath'd His lithe proboscis; close the serpent sly, Insinuating, wove with Gordian twine
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