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With earth and ocean meets, the setting fun
Slowly defcended; and with right aspect
Against the eastern gate of Paradife
Level'd his evening rays: it was a rock
Of alabaster, pil'd up to the clouds,
Confpicuous far; winding with one afcent
Acceffible from earth, one entrance high:
The reft was craggy cliff, that over-hung
Still as it rofe, impossible to climb.
Betwixt these rocky pillars Gabriel fat,
Chief of th' Angelic guards, awaiting night:
About him exercis'd heroic games

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Th' unarmed youth of heav'n; but nigh at hand
Coeleftial armory, fhields, helms, and fpears,
Hung high, with diamond flaming, and with gold.
Thither came Uriel, gliding through the ev'n
On a fan-beam, fwift as a shooting star
In autumn thwarts the night, when vapors fir'd
Imprefs the air, and fhew the mariner

From what point of his Compass to beware
Impetuous winds: he thus began in haste.

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Gabriel! to thee thy course by lot hath giv'n Charge, and strict watch, that to this happy place No evil thing approach, or enter in :

This day, at height of noon, came to my sphere
A fpirit; zealous, as he feem'd, to know 565
More of th' Almighty's works; and chiefly man,
God's latest image: I defcrib'd his way,
Bent all on speed, and mark'd his aery gait:
But, in the mount that lies from Eden north,

Where he first lighted, foon difcern'd his looks
Alien from heav'n, with paffions foul obfcur'd:
Mine eye purfu'd him still, but under shade
Loft fight of him: one of the banish'd crew,
I fear, hath ventur'd from the Deep, to raise
New troubles; him thy care must be to find.

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To whom the winged warrior thus return'd: Uriel! no wonder if thy perfect fight, Amid the fun's bright circle, where thou fit', See far, and wide: in at this gate none pass The vigilance here plac'd, but fuch as come Well-known from heav'n; and fince meridian hour No creature thence. If fpirit of other fort, So minded, have o'er-leap'd these earthy bounds On purpose, hard thou know'ft it to exclude Spiritual fubftance with corporeal bar. But, if within the circuit of these walks, In whatsoever fhape, he lurk, of whom Thou tell'ft, by morrow dawning I shall know.

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So promis'd he; and Uriel to his charge 589 Return'd, on that bright beam, whose point now rais'd Bore him flope downward to the fun, now fall'n Beneath th' Azores: whither the prime orb, Incredible how swift, had thither rowl'd

Diurnal; or this less volubil earth,

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By shorter flight to th' eaft, had left him there, 595
Arraying with reflected purple, and gold,
The clouds that on his western throne attend.

Now came ftill evening on, and twilight grey
Had in her sober livery all things clad :

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Silence accompany'd; for beast, and bird,
They to their graffy couch, these to their nefts,
Were flunk; all but the wakeful nightingale;
She all night long her amorous descant sung;
Silence was pleas'd: now glow'd the firmament
With living saphirs; Hesperus, that led
The starry hoft, rode brightest; till the moon,
Rifing in clouded majesty at length,
Apparent Queen, unveil'd her peerless light,
And o'er the dark her filver mantle threw ;
When Adam thus to Eve: fair confort! th' hour
Of night, and all things now retir'd to rest,
Mind us of like repofe; fince God hath fet
Labor and reft, as day and night, to men
Succeffive; and the timely dew of fleep,
Now falling with soft slumbrous weight, inclines
Our eye-lids. Other creatures all day-long
Rove idle, un-employ'd, and less need rest:
Man hath his daily work of body, or mind,
Appointed, which declares his dignity,
And the regard of heav'n on all his ways:
While other animals unactive range,
And of their doings God takes no account.
To-morrow, e'er fresh morning streak the east
With first approach of light, we must be ris'n,
And at our pleasant labor, to reform

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Yon flow'ry arbors; yonder allies green,
Our walk at noon, with branches overgrown;
That mock our scant manuring, and require
More hands than ours to lop their wanton growth.

Thofe bloffoms also, and those dropping gums, 630
That lie beftrown, unfightly, and unsmooth,
Ask riddance, if we mean to tread with ease:
Mean-while, as nature wills, night bids us reft.
To whom thus Eve, with perfect beauty adorn'd.
My author, and difpofer! what thou bidst
Un-argu'd I obey; fo God ordains:

God is thy law, thou mine: to know no more
Is woman's happiest knowledge, and her praise.
With thee converfing I forget all time;

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All seasons, and their change, all please alike: 640
Sweet is the breath of morn, her rifing fweet,
With charm of earliest birds: pleasant the fun,
When first on this delightful land he spreads`
His orient beams, en herb, tree, fruit, and flow'r,
Glift'ring with dew: fragrant the fertile earth 645
After foft fhow'rs: and fweet the coming on
Of grateful ev'ning mild: then, filent night,
With this her folemn bird, and this fair moon,
And these the gems of heav'n, her starry train.
But neither breath of morn, when the afcends 650
With charm of earliest birds: nor rifing fun
On this delightful land: nor herb, fruit, flower,
Glift'ring with dew: nor fragrance after show'rs:
Nor grateful evening mild: nor filent night,
With this her folemn bird: nor walk by moon: 655
Or glittering ftar-light, without thee is sweet.
But wherefore all night long shine these? for whom
This glorious fight, when fleep hath fhut all eyes?
To whom our general ancestor reply'd.

Daughter of God and man, accomplish'd Eve! 660
These have their courfe to finish, round the earth,
By morrow ev'ning; and from land to land
In order, though to nations yet unborn,
Miniftring light prepar'd, they fet, and rife:
Left total darkness should by night regain
Her old poffeffion, and extinguish life

In nature, and all things; which these foft fires
Not only enlighten, but with kindly heat,
Of various influence, foment, and warm,
Temper, or nourish; or in part shed down
Their ftellar virtue, on all kinds that grow
On earth; made hereby apter to receive
Perfection from the fun's more potent ray.

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These then, though un-beheld in deep of night, 674
Shine not in vain: nor think, though men were none,
That heav'n would want spectators, God want praise:
Millions of fpiritual creatures walk the earth
Un-feen, both when we wake, and when we sleep:
All these, with ceaseless praise, his works behold
Both day, and night: how often, from the steep 680
Of echoing hill, or thicket, have we heard
Cœleftial voices, to the midnight air
(Sole, or refponfive each to other's note)
Singing their great Creator? oft in bands

While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk, 685
With heav'nly touch of inftrumental founds,
In full harmonic number join'd, their fongs
Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to heaven.
Thus talking, hand in hand, alone they pass'd

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