Of his cool bow'r; while now the mounted fun
Shot down direct his fervid rays, to warm
Earth's inmoft womb,(more warmth than Adam needs:
And Eve within, due at her hour, prepar'd
For dinner favoury fruits, of taste to please
True appetite, and not difrelish thirst

305

Of nectarous draughts between, from milky stream, Berry, or grape; to whom thus Adam call'd.

Hafte hither Eve! and worth thy fight behold Eastward among those trees, what glorious shape Comes this way moving; feems another morn 310 Ris'n on mid-noon; some great beheft from heav'n To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchsafe This day to be our gueft. But go with speed, And what thy ftores contain, bring forth, and pour Abundance, fit to honor and receive

315

Our heav'nly ftranger: well we may afford
Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow
From large beftow'd, where nature multiplies
Her fertil growth, and by disburd'ning grows
More fruitful, which inftructs us not to fpare. 320
To whom thus Eve. Adam! earth's hallow'd mould,
Of God infpir'd! small store will ferve, where ftore
(All seasons) ripe for ufe hangs on the stalk;
Save what by frugal storing firmness gains
To nourish, and fuperfluous moist confumes.
But I will hafte, and from each bough, and brake,
Each plant, and juiciest gourd, will pluck fuch choice
To entertain our Angel-gueft, as he

Beholding fhall confefs, that here on earth

325

God hath difpens'd his bounties, as in heav'n. 330
So faying, with dispatchful looks in hafte
She turns, on hofpitable thoughts intent
What choice to chufe for delicacy beft;
What order, fo contriv'd as not to mix

340

Taftes, not well join'd, in-elegant; but bring 335 Taste after Tafte, upheld with kindliest change: Beftirs her then, and from each tender stalk Whatever earth, all-bearing mother, yields In India eaft or weft; or middle shore In Pontus, or the Punic coaft; or where Alcinous reign'd; fruit of all kinds, in coat Rough, or smooth rind, or bearded husk, or shell, She gathers; tribute large! and on the board Heaps with unfparing hand: for drink, the grape She crushes, (inoffensive Muft!) and meathes 345 From many a berry: and, from sweet kernels prefs'd, She tempers dulcet creams; nor these to hold Wants her fit veffels pure: then, ftrews the ground With rofe, and odors from the shrub, unfum’d. Mean-while our primitive great fire, to meet His god-like gueft, walks forth; without more train Accompany'd than with his own complete Perfections; in himself was all his ftate: More folemn than the tedious pomp that waits On Princes, when their rich retinue long Of horses led, and grooms befmear'd with gold, Dazzles the crowd, and fets them all a-gape. Nearer his prefence, Adam, though not aw'd, Yet with fubmifs approach, and reverence meek,

350

355

As

360

As to a fuperior nature, bowing low,
Thus faid. Native of heav'n! (for other place,
None can than heav'n such glorious shape contain)
Since by defcending from the Thrones above,
Thofe happy places thou haft deign'd a-while
To want, and honor these, vouchsafe with us 365
Two only, who yet by fov'reign gift poffefs
This fpacious ground, in yonder shady bow'r
To reft; and what the garden choicest bears
To fit and tafte, 'till this meridian heat
Be over, and the fun more cool decline.

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Whom thus th' Angelic Virtue answer'd mild. Adam! I therefore came; nor art thou fuch Created, or fuch place. haft here to dwell, As may not oft invite, (though spirits of heav'n,) To vifit thee: lead on then where thy bow'r 375 O'erfhades; for these mid-hours, till ev'ning rife, I have at will. So to the fylvan Lodge They came, that like Pomona's arbor smil'd,

With flow'rets deck'd, and fragrant smells: but Eve
Undeck'd, fave with her felf, (more lovely fair 380
Than Wood-Nymph, or the fairest Goddess feign'd
Of three, that in mount Ida naked ftrove!)
Stood t'entertain her guest from heav'n: no veil
She needed, virtue-proof; no thought infirm
Alter'd her cheek. On whom the Angel Hail 385
Beftow'd, the holy falutation us'd

Long after to bleft Mary, fecond Eve.

Hail, Mother of Mankind! whofe fruitful womb Shall fill the world more numerous with thy fons,

H

M

Than with these various fruits the trees of God 390

396

Their table was, and moffy feats had round:
And on her ample square, from fide to fide,
All autumn pil'd; tho' fpring, and autumn, here
Danc'd hand in hand. A-while discourse they hold;
(No fear left dinner cool) when thus began
Our author. Heav'nly stranger! please to taste
These bounties, which our Nourisher, (from Whom
All perfect good, un-meafur'd out, defcends
To us for food, and for delight,) hath caus'd 400
The earth to yield: unfavoury food, perhaps,
To spiritual natures; only this I know,
That one cœleftial Father gives to all.

To whom the Angel. Therefore what He gives
(Whose praise be ever fung!) to man, in part 405
Spiritual, may of pureft spirits be found

No ingrateful food: and food alike those pure
Intelligential fubftances require,

As doth your rational: and both contain

Within them ev'ry lower faculty

410

Of fenfe, whereby they hear, fee, fmell, touch, taste:
Tafting concoct, digeft, affimilate,

And corporeal to incorporeal turn.

For know, whatever was created, needs
To be fuftain'd, and fed: of elements,

415

1

The groffer feeds the purer; earth the fea;

Earth, and the fea, feed air; the air, those fires
Ethereal; and as lowest, first the moon;
Whence, in her visage round, those spots, unpurg'd

Vapors, not yet into her fubftanee turn'd.
Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale
From her moift continent, to higher orbs.
The fun, that light imparts to all, receives
From all his alimental recompenfe,

In humid exhalations; and at ev'n

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425

Sups with the ocean. Though in heav'n the Trees
Of Life ambrofial fruitage bear, and vines
Yield Nectar; though from off the boughs each morn
We brush mellifluous dews, and find the ground
Cover'd with pearly grain: yet God hath here 430
Varied his bounty fo with new delights,

As may compare with heaven; and to tafte
Think not I fhall be nice. So down they fat,
And to their viands fell: nor feemingly

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The Angel, nor in mift, (the common glofs 435 Of theologians) but with keen dispatch

Of real hunger, and concoctive heat

To tranfubftantiate: what redounds, transpires
Through fp rits with ease: nor wonder; if by fire
Of footy coal, the empiric alchymist

Can turn, or holds it possible to turn,
Metals of droffieft ore to perfect gold,

As from the Mine. Mean-while at table Eve
Minister'd naked, and their flowing cups

With pleasant liquors crown'd. O innocence
Deferving Paradise! if ever, then,

Then had the fons of God excufe t` have been
Enamor'd at that fight: but, in those hearts
Love un-libidinous reign'd, nor jealousie

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445