The ARGUMENT of Book V.

MORNING approach'd, Eve relates to Adam her troublefome dream; he likes it not, yet comforts her: they come forth to their day-labours: their morning-hymn at the door of their bower. God, to render man inexcufable, fends Raphael to admonish him' of his obedience, of his free eftate, of his enemy near at hand, who he is, and why his enemy, and whatever else may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to Paradife; his appearance defcrib'd; his coming difcerned by Adam afar off, fitting at the door of his bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choiceft fruits of Paradife got together by Eve; their difcourfe at table: Raphael performs his message, minds Adam of his eftate and of his enemy; relates, at Adam's request, who that enemy is, and how he came to be fo, beginning from his first revolt in heaven, and the occafion thereof; how he drew his legions after him to the parts of the north, and there incited them to rebel with him, perfuading all but only Abdiel, a Seraph, who in argument diffuades and oppofes him, then forfakes

him..

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R.Cooper Sculpt.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK V.

Now

OW Morn, her rofy fteps in th' eastern climeAdvancing, fow'd the earth with orient pearl,. When Adam wak'd: fo custom'd; for his fleep Was airy light from pure digeftion bred,

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And temp'rate vapours bland, which th' only found 5
Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan,
Lightly difpers'd, and the shrill matin song
Of birds on every bough: fo much the more
His wonder was to find unwaken'd Eve
With treffes difcompos'd, and glowing cheek,
As through unquiet reft: he, on his fide
Leaning half-rais'd, with looks of cordial love
Hung over her enamour'd, and beheld
Beauty, which, whether waking or afleep,.
Shot forth peculiar graces; then with voice
Mild as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,
Her hand foft-touching, whisper'd thus: Awake,
My faireft, my efpous'd, my latest found,
Heav'n's laft beft gift, my ever-new delight,
Awake; the morning fhines, and the fresh field
Calls us; we lofe the prime, to mark how spring
Our tended plants, how blows the citron grove,
What drops the myrrh, and what the balmy reed,

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L. 16. Mild as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes. As when the foft western gales breathe on the flowers. Exceeding poetical and: beautiful.

Richardson.

How nature paints her colours, how the bee
Sita on the bloom extracting liquid fweet.

Such whispering wak'd her, but with startled eye
On Adam; whoin embracing, thus fhe fpake:

O fole in whom my thoughts find all repofe,
My glory, my perfection! glad I fee
Thy face and morn return'd; for I this night
(Such night till this I never pafs'd) have dream'd,
If dream'd, not, as I oft am wont, of thee,
Works of day paft, or morrow's next defign;
But of offence and trouble, which my mind
Knew never till this irkfome night. Methought
Close at mine ear one call'd me forth to walk
With gentle voice; I thought it thine; it faid,
Why fleep'ft thou, Eve? now is the pleasant time,
The cool, the filent, fave where filence yields.
To the night-warbling bird, that now awake
Tunes fweetest his love-labour'd fong; now reigns
Full orb'd the moon, and with more pleafing light
Shadowy fets off the face of things; in vain,
If none regard: heav'n wakes with all his eyes;
Whom to behold but thee, Nature's defire?
In whofe fight all things joy, with ravishment
Attracted by thy beauty ftill to gaze.

I rofe, as at thy call, but found thee not ;

To find thee I directed then my walk;

And on, methought, alone I pafs'd, through ways
That brought me on a fudden to the Tree
Of interdicted Knowledge: fair it seem'd,
Much fairer to my fancy than by day:
And as I wond'ring look'd, befide it stood

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L. 53. Much fairer to my fancy than by day. As the fenfations are often more pleafing, and the images more lively when we are afleep than when we are awake. And what can be the cause of this Our author plainly thinks it may be effected by the agency of fome fpiritual being upon the fenfory while we are afleep. Newton..