More easy, wholsome thirst and appetite
More grateful, to their supper fruits they fell;
Nectarin fruits, which the compliant boughs
Yielded them, fide-long as they fat recline
On the foft downy bank damask'd with flowers:
The favory pulp they chew, and in the rind, 335
Still as they thirsfted, scoop the brimming stream;
Nor gentle purpose, nor indearing fmiles
Wanted, nor youthful dalliance, as befeems
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 chase
In wood or wilderness, foreft or den;
Sporting the lion ramp'd, and in his paw
Dandled the kid; bears, tigers, ounces, pards,
Gambol'd before them; th'unwieldy elephant 345
To make them mirth us'd all his might, and wreath'd
His lithe probofcis; close the serpent sly,
Infinuating, wove with Gordian twine
His breaded train, and of his fatal guile
Gave proof unheeded; others on the grafs
Couch'd, and now fill'd with pasture gazing fat,
Or bedward ruminating; for the fun,
Declin'd, was hafting now, with prone carreer,
To th'ocean iles; and in th'afcending fcale
Of Heav'n the stars that usher evening rose:
When Satan still in gaze, as first he flood,
Scarce thus at length fail'd speech recover'd fad.
Q
O Hell! what do mine eyes with grief behold!
Into our room of blifs thus high advanc'd
Creatures of other mold, earth-born perhaps, 360
Not Spirits, yet to heav'nly Spirits bright
Little inferior; whom my thoughts pursue
With wonder, and could love, fo lively shines
In them divine refemblance, and such grace
The hand that form'd them on their shape hath pour'd.
Ah gentle pair, ye little think how nigh
366
Your change approaches, when all these delights
Will vanish and deliver ye to woe,
More woe, the more your taste is now of joy;
Happy, but for fo happy ill fecur'd
Long to continue; and this high seat, your Heaven,
Ill fenc'd for Heav'n to keep out such a foe
As now is enter'd; yet no purpos'd foe
To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn,
Though I unpitied: League with you I seek,
And mutual amity, fo ftrait, so close,
That I with you must dwell, or you with me
Henceforth; my dwelling haply may not please,
Like this fair Paradise, your sense, yet fuch
Accept your Maker's work; he gave it me,
Which I as freely give; Hell fhall unfold,
To entertain you two, her widest gates,
And fend forth all her kings; there will be room, Not like thefe narrow limits, to receive
Your numerous ofspring; if no better place, 385
Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge
On you, who wrong me not,for him who wrong'd. And should I at your harmless innocence
Melt, as I do, yet public reason just,
Honor and empire,with revenge inlarg'd,
By conqu❜ring this new world, compels me now
To do what elfe, though damn'd, I should abhor.
So fpake the Fiend, and with neceffity,
The tyrant's plea, excus'd his devilish deeds.
Then from his lofty stand on that high tree
Down he alights among the sportful herd
Of those four-footed kinds, himself now one,
Now other, as their fhape ferv'd beft his end,
Nearer to view his prey; and unespy'd
To mark what of their state he more might learn 400 By word or action mark'd: about them round
A lion now he stalks, with fiery glare;
Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spy'd
In fome purlieu, two gentle fawns at play,
Strait couches close, then rising, changes oft
His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground,
Whence rushing he might surest seise them both
Grip'd in each paw: when Adam, first of men,
To first of women, Eve,thus moving speech,
Turn'd him,all ear, to hear new utterance flow. 410
Sole partner, and fole part, of all these joys,
Dearer thyself than all; needs must the Power
That made us, and for us this ample world,
Be infinitely good, and of his good
As liberal and free as infinite;
That rais'd us from the duft, and plac'd us here
In all this happiness, who at his hand
Have nothing merited, nor can perform
Ought whereof he hath need; he who requires
From us no other service than to keep
This one, this eafy charge, of all the trees
In Paradise that bear delicious fruit
So various, not to taste that only tree
Of knowledge, planted by the tree of life;
So near grows death to life, whate'er death is, 425 Some dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou know'ft God hath pronounc'd it death to taste that tree, The only fign of our obedience left
Among so many signs of pow'r and rule
Conferr'd upon us, and dominion given
Over all other creatures that poffefs
Earth, air, and fea. Then let us not think hard
One easy prohibition, who enjoy
Free leave fo large to all things else, and choice
Unlimited of manifold delights:
But let us ever praise him, and extol
His bounty, following our delightful task
Toprune thefe growing plants, and tend these flowers, Which were it toilfome, yet with thee were sweet.
To whom thus Eve reply'd. O thou for whom 440 And from whom I was form'd,flesh of thy flesh,
And without whom am to no end, my guide
And head, what thou haft faid is just and right.
For we to him indeed all praises owe,
And daily thanks; I chiefly, who enjoy
So far the happier lot, enjoying thee
Præeminent by fo much odds, while thou
Like confort to thyself canst no where find.
That day I oft remember, when from fleep
I first awak'd, and found myself repos'd
Under a shade on flow'rs, much wond'ring where,
And what I was, whence thither brought, and how.
Not diftant far from thence a murm'ring found
Of waters issued from a cave, and spread
Into a liquid plain, then stood unmov'd
Pure as th’expanse of Heav'n; I thither went
With unexperienc'd thought, and laid me down
On the green bank, to look into the clear
Smooth lake, that to me seem'd another sky.
As I bent down to look, just opposit
A shape within the watry gleam appear'd,
Bending to look on me: I started back,
It started back; but pleas'd I foon return'd,
Pleas'd it return'd as foon, with answ'ring looks
Of fympathy and love: there I had fix'd
Mine eyes till now, and pin'd with vain desire,
Had not a voice thus warn'd me, What thou feeft,
What there thou feeft, fair Creature, is thy felf;
With thee it came and goes: but follow me,
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