In goodness and in power præeminent;
Tell me, how may I know him, how adore,
From whom I have that thus I move and live,
And feel that I am happier then I know.
While thus I call'd, and ftray'd I knew not whither,
From where I first drew Aire, and first beheld
This happie Light, when answer none return'd,
On a green shadie Bank profuse of Flours
Penfive I fate me down; there gentle fleep
First found me, and with soft oppreffion seis'd
My droused sense, untroubl'd, though I thought
I then was paffing to my former state
Infenfible, and forthwith to diffolve:
When fuddenly stood at my Head a dream,
Whose inward apparition gently mov'd
My Fancy to believe I yet had being,
And livd: One came, methought, of fhape Divine,
And faid, thy Manfion wants thee, Adam, rise,
First Man, of Men innumerable ordain'd
First Father, call'd by thee I come thy Guide
To the Garden of blifs, thy feat prepar'd.
So faying, by the hand he took me rais'd,
And over Fields and Waters, as in Aire
Smooth fliding without step, haft led me up
A woodie Mountain; whofe high top was plaine,
A Circuit wide, enclos'd, with goodliest Trees
Planted, with Walks, and Bowers, that what I faw
Of Earth before scarfe pleasant seemd. Each Tree
Load❜n with fairest Fruit, that hung to the Eye
Tempting, stirr'd in me fudden appetite
To pluck and eate; whereat I wak'd, and found
Before mine Eyes all real, as the dream
Had lively fhadowd: Here had new begun
My wandring, had not hee who was my Guide
Up hither, from among the Trees appeer'd,
Prefence Divine. Rejoycing, but with aw
In adoration at his feet I fell
Submifs: he rear'd me, & Whom thou foughtft Iam,
Said mildely, Author of all this thou feeft
Above, or round about thee or beneath.
This Paradise I give thee, count it thine
To Till and keep, and of the Fruit to eate : 320 Of every Tree that in the Garden growes
Eate freely with glad heart; fear here no dearth:
But of the Tree whofe operation brings
Knowledg of good and ill, which I have fet
The Pledge of thy Obedience and thy Faith,
Amid the Garden by the Tree of Life,
Remember what I warne thee, fhun to taste,
And shun the bitter confequence: for know,
The day thou eat'st thereof, my fole command
Tranfgreft, inevitably thou fhalt dye;
From that day mortal, and this happie State
Shalt loose, expell'd from hence into a World
Of woe and forrow. Sternly he pronounc'd
The rigid interdiction, which resounds
Yet dreadful in mine eare, though in my
Not to incur; but foon his cleer aspect
Return'd and gratious purpose thus renew'd.
Not onely these fair bounds, but all the Earth
To thee and to thy Race I give; as Lords
Possess it, and all things that therein live,
Or live in Sea, or Aire, Beast, Fish, and Fowle.
In figne whereof each Bird and Beast behold
After thir kindes; I bring them to receave
From thee thir Names, and pay thee fealtie
With low fubjection; understand the same
Of Fish within thir watry refidence,
Not hither fummond, fince they cannot change
Thir Element to draw the thinner Aire.
As thus he spake, each Bird and Beast behold 349
Approaching two and two, Thefe cowring low
With blandishment, each Bird stoop'd on his wing.
I nam'd them, as they pass'd, and understood
Thir Nature, with fuch knowledg God endu'd
My fudden apprehenfion: but in these
I found not what me thought I wanted still;
And to the Heav'nly vifion thus prefum'd.
O by what Name, for thou above all these, Above mankinde, or aught then mankinde higher, Surpaffeft farr my naming, how may I
Adore thee, Author of this Universe,
And all this good to man, for whose well being
So amply, and with hands fo liberal
Thou haft provided all things: but with mee
I fee not who partakes. In folitude
What happiness, who can enjoy alone,
Or all enjoying, what contentment find?
Thus I presumptuous; and the vision bright,
As with a smile more bright'nd, thus repli'd.
What call'st thou folitude, is not the Earth With various living creatures, and the Aire Replenisht, and all these at thy command To come and play before thee, know'st thou not Thir language and thir wayes, they also know, And reason not contemptibly; with these
Find pastime, and beare rule; thy Realm is large.
So fpake the Universal Lord, and seem'd
So ordering. I with leave of fpeech implor'd,
And humble deprecation thus repli'd.
Let not my words offend thee, Heav'nly Power,
My Maker, be propitious while I speak.
Haft thou not made me here thy fubftitute,
And these inferiour farr beneath me fet?
Among unequals what societie
Can fort, what harmonie or true delight?
Which must be mutual, in proportion due
Giv'n and receiv'd; but in difparitie
The one intense, the other still remifs
Cannot well fuite with either, but foon prove
Tedious alike: Of fellowship I speak
Such as I feek, fit to participate
All rational delight, wherein the brute
Cannot be human confort; they rejoyce
Each with thir kinde, Lion with Lioness;
So fitly them in pairs thou haft combin'd;
Much less can Bird with Beast, or Fish with Fowle
So well converse, nor with the Ox the Ape;
Wors then can Man with Beast, and least of all.
Whereto th' Almighty answer'd, not displeas'd.
A nice and futtle happiness I fee
Thou to thy self proposest, in the choice
Of thy Affociates, Adam, and wilt taste
No pleasure, though in pleasure, folitarie.
What thinkst thou then of mee, and this my State,
Seem I to thee fufficiently poffest
Of happiness, or not? who am alone
From all Eternitie, for none I know
Second to mee or like, equal much less.
How have I then with whom to hold converfe Save with the Creatures which I made, and those To me inferiour, infinite descents
Beneath what other Creatures are to thee?
He ceas'd, I lowly anfwer'd. To attaine The highth and depth of thy Eternal wayes Allhuman thoughts come short, Supream of things; Thou in thy self art perfet, and in thee Is no deficience found; not fo is Man, But in degree, the cause of his defire By conversation with his like to help,
Or folace his defects. No need that thou
Shouldft propagat, already infinite;
And through all numbers abfolute, though One;
But Man by number is to manifest
His single imperfection, and beget
Like of his like, his Image multipli'd,
In unitie defective, which requires
Collateral love, and deerest amitie.
Thou in thy fecrefie although alone,
Beft with thy felf accompanied, seek'st not
Social communication, yet fo pleas'd,
Canft raise thy Creature to what highth thou wilt
Of Union or Communion, deifi'd;
I by converfing cannot these erect
From prone, nor in thir wayes complacence find. Thus I embold'nd spake, and freedom us'd Permiffive, and acceptance found, which gain'd This answer from the gratious voice Divine. Thus farr to try thee, Adam, I was pleas'd, And finde thee knowing not of Beasts alone,
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