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The trouble of thy thoughts this night in sleep
Affects me equally; nor can I like
This uncouth dream, of evil sprung, I fear;
Yet evil whence? in thee can harbour none,
Created pure. But know, that in the soul
Are many lesser faculties, that serve
Reason as chief; among these Fancy next
Her office holds; of all external things,
Which the five watchful senses represent,
She forms imaginations, aery shapes,
Which Reason, joining or disjoining, frames
All what we affirm or what deny, and call
Our knowledge or opinion; then retires
Into her private cell, when nature rests.
Oft in her absence mimic Fancy wakes
To imitate her; but, misjoining shapes,
Wild work produces oft, and most in dreams;
Il matching words and deeds long past or late.
Some such resemblances, methinks, I find
Of our last evening's talk, in this thy dream,
But with addition strange; yet be not sad.
Evil into the mind of God or Man

May come and go, so unapprov'd, and leave
No spot or blame behind: which gives me hope
That what in sleep thou didst abhor to dream,
Waking thou never wilt consent to do.
Be not dishearten'd then, nor cloud those looks,
That wont to be more cheerful and serene,,
Than when fair morning first smiles on the world;
And let us to our fresh employments rise
Among the groves, the fountains, and the flowers
That open now their choicest bosom'd smells,
Reserv'd from night, and kept for thee in store."
So cheer'd he his fair spouse, and she was
But silently a gentle tear let fall [cheer'd;
From either eye, and wip'd them with her hair;
Two other precious drops that ready stood,
Each in their crystal sluice, he ere they fell
Kiss'd, as the gracious signs of sweet remorse
And pious awe, that fear'd to have offended.

So all was clear'd, and to the field they haste.
But first, from under shady arborous roof
Soon as they forth were come to open sight
Of day-spring, and the Sun,who, scarce up-risen,
With wheels yet hovering o'er the ocean brim,
Shot parallel to the Earth his dewy ray,
Discovering in wide landscape all the east
Of Paradise and Eden's happy plains,
Lowly they bow'd adoring, and began
Their orisons, each morning duly paid

In various style; for neither various style
Nor holy rapture wanted they to praise
Their Maker, in fit strains pronounc'd, or sung
Unmeditated; such prompt eloquence [verse,
Flow'd from their lips, in prose or numerous
More tuneable than needed lute or harp
To add more sweetness; and they thus began.
"These are thy glorious works, Parent of good,
Almighty! Thine this universal frame,
Thus wonderous fair; Thyself how wonderous
Unspeakable, who sitst above these heavens [then!
To us invisible, or dimly seen

In these thy lowest works; yet these declare
Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine.
Speak, ye who best can tell, ye sons of light,
Angels; for ye behold him, and with songs
And choral symphonies, day without night,
Circle his throne rejoicing; ye in Heaven.
On Earth join all ye creatures to extol

Him first, him last, him midst, and without end.

Fairest of stars, last in the train of night,
If better thou belong not to the dawn,
Sure pledge of day,that crown'st the smiling morn
With thy bright circlet, praise him in thy sphere,
While day arises, that sweet hour of prime.
Thou Sun, of this great world both eye and soul,
Acknowledge him thy greater; sound his praise
In thy eternal course, both when thou climb'st,
And when high noon hast gain'd, and when thou
fall'st.

Moon, that now meet'st the orient Sun, now fly'st,
With the fix'd stars, fix'd in their orb that flies;
And ye five other wandering fires, that move
In mystic dance not without song, resound
His praise, who out of darkness call'd up light.
Air, and ye elements, the eldest birth
Of Nature's womb, that in quaternion run
Perpetual circle, multiform; and mix
And nourish all things; let your ceaseless change
Vary to our great Maker still new praise.
Ye mists and exhalations, that now rise
From hill or steaming lake, dusky, or gray,
Till the Sun paint your fleecy skirts with gold,
In honour to the World's great Author rise;
Whether to deck with clouds the uncolour'd sky,
Or wet the thirsty Earth with falling showers,
Rising or falling still advance his praise.
His praise, ye winds, that from four quarters
blow,
[pines,
Breathe soft or loud; and wave your tops, re
With every plant, in sign of worship ware.
Fountains, and ye that warble, as ye flow,
Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise.
Join voices, all ye living souls: ye birds,
That singing up to Heaven-gate ascend,
Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise.
Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk
The earth, and stately tread, or lowly creep;
Witness if I be silent, morn or even,
To hill, or valley, fountain, or fresh shade,
Made vocal by my song, and taught his praise.
Hail, universal Lord, be bounteous still
To give us only good; and if the night
Have gather'd aught of evil or conceal'd,
Disperse it, as now light dispels the dark!”

So pray'd they innocent, and to their thought Firm peace recover'd soon, and wonted calm. On to their morning's rural work they haste, Among sweet dews and flowers; where any row Of fruit-trees over-woody reach'd too far [check Their pamper'd boughs, and needed hands to Fruitless embraces or they led the vine To wed her elm; she, spous'd, about him twines Her marriageable arms, and with her brings Her dower, the adopted clusters, to adorn His barren leaves. Them thus employ'd beheld With pity Heaven's high King, and to him call'd Raphael, the sociable spirit, that deign'd To travel with Tobias, and secur'd His marriage with the seventimes-wedded maid. "Raphael," said he," thou hear'st what stir on

Earth [gulf, Satan, from Hell 'scap'd through the darksome Hath rais'd in Paradise; and how disturb'd This night the human pair; how he designs In them at once to ruin all mankind. Go therefore, half this day as friend with friend Converse with Adam, in what bower or shade Thou find'st him from the heat of noon retir'd, To respite his day-labour with repast,

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Or with repose; and such discourse bring on,
As may advise him of his happy state,
Happiness in his power left free to will,
Left to his own free will, his will though free,
Yet mutable; whence warn him to beware
He swerve not, too secure: tell him withal
His danger, and from whom; what enemy,
Late fall'n himself from Heaven, is plotting now
The fall of others from like state of bliss ;
By violence? no, for that shall be withstood;
But by deceit and lies: this let him know,
Lest, wilfully transgressing, he pretend
Surprisal, unadmonish'd, unforewarn'd."

So spake the Eternal Father, and fulfill'd
All justice: nor delay'd the winged saint
After his charge receiv'd; but from among
Thousand celestial ardours, where he stood
Veil'd with his gorgeous wings, up springing
light
[quires,
Flew through the midst of Heaven; the angelic
On each hand parting, to his speed gave way
Through all the empyreal road; till, at the gate
Of Heaven arriv'd, the gate self-open'd wide
On golden hinges turning, as by work
Divine the sovran Architect had fram'd.
From hence no cloud, or, to obstruct his sight,
Star interpos'd, however small he sees,
Not unconform to other shining globes,
Earth, and the garden of God, with cedars
crown'd

Above all hills. As when by night the glass
Of Galileo, less assur'd, observes
Imagin'd lands and regions in the Moon :
Or pilot, from amidst the Cyclades
Delos or Samos first appearing, kens

A cloudy spot. Down thither prone in flight
He speeds, and through the vast ethereal sky
Sails between worlds and worlds, with steady
wing

Now on the polar winds, then with quick fan
Winnows the buxom air; till, within soar
Of towering eagles, to all the fowls he seems
A phenix, gaz'd by all, as that sole bird,
When, to enshrine his reliques in the Sun's
Bright temple, to Egyptian Thebes he flies.
At once on the eastern cliff of Paradise
He lights, and to his proper shape returns
A seraph wing'd: six wings he wore, to shade
His lineaments divine; the pair that clad
Fach shoulder broad, came mantling o'er his
With regal ornament; the middle pair [breast
Girt like a starry zone his waist, and round
Skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold
And colours dipt in Heaven; the third his feet
Shadow'd from either heel with feather'd mail,
Sky-tinctur'd grain. Like Maia's son he stood,
And shook his plumes, that heavenly fragrance
fill'd
[bands
The circuit wide. Straight knew him all the
Of angels under watch; and to his state,
And to his message high, in honour rise; [bound,
For on some message high they guess'd him
Their glittering tents he pass'd, and now is come
Into the blissful field, through groves of myrrh,
And flowering odours, cassia, nard, and balm;
A wilderness of sweets; for Nature here
Wanton'd as in her prime, and play'd at will
Her virgin fancies, pouring forth more sweet,
Wild above rule or art, enormous bliss,

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Eastward among those trees, what glorious shape
Comes this way moving; seems another morn
Ris'n on mid-noon; some great behest from
Heaven

To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchsafe
This day to be our guest. But go with speed,
And, what thy stores contain, bring forth and
pour

Abundance, fit to honour and receive
Our heavenly stranger; well we may afford
Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow
From large bestow'd, where Nature multiplies
Her fertile growth, and by disburdening grows
More fruitful, which instructs us not to spare."
To whom thus Eve. "Adam, Earth's hallow'd

mould,

[store, Of God inspir'd! small store will serve, where All seasons, ripe for use hangs on the stalk; Save what by frugal storing firmness gains To nourish, and superfluous moist consumes: But I will baste, and from each bough and brake, Each plant and juiciest gourd, will pluck such

choice

To entertain our angel-guest, as he
Beholding shall confess, that here on Earth
God hath dispens'd his bounties as in Heaven."

So saying, with dispatchful looks in haste
She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent
What choice to choose for delicacy best,
What order so contriv'd as not to mix
Tastes, not well join'd, inelegant, but bring
Taste after taste upheld with kindliest change:
Bestirs her then, and from each tender stalk
Whatever Earth, all-bearing mother, yields
In India East or West, or middle shore
In Pontus or the Punic coast, 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 unsparing hand; for drink the

grape

She crushes, inoffensive must, and meaths From many a berry, and from sweet kernels press'd

She tempers dulcet creams; nor these to hold Wants her fit vessels pure; then strows the ground

With rose and odours from the shrub unfum'd. Mean while our primitive great sire, to meet His God-like guest, walks forth, without more

train

Accompanied than with his own complete Perfections; in himself was all his state, More solemn than the tedious pomp that waits On princes when their rich retinue long

Of horses led, and grooms besmear'd with gold,

Dazzles the croud, and sets them all agape.
Nearer his presence Adam, though not aw'd,
Yet with submiss approach and reverence meek,
As to a superior nature bowing low,

Thus said. "Native of Heaven, for other place
None can than Heaven such glorious shape con-

tain;

Since, by descending from the thrones above,
Those happy places thou hast deign'd a while
To want, and honour these, vouchsafe with us
Two only, who yet by sovran gift possess
This spacious ground, in yonder shady bower
To rest, and what the garden choicest bears
To sit and taste, till this meridian heat
Be over, and the Sun more cool decline."
Whom thus the angelic virtue answer'd
mild.

"Adam, I therefore came; nor art thou such
Created, or such place hast here to dwell,
As may not oft invite, though spirits of Heaven,
To visit thee; lead on then where thy bower
O'ershades; for these mid-hours, till evening
rise,

I have at will." So to the sylvan lodge
They came, that like Pomona's arbour smil'd,
With flowerets deck'd, and fragrant smells; but
Eve,

Undeck'd save with herself, more lovely fair Than wood-nymph, or the fairest goddess feign'd

Of three that in mount Ida naked strove, [veil
Stood to entertain her guest from Heaven; no
She needed, virtue proof; no thought infirm
Alter'd her cheek. On whom the angel Hail
Bestow'd, the holy salutation us'd
Long after to blest Mary, second Eve.

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Varied his bounty so with new delights,
As may compare with Heaven; and to taste
Think not I shall be nice." So down they sat,
And to their viands fell; nor seemingly
The angel, nor in mist, the common gloss
Of theologians; but with keen dispatch
Of real hunger, and concoctive heat
To transubstantiate: what redounds, transpires
Through spirits with ease; nor wonder; if by fire
Of sooty coal the empiric alchymist
Can turn, or holds it possible to turn,
Metals of drossiest 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
Deserving Paradise! if ever, then,

Then had the sons of God excuse to have been
Enamour'd at that sight; but in those hearts
Love unlibidinous reign'd, nor jealousy
Was understood, the injur'd lover's Hell

Thus when with meats and drinks they had

suffic'd,

[womb "Hail, Mother of Mankind, whose fruitful Not burthen'd nature, sudden mind arose Shall fill the world more numerous with thy sons, In Adam, not to let the occasion pass 'Than with these various fruits the trees of God Given him by this great conference to know Have heap'd this table."-Rais'd of grassy turf Of things above his world, and of their being Their table was, and mossy seats had round, Who dwell in Heaven, whose excellence he saw And on her ample square from side to side Transcend his own so far; whose radiant forms, All autumn pil'd, though Spring and Autumn Divine effulgence, whose high power, so far [hold; Exceeded human; and his wary speech theyThus to the empyreal minister he fram'd.

here

Danc'd hand in hand. A while discourse
No fear lest dinner cool; when thus began
Our author. "Heavenly stranger, please to taste
These bounties, which our Nourisher, from
whom

Allperfect good, unmeasur'd out, descends,
To us for food and for delight hath caus'd
The Earth to yield; unsavoury food perhaps
To spiritual natures; only this I know,
That one celestial Father gives to all."

[gives

To whom the angel. "Therefore what he
(Whose praise be ever sung) to Man in part
Spiritual, may of purest spirits be found
No ingrateful food: and food alike those pure
Intelligential substances require,

As doth your rational; and both contain
Within them every lower faculty

[taste,

Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch,
Tasting concoct, digest, assimilate,
And corporeal to incorporeal turn.
For know, whatever was created, needs
To be sustain'd and fed: of elements
The grosser feeds the purer, earth the sea,
Earth and the sea feed air, the air those fires

"Inhabitant with God, now know I well Thy favour, in this honour done to man; Under whose lowly roof thou hast vouchsaf'd To enter, and these earthly fruits to taste, Food not of angels, yet accepted so,

As that more willingly thou couldst not seem At Heaven's high feasts to have fed yet what compare?"

To whom the winged hierarch replied. "O Adam, one Almighty is, from whom All things proceed, and up to him return, If not deprav'd from good, created all Such to perfection, one first matter all, Endued with various forms, various degree Of substance, and, in things that live, of life; But more refin'd, more spiritous, and pure, As nearer to him plac'd, or nearer tending Each in their several active spheres assign'd, Till body up to spirit work, in bounds Proportion'd to each kind. So from the root Springs lighter the green stalk, from thence the

leaves

More aery, last the bright consummate flower

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To proper substance. Time may come, when
With angels may participate, and find
No inconvenient diet, nor too light fare;
And from these corporal nutriments perhaps
Your bodies may at last turn all to spirit,
Improv'd by tract of time, and, wing'd, ascend
Ethereal, as we: or may, at choice,
Here or in heavenly Paradises dwell;
If ye be found obedient, and retain
Unalterably firm his love entire,
Whose progeny you are. Mean while enjoy
Your fill what happiness this happy state
Can comprehend, incapable of more."

To whom the patriarch of mankind replied.
"O favourable spirit, propitious guest,
Well hast thou taught the way that might direct
Our knowledge, and the scale of nature set
From centre to circumference; whereon,
In contemplation of created things,
By steps we may ascend to God. But say,
What meant that caution join'd, If ye be found
Obedient? Can we want obedience then
To him, or possibly his love desert,

Our Maker, and obey him whose command
Single is yet so just, my constant thoughts
Assur'd me, and still assure: though what thou
tell'st
[move,
Hath pass'd in Heaven, some doubt within me
But more desire to hear, if thou consent,
The full relation, which must needs be strange,
Worthy of sacred silence to be heard;
And we have yet large day, for scarce the Sun
Hath finish'd half his journey, and scarce begins
His other half in the great zone of Heaven."
Thus Adam made request: and Raphaël,
After short pause assenting, thus began.

[men, "High matter thou enjoin'st me, O prime of Sad task and hard: for how shall I relate To human sense the invisible exploits Of warring spirits? how, without remorse, The ruin of so many glorions once

And perfect while they stood? how last unfold
The secrets of another world, perhaps
Not lawful to reveal? yet for thy good
This is dispens'd; and what surmounts the reach
Of human sense, I shall delineate so,
By likening spiritual to corporal forms,
As may express them best; though what if Earth
Be but the shadow of Heaven, and things therein
Each to other like, more than on Earth is

thought?

"As yet this world was not, and Chaos wild Reign'd where these Heavens now roll, where Earth now rests

Upon her centre pois'd; when on a day (For time, though in eternity, applied To motion, measures all things durable

Who form'd us from the dust, and plac'd us here By present, past, and future,) on such day
Full to the utmost measure of what bliss
Human desires can seek or apprchend?"

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To whom the angel. "Son of Heaven and Earth, Attend that thou art happy, owe to God; That thou continuest such, owe to thyself, That is, to thy obedience; therein stand. This was that caution given thee, be advis'd. God made thee perfect, not immutable; And good he made thee; but to persevere He left it in thy power; ordain'd thy will By nature free, not over-rul'd by fate Inextricable, or strict necessity : Our voluntary service be requires,

Not our necessitated; such with him

Finds no acceptance, nor can find; for how

Can hearts, not free, be tried whether they serve
Willing or no, who will but what they must
By destiny, and can no other choose?
Myself, and all the angelic host, that stand
In sight of God, enthron'd our happy state
Hold, as you yours, while our obedience holds;
On other surety none: freely we serve,
Because we freely love, as in our will
To love or not; in this we stand or fall:
And some are fall'n, to disobedience fall'n,
And so from Heaven to deepest Hell; O fall
From what high state of bliss, into what woe !"
To whom our great progenitor. "Thy words
Attentive, and with more delighted ear,
Divine instructer, I have heard, than when
Cherubic songs by night from neighbouring hills
Aereal music send: nor knew I not
To be both will and deed created free;
Yet that we never shall forget to love

As Heaven's great year brings forth, the empy

real host

Of angels by imperial summons call'd,
Innumerable before the Almighty's throne
Forthwith, from all the ends of Heaven, appear'd
Under their hierarchs in orders bright:
Ten thousand thousand ensigns high advanc'd,
Standards and gonfalons 'twixt van and rear
Stream in the air, and for distinction serve
Of hierarchies, of orders, and degrees;
Or in their glittering tissues bear imblaz'd
Holy memorials, acts of zeal and love
Recorded eminent. Thus when in orbs
Of circuit inexpressible they stood,
Orb within orb, the Father Infinite,
By whom in bliss imbosom❜d sat the Son,
Amidst as from a flaming mount, whose top
Brightness had made invisible, thus spake.
Hear, all ye angels, progeny of light,
Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues,
powers,

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Hear my decree, which unrevok'd shall stand, This day I have begot whom I declare

My only Son, and on this holy hill

Him have anointed, whom ye now behold
At my right hand; your head I him appoint;
Aud by myself have sworn, to him shall bow
All knees in Heaven, and shall confess him Lord;
Under his great vice-gerent reign abide
United, as one individual soul,
For ever happy him who disobeys,
Me disobeys, breaks union, and that day,
Cast out from God and blessed vision, falls
Into utter darkness, deep ingulf'd, his place

Ordain'd without redemption, without end. '
"So spake the Omnipotent, and, with his words
All seem'd well pleas'd; all seem'd, but were
not all.

That day, as other solemn days, they spent
In song and dance about the sacred hill;
Mystical dance, which yonder starry sphere
Of planets, and of fix'd, in all her wheels
Resembles nearest, mazes intricate,
Eccentric, intervolv'd, yet regular
Then most, when most irregular they seem;
And in their motions Harmony divine

[ear
So smooths her charming tones, that God's own
Listens delighted. Evening now approach'd,
(For we have also our evening and our morn,
We ours for change delectable, not need ;)
Forthwith from dance to sweet repast they turn
Desirous; all in circles as they stood,
Tables are set, and on a sudden pil'd
With angels food, and rubied nectar flows
In pearl, in diamond, and massy gold,
Fruit of delicious vines, the growth of Heaven.
On flowers repos'd, and with fresh flowerets
crown'd,

They eat, they drink, and in communion sweet Quaff immortality and joy, secure

Of surfeit, where full measure only bounds Excess, before the all-bounteous King, who shower'd

With copious hand, rejoicing in their joy. Now when ambrosial night with clouds exhal'd From that high mount of God, whence light and shade [chang'd Spring both, the face of brighest Heaven had To grateful twilight, (for night comes not there In darker veil,) and roseat dews dispos'd All but the unsleeping eyes of God to rest; Wide over all the plain, and wider far Than all this globous Earth in plain outspread, (Such are the courts of God) the angelic throng

Dispers'd in bands and files, their camp extend By living streams among the trees of life, Pavilions numberless, and sudden rear'd, Celestial tabernacles, where they slept

Wast wont, I mine to thee was wont to impart ; Both waking we were one; how then can now Thy sleep dissent? New laws thou seest impos'd; New laws from him who reigns, new minds may raise

In us who serve, new counsels, to debate
What doubtful may ensue: more in this place
To utter is not safe. Assemble thou

Of all those myriads which we lead the chief;
Tell them, that by command, ere yet dim night
Her shadowy cloud withdraws, I am to haste,
And all who under me their banners wave,
Homeward, with flying march, where we possess
The quarters of the north; there to prepare
Fit entertainment to receive our King,
The great Messiah, and his new commands,
Who speedily through all the hierarchies
Intends to pass triumphant, and give laws.'

"So spake the false arch-angel, and infus'd Bad influence into the unwary breast Of his associate: he together calls, Or several one by one, the regent powers, Under him regent; tells, as he was tanght, That the Most High commanding, now ert night,

Now ere dim night bad disencumber'd Heaven,
The great hierarchal standard was to move;
Tells the suggested canse, and casts between
Ambiguous words and jealousies, to sound
Or taint integrity: but all obey'd
The wonted signal, and superior voice
Of their great potentate; for great indeed
His name, and high was his degree in Heaven;
Ilis countenance, as the morning-star that
guides

The starry flock, allur'd them, and with lies
Drew after him the third part of Heaven's host.
Mean while the Eternal eye, whose sight dis

cerns

Abstrusest thoughts, from forth his holy mount,
And from within the golden lamps that burn
Nightly before him, saw without their light
Rebellion rising; saw in whom, how spread
Among the sons of morn, what multitudes
Were banded to oppose his high decree;

Fann'd with cool winds; save those, who, in And, smiling, to his only Son thus said.

their course,

Melodious hymns about the sovran throne
Alternate all night long but not so wak'd
Satan; so call him now, his former name
Is heard no more in Heaven; he of the first,
If not the first arch-angel, great in power,
In favour and pre-eminence, yet fraught
With envy against the Son of God, that day
Honour'd by his great Father, and proclaim'd
Messiah King anointed, could not bear [impair'd.
Through pride that sight, and thought himself
Deep malice thence conceiving and disdain,
Soon as midnight brought on the dusky hour
Friendliest to sleep and silence, he resolv'd
With all his legions to dislodge, and leave
Unworshipt, unobey'd, the throne supreme,
Contemptuous; and his next subordinate
Awakening, thus to him in secret spake:
"Sleep'st thou, companion dear? What sleep
can close,

Thy eye-lids? and remember'st what decree
Of yesterday, so late hath pass'd the lips
Of Heaven's Almighty, Thou to me thy
thoughts

"Son, thou in whom my glory I behold
In full resplendence, heir of all my might,
Nearly it now concerns us to be sure
Of our omnipotence, and with what arms
We mean to hold what anciently we claim
Of deity or empire: such a foe

Is rising, who intends to erect his throne
Equal to ours, throughout the spacious north;
Nor so content, hath in his thought to try
In battle, what our power is, or our right.
Let us advise, and to this hazard draw
With speed what force is left, and all employ
In our defence; lest unawares we lose
This our high place, our sanctuary, our hill.'
"To whom the Son with calm aspect and clear,
Lightening divine, ineffable, serene,
Made answer. Mighty Father, thou thy foes
Justly hast in derision, and, secure,
Laugh'st at their vain designs and tumalts vain,
Matter to me of glory, whom their hate
Illustrates, when they see all regal power
Given me to quell their pride, and in event
Know whether I be dextrous to subdue
Thy rebels, or be found the worst in Heaven."

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