Of Heaven the stars that usher evening rose :
When Satan still in gaze, as first he stood,
Scarce thus at length fail'd speech recover'd sad:
O Hell! what do mine eyes with grief behold!
Into our room of bliss thus high advanced
Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps,
Not Spirits, yet to heavenly Spirits bright
Little inferior: whom my thoughts pursue
With wonder, and could love, so lively shines

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In them divine resemblance, and such grace

The hand that form'd them on their shape hath pour'd. Ah! gentle pair, ye little think how nigh

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Your change approaches, when all these delights

Will vanish, and deliver ye to woe;

More woe, the more you tas.e is now of joy ;

Happy, but for so happy ill secured

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Long to continue, and this high seat your Heaven

Ill fenced for Heaven to keep out such a foe

As now is enter'd; yet no purposed foe、
To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn,
Though I unpitied: League with you I seek,
And mutual amity, so straight, 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 such
Accept your Maker's work; he gave it me,
Which I as freely give: Hell shall unfold,
To entertain you two, her widest gates,

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And send forth all her kings; there will be room,

Not like these narrow limits, to conceive

Your numerous offspring; if no better place,

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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,

Honour and empire with revenge enlarged,

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By conquering this new world, compel me now
To do what else, though damn'd, I should abhor

So spake the Fiend, and with necessity,
The tyrant's plea, excused his devilish deeds.
Then from his lofty stand on that high tree
Down he alights among the sportful herd
Of those four-footed kinds, hiruself now one,
Now other, as their shape served best his end
Nearer to view his prey, and, unespied,

395

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 spied
In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play,
Straight couches close, then, rising, changes oft
His couchant watch, as one chose his ground,
Whence rushing, he might surest seize them both,
Griped 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:
Sole partner and sole part of all these joys,
Dearer thyself than all; needs must the Fower
That made us, and for us this ample world,
Be infinitely good, and of his good

As liberal and free as infinite;

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That raised us from the dust, and placed us here
In all this happiness, who at his hand

Have nothing merited, nor can perform

Aught whereof he hath need; he who requires
From us no other service than to keep

420

This one, this easy 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'st

God hath pronounced it death to taste thar tree,

The only sign of our obedience left,

Conferr'd upon us, and dominion given

Among so many signs of power and rule

430

Over all other creatures that possess

Earth, air, and sea. Then let us not think hard

One easy prohibition, who enjoy

Free leave so 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,

435

To prune these growing plants and tend these flowers, Which were it toilsome, yet with thee were sweet.

To whom thus Eve replied: 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 hast said is just and right For we to him indeed all praises owe And daily thanks; I chiefly, who enjoy So for the happier lot, enjoying thee Pre-eminent by so much odds, while thou Like consort to thyself canst no where find. That day I oft remember, when from sleep I first awaked, and found myself reposed Under a shade on flowers, much wondering where And what I was, whence thither brought and how. Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound Of waters issued from a cave, and spread Into a liquid plain, then stood unmoved Pure as the expanse of Heaven; I thither went With unexperienced 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 opposite A shape within the watery gleam appear'd, Bending to look on me. I started back; It started back: but pleased I soon return'd;

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Pleased it return'd as soon with answering looks
Of sympathy and love: There I had fix'd

465

Mine eyes till now, and pined with vain desire,
Had not a voice thus warn'd me; "What thou seest,
What there thou seest, fair Creature, is thyself;

With thee it came and goes: but follow me,
And I will bring thee where no shadow stays
Thy coming, and thy soft embraces, he
Whose image thou art; him thou shalt enjoy
Inseparably thine, to him shalt bear
Multitudes like thyself, and thence be call'd
Mother of human race." What could I do,
But follow straight, invisibly thus led?
Till i espied thee, fair indeed and tall,
Under a platane; yet methought less fair
Less winning soft, less amiably mild,

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Than that smooth watery image: back I turn'd; 480 Thou following criedst aloud, "Return, fair Eve;

Whom fliest thou? whom thou fliest, of him thou art,

His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent

Out of my side to thee, nearest my heart,
Substantial life, to have thee by my side
Henceforth an individual solace dear;

485

Part of my soul I seek thee, and thee claim

My other half" With that thy gentle hand

Seized nine: I yielded; and from that time see
How beauty is excell'd by manly grace,

490

Of her loose tresses hid: he in delight,

Both of her beauty and submissive charms,

Smiled with superior love, as Jupiter

Or: Juno smiles, when he impregns the clouds

500

That shed May flowers; and press'd her matron lip

With kisses pure: Aside the Devil turn'd

For envy; yet with jealous leer malign

Eyed them askance, and to himself thus plain'd:

Sight hateful, sight tormenting! thus these two, Imparadised in one another's arms,

500

The happier Eden, shall enjoy their fill
Of bliss on bliss: while I to Hell am thrust,
Where neither joy nor love, but fierce desire,
Among our other torments not the least,
Still unfulfill'd with pain of longing pines.
Yet let me not forget what I have gain'd

510

From their own mouths: All is not theirs, it seems;
One fatal tree there stands, of knowledge call'd,
Forbidden them to taste: Knowledge forbidden 515
Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord
Envy them that? Can it be sin to know?
Can it be death? And do they only stand
By ignorance? Is that their happy state,
The proof of their obedience and their faith
O fair foundation laid whereon to build
Their ruin! hence I will excite their minds
With more desire to know, and to reject
Envious commands, invented with design

520

To keep them low, whom knowledge might exalt 525 Equal with Gods: aspiring to be such,

They taste and die: What likelier can ensue ?

But first with narrow search I must walk round

This garden, and no corner ler ve unspied;

A chance but chance may lead where I may meet 530
Some wandering Spirit of Heaven by fountain side,
Or in thick shade retired, from him to draw

What further would be learn'd. Live while ye may,
Yet happy pair; enjoy, till I return,
Short pleasures, for long woes are to succeed!

So saying, his proud step he scornful turn'd,
But with sly circumspection, and began

535

[roam

Through wood, through waste, o'er hill, o'er dale, his
Meanwhile in utmost longitude, where Heaven
With earth and ocean meets, the setting sun 540

Slowly descended, and with right aspéct

Against the eastern gate of Paradise

Levelled his evening rays: It was a rock
Of alabaster, piled up the clouds,