THE ARGUMENT.
Morning approach'd, Eve relates to Adam ber trous blefome dream; be likes it not, yet comforts ber? They come forth to their day labors: Their morn ing hymn at the door of their bower. God to render man inexcufable fends Raphael tó admonish him of his obedience, of bis free efiate, of his enemy near at band, who be is, and why his enemy, and whatever else may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to Paradife, his appearance defcrib'd, his coming difcern'd by Adam afar off fitting at the door of his bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains bim with the choiceft fruits of Paradife got together by Eve; their discourse at table Raphael performs bis meffage, minds Adam of his ftate 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 bim 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 bim, then forfakes him.
TOW morn her rofy steps in th'eaftern clime
Advancing, fow'd the earth with orient pearl. When Adam wak'd, fo cuftom'd, for his fleep Was aery light from pure digestion bred,
And temp❜rate vapours bland, which th' only found 5 Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan, Lightly difpers'd, and the fhrill matin song Of birds on ev'ry bough; so 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 enamor'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 lose the prime, to mark how spring Our tended plants, how blows the citron grove, What drops the myrrh, and what the balmy reed, How nature paints her colors, how the bee Sits on the bloom extracting liquid fweet 25 Such whifp'ring wak'd her, but with startled eye On Adam, whom embracing, thus fhe fpake. O fole in whom my thoughts find all repose, 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 offenfe 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'st thou Eve? now is the pleasant time, The cool, the filent, fave where filence yields
To the night warbling bird, that now awake Tunes fweeteft his love-labor'd fong; now reigns Full orb'd the moon, and with more pleasing 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 pass'd through ways 59 That brought me on a fudden to the tree Of interdicted knowledge: fair it feem'd, Much fairer to my fancy than by day: And as I wond'ring look'd, befide it stood
One fhap'd and wing'd like one of those from Heaven By us oft feen; his dewy locks diftill'd Ambrofia; on that tree he also gaz'd; And O fair plant, faid he, with fruit furcharg'd, Deigns none to eafe thy load and taste thy fweet, Nor God, nor Man? is knowledge fo defpis'd? Or envy', or what referve forbids to taste? Forbid who will, none fhall from me withhold. Longer thy offer'd good, why else set here? This faid, he paus'd not, but with ventrous arm He pluck'd, he tafted; me damp horror chill'd At fuch bold words vouch'd with a deed fo bold: But he thus overjoy'd, O fruit divine,
Sweet of thy felf, but much more sweet thus cropt, Forbidden here, it feems, as only fit For Gods, yet able to make Gods of Men: And why not Gods of Men, fince good. the more.. Communicated, more abundant grows,
The author not impair'd, but honor'd more ? Here, happy creature, fair angelic Eve,
Partake thou alfo; happy though thou art, Happier thou may'ft be, worthier canft not be: Tafte this, and be henceforth among the Gods Thyfelf a Goddefs, not to earth.confin'd, But fometimes in the air, as we, fometimes Afcend to Heav'n, by merit thine, and fee What life the Gods live there, and fuch live thou. So faying, he drew nigh, and to me held, Ev'n to my mouth of that fame fruit held part Which he had pluck'd; the pleasant savory smell So quicken'd appetite, that I, methought, 85 Could not but tafte. Forthwith up to the clouds With him I flew, and underneath beheld The earth outstretch'd immenfe, a profpect wide And various wond'ring at my flight and change To this high exaltaion; fuddenly
My guide was gone, and I, methought, funk down, And fell asleep; but Ɑ how glad I wak’d
To find this but a dream! Thus Eve her night Related, and thus Adam answer'd fad:
Beft image of myself and dearer half,
The trouble of thy thoughts this night in fleep Affects me equally; nor can I like
This uncouth dream, of evil fprung I fear; Yet evil whence? in thee can harbour none, Created pure. But know that in the foul Are many leffer faculties, that serve Reafon as chief; among thefe fancy next Her office holds; of all external things, Which the five watchful fenfes reprefent, She forms imaginations, aery shapes, Which reafon 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, Ill matching words and deeds long paft or late. Some fuch resemblances methinks I find Of our last evening's talk, in this thy dream, But with addition ftrange; yet be not fad. Evil into the mind of God or Man May come and go, fo unapprov'd, and leave No spot or blame behind: Which gives me hope That what in fleep thou didst abhor to dream, Waking thou never wilt confent to do.
Be not dishearten'd then, nor cloud those looks, That wont to be more chearful and ferene, Than when fair morning first smiles on the world; And let us to our fresh employments rife 125 Among the groves, the fountains, and the flowers That open now their choiceft bofom'd fmells Referv'd from night, and kept for thee in store.
So chear'd he his fair spouse, and she was chear'd, But filently a gentle tear let fall
130 From either eye, and wip'd them with her hair Two other precious drops that ready flood, Each in their crystal fluice, he ere they fell Kifs'd, as the gracious figns of fweet 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 fhady arbo'rous roof Soon as they forth were come to open fight Of day fpring, and the fun, who scarce up rifen, With wheels yet hovering o'er the ocean brim, 140 Shot parallel to the earth his dewy ray, Discovering in wide landskip all the caft Of Paradife and Eden's happy plains, Lowly they bow'd adoring, and began
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