"This turn hath made amends; thou hast fulfill'd

Thy words, Creator bounteous and benign,

Giver of all things fair! but fairest this

Of all thy gifts! nor enviest. I now see
Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, myself
Before me; woman is her name,

of man

Extracted; for this cause he shall forego

Father and mother, and to his wife adhere;

And they shall be one flesh, one heart, one soul.'

495

"She heard me thus ; and though divinely brought, 500

Yet innocence and virgin modesty,

Her virtue, and the consience of her worth,

That would be woo'd, and not unsought be won,

Not obvious, not obtrusive, but retir'd,

The more desireable; or, to say all,

Nature herself, though pure of sinful thought,
Wrought in her so, that seeing me, she turn'd;
I follow'd her; she what was honour knew,
And with obsequious majesty approv'd
My pleaded reason. To the nuptial bower

505

510

I led her blushing like the morn: all Heav'n,

And happy constellations, on that hour

Shed their selectest influence: the earth
Gave sign of gratulation, and each hill;

Joyous the birds; fresh gales and gentle airs
Whisper'd it to the woods, and from their wings
Flung rose, flung odours from the spicy shrub,
Disporting, till the an.orous bird of night

515

Sung spousal, and bid haste the evening star

On his hill top, to light the bridal lamp.

520

"Thus have I told thee all my state, and brought

My story to the sum of earthly bliss

Which I enjoy; and must confess to find

In all things else delight indeed, but such

As us'd or not, works in the mind no change,

Nor vehement desire; these delicacies

I mean of taste, sight, smell, herbs, fruits, and flowers,
Walks, and the melody of birds; but here

Far otherwise, transported I behold,

Transported touch; here passion first I felt,
Commotion strange! in all enjoyments else
Superior and unmov'd; here only weak

Against the charm of beauty's pow'rful glance,
Or nature fail'd in me, and left some part
Not proof enough such object to sustain ;
Or from my side subducting, took perhaps
More than enough; at least on her bestow'd
Too much of ornament, in outward show
Elaborate, of inward less exact.

525

530

535

And in herself complete, so well to know
Her own, that what she wills to do or say,
Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best;
All higher knowledge in her presence falls
Degraded; wisdom in discourse with her
Loses discount'nanc'd, and like folly shows;
Authority and reason on her wait,
As one intended first, not after made
Occasionally; and, to consummate all,

550

555

Greatness of mind, and nobleness, their seat
Build in her loveliest, and create an awe
About her, as a guard angelic plac'd."

To whom the angel with contracted brow. "Accuse not nature, she hath done her part ; Do thou but thine; and be not diffident

Of wisdom; she deserts thee not, if thou

560

Dismiss not her, when most thou need'st her nigh,
By attribúting overmuch to things

565

Less excellent, as thou thyself perceiv'st.

For, what admir'st thou, what transports thee so,
An outside? fair no doubt, and worthy well
Thy cherishing, thy honouring, and thy love,
Not thy subjection: weigh with her thyself;

570

Then value oft-times nothing profits more

Than self-esteem, grounded on just and right

Well manag'd; of that skill the more thou know'st,

The more she will acknowledge thee her head,

And to realities yield all her shows:

575

Made so adorn for thy delight the more,

So awful, that with honour thou may'st love

Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen least wise
But if the sense of touch, whereby mankind

Is propagated, seem such dear delight

580

Beyond all other, think the same vouchsaf'd

To cattle and each beast; which would not be

To them made common and divulg'd, if ought
Therein enjoy'd were worthy to subdue
The soul of man, or passion in him move.
What high'er in her society thou find'st
Attractive, human, rational, love still;
In loving thou dost well, in passion not,
Wherein true love consists not: love refines

585

The thoughts, and heart enlarges; hath his scat

590

In reason, and is judicious; is the scale

By which to heav'nly love thou may'st ascend,
Not sunk in carnal pleasure; for which cause
Among the beasts no mate for thee was found."
To whom thus, half abash'd, Adam reply'd.
"Neither her outside form'd so fair, nor ought
In procreation common to all kinds
(Though higher of the genial bed by far,
And with mysterious reverence I deem)
So much delights me, as those graceful acts,
Those thousand decencies that daily flow

From all her words and actions mixed with love

595

600

And sweet compliance, which declare unfeign'd
Union of mind, or inus both one soul;
Harmony to behold in wedded pair

605

More grateful than harmonious sound to th' ear.
Yet these subject not; I to thee disclose
What inward thence I feel, not therefore foil'd,
Who meet with various objects, from the sense
Variously representing; yet, still free,
Approve the best, and follow what I approve.

To love thou blam'st me not, for love, thou say'st,
Leads up to Heav'n, is both the way and guide;
Bear with me then, if lawful what I ask;

Love not the heav'nly spirits, and how their love
Express they? by looks only? or do they mix
Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?"

To whom the angel with a smile that glow'd
Celestial rosy red, love's proper hue,

Answer'd. "Let it suffice thee that thou know'st
Us happy', and without love no happiness.
Whatever pure thou in the body enjoy'st

610

615

620

(And pure thou wert created) we enjoy
In eminence; and obstacle find none

Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclusive bars;
Easier than air with air, if spi'rits embrace,
Total they mix, union of pure with pure
Desiring; nor restrain'd conveyance need,
As flesh to mix with flesh, or soul with soul.
But I can now no more; the parting sun
Beyond the earth's green Cape and verdant isles
Hesperian sets, my signal to depart.

625

630

Be strong, live happy', and love! but, first of all,
Him, whom to love is to obey, and keep

635

His great command; take heed lest passion sway
Thy judgment to do ought, which else free will
Would not admit: thine, and of all thy sons,
The weal or woe in thee is plac'd; beware!
I in thy persevering shall rejoice,

And all the blest: to stand or fall

Free in thine own arbitrement it lies.
Perfect within, no outward aid require;
And all temptation to transgress repel."

So saying, he arose; whom Adam thus
Follow'd with benediction. "Since to part,
Go heav'nly guest, etherial messenger,
Sent from whose sov'reign goodness I adore!
Gentle to me, and affable hath been

640

645

Thy condescension, and shall be' honour'd ever

With grateful memory: thou to mankind

650

Be good and friendly still, and oft return!"

So parted they: the angel up to Heav'n From the thick shade, and Adam to his bower.

END OF BOOK VIII.