But further way found none, so thick entwin'd,
As one continu'd brake, the undergrowth.
Of shrubs, and tangling bushes, had perplex'₫
All path of man, or beaft, that pafs'd that way.
One gate there only was, and that look'd eaft
On th' other fide: which when th' arch-fellon faw
Due entrance he difdain'd, and in contempt
At one flight bound high over-leap'd all bound
Of hill, or highest wall, and sheer within
Lights on his feet. As when a prowling wolf,
Whom hunger drives to feek new haunt for prey,
Watching where shepherds pen their flocks at eve
In hurdl'd cotes, amid the field fecure,
Leaps o'er the fence with eafe into the fold:
Or as a thief, bent to un-hoard the cash
Of fome rich burgher, whofe fubftantial doors,
Cross-barr'd, and bolted fast, fear no alfault,
In at the window climbs, or o'er the tiles :
So clomb this first grand thief into God's fold;"
(So fince into his Church lewd hirelings climb.)
Thence up he flew, and on the Tree of Life,
(The middle tree, and highest that grew)
Sat like a cormorant; yet not true life
Thereby regain'd, but fat devifing death
To them who liv'd; nor on the virtue thought
Of that life-giving plant, but only us’d
For profped, what well-us'd had been the pledge
Of immortality. (So little knows
Any, but God alone, to value right
The good before him, but perverts best things
To worst abuse, or to their meaneft use. }
Beneath him, with new wonder, now he views,"
To all delight of human fenfe expos'd
In narrow room, nature's whole wealth, yea more,
A heav'n on earth! for blifsful Paradife
Of God the garden was, by him in th’east
Of Eden planted; Eden ftretch'd her line
From Auran eastward to the royal tow'rs
Of great Seleucia, built by Grecian Kings,
Or where the fons of Eden long before
Dwelt in Telaffar. In this pleafant foil
His far more pleasant garden God ordain'd
Out of the fertile ground he caus'd to grow
All trees of noblest kind, for fight, smell, taste;
And all amid them ftood the Tree of Life,
High eminent, blooming ambrofial fruit
Of vegetable gold : and next to life,
Our death, the Tree of Knowledge, grew faft by
Knowledge of good bought dear by knowing ill!
Southward through Elen went a river farge,
Nor chang'd his course, but through the shaggy hill
Pafs'd underneath ingulf'd ; for God had thrown
That mountain a His garden mound, high rais'd
Upon the rapid current, which through veins
Of porous earth with kindly thirst up drawn,
Rofe a fresh fountain, and with many a rill
Water'd the garden; thence united fell
Down the steep glade, and met the neather flood,
Which from his darkfome paffage now appears:
And now divided into four main ftreams;
Runs diverse, wandring many a famous realm
And country, whereof here needs no account:
But rather to tell how, (if art could tell
How) from that faphire fount the crifped brooks
Rowling on orient pearl, and sands of gold,
With mazy error under pendent shades
Ran Nectar, visiting each plant, and fed
Flow'rs worthy of Paradife, which not nice art
In beds, and curious knots; but nature boon
Pour'd forth profufe on hill, and dale, and plain
Both where the morning fun first warmly fmote
The open field, and where the un-pierc'd shade
Imbrown'd the noon- tide bow'rs. Thus was this
place,
A happy rural feat of various view:
Groves whofe rich trees wept od'rous gums, and
Others whofe fruit, burnish'd with golden rind, Hung amiable: Hefperian fables true,
If true, here only, and of delicious taste. Betwixt them lawns, or level downs, and flocke Grazing the tender herb, were interpos'd:
Or palmy hilloc, or the flow'ry lap
Of fome irriguous valley fpread her store ;
Flow'rs of all hue, and without thorn the rofe.
Another fide, umbrageous grots, and caves
Of cool recefs, o'er which the mantling vine
Lays forth her purple grape, and gently creeps
Luxuriant: mean-while murm'ring waters fall
Down the slope hills, dispers'd, or in a lake,
(That to the fringed bank with myrtle crown'd?
Her chrystal mirror holds,) unite their ftreams.
The birds their choire apply airs, vernal airs,
Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune
The trembling leaves, while universal Pan,
Knit with the Graces, and the Hours, in dance,
Led on th' eternal fpring. Not that fair field
Of Enna, where Proferpine gathering flow'rs,
Her felf a fairer flow's, by gloomy Dis
Was gather'd ; which coft Ceres all that pain
Tho feek her thro' the world: nor that fwees grove
Of Daphne by Orontes, and th' infpir'd
Caftalian fpring, might with this Paradise
Of Eden ftrive: nor that Nyfeian ifle
Girt with the river Triton, where old Cham,
(Whom Gentiles Ammon call, and Liban Jove)
Hid Amalthea, and her florid fon
Young Bacchus, from his ftepdame Rhea's eye:
Nor where Abaffin Kings their iffue guard,
Mount Amara (though this by fome suppos'd
True Paradife) under the Ethiop Line
By Nilus' head, inclos'd with shining rock,
A whole day's journey high; but wide remote
From this Affyrian garden: where the fiend
Saw un-delighted all delight, all kind
Of living creatures, new to fight, and ftrange.
Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall,
Godlike ere&t! with native honor clad
In naked majefty, feem'd Lords of all:
And worthy feem'd: for in their looks divine
The image of their glorious Maker shon,
Truth, wisdom, fanctitude fevere, and pure;
Severe, but in true filial freedom plac'd,
Whence true authority in men: though both
Not equal, as their fex not equal feem'd:
For contemplation he, and valor form'd;
For foftnefs she, and fweet attractive grace;
He, for God only; she, for God in him.
His fair large front, and eye fublime, declar'd
Abfolute rule; and hyacinthin locks
Round from his parted forelock manly hung
Cluftring, but not beneath his shoulders broad.
She, as a veil, down to the flender waift
Her un-adorned golden treffes wore,
Difshevel'd; but in wanton ringlets wav'd,
As the vine curls her tendrils, which imply'd
Subjection, but requir'd with gentle fway;
And by her yielded, by him beft receiv'd:
Yielded with coy fubmiffion, modeft, pride,
And fweet reluctant amorous delay.
Nor those myfterious parts were then conceal'd;
Then was not guilty shame, dishoneft shame
Of nature's works: honor dishonorable!
Sin bred! how have ye troubled all mankind
With shews inftead, mere shews, of feeming pure;
And banish'd from man's life his happiest life,
Simplicity, and spotlefs innocence ?
So pass'd they naked on, nor shun'd the sight
Of God, or Angel, for they thought no ill.
So hand in hand they pass'd; the loveliest pair..
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