Insuperable height of loftiest shade,

Cedar, and pine, and fir, and branching palm,
A sylvan scene, and, as the ranks ascend
Shade above shade, a woody theatre

Of stateliest view. Yet higher than their tops
The verdurous wall of Paradise up-sprung;
Which to our general sire gave prospect large
Into his nether empire neighboring round.
And higher than that wall a circling row
Of goodliest trees, loaden with fairest fruit,
Blossoms and fruits at once of golden hue,
Appeared, with gay enameled colors mixed;
On which the sun more glad impressed his beams
Than in fair evening cloud, or humid bow,

When God hath showered the earth; so lovely seemed
That landscape.

6. P. L. 4.223-263:

Southward through Eden went a river large,

Nor changed his course, but through the shaggy hill
Passed underneath ingulfed; for God had thrown
That mountain, as his garden-mold, high raised
Upon the rapid current, which through veins
Of porous earth with kindly thirst updrawn,
Rose a fresh fountain, and with many a rill
Watered the Garden; thence united fell
Down the steep glade, and met the nether flood,
Which from his darksome passage now appears,
And now,
divided into four main streams,
Runs diverse, wandering many a famous realm
And country whereof here needs no account;

But rather to tell how, if Art could tell

How, from that sapphire fount the crispèd brooks,1

Rolling on orient pearl and sands of gold,

1 Walpole thinks it significant of a change in Milton's idea of a perfect garden that in Paradise Lost it is the brooks that are 'crisped,' whereas in Comus (984) the very trees throw 'crisped' shadows. See On Modern Gardening, in Anecdotes of Painting, pp. 248-249, note.

With mazy error under pendent shades
Ran nectar, visiting each plant, and fed
Flowers worthy of Paradise, which not nice Art
In beds and curious knots, but Nature boon
Poured forth profuse on hill, and dale, and plain,
Both where the morning sun first warmly smote
The open field, and where the unpierced shade
Embrowned the noontide bowers. Thus was this place
A happy rural seat of various view:

Groves whose rich trees wept odorous gums and balm;
Others whose fruit, burnished with golden rind,
Hung amiable-Hesperian fables true,

If true, here only-and of delicious taste.
Betwixt them lawns, or level downs, and flocks
Grazing the tender herb, were interposed,

Or palmly hillock; or the flowery lap

Of some irriguous valley spread her store,
Flowers of all hue, and without thorn the rose.
Another side umbrageous grots and caves
Of cool recess, o'er which the mantling vine
Lays forth her purple grape, and gently creeps
Luxuriant; meanwhile murmuring waters fall
Down the slope hills dispersed, or in a lake,
That to the fringèd bank with myrtle crowned
Her crystal mirror holds, unite their streams.

7. P. L. 4.543-550:

It was a rock

Of alabaster, piled up to the clouds,
Conspicuous far, winding with one ascent
Accessible from Earth, one entrance high;
The rest was craggy cliff, that overhung
Still as it rose, impossible to climb.
Betwixt these rocky pillars Gabriel sat,
Chief of the angelic guards, awaiting night.

And see II. E. 5, 6.

C. MUSIC.

(Unless they throw some light on Milton's knowledge of the art, references to instruments, and to the music accompanying events in Heaven, are omitted).

i. GENERAL REFERENCES TO MUSIC

1. 2 Defence, Works 6.287:

Ita tamen ut nonnunquam, rus urbe mutarem, aut coemendorum gratia librorum, aut novum quidpiam in mathematicis, vel in musicis, quibus tum oblectabar, addiscendi.

Translation by Fellowes (6.401):

I occasionally visited the Metropolis either for the sake of purchasing books or of learning something new in mathematics, or in music, in which I at that time found a source of pleasure and amusement.

2. Areopagitica, Works 4.417:

If we think to regulate printing, thereby to rectify manners, we must regulate all recreations and pastimes, all that is delightful to man. No music must be heard, no song be set or sung, but what is grave or Doric. ...It will ask more than the work of twenty licensers to examine all the lutes, the violins, and the guitars in every house; they must not be suffered to prattle as they do, but must be licensed what they may say. And who shall silence all the airs and madrigals that whisper softness in chambers? The windows also and the balconies must be thought on.... The villages also must have their visitors to inquire what lectures the bagpipe and the rebeck reads, even to the balladry and the gamut of every municipal fiddler, for these are the countryman's Arcadias and his Montemayors.

ii. THE FUNCTION OF MUSIC

a. The Effects of Music Seriously Described.

1. Education, Works 4.391:

The interim of unsweating themselves regularly, and convenient rest before meat, may, both with profit and delight, be taken up in recreating and composing their travailed spirits with the solemn and divine harmonies of music heard or learnt; either while the skilful organist plies

his grave and fancied descant in lofty fugues, or the whole symphony with artful and unimaginable touches adorn and grace the well-studied chords of some choice composer; sometimes the lute or soft organ-stop waiting on elegant voices either to religious, martial, or civil ditties; which, if wise men and prophets be not extremely out, have a great power over dispositions and manners, to smooth and make them gentle from rustic harshness and distempered passions. The like also would not be unexpedient after meat to assist and cherish nature in her first concoction, and send their minds back to study in good tune and satisfaction.

2. P. L. 1.539-562:

All the while

Sonorous metal blowing martial sounds;
At which the universal host upsent

A shout that tore Hell's concave, and beyond
Frighted the reign of Chaos and old Night.
... Anon they move

In perfect phalanx to the Dorian mood
Of flutes and soft recorders-such as raised
To height of noblest temper heroes old
Arming to battle, and instead of rage
Deliberate valor breathed, firm, and unmoved
With dread of death to flight or foul retreat;
Nor wanting power to mitigate and swage
With solemn touches troubled thoughts, and chase
Anguish and doubt and fear and sorrow and pain
From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they,
Breathing united force with fixed thought,
Moved on in silence to soft pipes that charmed
Their painful steps o'er the burnt soil.

3. P. L. 6.59-69:

Nor with less dread the loud

Ethereal trumpet from on high 'gan blow.

At which command the Powers Militant

That stood for Heaven, in mighty quadrate joined

Of union irresistible, moved on

In silence their bright legions to the sound

Of instrumental harmony, that breathed
Heroic ardor to adventurous deeds

Under their godlike leaders, in the cause
Of God and His Messiah. On they move,
Indissolubly firm.

4. P. L. 2.546-557:

Others, more mild,

Retreated in a silent valley, sing
With notes angelical to many a harp
Their own heroic deeds, and hapless fall
By doom of battle, and complain that Fate
Free virtue should enthrall to force or chance.
Their song was partial; but the harmony

(What could it less when spirits immortal sing?)
Suspended Hell, and took with ravishment
The thronging audience. In discourse more sweet
(For eloquence the soul, song charms the sense)
Others apart sat on a hill retired.

5. Comus 170–174:

This way the noise was, if mine ear be true,
My best guide now. Methought it was the sound
Of riot and ill-managed merriment,

Such as the jocund flute or gamesome pipe
Stirs up among the loose unlettered hinds.

6. Comus 623-625:

He loved me well, and oft would beg me sing:
Which when I did, he on the tender grass
Would sit, and hearken even to ecstasy.

7. Il Pens. 161-166:

There let the pealing organ blow,

To the full-voiced quire below,

In service high and anthems clear,

As may with sweetness, through mine ear,
Dissolve me into ecstasies,

And bring all Heaven before mine eyes.