So fpake our general mother, and with eyes Of conjugal attraction unreprov'd,
And meek furrender, half imbracing lean'd On our first father, half her fwelling breaft Naked met his under the flowing gold Of her loose treffes hid: he in delight Both of her beauty and fubmiffive charms Smil'd with fuperior love, as Jupiter
On Juno fimiles, when he impregns the clouds That fhed May flouers; and prefs'd her matron lip. › With kiffes pure: afide the devil turn'd
For envie, yet with jealous leer maligne Ey'd them afkance, and to himself thus plain'd.
Sight hateful, fight tormenting! thus these two Imparadis't in one another's arms
The happier Eden, fhall enjoy their fill Of blifs on blifs, while I to hell am thruft, Where neither joy nor love, but fierce defire, Among our other torments not the leaft, Still unfulfill'd with pain of longing pines; Yet let me not forget what I have gain'd From their own mouths; all is not theirs it feems :: One fatal tree there ftands of knowledge call'd, Forbidden them to tafte: knowledge forbidd`n ? Sufpicious, reafonlefs. Why fhould their lord Envie them that? can it be fin to know, Can it be death? and do they only stand By ignorance, is that their happie ftate, The proof of their obedience and their faith? O fair foundation laid whereon to build Their ruine.! hence I will excite their minds
With more defire to know, and to reject Envious commands, invented with defign To keep them low whom knowledge might exalt Equal with Gods; afpiring to be fuch, They taste and die: what likelier can enfue? But firft with narrow fearch I muft walk round This garden, and no corner leave unfpi'd';
A chance but chance may lead where I may meet Some wandring fpirit of heav'n, by fountain fide, Or in thick fhade retir'd, from him to draw What further would be learnt. Live while ye may, Yet happie pair; enjoy, till I return,
Short pleasures, for long woes are to fucceed. So faying, his proud ftep he fcornful turn'd, But with fly circumfpection, and began
Through wood, through wafte, o're hill, o're dale his
Mean while in utmost longitude, where heav'n
With earth and ocean meets, the setting fun Slowly defcended, and with right aspect Against the eastern gate of Paradife Level'd his ev'ning rayes: it was a rock Of alabafter, pil'd' up to the clouds, Confpicuous far, winding with one afcent Acceffible from earth, one entrance high; The reft was craggie cliff, that overhung Still as it rofe, impoffible to climb. Betwixt thefe rockie pillars Gabriel fat Chief of the angelic guards, awaiting night; About him exercis'd heroic games Th'unarmed youth of heav'n, but nigh at hand Celestial armourie, fhields, helmes, and speares
Hung high with diamond flaming, and with gold. Thither came Uriel, gliding through the even On a fun beam, swift as a shooting star
In autumn thwarts the night, when vapours fir'd Impress the air, and fhews the mariner From what point of his compass to beware Impetuous winds: he thus began in hafte. Gabriel, to thee thy courfe by lot hath giv'n Charge and strict watch that to this happie place No evil thing approach or enter in ;
This day at highth of noon came to my sphere A fpirit, zealous, as he seem'd, to know More of th'Almighty's works and chiefly man God's latest image: I defcrib'd his way Bent all on speed, and markt his aerie gate; But in the mount that lies from Eden north, Where he first lighted, foon difcern'd his looks Alien from heav'n, with paffions foul obfcur'd: Mine eye purfu'd him ftill, but under shade - Loft fight of him; one of the banisht crew I fear, hath ventur'd from the deep, to raise New troubles; him thy care must be to find. To whom the winged warriour thus return'd :: Uriel, no wonder if thy perfect fight,
Amid the fun's bright circle where thou fitft, See far and wide: in at this gate none pass The vigilance here plac't, but fuch as come. Well known from heav'n; and fince meridian hour No creature thence; if spirit of other fort, So minded, have oreleapt these earthie bounds On purpose, hard thou knowft it to exclude
Spiritual fubftance with corporeal bar.
But if within the circuit of thefe walks
In whatsoever fhape he lurk, of whom Thou tell'ft, by morrow dawning I shall know. So promis'd he, and Uriel to his charge
Return'd on that bright beam, whose point now rais'd:
Bore him flope downward to the fun now fall'n Beneath th'Azores; whither the prime orb, Incredible how swift, had thither rowl'd
Diurnal, or this lefs volubil earth
By fhorter flight to th'east, had left him there Arraying with reflected purple and gold
The clouds that on his western throne attend : Now came ftill ev'ning on, and twilight gray Had in her sober liverie all things clad; Silence accompanied, for beaft and bird, They to their graffie couch, these to their nes Were flunk, all but the wakeful nightingale ; She all night long her am'rous defcant fung; Silence was pleas'd: now glow'd the firmament With living fapphires: Hefperus that led The starrie hoft, rode brightest, till the moon Rifing in clouded majestie, at length Apparent queen unvail'd her peerless light, And o're the dark her filver mantle threw. When Adam thus to Eve: Fair confort, th'hour Of night, and all things now retir'd to rest Mind us of like repofe, fince God hath fet Labour and reft, as day and night to men Succeffive, and the timely dew of fleep Now falling with foft_flumbrous weight inclines
Our eye-lids: other creatures all day long Rove idle unimploy'd, and less need rest; Man hath his daily work of body or mind Appointed, which declares his dignitie, And the regard of heav'n on all his waies; While other animals unactive range,
And of their doings God takes no account. To-morrow ere fresh morning streak the east With first approach of light, we must be ris'n, And at our pleasant labour, to reform Yon flourie arbors, yonder allies green, Our walks at noon, with branches overgrown, That mock our fcant manuring, and require More hands than ours to lop their wanton growth: Those bloffoms alfo, and thofe dropping gumms, That lie bestrowne unfightly and unsmooth, Ask riddance, if we mean to tread with ease; Mean while, as nature wills, night bids us rest. To whom thus Eve with perfect beauty adorn'd. My author and difpofer, what thou bidft Unargu'd I obey; fo God ordains,
God is thy law, thou mine: to know no more Is woman's happiest knowledge and her praise. With thee converfing I forget all time, All feasons and their change, all please alike. Sweet is the breath of morn, her rifing sweet, With charm of earliest birds; pleasant the fun When first on this delightful land he spreads His orient beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flouer, Gliftring with dew; fragrant the fertil earth After foft showers; and fweet the coming on
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