Surprifal, unadmonisht, unforewarn'd.
So fpake th'eternal, father, and. fulfill'd
All juftice: nor delaid the winged faint
After his charge receiv'd;, but from among
Thoufand celeftial ardors, where he ftood
Vail'd with his gorgeous, wings, up-springing light
Flew through the midst of heav'n; th'angelic quires
On each hand parting,, to his. fpeed, gave way
Through all th'empyreal road; till at the gate
Of heav'n arriv'd, the gate felf-open'd wide-
On golden hinges turning, as by, work
Divine the fov ran architect had fram'd.
From hence,, no cloud, or, to obftruct his fight,
Star interpos'd, however fmall he fees,

Not unconform'd to other shining globes,
Earth and the gard'n of God, with cedars crown'd
Above all hills. As when by night the glafs
Of Galileo, iefs affur'd, obferves
Imagin'd lands and regions in the moon :
Or pilot from amidst the Cyclades
Delos or Samos first appearing kenns:

A cloudy spot. Down thither prone in flight
He speeds, and through the vaft ethereal skie
Sailes between worlds and worlds, with teddie wing
Now on the polar winds, then with quick, fann
Winnows the buxom air; till within foare
Of towring eagles, to all the fowles he seems
A Phoenix, gaz'd by all, as that fole bird
When to enshrine his reliques in the fun's
Bright temple, to Ægyptian Theb's he flies.
At once on th'eaftern cliff of Paradife

He lights, and to his proper shape returns

A feraph wing'd; fix wings, he wore, to shade
His lineaments divine; the pair that clad

Each fhoulder broad, came mantling o're his breast
With regal ornament; the middle pair

Girt like a starrie zone his waste, and round
Skirted his loins and thighs with downie gold
And colours dipt in heav'n; the third his feet
Shadow'd from either heele with feather'd maile
Skie-tinctur'd grain. Like Maia's fon he stood,
And shook, his plumes, that heav'nly fragrance fill'd
The circuit wide. Strait knew him all the bands
Of angels under watch; and to his state,

And to his message high in honour rise ;

For on fome meffage high they guess'd him bound.
Their glittering tents he pass'd, and now is come
Into the blissful field, through groves of myrrhe
And flouring odours, caffia, nard, and balme;
A wilderness of fweets; for nature here
Wanton'd as in her prime, and plaid at will
Her virgin fancies, pouring forth more sweet,
Wilde above rule or art; enormous plifs.
Him through the fpicie forreft onward come
Adam difcern'd, as in the dore he fat

Of his cool bowre, while now the mounted fun
Shot down direct his fervid rajes to warme

Earth's inmoft womb, more warmth than Adam need
And Eve within, due at her hour prepar'd
For dinner favourie fruits, of tafte to please
True appetite, and not difrelish thirst

Of nectarous draughts between, from milkie Aream,

Berrie or grape to whom thus Adam call'd.

Hafte hither Eve, and worth thy fight behold
Eastward among those trees, what glorious shape
Comes this way moving; seems another morn
Ris'n on mid-noon; some great behest from heav'n
To us perhaps he brings, and will voutsafe
This day to be our guest. But go with speed,
And what thy ftores contain, bring forth and poure
Abundance, fit to honour and receive

Our heav'nly ftranger; well we may afford
Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow
From large bestow'd, where nature multiplies
Her fertil growth, and by disburd'ning grows
More fruitful, which inftructs us not to spare.
To whom thus Eve. Adam, earth's hallow'd mould,
Of God infpir'd, small store will ferve, where store,
All seasons, ripe for use hangs on the stalk;
Save what by frugal ftoring firmness gains

To nourish, and superfluous moist confumes :
But I will hafte and from each bough and break,
Each plant and juiciest gourd will pluck fuch choice
To entertain our angel gueft, as he

Beholding shall confefs that here on earth
God hath dispenst his bounties as in heav'n.
So faying, with dispatchful looks in hafte
She turns, on hofpitable thoughts intent
What choice to chufe for delicacie beft,
What order, 'fo contriv'd as not to mix
Taftes, not well joyn'd, inelegant, but bring
Taste after taste upheld with kindliest change,
Beftirs her then, and from each tender stalk

Whatever earth all-bearing mother yeilds
In India eaft or weft, or middle shoare
In Pontus or the Punic coast, or where
Alcinous reign'd, fruit of all kinds, in coate,
Rough or smooth rin'd, or bearded husk, or shell
She gathers, tribute large, and on the board
Heaps with unfparing hand; for drink the grape
She crushes, inoffenfive mouft, and meathes
From many a berry, and from sweet kernels prest
She tempers dulcid creams, nor these to hold
Wants her fit veffels pure, then strews the ground
With rofe and odours from the fhrub unfum'd.
Mean while our primitive great fire, to meet
His god-like gueft, walks forth, without more train
Accompani'd then with his own compleat
Perfections, in himself was all his state,
More folemn then the tedious pomp that waits
On princes, when their rich retinue long
Of horses led, and grooms besmear'd with gold
Dazles the croud, and fets them all agape.
Neerer his presence Adam though not aw'd,
Yet with fubmifs approach and reverence meek,
As to a fuperior nature, bowing low,

Thus faid. Native of heav'n, for other place
None can than heav'n fuch glorious shape contain ;
Since by descending from the thrones above,
Those happie places thou haft deign'd a while
To want, and honour these, voutfafe with us
Two onely, who yet by fov'ran gift poffefs
This fpacious ground, in yonder shadie bowre
To reft, and what the garden choicest bears

To fit and tafte, till this meridian heat

Be over, and the fun more coole decline.

Whom thus the angelic virtue answer'd milde.
Adam, I therefore came, nor art thou fuch
Created, or fuch place haft here to dwell,
As may not oft invite, thought fpirits of heav'n
To vifit thee; lead on then where thy bowre
Oreshades; for thefe mid-hours, till ev'ning rife
I have at will. So to the filvan lodge
They came, that like Pomona's arbor fmir'd
With flourets deck't and fragrant fmells; but Eve
Undeckt, fave with herself more lovely fair

Then wood-nymph, or the fairest goddess feign'd
Of three that in mount Ida naked ftrove,
Stood to entertain her guest from heav'n; no vaile
She needed, virtue proof, no thought infirme
Alter'd her cheek, on whom the angel haile
Beftow'd, the holy falutation us'd

Long after to bleft Marie, fecond Eve.

Haile mother of mankind, whose fruitful womb
Shall fill the world more numerous with thy fons,
Than with thefe various fruits the trees of God
Have heap'd this table. Rais'd of graffie turf
Their table was, and moffre feats had round,
And on her ample square from fide to fide

All Autumn pil'd, though Spring and Autumn here
Danc'd hand in hand. A while discourse they hold ;
No fear least dinner coole; when thus began
Our author. Heav'nly stranger please to tafte
These bounties which our nourisher, from whom
All perfect good unmeasur'd out, defcends,