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,
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