Shalt lose, expell'd from hence into a world Of woe and sorrow.' Sternly he pronounc'd The rigid interdiction, which resounds
Yet dreadful in mine ear, though in my choice Not to incur; but soon his clear aspect Return'd, and gracious purpose thus renew'd. 'Not only these fair bounds, but all the Earth To thee and to thy race I give; as lords Possess it, and all things that therein live, Or live in sea, or air; beast, fish, and fowl. In sign whereof, each bird and beast behold After their kinds; I bring them to receive From thee their names, and pay thee feälty With low subjection; understand the same of fish within their watery residence, Not hither summon'd, since they cannot change Their element, to draw the thinner air.' As thus he spake, each bird and beast behold Approaching two and two; these cowering low With blandishment; each bird stoop'd on his wing.
I nam'd them, as they pass'd, and understood Their nature, with such knowledge God endued My sudden apprehension: but in these I found not what methought I wanted still; And to the heavenly vision thus presum'd.
"O, by what name, for thou above all these, Above mankind, or aught than mankind higher, Surpassest far my naming; how may I Adore thee, Author of this universe,
And all this good to Man? for whose well being So amply, and with hands so liberal, Thou hast provided all things: but with me I see not who partakes. In solitude What happiness, who can enjoy alone, Or, all enjoying, what contentment find?' Thus I presumptuous; and the vision bright, As with a smile more brightened, thus replied. "What call'st thou solitude? Is not the Earth With various living creatures, and the air Replenish'd, and all these at thy command To come and play before thee? Know'st thou not Their language and their ways? They also know,
And reason not contemptibly: with these Find pastime, and bear rule; thy realm is large.' So spake the Universal Lord, and seem'd So ordering: I, with leave of speech implor'd, And humble deprecation, thus replied. "Let not my words offend thee, Heavenly Power,
My Maker, be propitious while I speak. Hast thou not made me here thy substitute, And these inferior far beneath me set? Among unequals what society
Can sort, what harmony, or true delight? Which must be mutual, in proportion due Given and receiv'd; but in disparity The one intense, the other still remiss Cannot well suit with either, but soon prove Tedious alike: of fellowship I speak Such as I seek, fit to participate All rational delight: wherein the brute Cannot be human consort: they rejoice Each with their kind, lion with lioness; So fitly them in pairs thou hast combin'd: Much less can bird with beast, or fish with fowl So well converse, nor with the ox the ape;
"Whereto the Almighty answer'd, not displeas'd, 'A nice and subtle happiness, I see, Thou to thyself proposest, in the choice Of thy associates, Adam! and wilt taste No pleasure, though in pleasure, solitary. What think'st thou then of me, and this my state? Seem I to thee sufficiently possess'd Of happiness, or not? who am alone From all eternity; for none I know Second to me or like, equal much less. How have I then with whom to hold converse, Save with the creatures which I made, and those To me inferior, infinite descents
Beneath what other creatures are to thee?' He ceas'd; I lowly answer'd. To attain The height and depth of thy eternal ways All human thoughts come short, Supreme of things!
Thou in thyself art perfect, and in thee Is no deficience found: not so is Man, But in degree; the cause of his desire By conversation with his like to help, Or solace his defects. No need that thou Shouldst propagate, already infinite; And through all numbers absolute, though one: But Man by number is to manifest His single imperfection, and beget Like of his like, his image multiplied, In unity defective; which requires Collateral love, and dearest amity. Thou in thy secresy although alone, Best with thyself accompanied, seek'st not Social communication; yet, so pleas'd, Canst raise thy creature to what height thou of union or communion, deified: I, by conversing, cannot these erect From prone; nor in their ways complacence find. Thus I embolden'd spake, and freedom us'd Permissive, and acceptance found; which gain'd This answer from the gracious voice divine.
"Thus far to try thee, Adam, I was pleas'd; And find thee knowing, not of beasts alone, Which thou hast rightly nam'd, but of thyself; Expressing well the spirit within thee free, My image, not imparted to the brute: Whose fellowship therefore unmeet for thee Good reason was thou freely shouldst dislike; And be so minded still: I, ere thou spak'st, Knew it not good for Man to be alone; And no such company as then thou saw'st Intended thee; for trial only brought, To see how thou could'st judge of fit and meet: What next I bring shall please thee, be assur'd, Thy likeness, thy fit help, thy other self, Thy wish exactly to thy heart's desire.'
"He ended, or I heard no more; for now My earthly by his heavenly overpower'd, Which it had long stood under, strain'd to the In that celestial colloquy sublime, As with an object that excels the sense Dazzled and spent, sunk down, and sought re
Of sleep, which instantly fell on me, call'd By Nature as in aid, and clos'd mine eyes. Mine eyes he clos'd, but open left the cell Of fancy, my internal sight; by which, Abstract as in a trance, methought I saw, Though sleeping, where I lay, and saw the shape
Worse then can man with beast, and least of Still glorious before whom awake I stood:
Who stooping open'd my left side, and took Dd
From thence a rib, with cordial spirits warm, And life-blood streaming fresh: wide was the wound,
But suddenly with flesh fill'd up and heal'd: The rib he form'd and fashion'd with his hands; Under his forming hands a creature grew, Man-like, but different sex; so lovely fair, That what seem'd fair in all the world, seem'd
Mean, or in her summ'd up, in her contain'd And in her looks; which from that time infus'd Sweetness into my heart, unfelt before, And into all things from her air inspir'd The spirit of love and amorous delight. She disappear'd, and left me dark; I wak'd To find her, or for ever to deplore
Her loss, and other pleasures all abjure : When out of hope, behold her, not far off, Such as I saw her in my dream, adorn'd With what all Earth or Heaven could bestow To make her amiable: on she came, Led by her heavenly Maker, though unseen, And guided by his voice; nor uninform'd Of nuptial sanctity, and marriage rites: Grace was in all her steps, Heaven in her eye, In every gesture dignity and love. 1, overjoy'd, could not forbear aloud.
"This turn hath made amends; thou hast fufill'd
Thy words, Creator bounteous and benign, Giver of all things fair! but fairest this Of all thy gifts! nor enviest. I now see Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, myself Before me: woman is her name; of man Extracted for this cause he shall forego Father and mother, and to his wife adhere; And they shall be one flesh, one heart, one soul.' "She heard me thus; and though divinely brought,
Yet innocence, and virgin modesty,
Her virtue, and the conscience of her worth, That would be woo'd, and not unsought be won, Not obvious, not obtrusive, but, retir'd, The more desirable; or, to say all, Nature herself, though pure of sinful thought, Wrought in her so, that, seeing me, she turn'd: I follow'd ber; she what was honour knew, And with obsequious majesty approv'd My pleaded reason. To the nuptial bower I led her blushing like the morn: all Heaven, And happy constellations, on that hour Shed their selectest influence; the Earth Gave sign of gratulation, and each hill; Joyous the birds; fresh gales and gentle airs Whisper'd it to the woods, and from their wings Flung rose, flung odours from the spicy shrub, Disporting, till the amorous bird of night Sung spousal, and bid haste the evening-star On his hill-top, to light the bridal lamp. Thus have I told thee all my state, and brought My story to the sum of earthly bliss, Which I enjoy; and must confess to find In all things else delight indeed, but such As, us'd or no, works in the mind no change, Nor vehement desire; these delicacies [flowers, I mean of taste, sight, smell, herbs, fruits, and Walks, and the melody of birds: but here Far otherwise, transported I behold, Transported touch; here passion first I felt,
Commotion strange! in all enjoyments else Superior and unmov'd; here only weak Against the charm of beauty's powerful glance. Or Nature fail'd in me, and left some part Not proof enough such object to sustain ; Or, from my side subducting, took perhaps More than enough; at least on her bestow'd Too much of ornament, in outward show Elaborate, of inward less exact.
For well I understand in the prime end Of Nature her the inferior, in the mind And inward faculties, which most excel; In outward also her resembling less His image who made both, and less expressing The character of that dominion given O'er other creatures: yet when I approach Her loveliness, so absolute she seems And in herself complete, so well to know Her own, that what she wills to do or say Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best: All higher knowledge in her presence falls Degraded ; Wisdom in discourse with her Loses discountenanc'd, and like Folly shows Authority and Reason on her wait, As one intended first, not after made Occasionally; and, to consummate all, Greatness of mind, and Nobleness, their seat Build in her loveliest, and create an awe About her, as a guard angelic plac'd."
To whom the angel with contracted brow. "Accuse not Nature, she hath done her part; Do thou but thine; and be not diffident Of Wisdom; she deserts thee not, if thou Dismiss not her, when most thou need'st her nigh, By attribúting overmuch to things Less excellent, as thou thyself perceiv'st. For, what admir'st thou, what transports thee so, An outside? fair, no doubt, and worthy well Thy cherishing, thy honouring, and thy love; Not thy subjection: weigh with her thyself; Then value: oft-times nothing profits more Than self-esteem, grounded on just and right Well manag'd; of that skill the more thou know'st,
The more she will acknowledge thee her head, And to realities yield all her shows: Made so adorn for thy delight the more, So awful, that with honour thou may'st love Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen least wise.
But if the sense of touch, whereby mankind Is propagated, seem such dear delight Beyond all other; think the same vouchsaf'd To cattle and each beast; which would not be To them made common and divulg'd, if aught Therein enjoy'd were worthy to subdue The soul of man, or passion in him move. What higher in her society thou find'st Attractive, human, rational, love still; In loving thou dost well, in passion not, Wherein true love consists not : Love refines The thoughts, and heart enlarges ; hath his seat In reason, and is judicious; is the scale By which to Heavenly love thou may'st ascend, Not sunk in carnal pleasure; for which cause, Among the beasts no mate for thee was found."
To whom thus, half abash'd, Adam replied. "Neither her outside form'd so fair, nor aught In procreation common to all kinds,
(Though higher of the genial bed by far, And with mysterious reverence I deem,) So much delights me, as those graceful acts, Those thousand decencies, that daily flow From all her words and actions mix'd with love And sweet compliance, which declare unfeign'd Union of mind, or in us both one soul; Harmony to behold in wedded pair More grateful than harmonious sound to the ear. Yet these subject not: Ito thee disclose What inward thence I feel, not therefore foil'd, Who meet with various objects, from the sense Variously representing: yet, still free, Approve the best, and follow what I approve. To love, thou blam'st me not; for Love, thou say'st,
Leads up to Heaven, is both the way and guide; Bear with me then, if lawful what I ask : Love not the heavenly spirits, and how their love Express they? by looks only? or do they mix Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?"
To whom the angel, with a smile that glow'd Celestial rosy red, Love's proper hue, Answer'd. "Let it suffice thee that thou know'st Us happy, and without love no happiness. Whatever pure thou in the body enjoy'st, (And pure thou wert created) we enjoy In eminence; and obstacle find none
Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclusive bars; Easier than air with air, if spirits embrace, Total they mix, union of pure with pure Desiring; nor restrain'd conveyance need, As flesh to mix with flesh, or soul with soul. But I can now no more; the parting Sun Beyond the Earth's green cape and verdant isles Hesperian sets, my signal to depart.
Be strong, live happy, and love! but, first of all, Him, whom to love is to obey, and keep His great command: take heed lest passion sway Thy judgment to do aught, which else free will Would not admit: thine, and of all thy sons, The weal or woe in thee is plac'd; beware! I in thy persevering shall rejoice,
And all the blest: stand fast; to stand or fall Free in thine own arbitrement it lies. Perfect within, no outward aid require ; And all temptation to transgress repel."
So saying, he arose; whom Adam thus Follow'd with benediction. "Since to part, Go, heavenly guest, ethereal messenger, Sent from whose sovran goodness I adore! Gentle to me and affable hath been Thy condescension, and shall be honour'd ever With grateful memory: thou to mankind Be good and friendly still, and oft return!" So parted they; the angel up to Heaven From the thick shade, and Adam to his bower.
Satan, having compassed the Earth, with meditated guile returns, as a mist, by night into
Paradise; enters into the serpent sleeping. Adam and Eve in the morning go forth to their labours, which Eve proposes to divide in several places, each labouring apart: Adam consents not, alleging the danger, lest that enemy, of whom they were forewarned, should attempt her found alone: Eve, loth to be thought not circumspect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather desirous to make trial of her strength; Adam at last yields the serpent finds her alone; his subtle approach, first gazing, then speaking; with much flattery extolling Eve above all other creatures. Eve, wondering to hear the serpent speak, asks how he attained to human speech, and such understanding, not till now; the serpent answers, that by tasting of a certain tree in the garden he attained both to speech and reason, till then void of both: Eve requires him to bring her to that tree, and finds it to be the tree of knowledge forbidden: the serpent now grown bolder, with many wiles and arguments, induces her at length to eat; she, pleased with the taste, deliberates a while whether to impart thereof to Adam or not; at last brings him of the fruit; relates what persuaded her to eat thereof: Adam, at first amazed, but perceiving her lost, resolves, through vehemence of love, to perish with her: and, extenuating the trespass, eats also of the fruit: the effects thereof in them both; they seek to cover their nakedness; then fall to variance and accusation of one another.
No more of talk where God or angel guest
With Man, as with his friend, familiar us'd To sit indulgent, and with him partake Rural repast; permitting him the while Venial discourse unblam'd. I now must change Those notes to tragic; foul distrust, and breach
Disloyal on the part of Man, revolt And disobedience: on the part of Heaven Now alienated, distance and distaste, Anger and just rebuke, and judgment given, That brought into this world a world of woe, Sin and her shadow Death, and Misery Death's harbinger: sad task, yet argument Not less but more heroic than the wrath Of stern Achilles on his foe pursued Thrice fugitive about Troy wall; or rage Of Turnus for Lavinia disespous'd; Or Neptune's ire, or Juno's, that so long Perplex'd the Greek, and Cytherea's son ; If answerable style I can obtain Of my celestial patroness, who deigns Her nightly visitation unimplor'd, And dictates to me slumbering; or inspires Easy my unpremeditated verse: Since first this subject for heroic song
Pleas'd me long choosing, and beginning late; Not sedulous by nature to indite
Wars, hitherto the only argument
Heroic deem'd; chief mastery to dissect With long and tedious havoc fabled knights In battles feign'd; the better fortitude Of patience and heroic martyrdom Unsung; or to describe races and games, Or tilting furniture, imblazon'd shields,
Impresses quaint, caparisons and steeds, Bases and tinsel trappings, gorgeous knights At joust and tournament; then marshall'd feast Serv'd up in hall with sewers and seneshals; The skill of artifice or office mean, Not that which justly gives heroic name To person or to poem. Me, of these Nor skill'd nor studious, higher argument Remains; sufficient of itself to raise That name, unless an age too late, or cold Climate, or years, damp my intended wing Depress'd; and much they may, if all be mine, Not hers, who brings it nightly to my ear.
The Sun was sunk, and after him the star Of Hesperus, whose office is to bring Twilight upon the Earth, short arbiter 'Twixt day and night, and now from end to end Night's hemisphere had veil'd the horizon round:
When Satan, who late fled before the threats Of Gabriel out of Eden, now improv'd In meditated fraud and malice, bent On Man's destruction, maugre what might hap Of heavier on himself, fearless return'd. By night he fled, and at midnight return'd From compassing the Earth; cautious of day, Since Uriel, regent of the Sun, descried His entrance, and forewarn'd the cherubim That kept their watch; thence full of anguish driven,
The space of seven continued nights he rode With darkness thrice the equinoctial line He circled; four times cross'd the car of night From pole to pole traversing each colúre; On the eighth return'd; and on the coast averse From entrance or cherubic watch, by stealth Found unsuspected way. There was a place, Now not, though sin, not time, first wrought the change,
Where Tigris at the foot of Paradise, Into a gulf shot under ground, till part Rose up a fountain by the tree of life: In with the river sunk, and with it rose Satan, involv'd in rising mist; then sought Where to lie hid; sea he had search'd, and land, From Eden over Pontus and the pool Mæotis, up beyond the river Ob; Downward as far antarctic; and in length, West from Orontes to the ocean barr'd At Darien; thence to the land where flows Ganges and Indus: thus the orb he roam'd With narrow search; and with inspection deep Consider'd every creature, which of all Most opportune might serve his wiles; and found The serpent subtlest beast of all the field. Him after long debate, irresolute
Of thoughts revolv'd, his final sentence chose Fit vessel, fittest imp of fraud, in whom To enter, and his dark suggestions hide From sharpest sight: for, in the wily snake Whatever sleights, none would suspicious mark, As from his wit and native subtlety Proceeding; which, in other beasts observ'd, Doubt might beget of diabolic power Active within, beyond the sense of brute. Thus he resolv'd, but first from inward grief His bursting passion into plaints thus pour'd. "O Earth, how like to Heaven, if not preferr'd More justly, seat worthier of Gods, as built
With second thoughts, reforming what was
For what god, after better, worse would build? Terrestrial Heaven, danc'd round by other Hea-
That shine, yet bear their bright officious lamps, Light above light, for thee alone as seems, In thee concentring all their precious beams Of sacred influence! As God in Heaven Is centre, yet extends to all; so thou, Not in themselves, all their known virtue ap- Centring, receiv'st from all those orbs: in thee,
Productive in herb, plant, and nobler birth Of creatures animate with gradual life
Of growth, sense, reason, all summ'd up in Man. With what delight could I have walk'd thee round,
If I could joy in aught, sweet interchange Of hill, and valley, rivers, woods, and plains, Now land, now sea, and shores with forest crown'd,
Rocks, dens, and caves! But I in none of these Find place or refuge; and the more I see Pleasures about me, so much more I feel Torment within me, as from the hateful siege Of contraries: all good to me becomes Bane, and in Heaven much worse would be my state.
But neither here seek I, no nor in Heaven To dwell, unless by mastering Heaven's Supreme; Nor hope to be myself less tniserable By what I seek, but others to make such As I, though thereby worse to me redound: For only in destroying I find ease To my relentless thoughts; and, him destroyed, For whom all this was made, all this will soon Or wou to what may work his utter loss, Follow, as to him link'd in weal or woe; In woe then; that destruction wide may range: To me shall be the glory sole among
The infernal powers, in one day to have marr'd What he, Almighty styl'd, six nights and days Before had been contriving? though perhaps Continued making; and who knows how long Not longer than since I, in one night, freed From servitude inglorious well nigh half The angelic name, and thinner left the throng Of his adorers: he, to be aveng'd, And to repair his numbers thus impair'd, Whether such virtue spent of old now fail'd More angels to create, if they at least Determin'd to advance into our room Are his created, or, to spite us more, A creature form'd of earth, and him endow, Exalted from so base original, With heavenly spoils, our spoils: what he de- [creed, He effected; Man he made, and for him built Magnificent this world, and Earth his seat, Subjected to his service angel-wings, Him lord pronounc'd; and, O indignity! And flaming ministers to watch and tend Their earthy charge of these the vigilance I dread; and, to elude, thus wrapt in mist Of midnight vapour glide obscure, and pry In every bush and brake, where hap may find To hide me, and the dark intent I bring. The serpent sleeping; in whose mazy folds O foul descent! that f, who erst contended
With Gods to sit the highest, am now constrain'd
Into a beast; and, mix'd with bestial slime, This essence to incarnate and imbrute, That to the height of deity aspir'd! But what will not ambition and revenge Descend to? Who aspires, must down as low As high he soar'd; obnoxious, first or last, To basest things. Revenge, at first though sweet, Bitter ere long, back on itself recoils: Let it; I reck not, so it light well aim'd, Since higher I fall short, on him who next' Provokes my envy, this new favourite Of Heaven, this man of clay, son of despite, Whom, us the more to spite, his Maker rais'd From dust: spite then with spite is best repaid." So saying, through each thicket dank or dry, Like a black mist low-creeping, he held on His midnight-search, where soonest he might find
The serpent: him fast sleeping soon he found In labyrinth of many a round self-roll'd, His head the midst, well stor❜d with subtle wiles: Not yet in horrid shade or dismal den, Nor nocent yet; but, on the grassy herb, Fearless unfear'd he slept in at his mouth The Devil enter'd; and his brutal sense, In heart or head, possessing, soon inspir'd With act intelligential; but his sleep Disturb'd not, waiting close the approach of morn. Now, when as sacred light began to dawn In Eden on the humid flowers, that breath'd Their morning incense, when all things, that breathe,
From the Earth's great altar send up silent praise To the Creator, and his nostrils fill With grateful smell, forth came the human pair, And join'd their vocal worship to the quire Of creatures wanting voice; that done, partake The season, prime for sweetest scents and airs : Then commune, how that day they best may ply Their growing work: for much their work out- grew
The hands' despatch of two gardening so wide, And Eve first to her husband thus began.
"Adam, well may we labour still to dress This garden, still to tend plant, herb, and flower, Our pleasant task enjoin'd; but till more hands Aid us, the work under our labour grows, Luxurious by restraint; what we by day Lop overgrown, or prune, or prop, or bind, One night or two with wanton growth derides Tending to wild. Thou therefore now advise, Or bear what to my mind first thoughts present: Let us divide our labours; thou, where choice Leads thee, or where most needs, whether to wind
The woodbine round this arbour, or direct The clasping ivy where to climb; while I, In yonder spring of roses intermix'd With myrtle, find what to redress till noon : For, while so near each other thus all day Our task we choose, what wonder if so pear Looks intervene and smiles, or object new Casual discourse draw on; which intermits Our day's work, brought to little, though began Early, and the hour of supper comes unearn'd ?" To whom mild answer Adam thus return'd.
"Sole Eve, associate sole, to me beyond Compare above all living creatures dear! Well hast thou motion'd, well thy thoughts em
How we might best fulfil the work which here God hath assign'd us; nor of me shalt pass Unprais'd: for nothing lovelier can be found In woman, than to study household good, And good works in her husband to promote. Yet not so strictly hath our Lord impos'd Labour, as to debar us when we need Refreshment, whether food, or talk between, Food of the mind, or this sweet intercourse Of looks and smiles; for smiles from reason flow, To brute denied, and are of love the food; Love, not the lowest end of human life. For not to irksome toil, but to delight, He made us, and delight to reason join'd. These paths and bowers doubt not but our joint hands
Will keep from wilderness with ease, as wide As we need walk, till younger hands ere long Assist us: but, if much converse perhaps Thee satiate, to short absence I could yield: For solitude sometimes is best society, And short retirement urges sweet return. But other doubt possesses me, lest harm Befall thee sever'd from me; for thou know'st What hath been warn'd us, what malicious foe Envying our happiness, and of his own Despairing, seeks to work us woe and shame By sly assault; and somewhere nigh at hand Watches, no doubt, with greedy hope to find His wish and best advantage, us asunder; Hopeless to circumvent us join'd, where each To other speedy aid might lend at need: Whether his first design be to withdraw Our feälty from God, or to disturb Conjugal love, than which perhaps no bliss Enjoy'd by us excites his envy more; Or this, or worse, leave not the faithful side That gave thee being, still shades thee, and protects.
The wife, where danger or dishonour lurks, Safest and seemliest by her husband stays, Who guards her, or with her the worst endures." To whom the virgin majesty of Eve, As one who loves, and some unkindness meets, With sweet austere composure thus replied. "Offspring of Heaven and Earth, and all Earth's Lord!
That such an enemy we have, who seeks Our ruin, both by thee inform'd I learn, And from the parting angel over-heard, As in a shady nook 1 stood behind, Just then return'd at shut of evening flowers. But that thou shouldst my firmness therefore doubt
To God or thee, because we have a foe May tempt it, I expected not to hear. His violence thou fear'st not, being such As we, not capable of death or pain, Can either not receive, or can repel. His fraud is then thy fear; which plain infers Thy equal fear, that my firm faith and love Can by his fraud be shaken or seduc'd; Thoughts, which how found they harbour in thy breast,
Adam, mis-thought of her to thee so dear?"
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