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By us oft feen; his dewy locks diftill'd
Ambrofia; on that tree he alfo gaz’d;
And O fair plant, faid he, with fruit furcharg'd,
Deges none to cafe thy load and tafte thy fweet,
Nor God, nor Man? is knowledge fo defpis'd? 60
Or envy' or what referve forbids to tafte?
Forbid who will, none fhall from me withhold
Longer thy offer'd good, why elfe fet here?
This faid, he paus'd not, but with ventrous arm
He pluck'd, he tafted; me damp horror chill'd 65
At fuch hold words vouch'd with a deed fo bold:
But he thus overjoy'd, O fruit divine,
Swect of thyself, but much more fweet thus cropt,
Forbidden here, it feems, as only fit
For Gods, yet able to make Gods of Men:
And why not Gods of Men, fince gond, the more
Communicated, more abundant grows;
The author not impair'd, but honor'd more?
Here, happy creature, fair angelic Eve,
Partake thou alfo: happy though thou art,
Happier thou may'ft be. worthier can't not be ;
Tafe this, and be henceforth among the Gods
Thyfelf a Goddefs, not to earth confin'd,
But fometimes in the air, as we, fometimes
Afcend to Heav'n, by merit thine, and fec
What life the Gods live there, and fuch live thou.
So faying, he drew nigh, and to me held,
Ev'n to my mouth of that fame fruit held part
Which he had pluck'd; the pleasant savory imell
So quicken'd appetite, that !, methought,
Could not but tafte. Forthwith up to the clouds
With him I fiew, and underneath beheld
The earth outstretch'd immenfe, a profpe&t wide
And various wond'ring at my flight and change
To this high exaltation; fuddenly

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My guide was gone, and I, methought, funk down,
And fell asleep; but O how glad I walf'd
To find this but a dream! Thus Eve hier night
Related, and thus Adam anfwer'd fad.)

Beft image of myfelf and dearer haif,
The trouble of thy thoughts this night in fleep
Affects me equally; nor can I like
This uncouth dream, of evil fprung I fear;
Yet evil whence? in thee can harbour none,
Created pure. But know that in the foul
Are many leffer faculties, that ferve
Reafon as chief; among thefe farcy next
Her office holds; of all external things,
Which the five watchful fenfes reprefent,
She forms imaginations, aery fhapes,
Which reafon joining or disjoining, frames
All what we' affirm or what deny, and call
Our knowledge or opinion; then retires
Into her private cell when nature refls.
Oft in her abfence mimic fancy wakes
To imitate her: but misjoining fhapes,
Wild works produces oft, and most in dreams,
Il matching words and deeds long paft or late.

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Some fuch resemblances methinks I find
Of our laft evening's talk, in this thy dream, ITS
But with addition ftrange! yet be not fad.
Evil into the Mind of God or Man

May come and go, fo unapprov'd, and leave
No fpot or blame behind: Which gives me hope
That what in fleep thou didst abhor to dream, 120
Waking thou never wilt confint to do.

Be not difiearten'd then, nor cloud thofe looks,
That wont to be more chearful and ferene,
Than when fair morning firit fmiles on the world,
And let us to our freih employments rife 125
Among the groves, the fountains, and the flowers
That open now their choiceft bofom'd smells,
Referv'd from night, and kept for thee in store.
So cheard he his fair fpoufe, and fhe was
chear'd,

But filently a gentle tear let fall

130

From either eye, and wip'd them with her hair;
Two other precious drops that ready food,
Each in their cryftal fluce, he ere they fell
Kif'd, as the gracious figns of fweet remorfe
And pious awe, that fear'd to have offended. 35
So all was clear'd, and to the field they hafte.
But first, from under fhady arbo'rous roof
Soon as they forth were come to open fight
Of d, fpring, and the fun, who scarce up rifen,
With wheels yet hovering o'er the ocean brim, 140
Shot parallel to the earth his dewy ray,
Difcovering in wide landfkip all the east
Of Paradife and Eden's happy plains,
Lowly they bow'd adoring, and began
Their orifons, each morning duly paid
In various ftile; for neither various stile
Nor holy rapture wanted they to praise
Their Maker, in fit ftrains pronounc'd or fung
Unmeditated, fuch prompt eloquence

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Flow'd from their lips, in profe or numerous verfe,
More tuneable thun needed lute or harp
To add more fweetnefs; and they thus began.
Thef are thy glorious works, Parent of good,
Almighty, than this univerfal frame,
Thus wondrous fair; thyfelf how wond'rous then!
Unfp.akable, who litit above thofe heavens 156
To us invifible, or dimly feen

In these thy loweft works; yet thefe declare
Thy gooducts beyond thought, and pow'r divine.
Speak ye who beit can tell, ye fons of light, 160
Angels; for ye behold him, and with fongs
And choral fyraphonics, day without night,
Circle his throne rejoicing; ye in Heaven,
On Earth join all ye Creatures to extol

166

Him firft, him lat, hin midft, and without end.
Faireft of itars, laft in the train of night,
If better thou belong not to the dawn,
Sure pledge of day, that crown't the fmiling morn
With thy bright circlet, praife him in thy fphere,
While day ariles, that fweet hour of prime. 170
Thou Sun, of this great world both eye ard foul,
Acknowledge him thy greater, found his praise
In thy eternal courfe, both when thou climb'it,
And when high noon haft gain'd, and when thou

fall'ft.

Moon, that now meet' the orient fun, now fly'st, With the fix'd stars, fix'd in their orb that flies,

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His praife, ye Winds, that from four quarters blow,
Breathe foft or loud; and wave your tops, ye Pines,
With every plant, in fign of worship wave.
Fountains and ye, that warble, as ye flow,
Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise.
Join voices, all ye living Souls: ye Birds,
That finging up to Heaven gate afcend,
Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise.
Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk
The earth, and stately tread, or lowly creep;
Witness if I be filent, morn or even,
To hill or valley, fountain, or fresh fhade
Made vocal by my fong, and taught his praife.
Hail univerfal Lord, be bounteous ftill
To give us only good; and if the night
Have gather'd ought of evil, or conceal'd,
Difperfe it, as now light difpels the dark.

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So pray'd they innocent, and to their thoughts Firm peace recover'd foon and wonted calm. 210 On to their morning's rural work they hafte Among fweet dews and flow'rs; where any row Of fruit-trees over-woody reach'd too far Their pamper'd boughs, and needed hands to check Fruitless embraces or they led the vine To wed her elm; she spous'd about him twines Her marriageable arms, and with her brings Her dow'r th' adopted clusters, to adorn His barren leaves. Them thus employ'd be held With pity Heav'n's high king, and to him call'd Raphael, the fociable Spi'rit, that deign'd To travel with Tobias, and fecur'd His marriage with the fev'ntimes-wedded maid. Raphael, faid he, thou hear 'it what stir on Earth Satan from Hell scap'd through the darkfome gulf Hath rais'd in Paradife, and how disturb'd This night the human pair, how he deligns In them at once to ruin all mankind. Go therefore, half this day as friend with friend Converfe with Adamf, in what bow'r or fhade 230 Thou find'ft him from the heat of noon retir'd, To refpit his day-labor with repast, Or with repofe; and fuch difcourfe bring on, As may advise him of his happy state, Happiness in his pow'r left free to will, Left to his own free will, his will though free, Yet mutable; whence warn him to beware He fwerve not too fecure: tell him withal His danger, and from whom; what enemy, Late fall'n himself from Heav'n, is plotting now The fall of others from like ftate of blifs;

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quires,

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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 fovran Architect had fram'd.
From hence no cloud, or, to obftruct his fight,.
Star interpos'd, however fmall, he fees,
Not unconform to other fhining globes,
Earth and the gard'n of God, with cedars crown'd
Above all hills. "As when by night the glafs 261
Of Galileo, lefs affur'd, obferves

Imagin'd lands and regions in the moon :
Or pilot, from anidit the Cyclades
Delos or Samos first appearing, kens

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A cloudy spot. Down thither prone in flight
He speeds, and through the vast ethereal sky
Sails between worlds and worlds, with teddy wing
Now on the polar winds, then with quick fan
Winnows the buxom air; till within foar
Of tow'ring eagles, to' ail the fowls he feems
A Phoenix, gaz'd by all, as that fole bird,
When to infhrine his reliques in the fun's
Bright temple, to Egyptian Thebes he flies.
At once on th' eastern cliff of Paradife
He lights, and to his proper shape returns
A Seraph wing'd; fix wings he wore, to shade
His lineaments divine; the pair, that clad
Each shoulder broad, came mantling o'er his breaft
With regal ornament; the middle pair
Girt like a ftarry zone his wafte, and round
Skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold
And colors dipt in Heav'n; the third his feet
Shadow'd from either heel with feather'd mail,
Sky-tinctur'd grain. Like Maia's fon he stood,
And hook his plumes, that heav'nly fragrance

fill'd

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The circuit wide. Strait knew him.all the bands
Of Angels under watch; and to his state,
And to his meffage high in honor rife;
For on fom: maffage high they guess'd him bound.
Their glittering tents he pafs'd, and now is come
Into the blif-ful field, through groves of myrrh,
And flow'ring odors, cafa, nard, and balm;
A wildernels of fweets; for Nature here
Wanton'd as in her prime, and play'd at will 295
Her virgin fancies, pouring forth more sweet,
Wild above rule or art; enormous blifs,
Him through the spicy foreft onward come'
Adam difcern'd, as in the door he fat

Of his cool bow'r, while now the mounted fun 300
Shot down direct his fervid rays to warm
Earth's inmoft womb, more warmth than Adam

Of necta'rous draughts between, from milky ftream,

Berry or grape to whom thus Adam call'd.

Hafte hither Eve, and worth thy fight behold Eastward among thofe trees, what glorious fhape Comes this way moving; feems another morn 310 Ris'n on mid-noon; fome great beheft from Heaven

To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchsafe
This day to be our gueft. But go with speed,
And what thy ftores contain, bring forth, and pour
Abundance, fit to honor and receive
315
Our heav'nly stranger: well we may afford
Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow
From large beftow'd, where Nature multiplies
Her fertil growth, and by difburd'ning grows
More fruitful, which inftructs us not to fpare. 320
To whom thus Eve. Adam, earth's hallow'd
mold,

Of God infpir'd, fmall ftore will fervc, where store,
All feafons, ripe for ufe hangs on the stalk;
Save what by frugal ftoring firmness gains
To nourish, and fuperfluous moist confames: 325
But I will hafte, and from each bough and brake,
Each plant and jucieft gourd, will pluck fuch
choice

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345

To entertain our Angel gueft, as he
Eeholding fhall confefs, that here on Earth
God hath difpens'd his bounties as in Heaven. 330
So faying, with difpatchful looks in hafte
She turns, on hofpitable thoughts intent
What choice to choofe for delicacy beft,
What order, fo contriv'd as not to mix
Taftes, not well join'd, inelegant, but bring 335
Tafte after tafte upheld with kindlieft change;
Beftirs her then, and from each tender ftalk
Whatever Earth all-bearing mother yields
In India Eaft or Weft, or middle fhore
In Pontus or the Punic coaft, or where
Alcinous reign'd, fruit of all kinds, in coat
Rough or smooth rin'd, or bearded husk, or fhell,
She gathers, tribute large, and on the board
Heaps with unfparing hand; for drink the grape
She crushes, inoffenfive muft, and meaths
From many a berry', and from fweet kernels prefs'd
She tempers dulcet creams, nor thefe to hold
Wants her fit veffels pure, then trows the ground
With rofe and oders from the fhrub unfum'd. 349
Mean while our primitive great fire, to meet
His God-like gut it,walks forth, without more train
Accompanied than with his own complute
Perfections; in himself was all his ftate,
More folemn than the tedious pomp that waits
On princes, when their rich retinue long
Of horfes led, and grooms befmear'd with gold,
Dazzles the creud, and fets them all agape.
Nearer his prefence Adam though not aw'd,
Yet with fubmifs approach and reverence mock,
As to' a fuperior nature, bowing low,
Thus faid. Native of Heav'n, for other place
Noue can than Heav'n fuch glorious fhape contain;
Since by defcending from the thrones above,
Thofe happy places theu haft deign'd a while

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To want, and honor thefe, vouchsafe with us 365
Two' only, who yet by fovran gift poffefs
This fracious ground, in yonder fhady bower
To reft, and what the garden choicest bears
To fit and tafte, till this meridian heat
Be over, and the fun more cool decline.
Whom thus th' angelic Virtue answer'd mild.
Adam, I therefore came, nor art thou fuch
Created, or fuch place haft here to dwell,
As may not oft invite, though Spi'rits of Heaven,
To vifit thee; lead on then where thy bower 375
O'erfhades; for thefe mid-hours, till evening rife,
I have at will. So to the fylvan lodge
They came, that like Pomona's arbor fmil'd
With flow'rets deck'd, and fragrant fmells; but

Of three that in mount Ida naked ftrove,
Stood to' entertain her gueft from Heav'n; no veil
She needed; virtue proof, no thought infirm
Alter'd her cheek. On whom the Angel Hail
Befrow'd, the holy falutation us'd
Long after to bleft Mary, fecond Eve.

386

Hail Mother of Mankind, whofe 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 graffy turf Their table was, and mofly feats had round, And on her ample fquare from fide to fide 393 All autumn pil'd, though fpring and autumn here Danc'd hand in hand. A while difcourfe they hold ; No fear left dinner cool; when thus began Our author. Heav'nly ftranger, please to tafte Thefe bounties, which our Nourifher, from whom All perfect good, unmeafur'd out, defcends, To us for food and for delight hath caus'd The earth to yield; unfavory food perhaps To fpiritual natures; only this I know, That one celeftial Father gives to all.

400

To whom the Angel. Therefore what he gives (Whose praise be ever fung) to Man in part 405 Spiritual, may of pureft Spi'rits he found

No' ingrateful food and food alike those pure
Intelligential fubftances require,

As doth your rational; and both contain
Within them every lower faculty

410

Of fenfe, whereby they hear, fee, fmell, touch,

tafte,

Tafting conco, digeft, affimilate, And corporeal to incorporeal turn.

360

For know, whatever was created, needs
To be fuftain'd and fed; of elements
The groffer feeds the purer, earth the fea,
Earth and the f.a feed air, the air thofe fires
Ethereal, and as loweft firft the moon;
Whence in her visage round those spots, unpurg'd
Vapors not yet into her fubftance turn'd.
Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale
From her moift continent to higher orbs.
The fun, that light imparts to all, receives
From all his alimental recompense
In humid exhalations, and at even

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Sups with the ocean. Though in Heav'n the trees

Of life ambrofial fruitage bear, and vines
Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each

morn

431

We brush mellifluous dews, and find the ground
Cover'd with pearly grain: yet God hath here
Varied his bounty fo with new delights,
As may compare with Heaven; and to tafte
Think not I shall be nice. So down they fat,
And to their viands fell; nor feemingly

The Angel, nor in mift, the common glofs 435
Of Theologians; but with keen dispatch
Of real hunger, and concoctive heat
To tranfubitantiate: what redounds, tranfpires
Through Spirits with ease, nor wonder; if by fire
Of footy coal th' empiric alchemist
Can turn, or holds it pofiible to turn,
Metais of droffieft ore to perfect gold

As from the mine. Mean while at table Eve
Minifter'd naked, and their flowing cups

440

Thus when with meats and drinks they had fuffic'd,

Not burden'd nature, fudden mind arose
In Adam, not to let th' occafion pafs

Giv'n him by this great conference to know

495

To proper substance: time may come, when Men
With Angels may participate, and find
No inconvenient di'et, nor too light fare;
And from thefe corporal nutriments perhaps
Your bodies may at laft turn all to fpirit,
Improv'd by tract of time, and wing'd afcend
Ethereal, as we, or may at choice
Here or in heav'nly Paradifes dwell;
if ye be found obedient, and retain
Unalterably firm his love entire,
Whofe progeny you are.
Your fill what happiness this happy state
Can comprehend, incapable of more.

Mean while enjoy

To whom the patriarch of mankind reply'd.

O favourable Spi'rit, propitious gueft,

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510

Well haft thou taught the way that might direc&
Our knowledge, and the fcale of nature fet
From center to circumference, whereon
In contemplation of created things
By steps we may afcend to God. But fay,
What meant that caution join'd, If ye be found
Obedient? can we want obedience then
To him, or poffibly his love defert,
Who form'd us from the duft, and plac'd us here
Full to the utmost measure of what blifs
Human defires can feek or apprehend?

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460

To whom the Angel. Son of Heav'n and Earth, Attend That thou art happy, owe to God; 520 That thou continueft fuch, owe to thyself, That is, to thy obedience; therein stand. This was that caution giv'n thee; be advis'd. God made thee perfect, not immutable; And good he made thee, but to perfevere

525

Of things above his world, and of their being 455
Who dwell in Heav'n, whofe excellence he faw
Tranfcend his own fo far, whofe radiant forms
Divine effulgence, whose high pow'r so far
Exceeded human; and his wary speech
Thus to th' empyreal minifter he fram'd.
Inhabitant with God, now know I well
Thy favor, in this honor done to Man,
Under whofe lowly roof thou haft vouchsaf'd
To enter, and these earthly fruits to taste,
Food not of Angels, yet accepted fo,
As that more willingly thou couldst not feem
At Heav'n's high feats to' have fed: yet what
compare?

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To whom the winged Hierarch reply'd. O Adam, one Almighty is, from whom All things proceed, and up to him return, If not deprav'd from good, created all Such to perfection, one first matter all, Indued with various forms, various degrees Of substance, and in things that live, of life; But more refin'd, more fpiritous, and pure, As nearer to him plac'd or nearer tending Each in their feveral active fpheres aflign'd, Till body up to fpirit work, in bounds Proportion'd to each kind. So from the root Springs lighter the green ftalk, from thence the leaves 480

475

530

He left it in thy pow'r; ordain'd thy will
By nature free, not over-rul'd by fate
Inextricable, or ftrict neceflity:
Our voluntary fervice he requires,
Not our neceflitated; fuch with him
Finds no acceptance, nor can find; for how
Can hearts, not free, be try'd whether they ferve
Willing or no, who will but what they must
By deftiny, and can no other choose ?
Myself and all th' angelic heft, that stand
In fight of God enthron'd, our happy ftate
Hold, as you yours, while our obedience holds;
On other furety none; freely we ferve,
Because we freely love, as in our will
To love or not: in this we ftand or fall:
And fome are fall'n, to difobedience fall'n,
And fo from Heav'n to deepest Hell; O fall
From what high ftate of Elifs into what woe!

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To whom our great progenitor. Thy words Attentive, and with more delighted ear, 545 Divine infructor, I have heard, than when Cherubic fongs by night from neighb'ring hills Aereal mufic fend: nor knew I not To be both will and deed created free; Yet that we never fhall forget to love Our Maker, and obey him whofe command Single is yet fo juít, my conftant thoughts

550

More aery, last the bright confummate flower
Spirits odorous breathes: flow'rs and their fruit,
Man's nourishment, by gradual scale fublim'd,
To vital fpirits afpire, to animal,
To intellectual; give both life and fenfe,
Fancy and understanding; whence the foul
Reason receives, and reafon is her being,