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In naked majesty, seem'd lords of all:
And worthy seem'd; for in their looks divine
The image of their glorious Maker shone,
Truth, wisdom, sanctitude, severe and pure
(Severe, but in true filial freedom placed,)
Whence true authority in men; though both
Not equal, as their sex not equal seem'd;
For contemplation he and valor form'd
For softness she and sweet attractive grace;
He for God only, she for God in him:
His fair large front and eye sublime declared
Absolute rule; and hyacinthine locks
Round from his parted forelock manly hung
Clustering, but not beneath his shoulders broad:
She, as a veil, down to the slender waist
Her unadorned golden tresses wore
Dishevell'd, but in wanton ringlets waved
As the vine curls her tendrils, which implied
Subjection, but required with gentle sway,
And by her yielded, by him best received;
Yielded with coy submission, modest pride,
And sweet, reluctant, amorous delay.

Nor those mysterious parts were then conceal'd;
Then was not guilty shame, dishonest shame
Of nature's works, honor dishonorable,
Sin-bred: how have ye troubled all mankind
With shows instead, mere shows of seeming pure,
And banish'd from Man's life his happiest life,
Simplicity and spotless innocence!

So pass'd they naked on, nor shunned the sight
Of God or Angel; for they thought no ill:
So hand in hand they pass'd, the loveliest pair,
That ever since in love's embraces met;
Adam the goodliest man of men since born
His sons, the fairest of her daughters Eve.
Under a tuft of shade that on a green

Stood whispering soft, by a fresh fountain side

They sat them down; and, after no more toil
Of their sweet gardening labor than sufficed
To recommend cool zephyr, and made ease
More easy, wholesome thirst and appetite
More grateful, to their supper fruits they fell
Nectarine fruits which the compliant boughs
Yielded them, sidelong as they sat recline
On the soft downy bank damask'd with flowers
The savory pulp they chew, and in the rind
Still as they thirsted, scoop the brimming stream;
Nor gentle purpose nor endearing smiles
Wanted, nor youthful dalliance, as beseems
Fair couple, link'd in happy nuptial league,
Alone as they. About them frisking play'd
All beasts of the Earth, since wild, and of all chase
In wood or wilderness, forest or den;

Sporting the lion ramp'd, and in his paw

Dandled the kid; bears, tigers, ounces, pards,
Gamboll'd before them; the unwieldy elephant.

To make them mirth, used all his might, and wreath'd
His lithe proboscis; close the serpent sly,
Insinuating, wove with Gordian twine

His braided train, and of his fatal guile
Gave proof unheeded; others on the grass
Couch'd, and now fill'd with pasture gazing sat,
Or bedward ruminating; for the sun,
Declined, was hasting now with prone career
To the ocean isles, and in the ascending scale
Of Heaven the stars that usher evening rose;
When Satan still in gaze, as first he stood,
Scarce thus at length fail'd speech recover'd sad:
"O Hell! what do mine eyes with grief behold!
Into our room of bliss thus high advanced
Creatures of other mould, Earth-born perhaps,
Not Spirits, yet to Heavenly spirits bright
Little inferior: whom my thoughts pursue
With wonder, and could love, so lively shines

In them divine resemblance, and such grace

The hand that form'd them on their shape hath poured Ah! gentle pair, ye little think how nigh

Your change approaches, when all these delights

Will vanish, and deliver ye to woe;

More woe, the more you taste is now of joy;
Happy, but for so happy ill secured

Long to continue, and this high seat your Heaven
Ill fenced for Heaven to keep out such a foe
As now is entered; yet no purposed foe
To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn,
Though I unpitied: League with you I seek,
And mutual amity, so straight so close,
That I with you must dwell, or you with me
Henceforth: my dwelling haply may not please,
Like this fair Paradise, your sense; yet such
Accept your Maker's work; he gave it me
Which I as freely give: Hell shall unfold
To entertain you two, her widest gates,
And send forth all her Kings; there will be room,
Not like these narrow limits to conceive
Your numerous offspring; if no better place,
Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge

On you who wrong me not for him who wronged,
And should I at your harmless innocence

Melt, as I do, yet public reason just,

Honor and empire with revenge enlarged,

By conquering this new World, compel me now
To do what else, though damn'd I should abhor."
So spake the Fiend, and with necessity,
The tyrant's plea excused his Devilish deeds.
Then from his lofty stand on that high tree
Down he alights among the sportful herd
Of those four-footed kinds, himself now one,
Now other, as their shape served best his end
Nearer to view his prey, and, un-espied,

To mark what of their state he more might learn,

By word or action mark'd: about them round

A lion now he stalks with fiery glare;
Then as a tiger who by chance hath spied
In some purlieu, two gentle fawns at play,
Straight couches close, then rising, changes oft
His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground,
Whence rushing, he might surest seize them both
Griped in each paw; when Adam, first of men,
To first of women, Eve, thus moving speech,
Turn'd him all ear to hear new utterance flow:

"Sole partner and sole part of all these joys,
Dearer thyself than all; needs must the Power
That made us, and for us this ample world,
Be infinitely good, and of his good

As liberal and free as infinite;

That raised us from the dust, and placed us here
In all this happiness, who at his hand

Have nothing merited, nor can perform

Aught whereof he hath need; he who requires

From us no other service than to keep

This one, this easy charge, of all the trees

In Paradise that bear delicious fruit

So various, not to taste that only tree

Of knowledge, planted by the tree of life;

So near grows death to life, whate'er death is,

Some dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou know'st

God hath pronounced it death to taste that tree,

The only sign of our obedience left,

Among so many signs of power and rule

Confered upon us, and dominion given,

Over all other creatures that possess

Earth, air, and sea. Then let us not think hard

One easy prohibition, who enjoy,

Free leave so large to all things else, and choice
Unlimited of manifold delights:

But let us ever praise him, and extol

His bounty following our delightful task,

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