Page images
PDF
EPUB

Sole, or refponfive each to others note,

Singing their great Creator oft in bands

While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk 685
With heav'nly touch of inftrumental founds
In full harmonic number join'd, their fongs
Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to Heaven.
Thus talking, hand in hand along they pafs'd

On to their blissful bow'r; it was a place
Chos'n by the fovran Planter, when he fram'd
All things to Man's delightful use; the roof
Of thickest covert was inwoven shade
Laurel and myrtle, and what higher grew
Of firm and fragrant leaf; on either fide

Acanthus, and each odorous bushy shrub

690

695

Fenc'd up the verdant wall; each beauteous flower, Iris all hues, roses, and jeffamin,

Rear'd high their flourish'd heads between, and wrought Mofaic; underfoot the violet,

Crocus, and hyacinth, with rich inlay

Broider'd the ground, more color'd than with stone Of costlieft emblem: other creature here,

Beast, bird, infect, or worm, durft enter none,

700

Such was their awe of Man. In fhadier bower 705
More facred and fequefter'd, though but feign'd,
Pan or Sylvanus never flept, nor Nymph,
Nor Faunus haunted. Here in clofe recefs
With flowers, garlands, and sweet-fmelling herbs
Efpoused Eve deck'd first her nuptial bed,
And heav'nly quires the hymenaan fung,
What day the genial Angel to our fire

710

Brought

Brought her in naked beauty more adorn'd,
More lovely than Pandora, whom the Gods
Endow'd with all their gifts, and O too like
In fad event, when to th' unwiser fon
Of Japhet brought by Hermes, fhe infnar'd
Mankind with her fair looks, to be aveng'd
On him who had ftole Jove's authentic fire.

715

Thus at their fhady lodge arriv'd, both stood, 720 Both turn'd, and under open sky ador'd

725

The God that made both sky, air, earth, and heaven,
Which they beheld, the moon's refplendent globe,
And ftarry pole: Thou alfo mad'ft the night,
Maker omnipotent, and thou the day,
Which we in our appointed work employ'd
Have finish'd, happy in our mutual help
And mutual love, the crown of all our blifs
Ordain'd by thee, and this delicious place
For us too large, where thy abundance wants
Partakers, and uncropt falls to the ground.
But thou haft promis'd from us two a race
To fill the earth, who fhall with us extol
Thy goodness infinite, both when we wake,

730

And when we feek, as now, thy gift of sleep.
This faid unanimous, and other rites

735

Obferving none, but adoration pure

Which God likes beft, into their inmost bower
Handed they went; and, eas'd the putting off
These troublesome disguises which we wear,
Strait fide by fide were laid; nor turn'd I ween
Adam from his fair spouse, nor Eve the rites

740

Myfterious

Mysterious of connubial love refus'd:
Whatever hypocrites aufterely talk

Of purity and place and innocence,

Defaming as impure what God declares

Pure, and commands to fome, leaves free to all..

745

Our Maker bids increafe; who bids abstain

But our Destroyer, foe to God and Man?

Hail wedded Love, myfterious law, true fource
Of human offspring, fole propriety

750

In Paradife of all things common elfe.

By thee adult'rous luft was driv'n from men
Among the bestial herds to range; by thee
Founded in reason, loyal, juft, and pure,
Relations dear, and all the charities

755

Of father, fon, and brother, first were known.

Far be' it, that I fhould write thee fin or blame,
Or think thee unbefitting holiest place,
Perpetual fountain of domeftic fweets

760

Whofe bed is undefil'd and chafte pronounc'd,
Prefent, or past, as faints and patriarchs us'd.
Here love his golden fhafts employs, here lights
His conftant lamp, and waves his purple wings,
Reigns here and revels; not in the bought fmile 765
Of harlots, lovelefs, joyless, unindear'd,

Cafual fruition; nor in court amours,

Mix'd dance, or wanton mask, or midnight ball,
Or ferenate, which the ftarv'd lover fings
To his proud fair, beft quitted with disdain.
These lull'd by nightingales embracing flept,
And on their naked limbs the flow'ry roof

770

Show'rd

Show'rd rofes, which the morn repair'd. Sleep on,
Bleft pair; and O yet happieft, if ye seek
No happier ftate, and know to know no more.

Now had night measur'd with her fhadowy cone
Half way up hill this vaft fublunar vault,
And from their ivory port the Cherubim
Forth iffuing at th' accustom❜d hour flood arm'd
To their night watches in warlike parade,
When Gabriel to his next in pow'r thus fpake.

775

780

Uzziel, half these draw off, and coast the south
With strictest watch; these other wheel the north;
Our circuit meets full weft. As flame they part,
Half wheeling to the shield, half to the spear. 785
From these, two strong and fubtle Spi'rits he call'd
That near him stood, and gave them thus in charge.
Ithuriel and Zephon, with wing'd speed
Search through this garden, leave unfearch'd no nook;
But chiefly where those two fair creatures lodge, 790
Now laid perhaps afleep fecure of harm.

This evening from the fun's decline arriv'd
Who tells of fome infernal Spirit feen

795

Hitherward bent (who could have thought?) efcap'd
The bars of Hell, on errand bad no doubt:
Such where'ye find, feife faft, and hither bring.
So faying, on he led his radiant files,

Dazling the moon; these to the bow'r direct

In fearch of whom they fought: him there they found Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve,

Affaying by his devilish art to reach

The

organs of her fancy', and with them forge

800

Illufions

Illufions as he lift, phantafms and dreams,
Or if, inspiring venom, he might taint

Th' animal spirits that from pure blood arise
Like gentle breaths from rivers pure, thence raise
At least distemper'd, discontented thoughts,

805

810

815

Vain hopes, vain aims, inordinate defires,
Blown up with high conceits ingendring pride.
Him thus intent Ithuriel with his spear
Touch'd lightly; for no falfhood can indure
Touch of celestial temper, but returns
of force to its own likeness: up he starts
Discover'd and furpris'd. As when a spark
Lights on a heap of nitrous powder, laid
Fit for the tun fome magazine to store
Against a rumor'd war, the smutty grain
With fudden blaze diffus'd inflames the air:
So ftarted up in his own shape the Fiend.
Back ftept those two fair Angels half amaz'd
So fudden to behold the grisly king;
Yet thus, unmov'd with fear, accost him foon.
Which of those rebel Spi'rits adjudg'd to Hell
Com'ft thou, escap'd thy prison? and transform'd,
Why fatft thou like an enemy in wait,
Here watching at the head of these that fleep?
Know ye not then, faid Satan fill'd with fcorn,
Know ye not me? ye knew me once no mate
For you, there fitting where ye durft not foar:
Not to know me argues yourselves unknown,
The lowest of your throng; or if ye know,
Why afk ye, and fuperfluous begin

820

829

830

Your

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »