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The Hand that form'd them on their shape hath

pour'd.

Ah, gentle pair, ye little think how nigh

Your change approaches, when all these deligh's
Will vanish and deliver ye to woe,

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

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Long to continue, and this high seat your Heav'n
Ill fenced for Heav'n to keep out such a foe
As now is enter'd; yet no purposed foe
To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn
Though I unpitied: League with you I seek,
And mutual amity so strait, 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 receive
Your num'rous offspring; if no better place,
Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge
On you who wrong me not, for him who wrong'd.
And should I at your harmless innocence
Melt, as I do, yet public reason just,
Honour and empire with revenge enlarged,
By conqu'ring this new world, compels 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 dev'lish 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 unespy'd

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To mark what of their state he more might learn 400 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 spy'd
In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play,
Straight couches close, then rising changes oft

His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground

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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 utt'rance flow: 410
Sole partner, and sole part, of all these joys,
Dearer thyself than all; needs must the Pow'r
That made us, and for us this ample world,
Be infinitely good, and of his good

As liberal and free as infinite;

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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

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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,

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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 pow'r and rule
Conferr'd upon us, and dominion giv'n
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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Το prune these growing plants, and tend these flow'rs; Which, were it toilsome, yet with thee were sweet.

To whom thus Eve reply'd: 0 thou for whom 440 And from whom I was form'd flesh of thy flesh, And without whom am to no end, my guide And head, what thou hast said is just and right. For we to him indeed all praises owe, And daily thanks; I chiefly who enjoy So far the happier lot, enjoying thee Pre-eminent by so much odds, while thou Like consort to thyself canst no where find.

421. Gen. ii. 16. also Gen. i. 28.

445

That day I oft remember, when from sleep

I first awaked, and found myself reposed
Under a shade on flow'rs, much wond'ring where
And what I was, whence thither brought, and how.
Not distant far from thence a murm'ring sound
Of waters issued from a cave, and spread
Into a liquid plain, then stood unmoved
Pure as th' expanse of Heav'n. I thither went
With unexperienced thought, and laid me down
On the green bank, to look into the clear
Smooth lake, that to me seem'd another sky.
As I bent down to look, just opposite

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A shape within the wat'ry gleam appear'd,
Bending to look on me. I started back;
It started back: but pleased I soon return'd;
Pleased it return'd as soon with answ'ring looks
Of sympathy and love: there I had fix'd
Mine eyes till now, and pined with vain desire,
Had not a voice thus warn'd me. What thou seest,
What there thou seest, fair Creature, is thyself;
With thee it came and goes: but follow me,
And I will bring thee where no shadow stays
Thy coming, and thy soft embraces, he
Whose image thou art; him thou shalt enjoy
Inseparably thine: to him shalt bear
Multitudes like thyself, and thence be call'd
Mother of Human Race. What could I do
But follow straight, invisibly thus led?
Till I espy'd thee, fair indeed and tall,

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Under a platan; yet methought less fair,

Less winning soft, less amiably mild,

Than that smooth wat'ry image. Back I turn'd: 480
Thou following cry'dst aloud, Return, fair Eve;
Whom fly'st thou? whom thou fly'st, of him thou art;

His flesh, his bone: to give thee being I lent
Out of my side to thee, nearest my heart
Substantial life, to have thee by my side
Henceforth an individual solace dear;
Part of my soul I seek thee, and thee claim
My other half: with that thy gentle hand

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451. Milton's first edition read thus; the second, Under a shade of flow'rs, but they reposed not under, but on flowers

483. Gen ii. 23.

Seized mine; I yielded, and from that time see
How beauty is excell'd by manly grace
And wisdcm, which aione is truly fair.

So spake our gen'ral mother, and with eyes
Of conjugal attraction unreproved,
And meek surrender, half embracing lean'd
On our first father; half her swelling breast
Naked met his under the flowing gold
Of her loose tresses hid: he in delight,
Both of her beauty and submissive charms,
Smiled with superior love, as Jupiter

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On Juno smiles when he impregns the clouds

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That shed May flow'rs; and press'd her matron lip

With kisses pure. Aside the Devil turn'd

For envy, yet with jealous leer malign

Eyed them askance, and to himself thus 'plain'd:

Sight hateful! sight tormenting! thus these two, Imparadised in one another's arms,

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The happier Eden, shall enjoy their fill

Of bliss on bliss; while I to Hell am thrust,

Where neither joy nor love, but fierce desire,

Among our other torments not the least,
Still unfulfill'd with pain of longing, pines.
Yet let me not forget what I have gain'd

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From their own mouths: all is not theirs, it seems;
One fatal tree there stands, of Knowledge call'd,
Forbidden them to taste: Knowledge forbidden? 515
Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord
Euvy them that? Can it be sin to know?
Can it be death? And do they only stand
By ignorance? Is that their happy state,
The proof of their obedience and heir faith?

O fair foundation laid whereon to build
Their ruin! Hence I will excite their minds

With more desire to know, and to reject
Envious commands, invented with design

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To keep them low whom knowledge might exalt 525
Equal with Gods: aspiring to be such,

They taste and die. What likelier can ensue?
But first with narrow search I must walk round

499. Jupiter is here figurative of the Heaven, and Juno of the a 503. Imparadised this word had been used before, t Sir Philip Sidney in the Arcadia.

This garden, and no corner leave unspy'd:

A chance but chance may lead where I may meet 530
Some wand'ring Spirit of Heav'n by fountain side,
Or in thick shade retired, from him to draw
What further would be learn'd. Live while ye may,
Yet happy pair; enjoy, till I return,
Short pleasures, for long woes are to succeed.

535

So saying, his proud step he scornful turn'd, But with sly circumspection, and began

Thro' wood, thro' waste, o'er hill, o'er dale, his roam.
Meanwhile in utmost longitude, where Heav'n
With earth and ocean meets, the setting Sun
Slowly descended, and with right aspect

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Against the eastern gate of Paradise
Levell'd his ev'ning rays: it was a rock
Of alabaster, piled up to the clouds,
Conspicuous far, winding with one ascent
Accessible from earth, one entrance high;
The rest was craggy cliff, that overhung
Still as it rose, impossible to climb.
Betwixt these rocky pillars Gabriel sat,
Chief of th' angelic guards, awaiting night;
About him exercised heroic games

Th' unarmed youth of Heav'n, but nigh at hand
Celestial armoury, shields, helms, and spears,
Hung high with diamond flaming, and with gold.
Thither came Uriel, gliding through th' even
On a sun-beam, swift as a shooting star
In autumn thwarts the night, when vapours fired
Impress the air, and shews the mariner
From what point of his compass to beware
Impetuous winds. He thus began in haste :
Gabriel, to thee thy course by lot hath giv'n
Charge and strict watch, that to this happy place
No evil thing approach or enter in.

This day at highth of noon came to my sphere
A Spirit, zealous, as he seem'd, to know
More of th' Almighty's works, and chiefly Man,

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549. For mention of Gabriel, see Daniel vii. and ix. also Luke i. his name signifies the man or the power of God.

555. Through th' even, or that part of the heavens now becoming dark with the approaching evening.

561. This is in allusion to the courses of the priests in the temple service: see 1 Chron. xxiv. and Luke i. 8, 9.

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