As clouds, and clouds may rain, and rain produco
Fruits in her soften'd soil, for sonse to eat
Allott d there ; and other suns perhaps
With their attendant moons thou wilt descry,
Communicating male and female light,

150 Which two great sexes animate the world, Stored in each orb perhaps with some that live. For such vast room in nature unpossess'd by living soul, desert and desolate, Only to shine, yet scarce ir contribute

155 Each orb a glimpse of light, convey'd so far Dnwu to this habitable, which returns Light back to them, is obvious to dispute. But whether thus these things, or whether not; Whether the sun predonsinant in Heav'n 160 Rise on the earth, or earth rise on the sun, He from the east his flaning road begin, Or she from west her silent course advance With inoffensive pace that spinning sleeps On her soft axle, while she paces even,

165 And bears thee soft with the smooth air along, Solicit not thy thoughts with matters hid ; Leave them to God above; bim serve and fear! Oi other creatures, as him pleases best, Wherever placed, let him dispose : joy thou 170 In what he gives to thee, this Paradise And thy fair Eve. Heav'n is for thee too high To know what passes there. Be lowly wise : Think only what concerns thee and thy being ; Dream not of other worlds, what creatures there 175 Live, in what state, condition, or degree, Contented that thus far hath been reveal'd Not of Earth only, but of highest Heav'n.

To whom thus Adam, clear'd of doubt, reply'd : How fully hast thou satisfy'd me, pure

180 Intelligence of Heav'ı), Angel serene, Aud freed from intricacies, taught to live, The easiest way; nor with perplexing thoughts To interrupt the sweet of life, from which

150. The conceit in this line is very old, the sun heing said to communicate male, the moon female li. lit.

158. Nunghi, or likr, is proposed instead of light in this verse, bit the reasons alleged are hardly sufficient to authorize the change.

God hath bid dwell far off all anxions cares, 185
And not molest us, unless we ourselves
Seek them with wand'ring thoughts, and notions
But apt the mind or fancy is to rove

(vaia
Uucheck'd, and of her roving is no end;
Till warn'd, or by experience tanght, she learn, 190
That not to know at large of things remote
From ise, obscure and subtle, but to know
That which before us lies in daily life,
Js the prime wisdom ; what is more is fume,
Or emptiness, or fond impertinence,

195 And renders us in things that most concern Unpractised, unprepared, and still to seek. Therefore from this high pitch let us descend A lower flight, and speak of things at hand Useful, whence haply niention may arise 200 Of something not unseasonable to ask Ry suff'rance, and thy wonted favour deign'd. Thee I have heard relating what was done Ere my remembrance : now hear me relate My story, which perhaps thou hast not heard; 205 And day is yet not spent; till then thou seest How subtly to detain thee I devise, Inviting thee to hear while I relate, Fond, were it not in hope of thy reply: For while I sit with thee, I seen in Heav'n; 210 And sweeter thy discourse is to my ear Than fruits of palm-tree pleasantest to thirst And hunger both, from labour, at the hour Of sweet repast: they satiate and soon till, Though pleasant, but thy words, with grace divine Imbued, bring to their sweetness no satiety. 216

To whom thus Raphael answer'd heav'nly meek : Nor are thy lips ungraceful, Sire of men, Nor tongue ineloquent; for God on thee Abundantly his gifts hath also pour'd

220 Inward and outward both, his image fair: Speaking or mute, all comeliness and grace

201. There are few passages in the poem which will be read with more pleasing sensations, than the relation Adam gives of his first sensations on his oecoling conscious of existence. The same idea of describing a human being wakening into life in the full maturity of lis powers, has been made the silbject of a beautiful little piece ir Buffon.

Attends thee, and each word, each motion forms : Nor less think we in Heav'n of thee on Earth Than of our fellow-servant, and inquire

225 Gladly into the ways of God with Man: For God, we see, hath honour'd thee, and set 01 Man his equal love : say therefore on; For I that day was absent, as befel, Bound on a voyage ucouth and obscure,

230 Far on excursion tow'rd the gates of Hell; Squared in full legion (such command we had) To see that none thence issued forth a spy, Or enemy, while God was iv his work, Lest he, incensed at such eruption bold,

235 Destruction with creation might have mix'd. Not that they durst without his leave attempt, But us he sends upon his high behests For state, as Sov'reign King, and to inure Our prom t obedience. Fast we found, fast shut The dismal gates, and barricado'd strong ;

241 But long ere our approaching, heard within Noise, other than the sound of dance or song; Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage. Glad we return'd up to the coasts of light

2.15 Ere Sabbath er’ning: so we had in charge. But thy relation now; for I attend, Pleased with thy words, no less than thon with mine.

So spake the God-like Pow'r, and thus our sire : For Man to tell how human life began

250 Is hard; for who himself beginning knew? Desire with thee still longer to converse Induced me. As new waked from soundest sleep, Soft on the flowery herb I found me laid In balmy sweat, which with his beams the sun 255 Soon dry'd, and on the reeking moisture fed. Straight toward Heav'n my wond'ring eyes I turu'd, And gazed a while the ample sky, till raised By quick instinctive motion, up I spring, As thitherward endeav'ring, and upright

260 Stood on my feet. About me round I saw Hill, dale, and shady woods, and sunny plains,

225. So the angel addresses John, Rev. xvii. 9. 229 The absence of Raphae was invented to give Adam a at reason for his narrative.

240. Virgil, Æn. vi. 557.

And liqnid lapse of murm'ring streams: by these,
Creatures that lived, and moved, and walk'd, or tiew:
Birds on the branches warbling: all things smiled;
With fragrance and with joy my heart b'erflow'd.
Myself I then perused, and limb by limb
Survey'd, and sometimes went, and sometimes ran
With supple joints, as lively vigour led :
But who I was, or where, or from what cause, 270
Kiew not. To speak I try'd, and forth with spake;
My tongue obey'd, and readily could name
Whate'er I saw. Thou Sun, said I, fair light,
And thou enlighten'd Earth, so fresh and gay;
Ye Hills and Dales, ye Rivers, Woods, and Plains,
And ye that live and move, fair Creatures, tell, 276
Tell if ye saw, how came I thus ? how here?
Not of myself: by some great Maker then,
In goodness and in pow'r pre-eminent !
T'ell me, how may I know him, how adore, 280
From whom I have that thus I move and live,
And feel that I am happier than I know.
While thus I call'd, and stray'd I knew not whither,
From where I first drew air, and first beheld
This happy light, when answer none return'd, 295
On a green shady bank profuse of flow'rs,
Pensive I sat me down ; there gentle sleep
First found me, and with soft oppression seized
My droused sense, untroubled, though I thought
I then was passing to my former state

290
Insensible, and forth with tu dissolve:
When suddeniy stood at my bead a dream,
Whose inward apparition gently moved
My fancy to believe I yet had being,

294 And lived. One came, niethought, of shape divine, And said, Thy mansion wants thee Adam ; rise, First man, of men innumerable ordain'd First Father ; call’d by thee, I come thy guide

286. Wilh fragrance, with a joy like that of nature in spring time.

272. There is no contradiction between this line and line 352, &c. as Warburton assertu. Adani was able to name things venerally, that is, according to their several kinds of bein", ils soon as he behel. theni, but it was by a niore immediate inspiration, Milton intiniates, thitt he was taught to give names to the several species of animals, &c.

To the garden of bliss, thy seat prepared.
So saying, by the hand he took me raised, 800
And over fields and waters, as in air
Smooth sliding without step, last led me up
A woody mountain, whose high top was plain;
A circuit wide, inclosed, with goodliest trees 301
Planted, with walks and bow'rs, that what I saw
Of earth before scarce pleasant seem'd.

Each tree
Loaden with fairest fruit, that hung to th' eye
Tempting, stirr'd in me sudden appetite
To pluck and eat; whereat I waked, and found
Before mine eyes all real, as the dream

310 Had lively shadow'd. Here had new begun My wand'ring, had not he who was my guide Up hither, from among the trees appear'd, Presence divine. Rejoicing, but with awe, In adoration at his feet I fell

315 Subniss: he rear'd me', and Whom thou sought'st Said mildly ; Author of all this thou seest

[1 am, Above, or round about thee, or beneath. This Paradise I give thee : count it thine To till and keep, and of the fruit to eat.

320 Of every tree that in the garden grows Eat freely with glad heart; fear here no dearth; But of the tree whose operation brings Knowledge of good and ill, which I have set The pledge of thy obedience and thy faith, Amid the garden, by the tree of life, Remember what I warn thee: Shun to taste, And shun the bitter consequence; for know, The day thou eat'st thereof, my sole command Transgress'd, inevitably thou shalt die;

325