Satan had journey'd on, penfive and slow;
But further way found none, so thick intwin'd,
As one continued brake, the undergrowth
Of fhrubs and tangling bushes had perplex'd
All path of man or beast that pass'd that way:
One gate there only was, and that look'd east
'On th' other fide: which when th' arch-felon faw,
Due entrance he difdain'd, and in contempt,
At one flight bound high over leap'd all bound
Of hill or highest wall, and sheer within
Lights on his feet. As when a prowling wolf,
Whom hunger drives to seek new haunt for prey,
Watching where thepherds pen their flocks at eve 185
In hurdled cotes amid the field fecure,
Leaps o'er the fence with eafe into the fold:
Or as a thief bent to unhord the cash
Of some rich burgher, whose substantial doors,
Cross-barr'd and bolted faft, fear no affault,
In at the window climbs, or o'er the tiles :
So clomb this firft grand thief into God's fold;
So fince into his church lewd hirelings climb.
Thence up he flew, and on the tree of life,
The middle tree and highest there that grew,
Sat like a cormorant ; yet not true life
Thereby regain'd, but fat devifing death
To them who liv'd; nor on the virtue thought
Of that life-giving plant, but only us'd
For profpect, what well us'd had been the pledge 200
Of immortality. So little knows
Any, but God alone, to value right.
The good before him, but perverts best things
To worft abufe, or to their meanest use.
Beneath him with new wonder now he views
To all delight of human fenfe expos'd
In narrow room Nature's whole wealth, yea more,
A Heav'n on Earth: for blifsful Paradife
Of God the garden was, by him in th' east
Of Eden planted; Eden ftretch'd her line
From Auran eastward to the royal towers
Of great Seleucia, built by Grecian kings,
Or where the fons of Eden long before
Dwelt in Telaffar: in this pleasant soil
His far more pleasant garden God ordain'd;
Out of the fertil ground he caus'd to grow
All trees of nobleft kind for fight, smell, taste;
And all amid them stood the tree of life,
High eminent, blooming ambrosial fruit
Of vegetable gold; and next to life,
Our death the tree of knowledge grew faft by,
Knowledge of good bought dear by knowing ill.
Southward through Eden went a river large,
Nor chang'd his course, but through the shaggy hill
Pafe'd underneath ingulf'd, for God had thrown 225
That mountain as his garden mold high rais'd
Upon the rapid current, which through veins
Of porous earth with kindly thirst up drawn,
Rofe a fresh fountain, and with many a rill
Water'd the garden; thence united fell
Down the steep glade, and met the nether flood,
Which from his darkfome paffage now appears,
And now divided into four main streams,
Runs diverfe, wand'ring many a famous realm
And country, whereof here needs no account;
But rather to tell how, if Art could tell,
How from that faphir fount the crisped brooks,
Rolling on orient pearl and fands of gold,
With mazy error under pendent shades
Ran nectar, visiting each plant, and fed
Flow'rs, worthy' of Paradife, which not nice Art
In beds and curious knots, but Nature boon
Pour'd forth profuse on hill and dale and plain,
Both where the morning fun first warmly smote
The open field, and where the unpierc'd fhade
Inbrown'd the noontide bow'rs: Thus was this place
A happy rural seat of various view;
Groves whose rich trees wept odorous gums and balm,
Others whose fruit burnish'd with golden rind
Hung amiable, Hefperian fables true,
If true, here only', and of delicious taste :
Betwixt them lawns, or level downs, and flocks
Grazing the tender herb, were interpos'd,
Or palmy hilloc; or the flow'ry lap
Of fome irriguous valley spread her store,
Flow'rs of all hue, and without thorn the rofe:
Another fide, umbrageous grots and caves
Of cool recefs, o'er which the mantling vine
Lays forth her purple grape, and gently creeps
Luxuriant; mean while murm'ring waters fall
Down the flope hills, difpers'd, or in a lake,
That to the fringed bank with myrtle crown'd
Her crystal mirror holds, unite their streams.
The birds their quire apply; airs, vernal airs,
Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune
The trembling leaves, while univerfal Pan
Knit with the Graces and the Hours in dance
Led on th' eternal fpring. Not that fair field
Of Enna, where Proferpin gathering flowers,
Herfelf a fairer flow'r by gloomy Dis
Was gather'd, which coft Ceres all that pain
To feek her through the world; nor that sweet grove
Of Daphne by Orontes, and th' inspir'd:
Caftalian spring, might with this Paradise
Of Eden strive; nor that Nyfeian ile
Girt with the river Triton, where old Cham,
Whom Gentiles Ammon call and Libyan Jove,
Hid Amalthea and her florid fon
Young Bacchus from his stepdame Rhea's eye;
Nor where Abaffin kings their iffue guard,
Mount Amara, though this by fome fuppos'd
True Paradise under the Ethiop line,
By Nilus head, inclos'd with fhining rock,
A whole day's journey high, but wide remote
From this Affyrian garden, where the Fiend
Saw undelighted all delight, all kind
Of living creatures new to fight and strange.
Two of far nobler shape erect and tall,
Godlike erect, with native honor clad
In naked majefty feem'd lords of all,
And worthy feem'd; for in their looks divine,
The image of their glorious Maker fhone,
Truth, wifdom, fanctitude fevere and pure,
(Severe but in true filial freedom plac'd)
Whence true authority in men; though both
Not equal, as their fex not equal feem'd;
For contemplation he and valor form'd,
For softness she and sweet attractive grace,
He for God only, fhe for God in him :
His fair large front and eye fublime declar'd
Abfolute rule; and hyacinthin locks
Round from his parted forelock manly hung
Cluftring, but not beneath his shoulders broad:
She as a veil down to the flender wafte
Her unadorned golden treffes wore
Dishevel'd, but in wanton ringlets wav'd
As the vine curls her tendrils, which imply'd
Subjection, but requir'd with gentle sway,
And by her yielded, by him beft receiv'd,
Yielded with coy fubmiffion, modest pride,
And fweet reluctant amorous delay.
Nor those mysterious parts were then conceal'd,
Then was not guilty fhame, dishonest shame
Of nature's works, honor difhonorable,
Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind
With fhows inftead, mere fhows of feeming pure,
And banish'd from man's life his happiest life,
Simplicity and fpotlefs innocence !
So pass'd they naked on, nor shunn'd the fight
Of God or Angel, for they thought no ill:
So hand in hand they pafs'd, the loveliest pair
That ever fince in love's embraces met;
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