Much fairer to my fancy than by day:
And as I wond'ring look'd, befide it flood
One fhap'd and wing'd like one of those from Heaven By us oft feen; his dewy locks diftill'd Ambrofia; on that tree he also gaz'd;
And O fair plant, faid he, with fruit furcharg'd, Deigns none to ease thy load and taste thy fweet, Nor God, nor Man? is knowledge so despis'd ? Or envy' or what referve forbids to tafte? Forbid who will, none fhall from me withhold Longer thy offer'd good, why elfe fet here? This faid, he paus'd not, but with ventrous arm He pluck'd, he tafted; me damp horror chill'd At fuch bold words vouch'd with a deed fo bold: But he thus overjoy'd, O fruit divine, Sweet of thyfelf, but much more fweet thus cropt, Forbidden here, it feems, as only fit
For Gods, yet able to make Gods of Men:
And why not Gods of Men, fince good, the more Communicated, more abundant grows,
The author not impair'd, but honor'd more? Here, happy creature, fair angelic Eve, Partake thou alfo; happy though thou art, Happier thou may'ft be, worthier canft not be: Taste this, and be henceforth among the Gods Thyfelf a Goddefs, not to earth confin'd, But fometimes in the air, as we, fometimes Afcend to Heav'n, by merit thine, and fee
What life the Gods live there, and fuch live thou.
So faying, he drew nigh, and to me held,
Ev'n to my mouth of that fame fruit held part Which he had pluck'd; the pleasant savory finell So quicken'd appetite, that I, methought, Could not but tafte. Forthwith up to the clouds With him I flew, and underneath beheld The earth outstretch'd immenfe, a profpect wide And various wondring at my flight and change To this high exaltation; fuddenly
My guide was gone, and I, methought, funk down, And fell asleep; but O how glad I wak’d
To find this but a dream! Thus Eve her night Related, and thus Adam anfwer'd fad.
Beft image of myfelf and dearer half, The trouble of thy thoughts this night in fleep Affects me equally; nor can I like This uncouth dream, of evil sprung I fear; Yet evil whence? in thee can harbour none, Created pure. But know that in the foul Åre many leffer faculties, that ferve Reafon as chief; among these fancy next Her office holds; of all external things, Which the five watchful fenfes reprefent, She forms imaginations, aery fhapes, Which reafon joining or disjoining, frames All what we' affirm or what deny, and call Our knowledge or opinion; then retires Into her private cell when nature rests. Oft in her abfence mimic fancy wakes To imitate her; but misjoining shapes, Wild works produces oft, and moft in dreams,
Ill matching words and deeds long past or late. Some fuch refemblances methinks I find Of our last evening's talk, in this thy dream, But with addition strange; yet be not fad.
Evil into the Mind of God or Man
May come and go, fo unapprov'd, and leave No spot or blame behind: Which gives me hope That what in fleep thou didst abhor to dream, Waking thou never wilt confent to do. Be not difhearten'd then, nor cloud thofe looks, That wont to be more chearful and ferene, Than when fair morning firft fimiles on the world; And let us to our fresh employments rife Among the groves, the fountains, and the flowers That open now their choicest bofom'd finells, Referv'd from night, and kept for thee in store.
So chear'd he his fair spouse, and the was chear'd,
But filently a gentle tear let fall
From either eye, and wip'd them with her hair;
Two other precious drops that ready ftood,
Each in their crystal fluce, he ere they fell Kifs'd, as the gracious figns of fweet remorse And pious awe, that fear'd to have offended.
So all was clear'd, and to the field they haste.
But first, from under fhady arbo’rous roof Soon as they forth were come to open fight
Of day-fpring, and the fun, who scarce up rifen, With wheels yet hovering o'er the ocean brim, Shot parallel to the earth his dewy ray, Discovering in wide landskip all the caft
Of Paradise and Eden's happy plains, Lowly they bow'd adoring, and began Their orifons, each morning duly paid In various stile; for neither various stile
Nor holy rapture wanted they to praise
Their Maker, in fit ftrains pronounc'd or fung Unmeditated, fuch prompt eloquence
Flow'd from their lips, in profe or numerous verfe, 150
More tuneable than needed lute or harp
To add more sweetness; and they thus began.
These are thy glorious works, Parent of good, Almighty, thine this univerfal frame,
Thus wondrous fair; thyfelf how wondrous then! 155 Unspeakable, who fitft above these heavens
To us invisible, or dimly feen
In these thy lowest works; yet these declare
Thy goodness beyond thought, and pow'r divine. Speak ye who beft can tell, ye fons of light, Angels; for ye
behold him, and with fongs
And choral fymphonies, day without night, Circle his throne rejoicing; ye in Heaven,
On Earth join all ye Creatures to extol
Him first, him last, him midft, and without end. Fairest of stars, last in the train of night,
If better thou belong not to the dawn,
Sure pledge of day, that crown'ft the smiling morn With thy bright circlet, praise him in thy sphere, While day arifes, that sweet hour of prime. Thou Sun, of this great world both eye and foul, Acknowledge him thy greater, found his praise
In thy eternal courfe, both when thou climb'ft, And when high noon haft gain'd, and when thou fall'ft. Moon, that now meet'ft the orient fun, now fly'ft, 175 With the fix'd ftars, fix'd in their orb that flies,
And ye five other wand'ring fires that move In myftic dance not without fong, refound His praife, who out of darknefs call'd-up light. Air, and ye Elements, the eldest birth Of Nature's womb, that in quaternion run Perpetual circle, multiform; and mix
And nourish all things; let your ceafelefs change Vary to our great Maker ftill new praife. Ye Mifts and Exhalations that now rife From hill or steaming lake, dusky or gray, Till the fun paint your fleccy fkirts with gold, In honor to the world's great Author rife, Whether to deck with clouds th' uncolor'd sky, Or wet the thirsty earth with falling fhowers, Rifing or falling fill advance his praife.
His praife, ye Winds, that from four quarters blow, Breathe foft or loud; and wave your tops, ye Pines, With every plant, in fign of worship wave. Fountains and ye, that warble, as ye flow, Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise. Join voices, all ye living Souls: ye Birds, That finging up to Heaven gate afcend, Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise. Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk The earth, and stately tread, or lowly creep; Witnefs if I be filent, morn or even,
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