Perfections; in himself was all his state,
More folemn than the tedious pomp that waits
On princes, when their rich retinue long
Of horses led, and grooms befinear'd with gold,
Dazles the croud, and fets them all agape.
Nearer his prefence Adam though not aw'd,
Yet with fubmifs approach and reverence meek,
As to' a fuperior nature, bowing low,

Thus faid. Native of Heav'n, for other place
None can than Heav'n fuch glorious shape contain
Since by defcending from the thrones above,
Thofe happy places thou haft deign'd a while
To want, and honor thefe, vouchfafe with us
Two' only, who yet by sovran gift poffefs
This fpacious ground, in yonder shady bower
To reft, and what the garden choicest bears
To fit and tafte, till this meridian heat
Be over, and the fun more cool decline.

Whom thus th' angelic Virtue answer'd mild.
Adam, I therefore came, nor art thou fuch
Created, or fuch place haft here to dwell,

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As may not oft invite, though Spi'rits of Heaven,
To vifit thee; lead on then where thy bower
O'eríhades; for thefe mid-hours, till evening rife,
I have at will. So to the fylvan lodge
They came, that like Pomona's arbor fmil'd
With flow'rets deck'd and fragrant smells; but Eve
Undeck'd fave with herself, more lovely fair
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Than Wood-Nymph, or the fairest Goddess feign'd
Of three that in mount Ida naked strove,
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Stood to entertain her gueft from Heav'n; no veil She needed, virtue-proof; no thought infirm

Alter'd her cheek. On whom the Angel Hail 385 Beftow'd, the holy falutation us'd

Long after to bleft Mary, fecond Eve.

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Hail Mother of Mankind, whose fruitful womb Shall fill the world more numerous with thy fons, Than with thefe various fruits the trees of God Have heap'd this table. Rais'd of graffy turf Their table was, and moffy feats had round, And on her ample square from fide to fide All autumn pil'd, though spring and autumn here Danc'd hand in hand. A while difcourfe they hold; No fear left dinner cool; when thus began Our author. Heav'nly stranger, please to taste These bounties, which our Nourisher, from whom All perfect good, unmeafur'd out, defcends, To us for food and for delight hath caus'd The earth to yield; unfavory food perhaps To fpiritual natures, only this I know, That one celeftial Father gives to all.

To whom the Angel. Therefore what he gives

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(Whose praise be ever fung) to Man in part

Spiritual, may of pureft Spi'rits be found

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No' ingrateful food and food alike thofe pure

Intelligential fubftances require,

As doth your rational; and both contain

Within them every lower faculty

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Of fenfe, whereby they hear, fee, smell, touch, taste, Tafting concoct, digeft, affimilate,

And

And corporeal to incorporeal turn.

For know, whatever was created, needs

To be fuftain'd and fed; of elements

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The groffer feeds the purer, earth the sea,

Earth and the fea feed air, the air thofe fires

Ethercal, and as lowest first the moon ;

Whence in her visage round those spots, unpurg'd
Vapors not yet into her substance turn'd.

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Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale
From her moist continent to higher orbs.
The fun, that light imparts to all, receives
From all his alimental recompense

In humid exhalations, and at even

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Sups with the ocean. Though in Heav'n the trees
Of life ambrofial fruitage bear, and vines
Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each morn
We brush mellifluous dews, and find the ground
Cover'd with pearly grain: yet God hath here
Varied his bounty fo with new delights,
As may compare with Heaven; and to taste
Think not I fhall be nice. So down they fat,
And to their viands fell; nor feemingly

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The Angel, nor in mift, the common glofs

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Of Theologians; but with keen dispatch

Of real hunger, and concoctive heat

To tranfubftantiate: what redounds, transpires

Through Spi'rits with ease; nor wonder; if by fire

Of footy coal th' empiric alchemist

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Can turn, or holds it poffible to turn,

Metals of droffieft ore to perfect gold

As from the mine. Mean while at table Eve

Minifter'd naked, and their flowing cups
With pleasant liquors crown'd: O innocence

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Deferving Paradife! if ever, then,

Then had the fons of God excufe to have been

Enamour'd at that fight; but in thofe hearts

Love unlibidinous reign'd, nor jealousy

Was understood, the injur'd lover's Hell.

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Thus when with meats and drinks they had fuffic'd, Not burden'd nature, fudden mind arose

In Adam, not to let th' occafion pass

Giv'n him by this great conference to know
Of things above his world, and of their being
Who dwell in Heav'n, whofe excellence he faw
Tranfcend his own fo far, whofe radiant forms
Divine effulgence, whose high pow'r so far
Exceeded human, and his wary speech
"Thus to th' empyreal minifter he fram'd.

Inhabitant with God, now know I well Thy favor, in this honor done to Man, Under whofe lowly roof thou haft vouchsaf'd To enter, and thefe earthly fruits to taste, Food not of Angels, yet accepted so,

As that more willingly thou couldst not seem

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At Heav'n's high feafts to' have fed: yet what compare?

To whom the winged Hierarch reply'd.

O Adam, one Almighty is, from whom
All things proceed, and up to him return,
If not deprav'd from good, created all
Such to perfection, one first matter all,

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Indued with various forms, various degrees
Of substance, and in things that live, of life;
But more refin'd, more fpiritous, and pure,
As nearer to him plac'd or nearer tending
Each in their feveral active spheres affign'd,
Till body up to fpirit work, in bounds
Proportion'd to each kind. So from the root
Springs lighter the green ftalk, from thence the leaves
More aery, laft the bright confummate flower
Spirits odorous breathes: flow'rs and their fruit,
Man's nourishment, by gradual scale fublim'd,
To vital fpi'rits afpire, to animal,

To intellectual; give both life and sense,
Fancy and understanding; whence the foul
Reafon receives, and reason is her being,
Difcurfive, or intuitive; difcourfe
Is ofteft yours, the latter most is ours,
Differing but in degree, of kind the fame.

Wonder not then, what God for you saw good
If I refuse not, but convert, as you,

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proper fubftance: time may come, when Men With Angels may participate, and find No inconvenient di'et, nor too light fare;

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And from these corporal nutriments perhaps
Your bodies may at last turn all to spirit,
Improv'd by tract of time, and wing'd afcend
Ethereal, as we, or may at choice

Here or in heav'nly Paradifes dwell;
If ye be found obedient, and retain
Unalterably firm his love entire

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