Whofe inward apparition gently mov'd

My fancy to believe I yet had being,

And liv'd One came, methought, of fhape divine,
And faid, Thy manfion wants thee, Adam, rise,
First Man, of men innumerable ordain'd
First Father, call'd by thee I come thy guide
To the garden of blifs, thy feat prepar'd.
So faying, by the hand he took me rais'd,
And over fields and waters, as in air
Smooth fliding without step, laft led me up

A woody mountain; whofe high top was plain,
A circuit wide, inclos'd, with goodliest trees

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Planted, with walks, and bow'rs, that what I faw 305 Of earth before scarce pleasant feem'd. Each tree Loaden with fairest fruit that hung to th' eye

Tempting, ftirr'd in me fudden appetite

To pluck and eat; whereat I wak'd, and found
Before mine eyes all real, as the dream
Had lively fhadow'd: Here had new begun
My wand'ring, had not he who was my guide
Up hither, from among the trees appear'd,
Prefence divine. Rejoicing, but with awe,
In adoration at his feet I fell

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Submifs he rear'd me', and Whom thou fought'ft I am,

Said mildly, Author of all this thou seest
Above, or round about thee, or beneath.

This Paradife I give thee, count it thine

To till and keep, and of the fruit to eat ;
Of every tree that in the garden grows
: VOL. I.

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Eat

:

Eat freely with glad heart; fear here no dearth:
But of the tree whofe operation brings
Knowledge of good and ill, which I have fet
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 fhun the bitter confequence for know,
The day thou eat'ft thereof, my fole command
Tranfgrefs'd, inevitably thou shalt die,
From that day mortal, and this happy state
Shalt lofe, expell'd from hence into a world
Of woe and forrow. Sternly he pronounc'd
The rigid interdiction, which refounds
Yet dreadful in mine ear, though in my choice
Not to incur; but foon his clear afpéct
Return'd, and gracious purpose thus renew'd.
Not only these fair bounds, but all the earth
To thee and to thy race I give; as lords
Poffefs it, and all things that therein live,
Or live in fea, or air, beaft, fish, and fowl,
In fign whereof each bird and beast behold
After their kinds; I bring them to receive
From thee their names, and pay thee feälty
With low fubjection; understand the fame
Of fish within their watry refidence,

Not hither fummon'd, since they cannot change
Their element to draw the thinner air.
As thus he spake, each bird and beast behold
Approaching two and two, thefe cowring low

With blandishment, each bird ftoop'd on his wing.
I nam'd them, as they pafs'd, and understood
Their nature, with fuch knowledge God indued
My fudden apprehenfion: but in the fe

I found not what methought I wanted still;
And to the heav'nly vifion thus prefum'd.

O by what name, for thou above all thefe,
Above mankind, or ought than mankind higher,
Surpaffeft far my naming, how may I

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Adore thee, Author of this univerfe,

And all this good to man? for whofe well-being
So amply, and with hands fo liberal

360

Thou haft provided all things: but with me
I fee not who partakes. In folitude
What happiness, who can enjoy alone,
Or all enjoying, what contentment find?
Thus I prefumptuous; and the vifion bright,
As with a fmile more brighten'd, thus reply'd.
What call'st thou folitude? is not the earth
With various living creatures, and the air
Replenish'd, and all thefe at thy command

To come and play before thee? know'st thou not
Their language and their ways? they alfo know,
And reafon not contemptibly; with these

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Find paftime, and bear rule; thy realm is large. 375
So fpake the univerfal Lord, and feem'd

So ord'ring. I with leave of speech implor'd,

And humble deprecation thus reply'd.

Let not my words offend thee, heav'nly Power,

My maker, be propitious while I fpeak.
Haft thou not made me here thy fubftitute,
And thefe inferior far beneath me fet?
Among unequals what fociety

380

Can fort, what harmony or true delight?

Which must be mutual, in proportion due
Giv'n and receiv'd; but in difparity

385

The one intenfe, the other ftill remifs

Cannot well fuit with either, but foon prove
Tedious alike: Of fellowship I speak
Such as I feek, fit to participate
All rational delight, wherein the brute
Cannot be human confort; they rejoice
Each with their kind, lion with lioness;
So fitly them in pairs thou haft combin'd;
Much lefs can bird with beaft, or fish with fowl
So well converfe, nor with the ox the ape;
Worfe then can man with beaft, and least of all.

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Whereto th' Almighty anfwer'd not difpleas'd. A nice and fubtle happinefs I fee

Thou to thyfelf propofeft, in the choice

Of thy affociates, Adam, and wilt taste

No pleasure, though in pleasure, folitary.

What think'ft thou then of me, and this my ftate?

400

Seem I to thee fufficiently poffefs'd

Of happiness, or not? who am alone

405

From all eternity, for none I know

Second to me or like, equal much less.

How have I then with whom to hold converfe

Save with the creatures which I made, and those

To me inferior, infinite defcents

Beneath what other creatures are to thee?

He ceas'd, I lowly anfwer'd. To attain

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The highth and depth of thy eternal ways

415

All human thoughts come short, Supreme of things;
Thou in thyself art perfect, and in thee
Is no deficience found; not fo is Man,
But in degree, the caufe of his defire
By converfation with his like to help,

Or folace his defects. No need that thou

Shouldft propagate, already infinite,

420

And through all numbers abfolute, though one;

But Man by number is to manifest
His fingle imperfection, and beget
Like of his like, his image multiply'd,
In unity defective, which requires
Collateral love, and deareft amity.
Thou in thy fecrefy although alone,

Beft with thyself accompanied, seek'st not

Social communication, yet fo pleas'd,

425

Canft raise thy creature to what highth thou wilt 430 of union or communion, deify'd;

I by converfing cannot thefe erect

From prone, nor in their ways complacence find.
Thus I imbolden'd fpake, and freedom us'd'

Permiffive, and acceptance found, which gain'd 435
This anfwer from the gracious voice divine.
Thus far to try thee, Adam, I was pleas'd,
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And