Imbround the noontide Bowrs: Thus was this place, A happy rural seat of various view;
[Balme, Groves whose rich Trees wept odorous Gumms and Others whose fruit burnisht with Golden Rinde Hung amiable, Hefperian Fables true,
If true, here only, and of delicious taste :
Betwixt them Lawns, or level Downs, and Flocks
Grafing the tender herb, were interpos'd,
Of palmie hilloc, or the flourie lap
Of fom irriguous Valley spread her store,
Flours of all hue, and without Thorn the Rofe :
Another fide, umbrageous Grots and Caves
Of coole recefs, o're which the mantling Vine
Layes forth her purple Grape, and gently creeps
Luxuriant; mean while murmuring waters fall
Down the flope hills, difperft, or in a Lake,
That to the fringed Bank with Myrtle crownd,
Her chryftall mirror holds, unite thir streams.
The Birds thir quire apply; aires, vernal aires,
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 Spring. Not that faire field
Of Enna, where Proferpin gathring flours
Her self a fairer Floure by gloomie Dis
Was gatherd, which cost Ceres all that pain
To feek her through the world; nor that sweet
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 Son
Young Bacchus from his Stepdame Rhea's eye;
Nor where Abaffin Kings thir issue Guard,
Mount Amara, though this by som suppos'd
True Paradise under the Ethiop Line
By Nilus head, enclos'd with fhining Rock,
A whole dayes 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 Honour clad
In naked Majestie feemd Lords of all,
And worthie feemd, for in thir looks Divine
The image of thir glorious Maker shon,
Truth, Wisdome, Sanctitude fevere and pure,
Severe, but in true filial freedom plac't;
Whence true autoritie in men; though both
Not equal, as thir sex not equal seemd;
For contemplation hee and valour formd,
For foftness shee and sweet attractive Grace,
Hee for God only, fhee for God in him:
His fair large Front and Eye fublime declar'd 300
Abfolute rule; and Hyacinthin Locks
Round from his parted forelock manly hung
Cluftring, but not beneath his shoulders broad:
Shee as a vail down to the flender waste
Her unadorned golden treffes wore
Diffheveld, but in wanton ringlets wav'd
As the Vine curles her tendrils, which impli'd
Subjection, but requir'd with gentle fway,
And by her yeilded, by him beft receivd,
Yeilded with coy fubmiffion, modeft pride,
And sweet reluctant amorous delay.
Nor those mysterious parts were then conceald,
Then was not guiltie shame, dishonest shame
Of natures works, honor difhonorable,
Sin-bred, how have ye troubl'd all mankind
With fhews inftead, meer fhews of feeming pure,
And banisht from mans life his happiest life,
Simplicitie and spotless innocence.
So paffd they naked on, nor shund the fight
Of God or Angel, for they thought no ill :
So hand in hand they paffd, the lovliest pair
That ever fince in loves imbraces met,
Adam the goodlieft man of men fince borne
His Sons, the fairest of her Daughters Eve.
Under a tuft of fhade that on a green
Stood whispering soft, by a fresh Fountain fide
They fat them down, and after no more toil
Of thir sweet Gardning Labour then fuffic'd
To recommend coole Zephyr, and made eafe
More eafie, wholfom thirst and appetite
More grateful, to thir Supper Fruits they fell,
Nectarine Fruits which the compliant boughes
Yeilded them, fide-long as they fat recline
On the foft downie Bank damaskt with flours:
The favourie pulp they chew, and in the rinde
Still as they thirsted scoop the brimming stream;
Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles
Wanted, nor youthful dalliance as beseems
Fair couple, linkt in happie nuptial League,
Alone as they. About them frisking playd
All Beasts of th' Earth, fince wilde, and of all chase
In Wood or Wilderness, Forrest or Den;
Sporting the Lion rampd, and in his paw
Dandl'd the Kid; Bears, Tygers, Ounces, Pards
Gambold before them, th' unwieldy Elephant
To make them mirth us'd all his might, & wreathd
His Lithe Probofcis; close the Serpent fly
Infinuating, wove with Gordian twine
His breaded train, and of his fatal guile
Gave proof unheeded; others on the grass
Coucht, and now fild with pasture gazing sat,
Or Bedward ruminating; for the Sun
Declin'd was hafting now with prone carreer
To th' Ocean Iles, and in th' ascending Scale
Of Heav'n the Starrs that usher Evening rose:
When Satan still in gaze, as first he stood,
Scarce thus at length faild speech recoverd fad.
O Hell! what doe mine eyes with grief behold,
Into our room of bliss thus high advanc't
Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps, 360
Not Spirits, yet to heav'nly Spirits bright
Little inferior; whom my thoughts pursue
With wonder, and could love, fo lively shines
In them Divine resemblance, and such
grace
The hand that formd them on thir shape hath pourd.
Ah gentle pair, yee little think how nigh
Your change approaches, when all these delights
Will vanish and deliver ye to woe,
More woe, the more you taste is now of joy;
Happie, but for fo happie ill fecur'd
Long to continue, and this high seat your Heav'n
Ill fenc't for Heav'n to keep out such a foe
As now is enterd; yet no purpos'd foe
To you whom I could pittie thus forlorne
Though I unpittied: League with you
And mutual amitie so ftreight, so close,
That I with you must dwell, or you with me
Henceforth; my dwelling haply may not please
Like this fair Paradise, your sense, yet fuch
Accept your Makers work; he gave it me,
Which I as freely give; Hell fhall unfould,
To entertain you two, her wideft Gates,
And fend forth all her Kings; there will be room,
Not like these narrow limits, to receive
Your numerous ofspring; if no better place,
Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge
On you who wrong me not for him who wrongd.
And should I at your harmless innocence
Melt, as I doe, yet public reafon just,
Honour and Empire with revenge enlarg'd,
By conquering this new World, compels me now
To do what else though damnd I should abhorre.
So fpake the Fiend, and with neceffitie,
The Tyrants plea, excus'd his devilish deeds.
Then from his loftie ftand on that high Tree
Down he alights among the fportful Herd
Of those fourfooted kindes, himself now one,
Now other, as thir shape servd best his end
Neerer to view his prey, and unespi'd
To mark what of thir state he more might learn
By word or action markt: about them round
A Lion now he stalkes with fierie glare,
Then as a Tiger, who by chance hath spi'd
In fome Purlieu two gentle Fawnes at play,
Strait couches close, then rifing changes oft
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