Part of my foul I feek thee, and thee claiın -
My other half. With that thy gentle hand
Seiz'd mine: I yielded; and from that time fee
How beauty is excell'd by manly grace,
And wisdom, which alone is truly fair.
So fpake our general mother, and with eyes.
Of conjugal attraction unreprov'd,
And meek furrender, half embracing lean'd
On our first father; half her fwelling breast
Naked met his, under the flowing gold.
Of her loofe treffes hid: he in delight,
Both of her beauty and fubmiffive charms,
Smil'd with fuperiour love, as Jupiter
On Juno fmiles, when he impregns the clouds
That shed May flowers; and prefs'd her matron lip
With kiffes pure. Afide the Devil turn'd
For envy; yet with jealous leer malign
Ey'd them afkance, and to himself thus plain'd.
Sight hateful, fight tormenting! thus these two, 505 Imparadis'd in one another's arms,
The happier Eden, fhall enjoy their fill
Of bliss on blifs; while I to hell am thrust,
Where neither joy nor love, but fierce defire,
Among our other torments not the least,
Still unfulfill'd with pain of longing pines.
Yet let me not forget what I have gain'd
From their own mouths: all is not theirs, it feems;
One fatal tree there ftands, of knowledge call'd,
Forbidden them to tafte. Knowledge forbidden? 515
Sufpicious, reafon lefs. Why should their Lord
Envy them that? can it be fin to know?
Can it be death? and do they only stand
By ignorance? is that their happy state,
The proof of their obedience, and their faith?
O fair foundation laid whereon to build
Their ruin! Hence I will excite their minds
With more defire to know, and to reject
Envious commands, invented with defign
To keep them low, whom knowledge might exalt 525
Equal with gods: aspiring to be fuch,
They taste, and die: what likelier can enfue?
But firft with narrow fearch I must walk round
This garden, and no corner leave unspy'd ;
A chance but chance may lead where I
may meet Some wand'ring fpi'rit of heav'n, by fountain-fide, Or in thick fhade retir'd, from him to draw
What further would be learn'd. Live while ye may,
Yet happy pair; enjoy, till I return,
Short pleasures, for long woes are to fucceed.
So faying, his proud ftep he feornful turn'd,
But with fly circumfpection, and began
Thro' wood, thro' waste, o'er hill, o'er dale, his roam..
Mean while in utmost longitude, where heaven
With earth and ocean meets, the setting fun
Slowly defcended, and with right afpéct:
Against the eastern gate of Paradise
Levell'd his evening-rays: it was a rock
Of alabafter, pil'd up to the clouds,
Confpicuous far, winding with one afcent.
Acceffible from earth, one entrance high;
The reft was craggy cliff, that overhung
Still as it rofe, impoffible to climb.
Betwixt these rocky pillars Gabriel fat,
Chief of th' angelic guards, awaiting night;
About him exercis'd heroic games
Th' unarmed youth of heav'n, but nigh at hand
Celestial armoury, fhields, helms, and fpears,
Hung high, with diamond flaming, and with gold.
Thither came Uriel, gliding thro' the even
On a funbeam, fwift as a shooting star
In autumn thwarts the night, when vapours fir'd
Imprefs the air, and fhows the mariner
From what point of his compafs to beware
Impetuous winds: he thus began in hafte.
Gabriel, to thee thy courfe by lot hath given
Charge and strict watch, that to this happy-place
No evil thing approach or enter in.
This day at height of noon came to my sphere
A fpirit, zealous, as he feem'd, to know.
More of th' Almighty's works, and chiefly man,
God's latest image: I defcrib'd his way,
Bent all on speed, and mark'd his airy gatè;
But on the mount that lies from Eden north,
Where he first lighted, foon difcern'd his looks
Alien from heav'n, with paffions foul obfcur'd:
Mine eye purfu'd him ftill, but under fhade
Loft fight of him: one of the banish'd crew,
I fear, hath ventur'd from the deep, to raise
New troubles; him thy care must be to find.
To whom the-winged warriour thus return'd.
Uriel, no-wonder if thy perfect fight,
Amid the fun's bright circle where thou fitt'ft,
See far and wide; in at this gate, none pafs
The vigilance here plac'd, but fuch as come
Well known from heav'n; and fince meridian hour
No creature thence: if fpi'rit of other fort,
So minded, have o'erleap'd thefe earthly bounds
On purpose, hard thou know'ft it to exclude
Spiritual fubftance with corporeal bar.
But if within the circuit of these walks,.
In whatsoever fhape he lurk, of whom
Thou tell'ft, by morrow dawning I fhall know.
So promis'd he; and Uriel to his charge
Return'd on that bright beam, whose point now rais'd Bore him flope downward to the fun now fall'n 591 Beneath th' Azores; whether the prime orb,
Incredible how swift, had thither roll'd
Diurnal, or this lefs volubile earth,
By fhorter flight to th' east, had left him there
Arraying with reflected purple' and gold
The clouds that on his western throne attend
Now came ftill evening on, and twilight gray
Had in her fober livery all things clad;
Silence accompanied; for beast and bird,
They to their graffy couch, these to their nefts
Were flunk; all but the wakeful nightingale;
She all night long her amorous defcant fung;
Silence was pleas'd: now glow'd the firmament
With living fapphires: Hefperus, that led
The ftarry hoft, rode brightest, till the moon
Rifing in clouded majesty, at length
Apparent queen unveil'd her peerless light,
And o'er the dark her filver mantle threw.
When Adam thus to Eve. Fair confort, th' hour Of night, and all things now retir'd to reft, Mind us of like repose, fince God hath fet Labour and rest, as day and night, to men Succeffive; and the timely dew of fleep
Now falling with foft flumbrous weight, inclines 'Our eyelids other creatures all day long Rove idle unemploy'd, and lefs need reft; Man hath his daily work of body' or mind Appointed, which declares his dignity, And the regard of heav'n on all his ways; While other animals unactive range, And of their doings God takes no account. To-morrow, ere fresh morning streak the east With first approach of light, we must be risen, And at our prefent labour, to reform Yon flowery arbours, yonder alleys green, Qur walk at noon, with branches overgrown, That mock our fcant manuring, and require More hands than ours to lop their wanton growth: Those bloffoms alfo, and thofe dropping gums, 690.
That lie bestrown, unfightly and unsmooth,
Afk riddance, if we mean to tread with ease:
Meanwhile, as Nature wills, night bids us reft.
To whom thus Eve, with perfect beauty' adorn'd.
My author and difpofer, what thou bid'st
Unargu'd I obey: fo God ordains;
God is thy law, thou mine: to know no more
Is woman's happiest knowledge, and her praise.
With thee converfing I forget all time;
All feasons, and their change, all please alike.
Sweet is the breath of morn, her rifing fweet,
With charm of earliest birds; pleasant the fun,
When firft on this delighful land he spreads
His orient beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flower,
Glift'ring with dew; fragrant the fertile earth
After soft showers; and fweet the coming on
Of grateful evening mild; then filent night,
With this her folemn bird, and this fair moon,
And these the gems of heaven, her starry train:
But neither breath of morn, when she afcends
With charm of earliest birds; nor rising fun
On this delightful land; nor herb, fruit, flower,
Glift'ring with dew; nor fragrance after fhowers;
Nor grateful evening mild; nor filent night,
With this her folemn bird, nor walk by moon,
Or glitt'ring ftar-light, without thee is fweet.
But wherefore all night long fhine these? for whom
This glorious fight, when fleep hath fhut all eyes?
To whom our general ancestor reply'd.
Daughter of God and man, accomplish'd Eve, 660
These have their courfe to finish round the earth
By morrow ev'ning, and from land to land
In order, though to nations yet unborn,
Minift'ring light prepar'd, they fet and rife;
Left total darkness fhould by night regain
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