Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles Wanted, nor youthful dalliance as befeems Fair couple, linkt in happie nuptial league, Alone as they. About them frifking play'd All beats of the earth, fince wilde, and of all chafe In wood or wilderness, forreft or den;
Sporting, the lion ramp'd, and in his paw Dandl'd the kid; bears, tygers, ounces, pards Gambol'd before them, th'unwieldy elephant To make them mirth us'd all his might, and wreath'd His lithe probofcis; close the ferpent fly Infinuating, wove with Gordian twine His breaded train, and of his fatal guile Gave proof unheaded; others on the grafs Coucht, and now fill'd with pasture gazing sat, Or bedward ruminating: for the fun Declin'd was hafting now with prone career To th'ocean ifles, and in the afcending scale Of heav'n the ftarrs that usher evening rofe: When Satan ftill in gaze, as first he stood, Scarce thus at length fail'd speech recover'd fad.
O hell! what do mine eyes with grief behold, Into our room of blifs thus high advanc't Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps, Not fpirits, yet to heav'nly spirits bright Little inferior; whom my thoughts pursue With wonder, and could love, fo lively fhines In them divine refemblance, and fuch grace
The hand that form'd them on their shape hath pour'd, Ah gentle pair, ye little think how nigh
Your change approaches, when all these delights
Will vanish and deliver ye to woe,
More woe, the more your taste is now of joy ; Happie, but for fo happie ill fecur'd
Long to continue, and this high feat your heav'n Ill fenc't for heav'n to keep out fuch a foe As now is enter'd; yet no purpos'd foe To you whom I could pitie thus forlorn Though I unpitied': league with you I feek, And mutual amitie fo ftreight, fo clofe, That I with you muft dwell, or you with me Henceforth; my dwelling haply may not please Like this fair Paradife, your fenfe, yet fuch Accept your maker's work; he gave it me, Which I as freely give; hell fhall unfold, To entertain you two, her wideft gates, And fend forth all her kings; there will be room, Not like thefe narrow limits, to receive Your numerous offspring; if no better place, Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge On you who wrong me not for him who wrong'd, And should I at your harmless innocence
Melt, as I doe, yet public reason just,
Honour and empire with revenge enlarg'd,
By conquering this new world, compells me now To do what else though damn'd I fhould abhorr. 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 sportful herd Of those fourfooted kindes, himself now one, Now other, as their shape serv'd best his end
Nearer to view his prey, and unespi'd
To mark what of their 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 fawns at play, Strait couches close, then rifing changes oft His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground Whence rushing he might surest seise them both Grip't in each paw: when Adam first of men To firft of women Eve thus moving speech, Turn'd him all ear to hear new utterance flow.
Sole partner and sole part of all these joyes, Dearer thyfelf then all; needs must the power That made us, and for us this ample world Be infinitely good, and of his good
As liberal and free as infinite,
That rais'd us from the duft and plac't us here In all this happiness, who at his hand Have nothing merited, nor can perform Aught whereof he hath need, he who requires From us no other service then to keep This one, this eafy charge, of all the trees In Paradife that bear delicious fruit So various, not to taste that onely tree Of knowledge, planted by the tree of life,
So neer grows death to life, whatere death is, Some dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou knowst God hath pronounc't it death to taste that tree, The only fign of our obedience left
Among fo many fignes of power and rule
Conferr'd upon us, and dominion giv'n Over all other creatures that poffefs
Earth, air, and fea. Then let us not think hard'
One eafie prohibition, who enjoy
Free leave fo large to all things elfe, and choice Unlimited of manifold delights:
But let us ever praise him, and extoll
His bountie, following our delightful task
To prune these growing plants, and tend these flours, Which were it toilfome, yet with thee were sweet. To whom thus Eve repli'd. O thou for whom And from whom I was form'd flesh of thy flesh, And without whom am to no end, my guide And head, what thou haft faid is just and right.. For we to him indeed all praises owe, And daily thanks, I chiefly who enjoy So far the happier lot, enjoying thee Preeminent by fo much odds, while thou Like confort to thyself canft no where find. That day I oft remember, when from sleep I first awak't, and found myself repos'd
Under a fade on flours, much wondring where And what I was, whence thither brought, and how, Not distant far from thence a murmuring found Of waters iffu'd from a cave and spread Into a liquid plain, then stood unmov'd Pure as th expanfe of heav'n; I thither went. With unexperienc't thought, and laid me down- On the green bank, to look into the cleer Smooth lake, that to me feem'd another skie. As I bent down to look, just oppofite,
A fhape within the watry glearn appeer'd Bending to lock on me, I started back, It started back, but pleas'd I foon return'd. Pleas'd it return'd as foon with anfwering looks Of fympathie and love, there I had fixt
Mine eyes till now, and pin'd with vain defire, Had not a voice thus warn'd me, what thou feest, What there thou feeft, fair creature, is thyfelf, With thee it came and goes: but follow me, And I will bring thee where no fhadow flaics Thy coming, and thy foft embraces, he Whofe image thou art, him thou shalt enjoy Infeparably thine to him fhall beare Multitudes like thyfelf, and thence be call'd Mother of human race: what could I doe, But follow ftrait, invifibly thus led?
Till I efpi'd thee, fair indeed and tall,
Under a platan, yet methought lefs fair,
Lefs winning foft, lefs amiablie milde,
Then that smooth watry image; back I turn'd, Thou following cry'dit aloud, Return fair Eve, Whom fi'ft thou? whom thou fli'ft, of him thou art, His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent Cut of my fide to thee, neerest my heart Subftantial life, to have thee by my fide Henceforth an individual folace dear; Part of my foul I feek thee, and thee claim 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
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