Of grateful ev'ning milde, then filent night
With this her folemn bird and this fair moon,
And these the gemms of heav'n, her ftarrie train :-
But neither breath of morn when she ascends
With charm. of earliest birds, nor rifing fun
On this delightful land, nor herb, fruit, floure,
Gliftring with dew, nor fragrance after showers,
Nor grateful evening mild, nor filent night

With this her folemn bird, nor walk by moon,
Qr glittering star-light without thee is sweet.
But wherefore all night long shine thefe, for whom
This glorious fight, when sleep hath shut all eyes.?
To whom our general ancestor repli'd.

Daughter of God and man, accomplisht Eve,
Those have their course to finish, round the earth,
By morrow ey'ning, and from land to land
In order, though to nations yet unborn,
Miniftring light prepar'd, they set and rife ;
Left total darkness fhould by night regain.
Her old poffeffion, and extinguish life

In nature and all things, which these soft fires
Not only enlighten, but. with kindly heat
Of various influence foment and warm,
Temper or nourish, or in part shed down
Their ftellar vertue on all kinds that grow
On earth, made hereby apter to receive
Perfection from the fun's more potent ray.
These then, though unbeheld in deep of night,
Shine not in vain, nor think, though men were none,,
That heav'n would want fpectators, God want praise ;
Millions of fpiritual creatures walk the earth

Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep:
All these with ceasless praise his work behold
Both day and night: how often from the steep
Of echoing hill or thicket have we heard
Celestial voices to the midnight air,

Sole, or refponfive each to others note
Singing their great Creator: oft in bands
While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk
With heav'nly touch of instrumental founds
In full harmonic number join'd, their fongs
Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to heaven..
Thus talking hand in hand alone they pass'd
On to their blifsful bower; it was a place
Chos'n by the fovran planter, when he fram'd
All things to man's delightful use; the roof
Of thickest cover was inwoven shade.
Laurel and mirtle, and what higher grew
Of firm and fragrant leaf; on either fide
Acanthus, and each odorous bufhie fhrub
Fenc'd up the verdant wall; each beauteous flour,

Iris all hues, rofes, and geffamin

Rear'd high their flourisht heads between, and wrought :

Mofaic; underfoot the violet,

Crocus, and hyacinth with rich inlay,

Broider'd the ground, more colour'd then with stone....

Of costlieft emblem: other creature here

Beaft, bird, infect, or worm durst enter none;.
Such was their awe of man. In fhadier bower
More facred and fequefter'd, though but feign'd,
Pan or Silvanus never flept, nor nymph,
Nor Faunus haunted. Here in clofs recefs

With flouers, garlands, and fweet-fmelling herbs
Espoused Eve deck'd first her nuptial bed,
And heav'nly quires the hymenæan fung.
What day the genial angel to our fire
Brought her in naked beauty more adorn'd,
More lovely than Pandora, whom the gods
Endow'd with all their gifts, and O too like
In fad event, when to the unwifer fon
Of Japhet brought by Hermes, she ensnar'd
Mankind with her fair looks, to be aveng'd
On him who had stole Jove's authentic fire.
Thus at their shadie lodge arriv'd, both stood,
Both turn'd, and under op'n fkie ador'd

The God that made both fkie, air, earth and heav'n
Which they beheld, the moon's refplendent globe.
And starrie pole: thou also mad'st the night,

Maker omnipotent, and thou the day,
Which we in our appointed work imploy'd
Have finisht happie in our mutual help
And mutual love, the crown of all our blifs
Ordain'd by thee, and this delicious place
For us too large, where thy abundance wants
Partakers, and uncropt falls to the ground.
But thou haft promis'd from us two a race
To fill the earth, who fhall with us extoll
Thy goodness infinite, both when we wake
And when we feek, as now, thy gift of fleep.
This faid unanimous, and other rites
Obferving none, but adoration pure

Which God likes best, into their inmost bower
Handed they went; and eas'd the putting off

Thefe troublesome difguifes which we wear,
Strait fide by fide were laid, nor turn'd I weene
Adam from his fair fpoufe, nor Eve the rites
Mysterious of connubial love refus'd:
Whatever hypocrites aufterely talk
Of puritie and place and innocence,
Defaming as impure what God declares

Pure, and commands to fome, leaves free to all.
Our Maker bids encreafe, who bids abstain
But our destroyer foe to God and man?
Haile weded love, myfterious law, true fource
Of human ofspring, fole proprietie,
In Paradise of all things common elfe.

By thee adulterous Luft was driven from men
Among the bestial herds to range, by thee
Founded in reason, loyal, just, and pure,
Relations dear, and all the charities

Of father, fon, and brother first were known.
Far be it, that I should write thee fin or blame,
Or think thee unbefitting holiest place,
Perpetual fountain of domestic sweets,
Whose bed is undefil'd and chafte pronounc't,
Present, or paft, as faints and patriarchs us'd.
Here love his golden fhafts imploies, here lights
His conftant lamp, and waves his purple wings,
Reigns here and revels; not in the bought fmile
Of harlots, lovelefs, joylefs, unindear'd,

Cafual fruition, nor in court amours

Mixt dance, or wanton mask, or midnight ball,
Or ferenate, which the ftarv'd lover fings
To his proud fair, beft quitted with disdain,

These lull'd by nightingales imbracing slept,

And on their naked limbs the flourie roof
Shower'd roses, which the morn repair'd. Sleep on,
Bleft pair; and O yet happiest if ye feek
No happier state, and know to know no more.
Now had night measur'd with her fhaddowie.cone
Half way up hill this vast sublunar vault,
And from their ivorie port the cherubim
Forth iffuing at the accustom❜d hour stood arm'd
To their night watches in warlike parade,
When Gabriel to his next in power thus fpake.
Uzziel, half these draw off, and coast the south
With ftrictest watch; these other, wheel the north,
Our circuit meets full weft. As flame they part
Half wheeling to the shield, half to the spear.
From thefe, two strong and futtle spirits he call'd
That neer him stood, and gave them thus in charge..
Ithuriel and Zephon, with wing'd speed

Search through this garden, leave unsearcht no nook,
But chiefly where these two fair creatures lodge,
Now laid perhaps afleep fecure of harm...

This ev'ning from the fun's decline arriv'd.
Who tells of fome infernal spirit seen

Hitherward bent (who could have thought?) efcap'dv

The barrs of hell, on errand bad no doubt :
Such where ye find, seise fast, and hither bring..

So faying, on he led his radiant files,

Daz'ling the moon; these to the bower direct

In fearch of whom they fought him there they found Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve;

Affaying by his devilish art to reach