333. Choice to choose: an alliteration not uncommon to Milton or the classics,

340. In Pontus, part of Asia; the Punic coast, Africa; the kingdom of Alcinous, Phoacia, an island in the Ionian Sea, near Corfu.

355

360

Accompany'd than with his own complete
Perfections: in himself was all his state,
More solemn than the tedious pomp that waits
On princes, when their rich retinue long
Of horses led, and grooms besmear'd with gold,
Dazzles the crowd, and sets them all agape.
Nearer his presence Adam, though not awed,
Yet with submiss approach and rev'rence meek,
As to' a superior nature, bowing low,
Thus said: Native of Heav'n, for other place
None can than Heav'n such glorious shape contain;
Since by descending from the thrones above,
Those happy places thou hast deign'd a while
To want, and honour these, vouchsafe with us
Two only, who yet by sov'reign gift possess
This spacious ground, in yonder shady bow'r
To rest, and what the garden choicest bears
To sit and taste, till this meridian heat.
Be over, and the Sun more cool decline.

365

370

375

Whom thus th' angelic virtue answer'd mild:
Adam, I therefore came; nor art thou such
Created, or such place hast here to dwell,
As may not oft invite, though Spirits of Heav'n,
To visit thee. Lead on then where thy bow'r
O'ershades; for these mid hours, till ev'ning rise,
I have at will. So to the sylvan lodge
They came, that like Pomona's arbour smiled
With flow'rets deck'd and fragrant smells; but Eve
Undeck'd save with herself, more lovely fair
Than Wood-Nymph, or the fairest Goddess feign'd
Of three that in mount Ida naked strove,
Stood to' entertain her guest from Heav'n. No veil
She needed, virtue-proof; no thought infirm
Alter'd her cheek, On whom the Angel, Hail 385
Bestow'd; the holy salutation used

Long after to blest Mary, second Eve.

380

Hail Mother of Mankind, whose fruitful womb Shall fill the world more num'rous with thy sons; Than with these various fruits the trees of God 390

352. With should be expunged according to Bentley, as it is superfluous. 378. Pomona, the goddess of fruit-trees. 382. In allusion to the judgment of Paris between Venus, Juno,

and Minerva.

387. Luke i. 2. 8.

Have heap'd this table. Raised of grassy turf
Their table was, and mossy seats had round,
And on her ample square, from side to side.
All autumn piled, tho' spring and autumn here
Danced hand in hand. A while discourse they hold;
No fear lest dinner cool; when thus began
Our author: Heav'nly stranger, please to taste
These bounties which our Nourisher, from whom
All perfect good, unmeasured out, descends,
To us for food, and for delight hath caused

396

400

The earth to yield; unsav'ry food perhaps
To spiritual natures: only this I know,

That one celestial Father gives to all.

To whom the Angel: Therefore, what he gives

(Whose praise be ever sung) to Man in part

405

Spiritual, may of purest Spirits be found

No' ingrateful food: and food alike those pure

Intelligential substances require,

As doth your rational; and both contain

Within them ev'ry lower faculty

410

Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, taste,

Tasting concoct, digest, assimilate,

And corporeal to incorporeal turn.

For know, whatever was created, needs

To be sustain'd and fed: of elements

415

The grosser feeds the purer; earth the sea,

Earth and the sea feed air; the air those fires
Ethereal, and as lowest first the moon;

Whence in her visage round those spots, unpurged
Vapours not yet into her substance turn'd.
Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale

420

From her moist continent to higher orbs.

The Sun, that light imparts to all, receives
From all his alimental recompense

In humid exhalations, and at even

425

Sups with the ocean. Though in Heav'n the trees
Of life ambrosial fruitage bear, and vines
Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each moru
We brush mellifluous dews, and find the ground
Cover'd with pearly grain, yet God hath here

43C

421. A Latinism.

426. See Ps. cv. 40. Exodus xvi. 14. Matt. xxiv. 29, and Rev.

xxii. 2.

Vary'd his bounty so with new delights,
As may compare with Heaven; and to taste
Think not I shall be nice. So down they sat,
And to their viands fell; nor seemingly
The Angel, nor in mist, the common gloss
Of Theologians; but with keen dispatch

435

Of real hunger and concoctive heat

To transubstantiate: what redounds, transpires

Through Spirits with ease: nor wonder, if by fire Of sooty coal th' empyric alchemist

440

Can turn, or holds it possible to turn,

Metals of drossiest ore to perfect gold,

As from the mine. Mean while at table Eve

Minister'd naked, and their flowing cups

With pleasant liquors crown'd. O innocence
Deserving Paradise! if ever, then,

445

Then had the sons of God excuse to' have been

Enamour'd at thy sight; but in those hearts

Love unlibidinous reign'd, nor jealousy

Was understood, the injured lover's Hell.

450

Thus, when with meats and drinks they had sufficed,

Not burden'd nature, sudden mind arose

In Adam, not to let th' occasion pass

Giv'n him by this great conference, to know
Of things above his world, and of their being
Who dwell in Heav'n, whose excellence he saw
Transcend his own so far, whose radiant forms
Divine effulgence, whose high pow'r so far
Exceeded human; and his wary speech
Thus to th' empyreal minister he framed:
Inhabitant with God, now know I well
Thy favour in this honour done to Man,
Under whose lowly roof thou hast vouchsafed
To enter, and these earthly fruits to taste,
Food not of Angels, yet accepted so,

As that more willingly thou couldst not seem

455

460

465

435. It was the opinion of most theologians that the angels did not eat, their opinion being founded on some metaphysical notions, and on a passage in Tobit iii. 19. But Milton seems to be justified by the canonical Scripture. See Gen. xviii. and xix. 438 This is a fine distinction between the processes of diges tion in men and angels.

440. Empyric, making many experiments. 445. To crown the cup, is a classical expression. 447. Gen. vi. 2.

K

[pare?

470

475

At Heav'n's high feasts to' have fed: yet what com-
To whom the winged Hierarch reply'd:
O Adam, one Almighty is, from whom
All things proceed, and up to him return,
If not depraved from good, created all
Such to perfection, one first matter all,
Endued with various forms, various degrees
Of substance, and in things that life, of life:
But more refined, more spirituous, and pure,
As nearer to him placed, or nearer tending
Each in their sev'ral active spheres assign'd,
Till body up to spirit work, in bounds
Proportion'd to each kind. So from the root
Springs lighter the green stalk, from thence the leaves
More aery, last the bright consummate flow'r
Spirits odorous breathes: flow'rs and their fruit,
Man's nourishment, by gradual scale sublimed,
To vital spirits aspire, to animal,

481

To intellectual: give both life and sense,
Fancy and understanding; whence the soul
Reason receives, and reason is her being
Discursive or intuitive: discourse

485

Is oftest yours; the latter most is ours,

Diff'ring but in degree; of kind the same.

490

Wonder not then, what God for you saw good,
If I refuse not, but convert, as you,

To proper substance: time may come, when Men

With Angels may participate, and find
No inconvenient diet, nor too light fare;

495

And from these corp'ral nutriments, perhaps
Your bodies may at last turn all to spirit,
Improved by tract of time, and wing'd ascend
Ethereal, as we, or may at choice

500

Here or in heav'nly Paradises dwell;
If ye be found obedient, and retain
Unalterably firm his love entire,

Whose progeny you are.
Mean while enjoy
Your fill what happiness this happy state

478. The reader may very profitably consult a volume of ser mons lately published by Dr. A. Clarke, in which he will find some excellent observations on Milton's materialism. I am inclined, however, to believe that the poet meant to convey no other idea than that derived from 1 Cor. xv. 44.

503. Acts xvii. 28.