Her felf a fairer Flour by gloomy Dis
Was gather'd, which coft Ceres all that pain
To feek her thro' the world; nor that sweet Grove
Of Daphne by Orontes, and th' inspir'd
Caftalian Spring, might with this Paradife
Of Eden strive; nor that Nyfeian Isle
Girt with the River Triton, where old Cham,
Whom Gentiles Ammon call and Lybian Jove,
Hid Amalthea and her Florid Son
Young Bacchus from his Stepdame Rhea's eye;
Nor where Abaffin Kings their iffue Guard,
Mount Amara, though this by some suppos'd
True Paradife under the Ethiop Line
By Nilus head, enclos'd with fhining Rock, A whole days journey high, but wide remote From this Affyrian Garden, where the Fiend 285 Saw undelighted all delight, all kind Of living Creatures new to fight and strange; Two of far nobler shape erect and tall, Godlike erect, which native Honour clad In naked Majefty feem'd Lords of all, And worthy feem'd, for in their looks Divine The image of their glorious Maker shon, Truth, Wisdome, Sanctitude fevere and pure, Severe but in true filial freedom plac'd; Whence true autority in men; though both Not equal, as their fex not equal feem'd; For contemplation he and valour form'd, For foftness the and fweet attractive Grace, He for God only, the 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 fhoulders broad:
She as a vail down to the flender waste
Her unadorned golden treffes wore
Dishevel'd, but in wanton ringlets wav'd
As the Vine curles her tendrils, which impli'd
Subjection, but requir'd with gentle sway,
And by her yielded, by him beft receiv'd,
Yielded with coy fubmiffion, modest pride,
And fweet reluctant amorous delay.
Nor thofe myfterious parts were then conceal'd,
Then was not guilty fhame, dishonest shame
Of natures works, honor dishonorable,
Sin-bred, how have ye troubl'd all mankind
With hews instead, meer fhews of seeming pure,
And banisht from mans life his happiest life,
Simplicitie and fpotlefs innocence.
So pafs'd they naked on, nor fhun'd the fight
Of God or Angel, for they thought, no ill :
So hand in hand they pafs'd, the loviest pair
That ever fince in loves imbraces met,
Adam the goodlieft man of men since born
His Sons, the fairest of her Daughters Eve.
Under a tuft of fhade that on a green
Stood whispering soft, by a fresh Fountain side
They fat them down, and after no more toil
Of their fweet Gardning labour than fuffic'd.
To recommend coole Zephyr, and made case
More cafie, wholfom thirft and appetite
More grateful, to their Supper Fruits they fell,
Nectarine Fruits which the compliant boughes
Yielded them, fide-long as they fat recline
On the foft downie Bank damaskt with flours: The favoury pulp they chew, and in the rinde 335 Still as they thirfted scoop the brimming stream: Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles Wanted, nor youthful dalliance as befeems Fair couple, linkt in happy nuptial League, "Alone as they. About them frisking plaid All Beafts of th' Earth, fince wild, and of all chase In Wood or Wilderness, Forteft 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 345
To make them mirth us'd all his might, and wreath'd
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 grafs
Coucht, and now fill'd with pafture gazing fat,
Or Bedward ruminating: for the Sun
Declin'd was hafting now with prone carreer
To th'Ocean Ifles, and in th' afcending Scale
Of Heav'n the Stars that ufher Evening rofe: 355
When Satan ftill in gaze, as firft he ftood,
Scarce thus at length fail'd speech recover'd fad.
O Hell! what do mine eyes with grief behold,
Into our room of bliss thus high advanc'd
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 fhines
In them Divine Refemblance, and fuch grace
The hand that form'd 'em on their shape hath pour'd.
Ah gentle pair, ye little think how nigh 366
Your change approaches, when all these delights
Will vanish and deliver ye to woe,
More woe, the more your tafte is now of joy;
Happy, but for fo happy ill fecur'd
Long to continue, and this high seat your Heav'n
Ill fenc'd for Heav'n to keep out such a foe
As now is enter'd; yet no purpos'd foe
ΤΟ you whom I could pitty thus forlorne
Though I unpittied: League with you I seek,
And mutual amity fo ftreight, fo clofe
That I with you must dwell, or you with me
Henceforth; my dwelling haply may not please
Like this fair Paradife, your sense, yet such
Accept your Makers 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, 385
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, compels me now
To do what elfe though damn'd I should abhorre.
So fpake the Fiend, and with neceffity,
The Tyrants plea, excus'd his devilish deeds.
Then from his loftie stand on that high Tree 395
Down he alights among the fportful Herd
Of those four-footed kindes, himself now one,
Now other, as their shape ferv'd best his end
Nearer to view his prey, and unespi'd
To mark what of their ftate he more might learn 400
By word or action markt: about them round
A Lion now he stalks with fierie glare,
Then as a Tyger, who by chance hath spi'd
In fome Purlieu two gentle Fawnes at play,
Strait couches close, then rifing changes oft
His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground
Whence rushing he might fureft feize them both
Grip'd in each paw: When Adam first of men
To first of Women Eve thus moving speech,
Turn'd him all ear to hear new utterance flow. 410
Sole partner and fole part of all these joyes,
Dearer thy felf 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'd us here
In all this happiness, who at his hand
Have nothing merited, nor can perform
Aught whereof he hath need, he who requires
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