Grace was in all her steps, heaven in h
In every gesture dignity and love.
I overjoyed could not forbear aloud:

"This turn hath made amends; tho Thy words, Creator bounteous and beni Giver of all things fair, but fairest this Of all thy gifts, nor enviest. I now see Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, myse Before me; Woman is her name, of man Extracted for this cause he shall forego Father and mother, and to his wife adher And they shall be one flesh, one heart, or

"She heard me thus, and though divin Yet innocence and virgin modesty, Her virtue and the conscience of her wort That would be wooed and not unsought b Not obvious, not obtrusive, but retired The more desirable; or, to say all, Nature herself, though pure of sinful thoug Wrought in her so, that seeing me she tur I followed her, she what was honor knew, And with obsequious majesty approved My pleaded reason. To the nuptial bower I led her blushing like the morn: all heave And happy constellations on that hour Shed their selectest influence; the earth Gave sign of gratulation, and each hill; Joyous the birds; fresh gales and gentle air Whispered it to the woods, and from their v Flung rose, flung odors from the spicy shrub

490. aloud, uttering aloud.. 494. nor enviest, nor dost thou withhold out of ill-will.

495-499. See Genesis ii. 23. 24. 501. For the verb, see line 507.

502. conscience, co as in Hebrews x. 2, "s had no more conscien 504. retired, when r

Disporting till the amorous bird of night
Sung spousal, and bid haste the evening star
On his hill top to light the bridal lamp.

520

"Thus have I told thee all my state, and brought My story to the sum of earthly bliss, Which I enjoy, and must confess to find

In all things else delight indeed, but such

As, used or not, works in the mind no change,
Nor vehement desire; these delicacies

525

I mean of taste, sight, smell, herbs, fruits, and

flowers,

Walks, and the melody of birds but here,
Far otherwise, transported I behold,
Transported touch; here passion first I felt,
Commotion strange, in all enjoyments else
Superior and unmoved, here only weak

Against the charm of beauty's powerful glance.
Or nature failed in me, and left some part
Not proof enough such object to sustain,
Or from my side subducting took perhaps
More than enough; at least on her bestowed
Too much of ornament, in outward show
Elaborate, of inward less exact.

For well I understand in the prime end
Of nature her the inferior, in the mind
And inward faculties which most excel,
In outward also her resembling less

His image who made both, and less expressing
The character of that dominion given

O'er other creatures; yet when I approach
Her loveliness, so absolute she seems
And in herself complete, so well to know
Her own, that what she wills to do or say
Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best:

534. Or, either.

547. absolute, perfect.

All higher knowledge in her presence Degraded; wisdom in discourse with h Loses discountenanced, and like folly s Authority and reason on her wait,

As one intended first, not after made Occasionally; and, to consummate all, Greatness of mind and nobleness their Build in her loveliest, and create an aw About her, as a guard angelic placed."

To whom the angel with contracted "Accuse not nature, she hath done her Do thou but thine, and be not diffident Of wisdom; she deserts thee not, if thou Dismiss not her when most thou need'st By áttributing overmuch to things Less excellent, as thou thyself perceiv'st. For what admir'st thou, what transports An outside, fair no doubt, and worthy w Thy cherishing, thy honoring, and thy lo Not thy subjection: weigh with her thys Then value. Oft-times nothing profits m Than self-esteem, grounded on just and r Well managed; of that skill the more tho The more she will acknowledge thee her And to realities yield all her shows: Made so adorn for thy delight the more, So awful, that with honor thou may'st lov Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen le But if the sense of touch, whereby mankin Is propagated, seem such dear delight

552. Degraded, cast down from its rank.

553. discountenanced, abashed; put out of countenance.-shows,

seems.

556. Occasionally, to meet an occasion or want.

562. diffident, di 568. In some cop interrogation mark comma after outsid 576. adorn, adorn 578. sees, perceiv

Beyond all other, think the same vouchsafed
To cattle and each beast; which would not be
To them made common and divulged, if aught
Therein enjoyed were worthy to subdue
The soul of man, or passion in him move.
What higher in her society thou find'st
Attractive, human, rational, love still;
In loving thou dost well, in passion not,
Wherein true love consists not; love refines
The thoughts, and heart enlarges, hath his seat
In reason, and is judicious, is the scale

By which to heavenly love thou may'st ascend,
Not sunk in carnal pleasure; for which cause
Among the beasts no mate for thee was found."

To whom thus, half abashed, Adam replied:
"Neither her outside formed so fair, nor aught
In procreation common to all kinds
(Though higher of the genial bed by far
And with mysterious reverence I deem)
So much delights me, as those graceful acts,
Those thousand decencies that daily flow

From all her words and actions, mixed with love
And sweet compliance, which declare unfeigned
Union of mind, or in us both one soul;
Harmony to behold in wedded pair

More grateful than harmonious sound to the ear.
Yet these subject not; I to thee disclose
What inward thence I feel, not therefore foiled,
Who meet with various objects from the sense
Variously representing, yet still free

Approve the best, and follow what I approve.
To love thou blam'st me not, for love thou say'st

601. decencies, becoming ways. 609. Who meet, because I meet. 609, 610. sense variously repre

585

590

595

600

605

610

senting, senses which present anew in various ways.

Leads up to Heaven, is both the way Bear with me then, if lawful what I a Love not the heavenly spirits? and ho Express they? by looks only, or do th Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch

To whom the angel, with a smile th
Celestial rosy red, love's proper hue,
Answered: "Let it suffice thee that th
Us happy, and without love no happine
Whatever pure thou in the body enjoy
(And pure thou wert created) we enjoy
In eminence, and obstacle find none
Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclusive
Easier than air with air, if spirits embra
Total they mix, union of pure with pur
Desiring; nor restrained conveyance ne
As flesh to mix with flesh, or soul with
But I can now no more; the parting su
Beyond the earth's green Cape and ver
Hesperian sets, my signal to depart.

Be strong, live happy, and love, but first
Him whom to love is to obey, and keep
His great command; take heed lest pass
Thy judgment to do aught, which else fr
Would not admit; thine and of all thy s
The weal or woe in thee is placed; bewa
I in thy persevering shall rejoice,
And all the blest.

Stand fast; to stand Free in thine own arbitrament it lies.

631, 632. green Cape and verdant Isles Hesperian. Cape Verde (Green) is the western cape of Africa, and the islands beyond it and called by its name, being farther to the west or nearer to the setting sun, are here termed Hesperian, from Hesperus, the evening star.

634. whom to "For this is the l we keep his comm John v. 3.

635. else, other influence of passio 637. admit, allo

thee.