99

99

Not only thefe fair bounds, but all the earth
To thee and to thy race I give; as Lords

,, Poffefs it, and all things, that therein live, 340 ,,Or live in fea, or air, beaft, fish, and

fowl;

*,, In fign whereof, each bird,

behold

and beast,

After their kinds: I bring them, to receive ,, From thee their names, and pay thee fealty ,, With low fubjection: understand the fame 345 ,, Of fish within their watry refidence,

,, Not hither fummon'd, fince they cannot change

Their element to draw the thinner air. “ As thus he fpake, each bird and beast behold. Approaching, two and two; these, cowring

With blandifhment; each bird ftoop'd on his wing.

I nam'd them, as they pafs'd, and understood Their nature, with fuch knowledge God

indu'd

My fudden. apprehenfion! but in these

I found not, what methought I wanted still; 355 And to the heav'nly Vision thus prefum'd.

O by what name, for thou above all these, Above mankind, or ought than mankind higher, Surpaffeft far my naming, how may I Adore thee, Author of this univerfe,

360

And

And all this good to mau ?

For whose well

being

So amply, and with hand so liberal

Thou haft provided all things. But with me
I fee not who partakes in folitude
What happiness, who can enjoy alone?
Or all enjoying, what contentment find?

365

Thus I prefumptuous; and the Vision bright, As with a fmile more brighten'd, thus reply'd.

What call'st thou folitude? Is not the earth With various living creatures, and the air 370 Replenifh'd, and all these at thy command To come and play before thee? Know'st thou

not

Their language and their ways? They allo know.

And reafon not contemptibly with theese

:

Find paftime, and bear rule? thy realm is

So fpake the univerfal Lord, and seem'd So ordering: I, with leave of speech implor'd, And humble deprecation, thus reply'd.

Let not my words offend thee, heav'nly Pow'r,

My Maker, be propitious while I speak! 380 Haft thou not made me here thy fubftitute, And these inferior far beneath me set ?

Among unequals what fociety

Can fort, what harmony, or true delight?

Which must be mutual, in proportion due 385
Giv❜n and receiv'd: but in difparity,

The one intenfe, the other still remifs,
Cannot well fuit with either, but foon prove
Tedious alike. Of fellowship I speak
Such as I feek, fit to participate

390

All rátional delight; wherein the brute
Cannot be human confort: they rejoice
Each with their kind, lion with lioness;
So fitly them in pairs thou haft combin'd:
Much less can bird with beaft, or fish with

So well converse, nor with the ox the ape: Worfe then can man with beaft, and least of

all.

Whereto th' Almighty anfwer'd, not dif

pleas'd.

A nice and fubtle happiness I fee

400

Thou to thyfelf propofeft, in the choice
Of thy affociates, Adam; and wilt tafte
No pleasure, though in pleasure, folitary.
What think'st thou then of me, and this my
ftate?

Seem I to thee fufficiently poffefs

Of happiness or not, who am alone

405

From all eternity? for none I know

Second to me, or like; equal much less.

How have I then with whom to hold con

verse,

Save with the creatures, which I made, and

those

To me inferior, infinite defcents

410

Beneath what other creatures are to thee?
He ceas'd, I lowly anfwer'd. To attain.
The height and depth of thy eternal ways,
All human thoughts come fhort, Supreme of
things!

Thou in thyself art perfect, and in thee
Is no deficience found. Not fo is Man,
But in degree; the cause of his defire,
By converfation with his like to help,

415

Or folace his defect. No need that thou
Should't propagate, already Infinite;

420

And through all numbers abfolute, though one.
But Man by number is to manifeft
His fingle imperfection; and beget
Like of his like, his image multiply'd:
In unity defective, which requires
Collateral love, and dearest amity.
Thou in thy fecrecy although alone,
Beft with thyfelf accompanied, feek'ft not
Social communication: yet, fo pleas'd,

425

Canft raise thy creature, to what height thou

wilt

Of union or communion, deify'd:

I by converfing cannot these erect

From prone,

430

nor in their ways complacence

find.

Thus I in bolden'd fpake, and freedom us'd Permillive, and acceptance found; which gain'd

435

This answer from the gracious voice divine.
Thus far to try thee, Adam, I was pleas'd;
And find thee knowing, not of beasts alone,
Which thou baft rightly nam'd, but of thyfelf:
Expreffing well the fpirit within thee free, 440
My image, not imparted to the brute:

Whofe fellowship therefore unmeet for thee,
Good reafon was thon freely fhouldst diflike;
And be fo minded ftill. I, e're thou spak'ft,
Knew it not good for man to be alone;
And no fuch company as then thon faw'ft
Intended thee; tor tryal only brought,
To fee, how thou could'st judge of fit and

meet,

445

What next I bring, shall please thee, be affur'd. Thy likeness, thy fit help, thy other felf, 450 Thy with, exactly to thy heart's defire.

He ended, or I heard no more, for now My earthly by his heav'nly overpower'd, Which it had long ftood under, ftrain'd to th' height

In that celeftial colloquy fublime,

As with an object, that excels the fenfe,

455

Dayl'd and spent, funk 'down, and fought

repair

Of fleep, which inftantly fell on me, call'd