Desire with thee still longer to converse

Induced me. As new waked from soundest sleep.
Soft on the flowery herb I found me laid,

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In balmy sweat; which with his beams the sun 255 Soon dried, and on the reeking moisture fed. Straight toward Heaven my wondering eyes I turn'd, And gazed awhile the ample sky; till, raised By quick instinctive motion, up I sprung, As thitherward endeavouring, and upright Stood on my feet about me round I saw Hill, dale, and shady woods, and sunny plains, And liquid lapse of murmuring streams; by these Creatures that lived and moved, and walk'd, or flew; Birds on the branches warbling; all things smiled; With fragrance and with joy my heart o'erflow'd. 20 Myself I then perused, and limb by limb Survey'd, and sometimes went, and sometimes ran With supple joints, as lively vigour led: But who I was, or where, or from what cause, Knew not; to speak I tried, and forthwith spake; My tongue obey'd, and readily could name Whate'er I saw. Thou Sun, said I, fair light, And thou enlighten'd Earth, so fresh and gay, Ye Hills, and Dales, ye Rivers, Woods, and Plains, And ye that live and move, fair Creatures, tell, Tell, if ye saw, how I came thus, how here?— Not of myself;- -by some great Maker then, In goodness and in power preeminent : Tell me, how may I know him, how adore, From whom I have that thus I move and live, And feel that I am happier than I know.— While thus I call'd, and strayed I knew not whither, From where I first drew air, and first beheld This happy light; when, answer none return'd, On a green shady bank, profuse of Howers, Pensive I sat me down there gentle sleep First found me, and with soft oppression scized My drowsied sense, untroubled, though thongin

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I then was passing to my former state
Insensible, and forthwith to dissolve.

When suddenly stood at my head a dream,
Whose inward apparition gently moved

My fancy to believe I yet had being,

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And lived One came, methought, of shape divine. And said, Thy mansion wants thee, Adam: rise, 296 First Man, of men innumerable ordain'd

First Father! call'd by thee, I come thy guide

To the garden of bliss, thy seat prepared.

Eo saying, by the hand he took me raised,
And over fields and waters, as in air

Smooth sliding without step, last led me up

A woody mountain; whose high top was plain,
A circuit wide, enclosed, with goodliest trees

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Planted, with walks and bowers; that what I saw 305 Of Earth before scarce pleasant seem'd. Each tree, Loaden with fairest fruit that hung to the eye Tempting, stirr'd in me sudden appetite

To pluck and eat; whereat I waked, and found

Before mine eyes all real, as the dream

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Had lively shadow'd: Here had new begun

My wandering, had not he, who was my guide

Up hither, from among the trees appear'd,

Presence Divine. Rejoicing, but with awe,

In adoration at his feet I foll

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Submiss: He rear'd me, and Whom thou sought'st I am,

Said mildly, Author of all this thou seest

Above, or round about thee, cr beneath.

This Paradise I give thee, count it thine

To till and keep, and of the fruit to eat :

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Of every tree that in the garden grows

Eat freely with glad heart; fear here no dearth
But of the tree whose operation brings
Knowledge of good and ill, which I have set
The pledge of thy obedience and thy faith,
Amid the garden by the tree of life,
Remember what I warn thee, shun to taste,

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And shun the bitter consequence for know
The day thou eat'st thereof, my sole command
Transgress'd, inevitably thou shalt die,
From that day mortal; and this happy state
Shalt lose, expell'd from hence into a world
Of woe and sorrow. Sternly he pronounce
The rigid interdiction, which resounds

Yet dreadful in mine ear, though in my choice
Not to incur; but soon his clear aspect
Return'd, and gracious purpose thus renew'd
Not only these fair bounds, but all the Earth
To thee and to thy race I give; as lords
Possess it, and all things that therein live,
Or live in sea, or air; beast, fish, and fowl.
In sign whereof, each bird and beast behold
After their kinds; I bring them to receive
From thee their names, and pay thee fealty
With low subjection: understand the same
Of fish within their watery residence,

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Not hither summon'd, since they cannot change
Their element, to draw the thinner air.

And thus he spake, each bird and beast behold Approaching two and two; these cowering low With blandishment; each bird stoop'd on his wing. I named them as they pass'd, and understood Their nature, with such knowledge God endued My sudden apprehension: But in these I found not what methought I wanted still; And to the heavenly Vision thus presumed : O, by what name, for thou above all these, Above mankind, or aught than mankind higher, Surpassest far my naming; how may I Adore thee, Author of this universe,

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And all this good to man? for whose well being

So amply, and with hands so liberal,

Thou hast provided all things: But with me

I see not who partakes. In solitude

What happiness, who can enjoy alone,

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Or, all enjoying, what contentment find'
Thus I presumptuous; and the Vision bright,
As with a smile more brighten'd, thus replied:
What call'st thou solitude? Is not the Earth
With various living creatures, and the air
Replenish'd, and all these at thy command

To come and play before thee? Know'st thou not
Their language and their ways? They also know,
And reason not contemptibly; With these

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Find pastime, and bear rule: thy realm is large. 375 So spake the Universal Lord, and seem'd

So ordering: I, with leave of speech implored,

And humble deprecation, thus replied:

Let not my words offend thee, Heavenly Power,

My Maker, be propitious while I speak.

Hast thou not made me here thy substitute,
And these inferior far beneath me set?
Among unequals what society

Can sort, what harmony, or true delight?
Which must be mutual, in proportion die
Given and received; but, in disparity
The one intense, the other still remiss,

Cannot well suit with either, but soon prove
Tedious alike of fellowship I speak,
Such as I seek, fit to participate
All rational delight: wherein the brute
Cannot be human consort: They rejoice
Each with their kind, lion with lioness;
So fitly them in pairs thou hast combined:
Much less can bird with beast, or fish with fowl
So well converse, nor with the ox the ape;
Worse then can man with beast, and least of all.
Whereto the Almighty answer'd, not displeased
A nice and subtle happiness, I see,

Thou to thyself proposest, in the choice

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Of thy associates, Adam! and wilt taste

No pleasure, though in pleasure, solitary.

What think'st thou then of me, and this my state'

Seem I to thee sufficiently possess'd
Of happiness, or not? who am alone
From all eternity; for none I know
Second to me or like, equal much less.

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How have I then with whom to hold converse,

Save with the creatures which I made, and those
To me inferior, infinite descents

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Beneath what other creatures are to thee?

He ceased; I lowly answer'd: To attain

The height and depth of thy eternal ways

All human thoughts come short, Supreme of things! Thou in thyself art perfect, and in thee

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Is no deficience found: Not so is Man,

Like of his like, his image multiplied,
In unity defective; which requires
Collateral love, and dearest amity.
Thou in thy secrecy although alone,

Best with thyself accompanied, seek'st not

Social communication; yet, so pleased,

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Canst raise thy creature to what height thou wilt 430

Of union or communion, deified:

I, by conversing, cannot these erect

From prone; nor in their ways complacence find

Thus I embolden'd spake, and freedom used

Permissive, and acceptance found; which gain'd 435
This answer from the gracious Voice Divine:
Thus far to try thee, Adam, I was pleased;
And find thee knowing, not of beasts alone,
Which thou hast rightly named, but of thyself;
Expressing well the spirit within thee free,
My image, not imparted to the brute;

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