As thitherward endeavouring, and upright Stood on my Feet. About me round I faw Hill, Dale, and fhady Woods, and funny Plains, And liquid Lapse of murmuring Streams; by these Creatures that liv'd, and mov'd, and walk'd, or flew, Birds on the branches warbling; all things fmil'd: 265 With fragrance and with joy my heart o'erflow'd. My felf I then perus'd, and Limb by Limb Survey'd, and fometimes went, and sometimes ran With fupple joints, as lively vigour led: But who I was, or where, or from what cause, Knew not; to speak Itry'd, and forthwith spake, My Tongue obey'd, and readily could name What ere I faw. Thou Sun, faid I, fair Light, And thou enlighten'd Earth, fo fresh and gay, Ye Hills, and Dales, yeRivers, Woods and Plains, And ye that live and move, fair Creatures, tell, Tell, if ye faw, how came I thus, how here? Not of my felf; by fome great Maker then,
In goodness and in power præeminent : 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 ftray'd I knew not whither, From where I firft drew Air, and first beheld This happy Light, when answer none return'd, On a green shady Bank profuse of Flours
Penfive I fat me down: there gentle Sleep
Firft found me, and with soft oppreffion feis'd My droused sense, untroubl'd, though I thought
I then was paffing to my former ftate
Infenfible, and forthwith to diffolve:
When fuddenly stood at my Head a Dream, Whofe inward apparition gently mov'd
My fancy to believe I yet had being,
And liv'd: One came, methought, of shape Divine, And faid: Thy Manfion wants thee, Adam, rife First Man, of Men innumerable ordain'd
• Firft Father, call'd by thee I come thy Guide
To the Garden of blifs, thy feat prepar❜d. So faying, by the hand he took me rais'd, And over Fields and Waters, as in Air Smooth-fliding without step, laft led me up Awoody Mountain; whose high top was plain, A Circuit wide, enclos'd, with goodliest Trees Planted, with walks, and bowers, that what I faw Of Earth before scarce pleafant feem'd. Each Tree Loaden with faireft Fruit that hung to the Eye Tempting, ftirr'd in me fudden appetite To pluck and eat; whereat I wak'd, and found Before mine Eyes all real, as the Dream Had lively shadow'd. Here had new begun My wandring, had not he who was my Guide Up hither, from among the Trees appear'd Prefence Divine. Rejoicing, but with awe In adoration at his feet I fell
Submifs: he rear'd me, and whom thou fought'ft I am,
Said mildly, Author of all this thou feeft
C Above, or round about thee, or beneath. This Paradife I give thee, count it thine To till and keep, and of the Fruit to eat : Of every Tree that in the Garden grows Eat freely with glad heart; fear here no dearth: < But of the Tree whofe Operation brings
• Knowledge of Good and Ill, which I have fet • The Pledge of thy Obedience and thy Faith, Amid the Garden by the Tree of Life,
• Remember what I warn thee, shun to taste, And fhun the bitter confequence, for know, The day thou cat'ft thereof, my fole command Tranfgreft, inevitably thou shalt dye; From that day mortal, and this happy State ‹ Shalt lose, expell'd from hence into a World Of woe and forrow. Sternly he pronounc'd The rigid interdiction, which resounds Yet dreadful in mine ear, though in my choice
Not to incur; but foon his clear afpect
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, Beaft, Fish, and Fowl, 'Infign whereof each Bird and Beaft behold < After their kinds; I bring them to receive From thee their Names, and pay thee fealty . With low subjection; understand the fame "OfFish within their watry refidence,
Not hither fummon'd, fince they cannot change
• Their Element to draw the thinner Air.
As thus he spake, each Bird and Beaft behold Approaching two and two, these cowring low With blandishment, each Bird ftoop'd on his wing. Inam'd them, as they pafs'd, and understood Their Nature, with fuch knowledge God endu'd My fudden apprehenfion: but in thefe, I found not what methought I wanted still; And to the Heav'nly Vision thus prefum'd.
O by what Name, for thou above all thefe,
Above mankind, or aught than mankind higher, Surpassest far my naming, how may I
Adore thee Author of this Universe,
And all this good to Man, for whofe well being
So amply, and with hands fo 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? Thus I prefumptuous; and the vifion bright, As with a smile more brighten'd, thus reply'd.
What call'st thou folitude? is not the Earth With various living creatures, and the Air Replenisht, and all thefe at thy command
To come and play before thee? know'st thou not Their language and their ways? they also know, And reafon not contemptibly; with these Find pastime, and bear rule; thy Realm is large. So fpake the Univerfal Lord, and feem'd So ordering. I with leave of Speech implor'd, And humble deprecation thus reply'd.
Let not my words offend thee, Heav'nly Power,
My Maker, be propitious while I speak.
Haft thou not made me here thy substitute,
And these inferior far beneath me fet? Among unequals what fociety
Can fort, what harmony or true delight? Which must be mutual, in proportion due Giv'n and receiv'd; but in disparity The one intenfe, the other still remifs Cannot well fuit with either, but foon prove Tedious alike: Offellowship I speak Such as I feek, fit to participate All Rational delight, wherein the Brute Cannot be human confort; they rejoyce 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 Foul So well converfe; nor with the Ox the Ape; Worfe then can Man with Beaft, and leaft of all.
Whereto th' Almighty answer'd, not difpleas'd. A nice and futtle happiness I fee
Thou to thy felf proposest, in the choice
Ofthy Affociates, Adam, and wilt tafte
No pleasure, though in pleasure, folitary.
What thinkft thou then of Me, and this my State?
Save with the Creatures which I made, and thofe
To me inferior, infinite descents
Beneath what other Creatures are to thee?
He ceas'd, I lowly anfwer'd. To attain
The heighth and depth of thy Eternal ways All human thoughts come short, Supream of things; Thou in thy felfart perfect, and in thee Is no deficience found; not fo is Man But in degree, the cause of his defire
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 fecrefie although Alone,` Beft with thy felf accompany'd, feek'st not Social communication, yet fo pleas'd,
Canft raise thy Creature to what heighth thou wilt Of Union or Communion, deify'd;
I by converfing cannot these erect
From Prone, nor in their ways complacence find. Thus I embolden'd spake, and freedom us'd Permiffive, and acceptance found, which gain'd This answer from the gracious Voice Divine.
Thus far to try thee, Adam, I was pleas'd,
And find thee knowing not of Beafts alone,
Which thou haft rightly nam'd, but of thy felf, Expreffing well the spirit within thee free, My Image, not imparted to the Brute, Whofe fellowship therefore unmeet for thee Good reason was thou freely should'st dislike, And be fo minded ftill; I, ere thou fpak'st,
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