Knew it not good for Man to be alone,
And no fuch company as then thou saw’st
Intended thee, for trial only brought,
To fee how thou could't judge of fit and meet;
What next I bring fhall please thee, be affur'd,
Thy Likeness, thy Fit help, thy Other self,
Thy with exactly to thy hearts defire.
He ended, or I heard no more, for now
My earthly by his Heav'nly overpower'd,
Which it had long ftood under, ftrein'd to the heighth In that celeftial Colloquy fublime
As with an object that excels the Senfe,
Dazl'd and fpent, funk down, and fought repair
Of sleep, which instantly fell on me, call'd
By Nature as in aid, and clos'd mine Eyes.
Mine Eyes he clos'd, but open left the Cell
Of Fancy, my internal fight, by which
Abstract as in a transe methought I saw,
Though fleeping, where I lay, and faw the shape
Still glorious before whom awake Iftood;
Who ftooping open'd my left fide, and took
From thence a Rib, with cordial spirits warm,
And Life-blood streaming fresh; wide was the wound,
But fuddenly with flesh fill'd up and heal'd.
The Rib he form'd and fashion'd with his hands;
Under his forming hands a Creature grew
Manlike, but different Sex, fo lovely fair,
That what feem'd fair in all the World, feem'd now
Mean, or in her fumm'd up, in her contain'd
And in her looks, which from that time infus'd
Sweetness into my heart, unfelt before,
And into all things from her Air infpir'd
The fpirit of love and amorous delight.
She disappear'd, and left me dark; Iwak'd
To find her, or for ever to deplore
Her lofs, and other pleasures all abjure:
When out of hope, behold her, not far off,
Such as I faw her in my dream, adorn'd
With what all Earth or Heaven could bestow
To make her amiable: On fhe came,
Led by her Heav'nly Maker, though unfeen,
And Guided by his voice, nor uninform'd
Of nuptial Sanctity and marriage Rites:
Grace was in all her steps, Heav'n in her Eye,
In every gefture dignity and love.
I overjoy'd could not forbear aloud
This turn hath made amends; thou haft fulfill'a
Thy words, Creator bounteous and benign,
Giver of all things fair, but faireft this
Of all thy gifts, nor envieft. I now fee
Bone of my Bone, Flesh of my Flesh, my Self,
Before me: Woman is her Name, of Man
Extracted; for this cause he fhall forego
Father and Mother, and to his Wife adhere;
And they shall be one Flesh, one Heart, one Soul.
She heard me thus, and tho' divinely brought, Yet Innocence and Virgin Modefty,
Her Virtue and the confcience of her Worth,
That would be woo'd, and not unfought be won,
Not obvious, not obtrusive, but retir'd,
The more defirable, orto say all,
Nature her self, though pure of finful thought,
Wrought in her fo, that seeing me, she turn'd;
I follow'd her, fhe what was Honour knew,
And with obfequious Majesty approv'd
My pleaded reafon. To the Nuptial Bowre
I led her blushing like the Morn: all Heav'n,
And happy Constellations on that hour
Shed their felecteft influence; the Earth
Gave fign of gratulation, and each Hill;
Joyous the Birds; fresh Gales and gentle Aires
Whisper'd it to the Woods, and from their Wings
Flung Rofe, flung Odours from the spicy Shrub,
Difporting, till the amorous Bird of Night
Sung fpoufal, and bid hafte the Eev'ning Star
On his Hill top, to light the bridal Lamp.
Thus I have told thee all my State, and brought
My Story to the fum of earthly blifs
Which I enjoy, and muft confess to find
In all things elfe Delight indeed, but fuch
As us'd or not, works in the Mind no change,
Nor vehement defire, these delicacies
I mean of Tafte, Sight, Smell, Herbs, Fruits, and Flours,
Walks, and the melody of Birds; but here
Far otherwife, Tranfported 1 behold,
Transported touch; here Paffion first I felt,
Commotion ftrange, in all enjoyments elfe
Superior and Unmov'd, here only Weak
Against the charm of Beauties powerful glance.
Or Nature fail'd in me, and left fome part
Not proof enough such Object to sustain,
Or from my fide fubducting, took perhaps
More than enough; at least on her bestow'd
Too much of Ornament, in Outward fhew
Elaborate, of Inward lefs exact.
For well I understand in the prime end
Of Nature, her th' inferior, in the Mind
And in her felf complete, fo well to know
Her own, that what she wills to do or fay,
Seems wifeft, virtuoufeft, Difcreeteft, best
All higher knowledge in her presence falls
Degraded, Wisdom in discourse with her
Loofes discount'nanc'd, and like folly fhews;
Authority and Reason on her wait,
As one Intended first, not after made
Occafionally; and to confummate all,
Greatnefs of Mind and nobleness their feat
Build in her lovelieft, and create an awe
About her, as a guard Angelic plac❜d.
To whom the Angel with contracted brow.
Accufe not Nature, the hath done her part;
Do thou but thine, and be not diffident
Of Wisdom, the deserts thee not, if thou
Difmifs not her, when most thou needst her nigh,
By attributing overmuch to things
Lefs excellent, as thou thy felf perceiv'.
For what admir't thou, what tranfports thee fo,
An outfide? Fair no doubt, and worthy well
Thy cherishing, thy honouring, and thy love,
Not thy fubjection: weigh with her thy felf;
Then value: Oft-times nothing profits more
Than felf esteem, grounded on juft and right
Well manag'd; of that Skill the more thou know'ft,
The more she will acknowledge thee her Head,
And to realities yield all her Shows:
Made fo Adorn for thy delight the more,
So Awful, that with honour thou may'ft lo ve
Thy mate, who fees when thou art feen leaft wife.
But if the fenfe of Touch whereby mankind
Is propagated feem fuch dear delight
Beyond all other, think the fame vouchfaf'd
To Cattel and each Beast; which would not be
To them made common and divulg'd, if aught
Therein enjoy'd were worthy to fubdue
The Soul of Man, or Paffion in him move.
What higher in her fociety thou findst
Attractive, human, rational, love ftill;
In loving thou doft well, in paffion not,
Wherein true Love confifts not; Love refines
The thoughts, and heart enlarges, hath his seat
In Reason, and is judicious, is the scale
By which to heav'nly Love thou mayft afcend,
Not funk in carnal pleasure, for which cause
Among the Beasts no Mate for thee was found.
To whom thus half abash'd Adam reply'd.
Neither her Out-fide form'd so fair, noraught
In procreation common to all kinds
(Though higher of the genial Bed by far,
And with myfterious reverence I deem)
So much delights me, as those graceful acts,
Those thousand decencies that daily flow
From all her words and actions mixt with Love"
And sweet compliance, which declare unfeign'd
Union of Mind, or in us both one Soul;
Harmony to behold in wedded pair
More grateful than harmonious found to the ear.
Yet these subject not; I to thee disclofe
What inward thence I feel, not therefore foil'd,
Who meet with various objects, from the sense,
Variously representing; yet still free
Approve the beft, and follow what I approve.
To love thou blam'ft me not, for Love thou fay'ft
Leads up to Heav'n, is both the way and guide;
Bear with me then, iflawful what I ask ;
Love not the heav'nly Spirits, and how their Love
Express they, by looks only, or do they mix
Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?
To whom the Angel with a Smile that glow'd
Celestial rofie red, Love's proper hue,
Anfwer'd. Let it fuffice thee that thou know'ft
Us happy, and without Love no happiness.
What ever pure thou in thy body enjoy'st
(And pure thou wert created) we enjoy
In eminence, and obftacle find none
Ofmembrance, joynt, or limb, exclufive bars;
Easier than Air with Air, if Spirits embrace,
Total they mix, Union of Pure with Pure
Defiring; nor restrain'd conveyance need
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