He for God only, She for God in Him.
His fair large Front and Eye fublime declar'd
Abfolute rule; and Hyacinthin Locks
Round from his parted forelock manly hung
Cluftring, but not beneath his shoulders broad:
She as a veil down to the flander wafte
Her unadorned golden treffes wore
Disfhevel'd, but in wanton ringlets wav'd
As the Vine curles her tendrils, which imply'd
Subjection, but requir'd with Gentle sway,
And by her Yeilded, by him beft Receiv'd,
Yielded with coy fubmiffion, modest pride,
And sweet, reluctant, amorous, delay.
Nor those Mysterious parts were then conceal'd:
Then was not guilty shame, dishonest shame
Of nature's works, honour dishonourable.
Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind
With Shews inftead, meer Shews of seeming Pure,
And banisht from man's life his happiest life,
Simplicitie and spotless innocence.
So pafs'd they naked on, nor shunn'd the fight
Of God or Angel, for they thought no ill :
So hand in hand they pass'd, the Lovliest pair
That ever fince in loves imbraces met,
Adam the goodliest man of men fince born
His Sons, the fairest of her Daughters Eve.
Under a tuft of shade that on a green
Stood whispering foft, by a fresh Fountain fide
They fat them down, and after no more toil
Of their sweet Gard'ning labour than fuffic'd
To recommend cool Zephyr, and made ease
More eafie, wholsom thirst and appetite
More grateful, to their Supper Fruits they fell:
Nectarine Fruits which the compliant boughes
Yielded them, fide-long as they fat recline
On the foft downie Bank damaskt with flours.
The favoury pulp they chew, and in the rinde
Still as they thrifted scoop the brimming stream:
Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles
Wanted, nor youthful dalliance as beseems
Fair couple, linkt in happy nuptial League,
Alone as they. About them frisking plaid
All beafts of th' Earth, fince wild, and of all chafe
In Wood or Wilderness, Foreft or Den;
Sporting the Lion ramp'd, and in his paw
Dandled the Kid; Bears, Tygers, Ounces, Pards,
Gambol'd before them; th' unwieldly Elephant
To make them mirth us'd all his might, and wreath’d
His Lithe Probofcis; close the Serpent fly
Infinuating, wove with Gordian twine
His breaded train, and of his fatal guile
Gave proof unheeded; others on the grafs
Coucht, and now fill'd with pafture gazing fat,
Or Bedward ruminating: for the Sun
Declin'd was hafting now with prone career
To th' Ocean Isles, and in th' ascending Scale
Of Heav'n the Stars that usher Evening rofe:
When Satan ftill in gaze, as first he stood,
Scarce thus at length fail'd speech recover'd fad.
O Hell! what do mine eyes with grief behold,
Into our room of bliss thus high advanc'd
Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps,
Not Spirits, yet to heav'nly Spirits bright
Little inferior; whom my Thoughts pursue
With wonder, and could Love, fo lively fhines
In them divine Refemblance, and such grace
The hand that form'd'em on their fhape hath pour'd.
Ah gentle pair ye little think how nigh
Your Change approaches, when all these delights
Will vanish and deliver ye to Woe,
More woe, the more your tafte is now of joy.
Happy, but for fo happy ill fecur'd
Long to continue, and this high feat your Heav'n
Ill Fenc'd for Heav'n to keep out fuch a foc
As now is entr'd; yet no purpos'd foe
Book IV. PARADISE LOST.
To you, whom I could Pity thus forlorne,
Though I Unpitied. League with you I feek,
And mutual amity fo ftreight, fo close,
That I with you muft dwell, or you with me
Henceforth; my dwelling haply may not please,
Like this fair Paradife, your fenfe, yet fuch
Accept your Maker's work; he gave it me,
Which I as freely give; Hell shall unfold,
To entertain you two, her wideft Gates,
And fend forth all her Kings; there will be room,
Not like these narrow limits, to receive
Your numerous offspring. If no better place,
Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge
On you who wrong me not, for him who wrong'd.
And should I at your harmless innocence
Melt, as I doe, yet publick reafon juft,
Honour and Empire with revenge enlarg'd,
By conquering this new World, compels me now
To do what else, though Damn'd, Ifhould abhorre.
So fpake the Fiend, and with neceffity,
The Tyrant's plea, excus'd his devilish deeds.
Then from his loftie ftand on that high Tree
Down he alights among the fportful Herd
Of those four-footed kindes, himself now one,
Now other, as their Shape ferv'd beft his end
Nearer to view his prey, and unefpi'd
To mark what of their ftate he more might learn
By word or action markt. About them round
A Lion now he stalks with fierie glare,
Then as a Tyger, who by chance hath fpi'd
In fome Purlieu two gentle Fawnes at play,
Strait couches clofe, then rifing changes oft
His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground
Whence rushing he might fureft feize them both
Grip'd in each paw: When Adam first of men
To firft of Women Eve thus moving speech,
Turn'd him all ear to hear new utterance flow.
Sole partner and fole part of all these joyes,
Dearer thy felf than all! needs must the power
That made us, and for us this ample World,
Be infinitely good, and of his good
As liberal and free as infinite,
That rais'd us from the dust, and plac'd us here
In all this happiness, who at his hand.
Have nothing merited, nor can perform
Aught whereof he hath need; he who requires
From us no other service than to keep
This One, this Eafie charge, of all the Trees
In Paradife that bear delicious Fruit
So various, not to tafte that only Tree
Of knowledge, planted by the Tree of Life,
So near grows Death to Life, whate'er Death is,
Some dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou know'ft
God hath pronounc'd it Death to taste that Tree,
The only fign of our obedience left
Among so many signs of power and rule
Conferr'd upon us, and Dominion giv'n
Over all other Creatures that poffefs
Earth, Aire, and Sea. Then let us not think hard
One eafie prohibition, who enjoy
Free leave fo large to all things else, and choice
Unlimited of manifold delights:
But let us ever praife him, and extoll
His Bounty, following our delightful task
To prune these growing Plants, and tend these Flours, Which were it toilfom, yet with Thee were sweet.
To whom thus Eve reply'd, O thou for whom
And from whom I was form'd, flesh of thy flesh,
And without whom am to no end, my Guide
And Head, what thou haft fair is just and right.
For we to him indeed all praises owe,
And daily thanks; Ichiefly who enjoy
So far the happier Lot, enjoying thee.
Praeminent by fo much odds, while thou
Like confort to thy felf can't no were find.
That day I oft remember when from fleep
I first awak'd, and found my self repos'd
Under a fhade, on flours, much wondering where
And what I was, whence thither brought, and how.
Not diftant far from thence a murmuring found
Of waters iffu'd from a Cave, and spread
Into a liquid Plain, then stood unmov'd
Pure as th' expanse of Heav'n; I thither went
With unexperienc'd thought, and laid me down
On the green bank, to look into the clear
Smooth Lake, that to me seem'd another Sky.
As I bent down to look, just oppofite
A Shape within the watry gleam appear'd
Bending to look on me; Iftarted back,
It started back, but pleas'd I foon return'd,
Pleas'd it return'd as foon with answering looks
Of fympathy and love: There I had fixt
Mine eyes till now, and pin'd with vain defire,
Had not a voice thus warn'd me: What thou seeft,
• What there thou seeft, fair Creature, is thy self,
< With thee it came and goes: but follow me, < And I will bring thee where no shadow stays Thy coming, and thy foft embraces: He
• Whose image thou art, him thou shalt enjoy C Infeparably thine, to him fhalt bear
• Multitudes like thy self, and thence be call'd
• Mother of human Race:' What could I doc,
But follow ftrait, invisibly thus led?
Till I efpy'd thee, fair indeed and tall,
Under a Plantan, yet me thought lefs Fair,
Lefs winning Soft, less amiably Mild,
Than that smooth watry image; back I turn'd;
Thou following cry'ft aloud,Return fair Eve,
Whom fly'ft thou? whom thou fly'ft, of him thou art,
His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent
Out of my fide to thee, neareft my heart,
Substantial Life, to have thee by my fide
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