And I will bring thee where no fhadow stays 470
Thy coming, and thy foft embraces, he
Whose image thou art; him thou shalt enjoy
Infeparably thine, to him fhalt bear
Multitudes like thyself, and thence be call'd
Mother of human race. What could I do,
But follow ftrait, invisibly thus led?
Till I efpy'd thee, fair indeed and tall,
Under a platan; yet methought less fair,
Lefs winning foft, less amiably mild,
Than that smooth watry image: back I turn'd; 480
Thou, following, cry'dft 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
Henceforth an individual folace dear;
Part of my foul I seek thee, and thee clame
My other half: with that thy gentle hand
Seis'd mine; I yielded, and from that time see
How beauty is excell'd by manly grace
And wifdom, which alone is truly fair.
So fpake our general mother, and with eyes
Of conjugal attraction,unreprov'd,
And meek furrender, half embracing lean'd
On our first father; half her fwelling breast
Naked met his,under the flowing gold
Of her loose tresses hid: he in delight
Both of her beauty and submissive charms
Smil'd with fuperior love, as Jupiter
On Juno fmiles, when he impregns the clouds 500
That shed May flow'rs; and prefs'd her matron lip
With kiffes pure: afide the Devil turn'd
For envy, yet with jealous leer malign
Ey'd them askance, and to himself thus plain'd.
Sight hateful, fight tormenting! thus these two 505
Imparadis'd in one another's arms,
The happier Eden, fhall enjoy their fill
Of blifs on blifs; while I to Hell am thrust,
Where neither joy nor love, but fierce defire,
Among our other torments not the least,
Still unfulfill'd,with pain of longing pines.
Yet let me not forget what I have gain'd
From their own mouths: all is not theirs it seems;
One fatal tree there stands of knowledge call'd,
Forbidden them to tafte: Knowledge forbidden? 515
Suspicious, reafonless. Why fhould their Lord
Envy them that? can it be fin to know?
Can it be death? and do they only stand
By ignorance? is that their happy state,
The proof of their obedience and their faith?
O fair foundation laid whereon to build
Their ruin! Hence I will excite their minds
With more defire to know, and to reject
Envious commands, invented with design
To keep them low whom knowledge might exalt 525
Equal with Gods: afpiring to be such,
They taste and die: what likelier can ensue?
But firft with narrow search I muft walk round
This garden, and no corner leave unspy'd;
A chance,but chance may lead where I may meet 530
Some wand'ring Spi rit of Heav'n,by fountain side,
Or in thick shade retir'd, from him to draw
What further would be learn'd. Live,while ye may,
Yet happy pair; enjoy, till I return,
Short pleasures, for long woes are to fucceed. 535
So faying, his proud ftep he fcornful turn'd,
But with fly circumspection; and began (roam.
Through wood, through wafte, o'er hill, o'er dale his
Mean while in utmost longitude, where Heaven
With earth and ocean meets, the setting fun
Slowly defcended, and with right aspéct
Against the eastern gate of Paradise
Level'd his evening rays: it was a rock
Of alabaster, pil'd up to the clouds,
Confpicuous far, winding with one afcent
Acceffible from earth, one entrance high;
The reft was craggy cliff, that overhung
Still as it rose, impoffible to climb.
Betwixt these rocky pillars Gabriel sat,
Chief of th'angelic guards, awaiting night;
About him exercis'd heroic games
Th'unarmed youth of Heav'n; but nigh at hand
Celestial armoury, shields, helms, and spears,
Hung high,with diamond flaming, and with gold. Thither came Uriel, gliding through the 'even 555 On a fun beam, swift as a shooting star
In autumn thwarts the night, when vapors fir'd
Imprefs the air, and shows the mariner
From what point of his compass to beware
Impetuous winds: he thus began in haste.
Gabriel, to thee thy course by lot hath given Charge and strict watch, that to this happy place No evil thing approach or enter in. This day,at highth of noon,came to my sphere A Spirit, zealous, as he feem'd, to know 565 More of th' Almighty's works, and chiefly Man, God's latest image: I defcrib'd his way Bent all on speed, and mark'd his aery gate; But in the mount that lies from Eden north, Where he first lighted, foon difcern'd his looks 570 Alien from Heav'n, with passions foul obscur'd: Mine eye pursued him ftill, but under fhade Loft fight of him: one of the banish'd crew, I fear, hath ventur'd from the deep, to raise New troubles; him thy care must be to find.
To whom the winged warrior thus return'd.
Uriel, no wonder if thy perfect fight,
Amid the fun's bright circle where thou sitst,
See far and wide: in at this gate none pass
The vigilance here plac'd, but such as come 580 Well known from Heav'n; and fince meridian hour
No creature thence: if Spirit of other sort,
So minded, have o'erleap'd these earthy bounds
On purpose, hard thou know'st it to exclude
Spiritual substance with corporeal bar.
But if within the circuit of these walks,
In whatsoever shape he lurk, of whom
Thou tell'st, by morrow dawning I shall know.
So promis'd he; and Uriel to his charge
Return'd on that bright beam, whofe point,now rais'd, Bore him flope downward to the fun, now fall'n 591 Beneath th'Azores; whether the prime orb, Incredible how swift, had thither roll'd
Diurnal, or this lefs volúbil earth,
By shorter flight to th'east, had left him there, 595
Arraying with reflected purple and gold
The clouds that on his western throne attend.
Now came fill evening on, and twilight gray
Had in her sober livery, all things clad;
Silence accompanied; for beast and bird,
They to their graffy couch, these to their nefts
Were flunk, all but the wakeful nightingale;
She all night long her amorous descant sung;
Silence was pleas'd: now glow'd the firmament
With living faphirs: Hesperus, that led
The starry host, rode brightest, till the moon
Rifing in clouded majefty, at length
Apparent queen unveil'd her peerless light,
And o'er the dark her filver mantle threw.
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