And now divided into four main streams,
Runs diverse, wand'ring many a famous realm
And country, whereof here needs no account ;
But rather to tell how, if Art could tell,
How from that saphir fount the crisped brooks,
Rolling on orient pearl and sands of gold,
With mazy error under pendent fhades
Ran nectar, vifiting each plant, and fed
Flow'rs, worthy' of Paradife, which not nice Art
In beds and curious knots, but Nature boon
Pour'd forth profufe on hill and dale and plain,
Both where the morning fun first warmly fmote
The open field, and where the unpierc'd fhade.
Inbrown'd the noontide bow'rs: Thus was this place
A happy rural feat of various view;
Groves whofe rich trees wept odorous gums and balm, Others whose fruit burnish'd with golden rind
Hung amiable, Hefperian fables.true,
If true, here only', and of delicious taste :
Betwixt them lawns, or level downs, and flocks
Grazing the tender herb, were interpos'd,
Or palmy hilloc; or the flow'ry lap
of fome irriguous valley spread her store,
Flow'rs of all hue, and without thorn the rofe:
Another fide, umbrageous grots and caves
Of cool recefs, o'er which the mantling vine
Lays forth her purple grape, and gently creeps
Luxuriant; mean while murm'ring waters fall
Down the flope hills, difpers'd, or in a lake,
That to the fringed bank with myrtle crown'd
Her crystal mirror holds, unite their streams.
The birds their quire apply; airs, vernal airs,
Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune
The trembling leaves, while universal Pan
Knit with the Graces and the Hours in dance
Led on th' eternal fpring. Not that fair field
Of Enna, where Proferpin gathering flowers,
Herself a fairer flow'r by gloomy Dis
Was gather'd, which cost Ceres all that pain
To seek her through the world; nor that sweet gr
Of Daphne by Orontes, and th' inspir'd
Caftalian spring, might with this Paradise
Of Eden strive; nor that Nyfeian ile
Girt with the river Triton, where old Cham,
Whom Gentiles Ammon call and Libyan Jove,
Hid Amalthea and her florid fon
Young Bacchus from his stepdame Rhea's eye;
Nor where Abaffin kings their issue guard,
Mount Amara, though this by some suppos'd
True Paradise under the Ethiop line
By Nilus head, inclos'd with shining rock,
A whole day's journey high, but wide remote
From this Affyrian garden, where the Fiend
Saw undelighted all delight, all kind
Of living creatures new to fight and strange.
Two of far nobler shape erect and tall,
Godlike erect, with native honor clad
In naked majefty feem'd lords of all,
And worthy feem'd; for in their looks divine,
The image of their glorious Maker fhone,
Truth, wisdom, fanctitude fevere and pure,
(Severe but in true filial freedom plac'd)
Whence true authority in men; though both
Not equal, as their sex not equal feem'd;
For contemplation he and valor form'd,
For foftness she and sweet attractive grace,
He for God only, the 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 slender waste
Her unadorned golden tresses wore
Dishevel'd, but in wanton ringlets wav'd
As the vine curls her tendrils, which imply'd
Subjection, but requir'd with gentle sway,
And by her yielded, by him beft receiv'd,
Yielded with coy fubmiffion, modest pride,
And fweet reluctant amorous delay.
Nor those mysterious parts were then conceal'd,
Then was not guilty shame, dishonest shame
Of nature's works, honor dishonorable,
Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind
With shows instead, mere fhows of feeming pure,
And banish'd from man's life his happiest life,
Simplicity and spotlefs innocence !
So pafs'd they naked on, nor fhunn'd the fight
Of God or Angel, for they thought no ill:
So hand in hand they pafs'd, the loveliest pair
That ever fince in love's embraces met;
Adam the goodlieft man of men fince born
His fons, the fairest of her daughters Eve.
Under a tuft of shade that on a green
Stood whifp'ring soft, by a fresh fountain side
They fat them down; and after no more toil
Of their sweet gard'ning labor than suffic'd
To recommend cool Zephyr, and made ease
More eafy, wholfsome thirst and appetite
More grateful, to their supper fruits they fell,
Nectarin fruits which the compliant boughs
Yielded them, fide-long as they fat recline
On the foft downy bank damask'd with flowers:
The favory pulp they chew, and in the rind
Still as they thirsted scoop the brimming stream;
Nor gentle purpofe, nor endearing fmiles
Wanted, nor youthful dalliance as beseems
Fair couple, link'd in happy nuptial league,
Alone as they. About them frisking play'd
Ali 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, tigers, ounces, pards,
Gambol'd before them; th' unwieldy 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
Couch'd, and now fill'd with pasture gazing fat,
Or bedward ruminating; for the fun
Declin'd was hasting now with prone carreer
To th' ocean iles, and in th' ascending scale
Of Heav'n the ftars 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 blifs thus high advanc'd
Creatures of other mold, earth-born perhaps,
Not Spirits, yet to heav'nly Spirits bright
Little inferior; whom my thoughts purfue
With wonder, and could love, fo lively fhines
In them diviné réfemblance, and fuch grace
The hand that form'd them on their fhape hath pour'd. Ah gentle pair, ye little think how nigh
Your change approaches, when all thefe delights
Will vanish and deliver ye to woe,
More woe, the more your taste is now of joy;
Happy, but for fo happy ill fecur'd
Long to continue, and this high seat your Heaven
Ill fenc'd for Heav'n to keep out such a foe
As now is enter'd; yet no purpos'd foe
To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn,
Though I unpitied: League with you I seek,
And mutual amity so strait, so close,
That I with you must dwell, or you with me
Henceforth; my dwelling haply may not please,
Like this fair Paradife, your fenfe, yet such
Accept your Maker's work; he gave it me,
Which I as freely give; Hell fhall unfold,
To entertain you two, her wideft gates,
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