And flow'ring odors, caffia, nard, and balm;
A wilderness of sweets; for Nature here
Wanton'd as in her prime, and play'd at will
Her virgin fancies, pouring forth more sweet,
Wild above rule or art; enormous bliss.
Him through the spicy forest onward come
Adam difcern'd, as in the door he fat

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Of his cool bow'r, while now the mounted fun

300

Shot down direct his fervid rays to warm

Earth's inmoft womb, more warmth than Adam needs: And Eve within, due at her hour prepar'd

For dinner favory fruits, of taste to please
True appetite, and not difrelish thirst

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Of necta'rous draughts between, from milky stream,
Berry or grape: to whom thus Adam call'd.
Hafte hither Eve, and worth thy fight behold
Eastward among thofe trees, what glorious shape
Comes this way moving; feems another morn 310
Ris'n on mid-noon; fome great behest from Heaven
To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchfafe
This day to be our gueft. But go with speed,
And what thy ftores contain, bring forth, and pour
Abundance, fit to honor and receive
Our heav'nly ftranger: well we may afford

Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow
From large beftow'd, where Nature multiplies
Her fertil growth, and by disburd'ning grows
More fruitful, which inftructs us not to fpare.

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320

To whom thus Eve. Adam, earth's hallow'd mold, Of God infpir'd, fmall ftore will ferve, where ftore,

All feafons, ripe for ufe hangs on the stalk;
Save what by frugal ftoring firmnefs gains
To nourish, and fuperfluous moist confumes:

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But I will hafte, and from each bough and brake,

Each plant and jucieft gourd, will pluck fuch choice To entertain our Angel gueft, as he

Beholding fhall confefs, that here on Earth

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340

God hath difpens'd his bounties as in Heaven.
So faying, with dispatchful looks in haste
She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent
What choice to choose for delicacy best,
What order, fo contriv'd as not to mix
Taftes, not well join'd, inelegant, but bring
Taste after taste upheld with kindliest change;
Beftirs her then, and from each tender stalk
Whatever Earth all-bearing mother yields
In India Eaft or Weft, or middle shore
In Pontus or the Punic coaft, or where
Alcinous reign'd, fruit of all kinds, in coat
Rough or smooth rin'd, or bearded husk, or shell,
She gathers, tribute large, and on the board
Heaps with unfparing hand; for drink the grape
She crushes, inoffenfive muft, and meaths
From many a berry', and from sweet kernels prefs'd
She tempers dulcet creams, nor these to hold
Wants her fit veffels pure, then ftrows the ground
With rofe and odors from the fhrub unfum'd.
Mean while our primitive great fire, to meet
His God-like gueft, walks forth, without more train
Accompanied than with his own complete

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Perfections;

Perfections; in himself was all his ftate,
More folemn than the tedious pomp that waits
On princes, when their rich retinue long
Of horses led, and grooms befmear'd with gold,
Dazles the croud, and fets them all agape.
Nearer his prefence Adam though not aw'd,
Yet with fubmifs approach and reverence meek,
As to a fuperior nature, bowing low,

Thus faid. Native of Heav'n, for other place
None can than Heav'n fuch glorious shape contain
Since by defcending from the thrones above,
Thofe happy places thou haft deign'd a while
To want, and honor thefe, vouchfafe with us
Two' only, who yet by sovran gift poffefs
This fpacious ground, in yonder fhady bower
To reft, and what the garden choicest bears
To fit and tafte, till this meridian heat
Be over, and the fun more cool decline.

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Whom thus th' angelic Virtue answer'd mild. Adam, I therefore came, nor art thou fuch Created, or such place haft here to dwell, As may not oft invite, though Spi'rits of Heaven, To vifit thee; lead on then where thy bower O'erfhades; for thefe mid-hours, till evening rife, I have at will. So to the fylvan lodge They came, that like Pomona's arbor fmil'd With flow'rets deck'd and fragrant fmells; but Eve Undeck'd fave with herself, more lovely fair 380 Than Wood-Nymph, or the fairest Goddess feign'd Of three that in mount Ida naked ftrove, L 4

Stcod

Stood to' entertain her guest from Heav'n; no veil

She needed, virtue-proof; no thought infirm

Alter'd her cheek. On whom the Angel Hail 385 Bestow'd, the holy falutation us'd

Long after to bleft Mary, fecond Eve.

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Hail Mother of Mankind, whofe fruitful womb
Shall fill the world more numerous with thy fons,
Than with these various fruits the trees of God
Have heap'd this table. Rais'd of graffy turf
Their table was, and mossy seats had round,
And on her ample square from fide to fide
All autumn pil'd, though spring and autumn here
Danc'd hand in hand. A while difcourfe they hold;
No fear left dinner cool; when thus began

Our author. Heav'nly ftranger, please to taste
These bounties, which our Nourisher, from whom
All perfect good, unmeasur'd out, defcends,
To us for food and for delight hath caus'd
The earth to yield; unfavory food perhaps
To fpiritual natures; only this I know,
That one celeftial Father gives to all.

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To whom the Angel. Therefore what he gives

(Whose praise be ever fung) to Man in part

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Spiritual, may of pureft Spi'rits be found

No' ingrateful food: and food alike those pure

Intelligential fubftances require,

As doth your rational; and both contain

Within them every lower faculty

410

Of fenfe, whereby they hear, fee, fmell, touch, tafte," Tafting concoct, digeft, affimilate,

And

And corporeal to incorporeal turn.

For know, whatever was created, needs

To be fuftain'd and fed; of elements

415

The grosser feeds the purer, earth the sea,

Earth and the fea feed air, the air those fires

Ethereal, and as lowest first the moon;

Whence in her visage round those spots, unpurg'd
Vapors not yet into her fubftance turn'd.

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Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale
From her moist continent to higher orbs.
The fun, that light imparts to all, receives
From all his alimental recompenfe

In humid exhalations, and at even

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Sups with the ocean. Though in Heav'n the trees
Of life ambrofial fruitage bear, and vines
Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each morn
We brush mellifluous dews, and find the ground
Cover'd with pearly grain: yet God hath here
Varied his bounty fo with new delights,
As may compare with Heaven; and to taste
Think not I shall be nice. So down they fat,
And to their viands fell; nor feemingly

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The Angel, nor in mift, the common glofs

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Of Theologians; but with keen dispatch

Of real hunger, and concoctive heat

To transubstantiate: what redounds, transpires

Through Spi'rits with ease; nor wonder; if by fire

Of footy coal th' empiric alchemist

440

Can turn, or holds it poffible to turn,

Metals of drofficft ore to perfect gold

As