185

And nourish all things; let your ceafelefs change Vary to our great Maker ftill new praise. Ye Mifts and Exhalations that now rife From hill or team ng lake, dufky or gray, Fill the fun paint your fleecy fkirts with gold, In honor to the world's great Author rife, Whether to deck with clouds the uncolor'd fky, Or wet the thirsty earth with falling fhowers, 190 Rifing or falling ftill advance his praife. His praife, ye Winds, that from four quarters blow, Breathe foft or loud; and wave your tops, ye Pines, With every plant, in fign of worthip wave. Fountains and ye, that warble, as ye flow, Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praife. Join voices, all ye living Souls: ye Birds, That finging up to Heaven gate afcend,

195

215

So pray'd they innocent, and to their thoughts Firm peace recover'd foon and wonted calm. 210 On to their morning's rural work they hafte Among sweet dews and flow'rs; where any row Of fruit-trees over-woody reach'd too far Their pamper'd boughs, and needed hands to check Fruitless embraces: or they led the vine To wed her elm; fhe fpous'd about him twines Her marriageable arms, and with her brings Her dow'r th' adopted clusters, to adorn His barren leaves. Them thus employ'd beheld With pity Heav'n's high king, and to him call'd Raphael, the fociable Spi'rit, that deign'd To travel with Tobias, and fecur'd His marriage with the fev'ntimes-wedded maid. Raphael, faid he, thou hear it what ftir on Earth Satan from Hell fcap'd through the darkfome gulf Hath rais'd in Paradise, and how disturb'd 226 This night the human pair, how he defigns In them at once to ruin all mankind.

221

Go therefore, half this day as friend with friend
Converfe with Adam, in what bow'r or flade 230
Thou find'st him from the heat of noon retir'd,
To refpit his day-labor with repast,
Or with repofe; and fuch difcourfe bring on,
As may advife him of his happy state,
Happiness in his pow'r left free to will,
Left to his own free will, his will though free,
Yet mutable; whence warn him to beware
He fwerve not too fecure: tell him withal
His danger, and from whom; what enemy,
Late fall'n himself from Heav'n, is plotting now
The fall of others from like state of bliss;

235

quires,

251

255

On each hand parting, to his fpeed gave way
Through all th' empyreal road; till at the gate
Of Heav'n arriv'd, the gate felf-open'd wide
On golden hinges turning, as by work
Divine the fovran Architect had fram'd.
From hence no cloud, or, to obtract his fight,
Star interpos'd, however fmall, he fees,
Not unconform to other fhining gobes,
Earth and the gard'n of God, with cedars crown'd
Above all hills. As when by night the glafs 261
Of Galileo, lefs affur'd, obferves

Imagin'd lands and regions in the moon :

270

275

280

A cloudy spot. Down thither proue in flight
He speeds, and through the vast eth real iky
Sails between worlds and worlds, with fte day wing
Now on the polar winds, then with quick fan
Winnows the buxom air; till within four
Of tow'ring eagles, to' all the fowls he feems
A Phoenix, gaz'd by all, as that fole bird,
When to infhrine his reliques in the fun's
Bright temple, to Egyptian Thebes he flies.
At once on th' eaftern cliff of Paradife
He lights, and to his proper fhape returns
A Seraph wing'd; fix wings he wore, to fhade
His lineaments divine; the pair that clad
Each shoulder broad, came mantling o'er his breast
With regal ornament; the middle pair
Girt like a starry zone his wafte, and round
Skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold
And colors dipt in Heav'n; the third his feet
Shadow'd from either heel with feather'd mail,
Sky-tinctur'd grain. Like Maia's fon he food,
And thook his plumes, that heav'nly fragrance
286
The circuit wide. Strait knew him all the bands
Of Angels under watch; and to his state,
And to his meffage high in honor rife;
For on fome meflage high they guess'd him bound.
Their glittering tents he pafs'd, and now is come
Into the blissful field, through groves of myrrh,
And flow'ring odors, caffia, nard, and balm;
A wilderness of tweets; for Nature here
Wanton'd as in her prime, and play'd it will 275
Her virgin fancies, pouring forth more sweet,
Wild above rule or art; enormous blifs.

fill'd

Of necta'rous draughts between, from milky ftream,

Berry or grape to whom thus Adam cal'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 beheft from Heaven

315

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
Froni large heftow'd, where Nature multiplies
Her fertil growth, and by disburd'ning grows
More fruitful, which inftructs us not to ipare. 320
To whom thus Eve. Adam, earth's hallow'd
mold,

Of God infpir'd, fmall ftore will ferve, where store,
All feafons, ripe for ufe hangs on the fialk;
Save what by frugal ftoring firmness gains
To nourish, and fuperfluous moift confumes: 325
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
God hath difpens'd his bounties as in Heaven. 330
So faying, with dispatchful looks in hafte
She turns, on hofpitable thoughts intent
What choice to choofe for delicacy beit,
What order, fo contriv'd as not to mix
Taftes, not well join'd, inelegant, but bring 335
Taste after tafte upheld with kindliest change;
Beftirs her then, and from each tender italk
Whatever Earth all-bearing mother yields

In India Eat or Weft, or middle fhore

340

In Pontus or the Punic coaft, or where
Alcinous reign'd, fruit of all kinds, in coat
Rough or finooth rin'd, or bearded hufk, or fhell, |
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 fweet kernels prefs'd
She tempers dulcet creams, nor thefe to hold
Wants her fit veffels pure, then ftrows the ground
With rofe and odors from the fhrub untum'd. 349

34.5

355

Mean while our primitive great fire, to meet His God-like gueft,walks forth, without more train Accompanied than with his own complete Perfections; in himself was all his state, More folemn than the tedious pomp that waits On princes, when their rich retinue long Of horfes led, and grooms befmear'd with gold, Dazzles the croud, and fets them all agape. Nearer his prefence Adam though not aw'd, Yet with fubmifs approach and reverence meck, As to' a fuperior nature, bowing low, Thus faid. Native of Heav'n, for other place None can than Heav'n fuch glorious fhape contain; Since by defcending from the thrones above, Thofe happy plases thou haft deign'd a while

To want, and honor thef, vouchsafe with us;
Two' only, who yet by fovran gift poffefs
This fpacious ground, in yonder thady bower
To reft, and what the garden choiceft bears
To fit and tafte, till this meridian heat
Be over, and the fun more cool decline.

Whom thus th' angelic Virtue answer'd mil
Adam, I therefore came, nor art thou fuch
Created, or fuch place haft here to dwell,
As may not oft invite, though Spirits of Heas
To vilt thee; lead on then where thy bower
O'erflades; for thefe mid-hours, till evening a
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 fmelis;

Eve

Undeck'd fave with herfelf, more lovely fair Than Wood-Nymph, or the faireft God feign'd

Of three that in mount Ida naked strove,
Stood to entertain her gueft from Heav'n; not
She needed; virtue proof, no thought infira i
Alter'd her cheek. On whom the Angel Hal
Beftow'd, the holy falutation us'd

Long after to bleft Mary, fecond Eve.

Hail Mother of Mankind, whose fruitful wa Shall fill the world more numerous with thy fa Than with thefe various fruits the trees of God Have heap'd this table. Rais'd of graffy turf Their table was, and moffy feats had round, And on her ample fquare from fide to side All autumn pil'd, though fpring and autumn Danc'd hand in hand. A while difcourfe they bal No fear left dinner cool; when thus began Our author. Heav'nly ftranger, please to tafte Thefe bounties, which our Nourisher, from whe All perfect good, unmeafur'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.

To whom the Angel. Therefore what he give
(Whose praise be ever fung) to Man in part 4
Spiritual, may of pureft Spirits be found
No' ingrateful food and food alike those pure
Intelligential fubftances require,

As deth your rational; and both contain
Within them every lower faculty

41

Of fenfe, whereby they hear, fee, fmell, touch

taste,

360

Tafting conco, digeft, affimilate,
And corporeal to incorporeal turn.
For know, whatever was created, needs
To be fuftain'd and fed; of elements
The groffer feeds the purer, earth the sea,
Earth and the fca feed air, the air thofe 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.
Nor deth the moon no nourishment exhale
From her moift continent to higher orbs.
The fun, that light imparts to all, receives
From all his alimental recompenfe

4

420

life ambrofial fruitage bear, and vines tid nectar; though from off the boughs each

morn

431

cue brush mellifluous dews, and find the ground wer'd with pearly grain: yet God hath here ried his bounty fo with new delights, may compare with Heaven; and to tafte think not I shall be nice. So down they fat, ld to their viands fell; nor feemingly eAngel, nor in mitt, the common glofs Theologians; but with keen dispatch real hunger, and concoctive heat tranfubitantiate: what redounds, tranfpires rough Spirits with ease; nor wonder; if by fire footy coal th' empiric alchemist

aturn, or holds it poffible to turn,

tals of droffieft ore to perfect gold

from the mine. Mean while at table Eve nister'd naked, and their flowing cups

435

440

v'n him by this great conference to know ithings above his world, and of their being 455 ho dwell in Heav'n, whofe excellence he faw ranfcend his own fo far, whose radiant forms ivine effulgence, whofe high pow'r so far tceeded human; and his wary fpeech hus to th' empyreal minifter he fram'd. Inhabitant with God, now know I well hy favor, in this honor done to Man, nder whofe lowly roof thou haft vouchsaf'd o enter, and these earthly fruits to taste, ood not of Angels, yet accepted fo,

Difcurfive, or intuitive; difcourfe

Is ofteft yours, the latter mott is ours,

Differing but in degree, of kind the fame. Wonder not then, what God for you saw good If I refuse not, but convert, as you,

490

495

To proper fubftance: time may come, when Men
With Angels may participate, and find
No inconvenient di'et, nor too light fare;
And from thefe corporal nutriments perhaps
Your bodies may at last turn all to spirit,
Improv'd by tract of time, and wing'd afcend
Ethereal, as we, or may at choice
Here or in heav'nly Paradifes dwell;
If ye be found obedient, and retain
Unalterably firin his love entire,
Whofe progeny you are.
Your fill what happiness this happy fate
Can comprehend, incapable of more.

Mean while enjoy

To whom the patriarch of mankind reply'd.

O favourable Spi'rit, propitious gueft,

500

505

510

Well haft thou taught the way that might direct
Our knowledge, and the fcale of nature set
From center to circumference, whereon
In contemplation of created things
By steps we may afcend to God. But fay,
What meant that caution join'd, If ye be found
Obedient? can we want obedience then
To him, or poflibly his love defert,
Who form'd us from the duft, and plac'd us here
Full to the utmost measure of what blifs
Human defires can feek or apprehend?

515

To whom the Angel. Son of Heav'n and Earth, Attend That thou art happy, owe to God; 520 That thou continueft fuch, owe to thyself, That is, to thy obedience; therein stand.

465

525

that more willingly thou couldst not seem t Heav'n's high feafts to' have fed: yet what compare?

470

To whom the winged Hierarch reply'd. Adam, one Almighty is, from whom All things proceed, and up to him return, f not deprav'd from good, created all uch to perfection, one first matter all, ndued with various forms, various degrees Of substance, and in things that live, of life; But more refin'd, more fpiritous, and pure, As nearer to him plac'd or nearer tending Each in their feveral active spheres affign'd, Till body up to spirit work, in bounds Proportion'd to each kind. So from the root Springs lighter the green stalk, from thence the leaves 480

530

535

Our voluntary service he requires,
Not our neceflitated; fuch with him
Finds no acceptance, nor can find; for how
Can hearts, not free, be try'd whether they serve
Willing or no, who will but what they must
By destiny, and can no other choose?
Myfelf and all th' angelic hoft, that stand
In fight of God enthron'd, our happy state
Hold, as you yours, while our obedience holds;
On other furety none; freely we ferve,
Because we freely love, as in our will
To love or not: in this we thand or fall:
And fome are fall'n, to difobedience fall'n,
And fo from Heav'n to deepeft Hell; O fall
From what high ftate of blifs into what woe!

he wonted figual, and fuperior voice Itheir

705

great potentate; for great indeed name, and high was his degree in Heaven; is count'nance, as the morning ftar that guides he ftarry flock, allur'd them, and with lies rew after him the third part of Heav'n's hoft. lean while th' eternal eye, whofe fight difcerns bftrufeft thoughts, from forth his holy mount nd from within the golden lamps that burn lightly before him, faw without their light ebellion rifing, faw in whom, how fpread 715 mong the fons of morn, what multitudes Vere banded to oppose his high decree; And fmiling to his only Son thus faid. Son, thou in whom my glory I behold 1 full refplendence, Heir of all my might,

early it now concerns us to be fure

720

725

our omnipotence, and with what arms We mean to hold what anciently we clame Of deity or empire; such a foe srifing, who intends to erect his throne Equal to ours, throughout the fpacious north; for fo content, hath in his thought to try battel, what our pow'r is, or our right. Let us advife, and to this hazard draw With speed what force is left, and all employ our defenfe, left unawares we lofe This our high place, our fanctuary, our hill. To whom the Son with calm afpéct and clear,

730

775

780

785

If thefe magnific titles yet remain
Not merely titular, fince by decrec
Another now hath to himf If ingrofs'd
All pow'r, and us eclips'd under the name
Of King anointed, for whom all this hafte
Of midnight march, and hurried meeting here,
This only to confult, how we may best
With what may be devis'd of honors new
Receive him coming to receive from us
Knee-tribute yet unpaid, proftration vile,
Too much to one, but double how indur'd
To one and to his image now proclaim'd?
But what if better counfels might erect
Our minds, and teach us to caft off this yoke?
Will ye fubmit your necks, and choofe to bend
The fupple knee? ye will not, if I trust
To know ye right, or if ye know yourselves
Natives and fons of Heav'n poffefs'd before 72%
By none, and if not equal all, yet free,
Equally free; for orders and degrees
Jar not with liberty, but well confift.
Who can in reafon then or right affume
Monarchy over fuch as live by right
His equals, if in pow'r and fplendor lefs,
In freedom equal? or can introduce

795