If true, here only,) and of delicious taste: Betwixt them lawns, or level downs, and flocks 255 Of some irriguous valley spread her store- Of cool recess, o'er which the mantling vine Was gather'd, which cost Ceres all that pain Castalian spring, might with this Paradise Young Bacchus, from his stepdame Rhea's eye; By Nilus' head, enclos'd with shining rock, Godlike erect, with native honour clad, 290 In naked majesty seem'd lords of all; And worthy seem'd; for in their looks divine Round from his parted forelock manly hung Dishevell❜d; but in wanton ringlets wav'd, As the vine curls her tendrils, which implied Subjection, but requir'd with gentle sway, And by her yielded-by him best receiv'd, 310 Yielded with coy submission, modest pride, And sweet, reluctant, amorous delay: Nor those mysterious parts were then conceal'd; With shows instead, mere shows of seeming pure, Simplicity, and spotless innocence! So pass'd they naked on, nor shunn'd the sight 320 Of God, or angel; for they thought no ill: So hand in hand they pass'd, the loveliest pair That ever since in love's embraces met; Adam the goodliest man of men since born His sons; the fairest of her daughters Eve. 325 Under a tuft of shade, that on a green Stood whispering soft, by a fresh fountain-side They sat them down; and, after no more toil More grateful, to their supper-fruits they fell- On the soft downy bank damask'd with flowers: All beasts of the earth, since wild, and of all chace Sporting the lion ramp'd, and in his paw Dandled the kid: bears, tigers, ounces, pards, 345 Gamboll'd before them: the unwieldy elephant, To make them mirth, us'd all his might, and wreath'd His lithe proboscis: close the serpent sly, Insinuating, wove with Gordian twine His braided train, and of his fatal guile "O hell! what do mine eyes with grief behold? "Into our room of bliss thus high advanc'd 360Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps, "Not spirits; yet to heavenly spirits bright "Little inferior; whom my thoughts pursue "With wonder, and could love, so lively shines "In them divine resemblance, and such grace 365 "The hand, that form'd them, on their shape hath pour'd. 66 'Ah, gentle pair! ye little think how nigh "Your change approaches, when all these delights "More woe, the more your taste is now of joy! 66 370 Happy, but for so happy ill secur'd Long to continue; and this high seat your heaven, "Ill fenc'd for heaven, to keep out such a foe "As now is enter'd! yet no purpos'd foe "To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn, 375"Though I unpitied. League with you I seek, "And mutual amity, so strait, so close, 380 66 385 "That I with you must dwell, or you with me, Your numerous offspring; if no better place, "Melt, as I do, yet public reason just, 390 "Honour and empire with revenge enlarg'd, "By conquering this new world, compels me now The tyrant's plea, excus'd his devilish deeds. 400 To mark what of their state he more might learn, By word or action mark'd: about them round, Then, as a tiger, who by chance hath spied In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play, "Sole partner, and sole part of all these joys, 415 "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 420 "From us no other service than to keep "This one-this easy charge, of all the trees "In Paradise, that bear delicious fruit "So various, not to taste 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'st "God hath pronounc'd it death to taste that tree, "The only sign of our obedience left, 425 430 "Among so many signs of power and rule "Earth, air, and sea. Then, let us not think hard "One easy prohibition, who enjoy "Free leave so large to all things else, and choice 435" Unlimited of manifold delights: 440 "But let us ever praise him, and extol "His bounty, following our delightful task, "To prune these growing plants, and tend these flowers; "Which were it toilsome, yet with thee were sweet." To whom thus Eve replied: "O thou, for whom, |