Soon dry'd, and on the reeking moisture fed. Straight toward heav'n my wond'ring eyes I turn'd And gaz'd awhile the ample sky, till rais'd By quick instinctive motion up I sprung, As thitherward endeavouring, and upright Stood on my feet; about me round I saw Hill, dale, and shady woods, and sunny plains, And liquid lapse of murm'ring streams: by these, Creatures that liv'd and mov'd, and walk'd, or flew, Birds on the branches warbling; all things smil'd With fragrance, and with joy my heart o'erflow'd. Myself I then perus'd, and limb by limb
Survey'd, and sometimes went, and sometimes ran With supple joints, as lively vigour led:
But who I was, or where, or from what cause, Knew not; to speak I try'd, and forthwith spake ; My tongue obey'd, and readily could name Whate'er I saw. Thou Sun, said I, fair light, And thou enlighten'd earth, so fresh and gay, Ye hills and dales, ye rivers, woods, and plains, And ye that live and move, fair creatures, tell, Tell, if ye saw, how came I thus, how here? Not of myself; by some great Maker then, In goodness and in pow'r pre-eminent; Tell me, how may I know him, how adore, From whom I have that thus I move and live, And feel that I am happier than I know.
While thus I call'd, and stray'd I knew not whither, From where I first drew air, and first beheld This happy light, when answer none return'd, On a green shady bank profuse of flowers, Pensive I sat me down; there gentle sleep First found me, and with soft oppression seiz'd My drowsed sense, untroubled, though I thought I then was passing to my former state Insensible, and forthwith to dissolve: When suddenly stood at my head a dream, Whose inward apparition gently mov'd My fancy to believe I yet had being,
And liv'd one came, methought, of shape divine, And said, Thy mansion wants thee, Adam, rise, First man, of men innumerable ordain'd First father, call'd by thee I come thy guide To the garden of bliss, thy seat prepar'd. So saying, by the hand he took me rais'd, And over fields and waters, as in air Smooth sliding without step, last led me up A woody mountain, whose high top was plain; A circuit wide, enclos'd, with goodliest trees Planted, with walks, and bow'rs, that what I saw Of earth before scarce pleasant seem'd. Each tree Loaden with fairest fruit, that hung to th' eye Tempting, stirr'd in me sudden appetite To pluck and eat; whereat I wak'd, and found Before mine eyes all real, as the dream Had lively shadow'd: here had new begun My wand'ring, had not he who was my guide Up hither, from among the trees appear'd, Presence divine. Rejoicing, but with awe In adoration at his feet I fell
Submiss he rear'd me, and Whom thou sought'st
Said mildly, Author of all this thou seest Above, or round about thee, or beneath. This Paradise I give thee, count it thine To till and keep, and of the fruit to eat: Of every tree that in the garden grows Eat freely with glad heart; fear here no dearth: But of the tree whose operation brings Knowledge of good and ill, which I have set The pledge of thy obedience and thy faith, Amid the garden by the tree of life,
Remember what I warn thee, shun to taste, And shun the bitter consequence for know, The day thou eat'st thereof, my sole command Transgress'd, inevitably thou shalt die, From that day mortal, and this happy state Shalt lose, expell'd from hence into a world
Of wo and sorrow. The rigid interdiction, which resounds Yet dreadful in mine ear, though in my Not to incur but soon his clear aspect Return'd, and gracious purpose thus renew'd: Not only these fair bounds, but all the earth To thee and to thy race I give; as lords Possess it, and all things that therein live, Or live in sea, or air, beast, fish, and fowl. In sign whereof each bird and beast behold After their kind; I bring them to receive From thee their names; and pay thee fealty With low subjection, understand the same Of fish within their wat'ry residence, Not hither summon'd, since they cannot change Their element to draw the thinner air.
As thus he spake, each bird and beast behold Approaching two and two, these cow'ring low With blandishment, each bird stoop'd on his wing. I nam'd them, as they pass'd, and understood Their nature, with such knowledge God endued My sudden apprehension: but in these I found not what methought I wanted still; And to the heav'nly vision thus presum'd:
O by what name, for thou above all these, Above mankind, or ought than mankind higher, Surpassest far my naming, how may I Adore thee, Author of this universe,
And all this good to man? for whose well being So amply, and with hands so liberal
Thou hast provided all things: but with me I see not who partakes. In solitude What happiness, who can enjoy alone, Or all enjoying, what contentment find? Thus I presumptuous; and the vision bright, As with a smile more brighten'd, thus reply'd: What call'st thou solitude? is not the earth With various living creatures, and the air Replenish'd, and all these at thy command
To come and play before thee? know'st thou not Their language and their ways? they also know, And reason not contemptibly; with these Find pastime, and bear rule; thy realm is large. So spake the universal Lord, and seem'd So ord'ring. I with leave of speech implor'd, And humble deprecation thus reply'd:
Let not my words offend thee, heav'nly Power, My Maker, be propitious while I speak. Hast thou not made me here thy substitute, And these inferior far beneath me set? Among unequals what society
Can sort, what harmony or true delight? Which must be mutual, in proportion due Giv'n and receiv'd; but in disparity The one intense, the other still remiss Cannot well suit with either, but soon prove Tedious alike: of fellowship I speak Such as I see, fit to participate
All rational delight, wherein the brute Cannot be human consort: they rejoice Each with their kind, lion with lioness; So fitly them in pairs thou hast combin'd: Much less can bird with beast, or fish with fowl So well converse, nor with the ox the ape; Worse then can man with beast, and least of all. Whereto th' Almighty answer'd, not displeas'd: A nice and subtle happiness I see
Thou to thyself proposest, in the choice Of thy associates, Adam, and wilt taste
No pleasure, though in pleasure, solitary.
What think'st thou then of me, and this my state? Seem I to thee sufficiently possess'd
Of happiness, or not? who am alone From all eternity, for none I know Second to me or like, equal much less.
How have I then with whom to hold converse Save with the creatures which I made, and those
To me inferior, infinite descents
Beneath what other creatures are to thee? He ceas'd, I lowly answer'd: To attain The height and depth of thy eternal ways All human thoughts come short, Supreme of things, Thou in thyself art perfect, and in thee Is no deficience found; not so is man, But in degree, the cause of his desire By conversation with his like to help, Or solace his defects. No need that thou Should'st propagate, already infinite,
And through all numbers absolute, though one; But man by number is to manifest His single imperfection, and beget Like of his like, his image multiply'd, In unity defective, which requires Collateral love, and dearest amity. Thou in thy secrecy although alone, Best with thyself accompanied, seek'st not Social communication, yet so pleas'd,
Canst raise thy creature to what height thou wilt Of union or communion, deify'd;
I by conversing cannot these erect
From prone, nor in their ways complacence find. Thus I embolden'd spake, and freedom us'd Permissive, and acceptance found, which gain'd This answer from the gracious voice divine: Thus far to try thee, Adam, I was pleas'd, And find thee knowing not of beasts alone, Which thou has rightly nam'd, but of thyself, Expressing well the spirit within thee free, My image, not imparted to the brute,
Whose fellowship therefore unmeet for thee, Good reason was thou freely shouldst dislike, And be so minded still; I, ere thou spak'st, Knew it not good for man to be alone, And no such company as then thou saw'st Intended thee, for trial only brought,
To see how thou couldst judge of fit and meet:
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