For softness she, and sweet attractive grace He for God only, she for God in him : His fair large front and eye sublime declar'd Absolute rule; and hyacinthine locks Round from his parted forelock manly hung Clust'ring, but not beneath his shoulders broad: She as a veil down to the slender waist 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 best receiv'd, Yielded with coy submission, modest pride, And sweet reluctant amorous delay.
Nor those mysterious parts were then conceal'd; Then was not guilty shame, dishonest shame Of nature's works; honour dishonourable, Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind With shows instead, mere shows of seeming pure, And banish'd from man's life his happiest life, Simplicity and spotless innocence!
So pass'd they naked on, nor shunn'd the sight 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. Under a tuft of shade that on a green Stood whisp'ring soft, by a fresh fountain side They sat them down; and after no more toil Of their sweet gard'ning labour, than suffic'd To recommend cool zephyr, and made ease More easy, wholesome thirst and appetite More grateful, to their supper fruits they fell, Nectarine fruits which the compliant boughs Yielded them, side-long as they sat recline On the soft downy bank damask'd with flow'rs: The savoury pulp they chew, and in the rind Still as they thirsted scoop the brimming stream:
Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles Wanted, nor youthful dalliance as beseems Fair couple, link'd in happy nuptial league, Alone as they. About them frisking play'd All beasts of th' earth, since wild, and of all chase In wood or wilderness, forest or den ;
Sporting the lion ramp'd, and in his paw Dandled the kid; bears, tigers, ounces, pards, Gambol'd before them; th' unwieldly 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 Gave proof unheeded; others on the grass Couch'd, and now fill'd with pasture gazing sat, Or bedward ruminating; for the sun
Declin'd was hasting now with prone career To the ocean isles, and in th' ascending scale Of heav'n, the stars that usher evening rose : When Satan still in gaze, as first he stood, Scarce thus at length fail'd speech recover'd sad.
O hell! what do mine eyes with grief behold! Into our room of bliss thus high advanc'd Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps, Not spirits, yet to heav'nly spirits bright Little inferior: whom my thoughts pursue With wonder, and could love, so lively shines In them divine resemblance, and such grace The hand that form'd them on their shape hath pour'd. Ah gentle pair, ye little think how nigh
Your change approaches, when all these delights Will vanish and deliver ye to wo,
More wo, the more your taste is now of joy ; Happy, but for so happy ill secur'd
Long to continue, and this high seat your heav'n 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 Paradise, your sense, yet such Accept your Maker's work; he gave it me, Which I as freely give; hell shall unfold, To entertain you two, her widest gates, And send forth all her kings; there will be room, Not like these narrow limits, to receive
Your numerous offspring; if no better place, Thank him who puts me loth to this revenge On you who wrong me not, for him who wrong'd. And should I at your harmless innocence Melt, as I do, yet public reason just, Honour and empire with revenge enlarg'd, By conq'ring this new world, compels me now To do what else though damn'd I should abhor. So spake the fiend, and with necessity, The tyrant's plea excus'd his devilish deeds. Then from his lofty stand on that high tree Down he alights among the sportful herd Of those four-footed kinds, himself now one, Now other, as their shape serv'd best his end Nearer to view his prey, and unespy'd
To mark what of their state he more might learn By word or action mark'd about them round, A lion now he stalks with fiery glare;
Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spy'd In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play, Straight couches close, then rising, changes oft His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground, Whence rushing he might surest seize them both Grip'd in each paw; when Adam first of men To first of women Eve, thus moving speech, Turn'd him all ear to hear new utterance flow. Sole partner, and sole part, of all these joys, Dearer thyself than all; needs must the Pow'r That made us, and for us this ample world, Be infinitely good, and of his good
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 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
Among so many signs of power and rule Conferr'd upon us, and dominion given Over all other creatures that possess
Then let us not think hard
One easy prohibition, who enjoy
Free leave so large to all things else, and choice Unlimited of manifold delights:
But let us ever praise him, and extol
His bounty, following our delightful task
To prune these growing plants, and tend these flow'rs, Which were it toilsome, yet with thee were sweet. To whom thus Eve reply'd: 0 thou for whom And from whom I was form'd, flesh of thy flesh, And without whom am to no end, my guide And head, what thou hast said is just and right, For we to him indeed all praises owe, And daily thanks; I chiefly who enjoy So far the happier lot, enjoying thee Pre-eminent by so much odds, while thou Like consort to thyself canst no where find. That day I oft remember, when from sleep I first awak'd, and found myself repos'd Under a shade on flow'rs, much wond'ring where And what I was, whence thither brought, and how Not distant far from thence a murm'ring sound
Of waters issued from a cave, and spread Into a liquid plain, then stood unmov'd Pure as th' expanse of heav'n; I thither went With unexperienc'd thought, and laid me down On the green bank, to look into the clear Smooth lake, that to me seem'd another sky. As I bent down to look, just opposite A shape within the wat'ry gleam appear'd, Bending to look on me: I started back, It started back; but pleas'd I soon return'd, Pleas'd it return'd as soon with answering looks Of sympathy and love; there I had fix'd
Mine eyes till now, and pin'd with vain desire, Had not a voice thus warn'd me: what thou seest, What there thou séest, fair creature, is thyself; With thee it came and goes: but follow me, And I will bring thee where no shadow stays Thy coming, and thy soft embraces, he Whose image thou art; him thou shalt enjoy Inseparably thine, to him shalt bear Multitudes like thyself, and thence be call'd Mother of human race. What could I do, But follow straight, invisibly thus led? Till I espy'd thee, fair indeed and tall, Under a plantain; yet methought less fair, Less winning soft, less amiably mild,
Than that smooth wat'ry image: back I turn'd; Thou following cry'st aloud, Return, fair Eve, Whom fly'st thou? whom thou fly'st, of him thou art, His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent Out of my side to thee, nearest my heart, Subtantial life, to have thee by my side Henceforth an individual solace dear; Part of my soul I seek thee, and thee claim My other half: with that thy gentle hand Seiz'd mine; I yielded, and from that time see How beauty is excell'd by manly grace And wisdom, which alone is truly fair.
So spake our general mother, and with eyes
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