He ended, or I heard no more, for now My earthly by his heav'nly overpower'd, Which it had long stood under, strain'd to th' highth,

455

460

In that celeftial colloquy fublime,
As with an object that excels the fenfe
Dazled and spent, funk down, and fought repair
Of fleep, which inftantly fell on me, call'd
By nature as in aid, and clos'd mine eyes.
Mine eyes he clos'd, but open left the cell
Of fancy my internal fight, by which
Abstract as in a trance methought I faw,
Though fleeping, where I lay, and faw the fhape |
Still glorious before whom awake I ftood;
Who stooping open'd my left fide, and took 465
From thence a rib, with cordial fpirits warm,
And life-blood streaming fresh; wide was the
.wound,

But fuddenly with flesh fill'd up and heal'd:
The rib he form'd and fashion'd with his hands;
Under his forming hands a creature grew,
Manlike, but different fex, fo lovely fair,

470

That what feem'd fair in all the world, feem'd

now

Mean, or in her fumm'd up, in her contain'd
And in her looks, which from that time infus'd
Sweetnefs into my heart, unfelt before,
And into all things from her air infpir'd

The fpirit of love and amorous delight.

475

480

She disappear'd, and left me dark; I wak'd
To find her, or for ever to deplore
Her lofs, and other pleasures all abjure :
When out of hope, behold her, not far off,
Such as I faw her in my dream, adorn'd
With what all Earth or Heaven could bestow
To make her amiable: On fhe came,
Led by her heav'nly Maker, though unfeen, 485
And guided by his voice, nor uninform'd
Of nuptial fanctity and marriage rites:
Grace was in all her fteps, Heav'n in her eye,
In every gefture dignity and love.

I overjoy'd could not forbear aloud.

490

495

This turn hath made amends; thou haft fulfill'd Thy words, Creator bounteous and benign, Giver of all things fair, but faireft this Of all thy gifts, nor envieft. I now fee Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, myself Before me; Woman is her name, of Man Extracted; for this cause he shall forego Father and mother, and to' his wife adhere; And they shall be one heart, one flesh, one foul. She heard me thus, and tho' divinely brought, Yet innocence and virgin modefty,

Her virtue and the confcience of her worth,
That would be woo'd, and not unfought be won,
Not obvious, not obtrusive, but retir'd,

The more defirable, or to say all,

Nature herself, though pure of finful thought,

Wrought in her fo, that feeing me, the turn'd; I follow'd her, fhe what was honor knew,

And with obfequious majefty approv'd

My pleaded reafon To the nuptial bower
1 led her blufhing like the morn: all Heaven,
And happy conftellations on that hour
Shed their fele&teft influence; the earth
Gave fign of gratulation, and each hill;

510

Joyous the birds; fresh gales and gentle airs 515
Whifper'd it to the woods, and from their wings
Flung rofe, flung odors from the spicy fhrub,
Difporting, till the amorous bird of night
Sung fpoufal, and bid hafte the evening flar
On this hill top, to light the bridal lamp.

520
Thus have I told thee all my flate, and brought
My flory to the fum of earthly blifs
Which I enjoy, and must confefs to find

In all things elfe delight indeed, but fuch
As us'd or not, werks in the mind no change, 525
Nor vehement defire, thefe delicacies

I mean of taste, fight, fmell, herbs, fruits, and flowers,

Walks, and the melody of birds; but here
Far otherwife, tranfported I behold,

535

540

Tranfported touch; here paffion first I felt, 530
Commotion ftrange, in all enjoyments elfe
Superior and unmov'd, hare only weak
Against the charm of beauty's pow ful glance.
Or nature fail'd in me, and left fon.e part
Not proof enough fuch object to fuftain,
Or from my fide fubducting, took perhaps
More than enough; at least on her Leftow'd
Too much of ornament, in outward fhow
Elaborate, of inward lefs exact.
For well I understand in the prime end
Of nature her th' inferior, in the mind
And inward faculties, which most excel,
In outward alfo her refembling lefs
His image who made both, and lefs expreffing
The character of that dominion given
O'er other creatures; yet when I approach
Her lovelinefs, fo abfolute the feems
And in herfelf complete, fo well to know
Her own, that what he wills to do or fay,
Seems wifeft, virtuoufeft, difcrecteft, beft;
All higher knowledge in her prefence falls
Degraded, wifdom in difcourfe with her
Lofes discountenanc'd, and like folly shows;
Authority and reafon on her wait,
As one intended firft, not after made
Occafionally; and to confummate all,
Greatness of mind, and nobleness their feat
Build in her lovelieft, and create an awe
About her, as a guard angelic plac'd.

545

550

555

565

To whom the Angel with contracted brow. 560 Accufe not nature, fhe hath done her part; Do thou but thine, and be not diffident Of wisdom, the deferts thee not, if thou Difmifs not her, when most thou need'ft her nigh, By attribúting over much to things Lefs excellent, as thou thyself perceiv'ft. For what admir'ft thou, what transports thee fo, An outfide? fair no doubt, and worthy well Thy cherishing, thy honoring, and thy love, Not thy fubjection: weigh with her thyfelf; 570 Then value: Oft-times nothing profits more Than felf-esteem, grounded on juft and right

2 [1] 2

580

585

591

So awful, that with honor thou may'st love
Thy mate, who fees when thou art feen leaft wife.
But if the fenfe of touch whereby mankind
Is propagated feem fuch dear delight
Beyond all other, think the fame vouchfaf'd
To cattel and each beaft; which would not be
To them made common and divulg'd, if ought
Therein enjoy'd were worthy to fubdue
The foul of man, or paffion in him move.
What high'er in her fociety thou find'st
Attractive, human, rational, love ftill;
In loving thou doft well, in paffion not,
Wherein true love confifls not; love refines
The thoughts, and heart inlarges, hath his feat
In rea'fon, and is judicious, is the feale
By which to heav'nly love thou may'st ascend,
Not funk in carnal plealure, for which caufe
Among the beafts no mate for thee was found.
To whom thus half abafh'd Adam reply'd. 595
Neither her outfide form'd fo fair, nor ought
In procreation common to all kinds
(Though higher of the genial bed by far,
And with myfterious reverence I deem)
So much delights me, as thofe graceful acts,
Those thoufand decencies that daily flow
From all her words and actions mix'd with love
And fweet compliance, which declare unfeign'd
Union of mind, or in us both one foul;
Harmony to behold in wedded pair
More grateful than harmonious found to th' ear.
Yet thefe fubject not; I to thee difclofe
What inward thence I feel, not therefore foil'd,
Who meet with various objects, from the fenfe
Variously reprefenting; yet fill free

600

605

610

Approve the beft, and follow what I approve. To love thou blam'ft me not, for love thou fay'st Leads up to Heav'n, is both the way and guide;

Bear with me then, if lawful what I afk;
Love not the heav'nly Spi'rits, and how their love
Exprefs they, by looks only', or do they mix 616
Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?

To whom the Angel with a smile that glow'd
Celeftial rofy red, love's proper huc,
Answer'd Let it fuffice thee that thou know'st
Us happy', and without love no happiness. 621
Whatever pure thou in the body' enjoy'ft

(And pure thou wert created) we enjoy

In eminence, and obftacle find none

Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclufive bars; 625
Eafier than air with air, if Spirits embrace,
Total they mix, union of pure with pure
Defiring; nor refrain'd conveyance need
As flesh to mix with flesh, or foul with foul.
But I can now no more; the parting fun
Beyond the earth's green Cape and verdant Iles
Hefperian fets, my signal to depart.

630

Be frong, live happy', and love, but first of all
Him whom to love is to obey, and keep
634
His great command; take heed lett paflion fway
Thy judgment to do ought, which elfe free will
Would not admit; thine and of all thy fons,
The weal or woe in thee is plac'd; beware.
I in thy perfevering fhall rejoice,

And all the Bleft: ftand faft; to ftand or fall 640
Free in thy own arbitrement it lies
Perfect within, no outward aid require;
And all temptation to tranfgrefs repel.

So faying, he arofe; whom Adam thus
Follow'd with benediction. Since to part,
Go heav'nly Gueft, ethereal Meffenger,
Sent from whofe fovran goodness I adore.
Gentle to me and affable hath been
Thy condefcenfion, and fhall be' honor'd ever
With grateful memory: thou to mankind
Be good and friendly ftill, and oft return.

645

650

So parted they, the Angel up to Heaven From the thick fhade, and Adam to his bower.

THE END OF THE EIGHTH BOOK.

55

60

On Man's deftruction, maugre what might hap
Of heavier on himself, fearlefs return'd.
By night he fled, and at midnight return'd
From compafling the carth, cautious of day,
Since Uriel regent of the fun defcry'd
His entrance, and forewarn'd the Cherubim
That kept their watch; thence full of anguish driven,
The space of fev'n continued nights he rode
With darkness, thrice the equinoctial line
He circled, four times crofs'd the car of night 65
From pole to pole, travérfing cach colure;
On th' eighth return'd, and on the coast averfe
From entrance or Cherubic watch, by stealth
Found unfufpected way. There was a place,
Now not, though fin, not time, first wrought the
change,

Where Tigris at the foot of Paradise
Into a gulf shot under ground, till part
Rofe up a fountain by the tree of life;

70

75

But neither here feek I, no nor in Heaven
To dwell, unless by maft'ring Heav'n's Supreme;
Nor hope to be myself lefs miferable

| By what I feek, but others to make fuch
As I, though thereby worfe to me redound:
For only in deftroying I find cafe

126

In with the river funk, and with it rofe
Satan involv'd in rifing mift, then fought
Where to lie hid; fea he had fearch'd and land
From Eden over Pontus, and the pool
Mæotis, up beyond the river Ob;
Downward as far antarctic; and in length
Weit from Orontes to the ocean barr'd
At Darien, thence to the land where flows
Ganges and Indus: thus the orb he roam'd
With narrow fearch, and with infpection deep
Confider'd every creature, which of all
Moft opportune might ferve his wiles, and found
The Serpent fubtleft beaft of all the field.
Him after long debate, irrefolute

140

And to repair his numbers thus impair'd,
Whether fuch virtue fpent of old now fail'd 145
More Angels to create, if they at least
Are his created, or to fpite us more,
Determin'd to advance into our room

86

Of thoughts revolv'd, his final fentence chofe Fit veffel, fitteft imp of fraud, in whom

755

With heav'nly spoils, our fpoils: What he decreed
He' effected; Man he made, and for him built
Magnificent this world, and earth his feat,
Him lord pronounc'd, and, O indignity!
Subjected to his fervice Angel wings,
Ad flaming minifters to watch and tend
Their earthly charge: Of these the vigilance
I dread, and to elude, thus wrapt in mist
Of midnight vapor glide obfcure, and pry
In every bush and brake, where hap may find 160
The ferpent fleeping, in whofe mazy folds

| To hide me, and the dark intent I bring.
O foul defcent! that I who erft contended
With Gods to fit the high'eft, am now constrain'd
Into a beast, and mix'd with beflial flime,
This effence to incarnate and imbrute,
That to the highth of Deity afpir'd;

165

185

His head the midft, well stor'd with fubtle wiles:
Nor yet in horrid fhade or dismal den,
Nor nocent yet, but on the graffy herb
Fearless unfear'd he flept: in at his mouth
The Devil enter'd, and his brutal fense,
In heart or head, poffeffing foon infpir'd
With act intelligential; but his fleep
Diflurb'd not, waiting clofe th' approach of morn.
Now when as facred light began to dawn
In Eden on the huid flow'rs, that breath'd
Their morning incenfe, when all things that
breathe,

190

This garden, ftill to tend plant, herb, and flower,
Our pleasant task injoin'd, but till more hands
Aid us, the work under our labor grows
Luxurious by restraint; what we by day
Lop overgrown, or prune, or prop, or bind, 210
One night or two with wanton growth derides
Tending to wild. Thou therefore now advise,
Or bear what to my mind first thoughts prefent;
Let us divide our labors, thou where choice
Leads thee, or where most needs, whether to wind
The woodbine round this arbor, or direct 216
The clafping ivy where to climb, while I
In yonder fpring of rofes intermix'd
With myrtle, find what to redrefs till noon :
For while fo near each other thus all day
Our task we choose, what wonder if fo near
Looks intervene and fmiles, or object new
Cafual difcourfe draw on, which intermits
Our day's work brought to little, though begun
Early, and th' hour of fupper comes unearn'd. 225
To whom mild anfwer Adam thus return'd.
Sole Eve, affociate fole, to me beyond
Compare above all living creatures dear,
Well haft thou motion'd, well thy thoughts
employ'd

220

235

How we might beft fulfil the work which here 230°
God hath aflign'd us, nor of me fhalt pafs
Unprais'd: for nothing lovelier can be found
In woman, than to study houshold good,
And good works in her husband to promote.
Yet not fo ftrictly hath our Lord impos'd
Labor, as to debar us when we need
Refreshment, whether food, or talk between,
Food of the mind, or this fweet intercourfe
Of looks and fmiles, for fmiles from reafon flow,
To brute deny'd, and are of love the food, 240
Love not the lowest end of human life.
For not to irkfome toil, but to delight
He made us, and delight to reafon join'd.
Thefe paths and bow'rs doubt not but our joint

hands

250

Will keep from wilderness with ease, as wide 245
As we need walk, till younger hands ere long
Affift us: but if much converse perhaps
Thee fatiate, to short abfence I could yield:
For folitude fometimes is beft fociety,
And fhort retirement urges fweet return.
But other doubt poffeffes me, left harm
Befall thee fever'd from me; for thou know'ft
What hath been warn'd us, what malicious foe
Envying our happiness, and of his own
Defpairing, feeks to work us woe and shame 255
By fly affault; and fomewhere nigh at hand
Watches, no doubt, with greedy hope to find
His with and beft advantage, us afunder,
Hopeless to circumvent us join'd, where each
To other fpeedy aid might lend at need;
Whether his first design be to withdraw
Our feälty fron God, or to disturb
Conjugal love, than which perhaps no blifs
Enjoy'd by us excites his envy more;

260

Or this, or worfe, leave not the faithful fide 265 That gave thee be'ing, ftill fhades thee and