“And hunger both, from labour,-at the hour

“Of sweet repast: they satiate, and soon fill, 215 “ Though pleasant; but thy words, with grace divine

“ Imbued, bring to their sweetness no satiety.”

To whom thus Raphael answer'd heav'nly meek: “ Nor are thy lips ungraceful, sire of men !

“ Nor tongue ineloquent; for God on thee 220 “ Abundantly his gifts hath also poured;

“ Inward and outward both, his image fair :

Speaking, or mute, all comeliness and grace
“Attends thee, and each word, each motion, forms.

“ Nor less think we in heaven of thee on earth 225 “ Than of our fellow-servant, and inquire

Gladly into the ways of God with man:
“For God, we see, hath honour'd thee, and set
“On man his equal love. Say therefore on;

“For I that day was absent, as befel,
230 “ Bound on a voyage uncouth and obscure,

“Far on excursion toward the gates of hell;

Squar'd in full legion (such command we had) “ To see that none thence issued forth a spy,

“ Or enemy, while God was in his work; 235 “Lest he, incensed at such eruption bold,

“Destruction with creation might have mix'd.
“ Not that they durst without his leave attempt :
“But us he sends upon his high behests

“For state, as Sov'reign King; and to inure
240 “ Our prompt obedience. Fast we found, fast shut,

“ The dismal gates, and barricadoed strong;
“But, long ere our approaching, heard within

Noise, other than the sound of dance or song;

“ Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage! 245 “ Glad we return'd up to the coasts of light

“Ere sabbath ev'ning: so we had in charge.
“But thy relation now; for I attend,
“ Pleas'd with thy words, no less than thou with mine."

So spake the godlike Power; and thus our sire : 250 “ For man to tell how human life began

“Is hard; for who himself beginning knew?
“ Desire with thee still longer to converse
“ Induc'd me.

“As new wak'd from soundest sleep, “Soft on the flowery herb I found me laid 255 “In balmy sweat; which with his beams the sun

“Soon dried, and on the reeking moisture fed.

Straight toward heaven my wond'ring eyes I turn'd, “ And gaz'd awhile the ample sky; till, rais'd

“ By quick instinctive motion, up I sprung, , 260 “ As thitherward endeav'ring, 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; 265 “ Birds on the branches warbling: all things smild

“ 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 :
270 “ But who I was, or where, or from what cause,

“Knew not: to speak I tried, and forthwith spake;
“My tongue obey'd, and readily could name
66 Whate'er I saw.

'Thou sun,' said I, 'fair light! “. And thou enlighten'd earth, so fresh and gay! 275 “Ye hills, and dales, ye rivers, woods, and plains,

And

ye

that live and move, fair creatures ! tell, if

ye saw, how I came thus, how here? “Not of myself; by some great Maker then,

“In goodness and in power pre-eminent:
280 “Tell me, how I may 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 285 “This happy light; when, answer none return'd,

“ On a green shady bank, profuse of flowers,
“Pensive I sat me down : there gentle sleep

Tell,

a

295

6

“ First found me, and with soft oppression seized

“My drowsed sense, untroubled, though I thought 290 “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.' 300 “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,
305 “ Planted with walks and bowers; that what I saw

“Of earth before, scarce pleasant seem'd. Each tree,
“ Loaden with fairest fruit, that hung to th' eye
“ Tempting, stirred in me sudden appetite

“ To pluck and eat; whereat I wak'd, and found 310 “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, 315 “ In adoration at his feet I fell

“ Submiss: he rear'd me, and, 'Whom thou sought'st I am,'
“Said mildly ; * Author of all this thou seest
"• Above, or round about thee, or beneath.

“« This Paradise I give thee; count it thine 320 “ 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 325 “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 330

“ • Transgress'd,—inevitably thou shalt die;
“ • From that day mortal; and this happy state
“Shalt lose, expell’d from hence into a world
«« Of woe and sorrow.' Sternly he pronounc'd

“ The rigid interdiction, which resounds
335 “ Yet dreadful in mine ear, though in my choice

“ Not to incur: but soon his clear aspéct
“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

I
340 “. 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 kinds; I bring them to receive

“ • From thee their names, and pay thee feälty 345 " With low subjection: understand the same

«. Of fish within their watry 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 endu'd

“My sudden apprehension. But in these
355 “ I found not what methought I wanted still ;

“ And to the heavenly Vision thus presum'd:
“O, by what name,—for thou above all these,
Above mankind, or aught 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

350

360

365

375

380

“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 replied :

"• What call'st thou solitude? Is not the earth 370 “ • 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: 1, with leave of speech implor'd,
“ And humble deprecation, thus replied:
“Let not my words offend thee, Heavenly 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? 385 “ " Which must be mutual, in proportion due

“Giv'n and receiv'd; but, in disparity,
«The one intense, the other still remiss,
66 • Cannot well suit with either, but soon prove
“ • Tedious alike. Of fellowship I speak,

.
390 “Such as I seek, 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;
395 “Much less can bird with beast, or fish with fowl

"So well converse; nor with the ox the
“• Worse then can man with beast, and least of all.'

“Whereto the Almighty answer’d, not displeas'd :

" " A nice and subtile happiness, I see, 400 “• Thou to thyself proposest, in the choice

“Of thy associates, Adam! and wilt taste

ape :