To see that none thence iffued forth a spy,
Or enemy, while God was in his work,
Left he incens'd at fuch eruption bold,
Destruction with creation might have mix'd.
Not that they durft without his leave attempt,
But as he fends upon his high behefts
For state, as Sovran King, and to inure
Our prompt obedience. Fast we found, faft shut 240
The difmal gates, and barricado'd strong;
But long ere our approaching heard within
Noife, other than the found of dance or fong,
Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage.
Glad we return'd up to the coasts of light
Ere fabbath evening: fo we had in charge.
But thy relation now; for I attend,
Pleas'd with thy words no less than thou with mine.
So fpake the Godlike Pow'r, and thus our fire.
For Man to tell how human life began
Is hard; for who himself beginning knew?
Defire with thee ftill longer to converse
Induc'd me. As new wak'd from soundest sleep
Soft on the flow'ry herb I found me laid
In balmy sweat, which with his beams the fun 255
Soon dry'd, and on the reaking moisture fed.
Strait toward Heav'n my wond'ring eyes I turn'd,
And gaz'd a while the ample sky, till rais'd
By quick instinctive motion up I sprung,
As thitherward endevoring, and upright
Stood on my feet; about me round I saw
Hill, dale, and fhady woods, and funny plains,
And liquid lapfe of murm'ring ftreams; by thefe,
Creatures that liv'd and mov'd, and walk'd, or flew,
Birds on the branches warbling; all things smil'd, 265
With fragrance and with joy my heart o'erflow'd.
Myfelf I then perus'd, and limb by limb
Survey'd, and fometimes went, and sometimes ran
With fupple joints, as lively vigor led:
But who I was, or where, or from what caufe,
Knew not; to speak I try'd, and forthwith spake;
My tongue obey'd, and readily could name
Whate'er I faw. Thou Sun, faid I, fair light,
And thou inlighten'd Earth, fo fresh and gay,
Ye Hills, and Dales, ye Rivers, Woods, and Plains,
And ye that live and move, fair Creatures tell,
Tell, if ye faw, how came I thus, how here?
Not of myself; by fome great Maker then,
In goodness and in pow'r præeminent;
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 fhady bank profuse of flowers
Penfive I fat me down; there gentle fleep
First found me, and with foft oppreffion feis'd
My droufed fenfe, untroubled, though I thought
I then was paffing to my former state
Infenfible, and forthwith to diffolve:
When fuddenly stood at my head a dream,
Whofe inward apparition gently mov'd
My fancy to believe I yet
And liv'd: One came, methought, of shape divine,
And faid, Thy mansion wants thee, Adam, rife,
First Man, of men innumerable ordain'd
First Father, call'd by thee I come thy guide
To the garden of blifs, thy feat prepar'd.
So faying, by the hand he took me rais'd,
And over fields and waters, as in air
Smooth fliding without ftep, laft led me up
A woody mountain; whofe high top was plain,
A circuit wide, inclos'd, with goodlicft trees
Planted, with walks, and bow'rs, that what I saw 305 Of earth before scarce pleasant seem'd. Each tree Loaden with fairest fruit that hung to th' eye
Tempting, ftirr'd in me fudden appetite
To pluck and eat; whereat I wak'd, and found
Before mine eyes all real, as the dream
Had lively fhadow'd: Here had new begun
My wand'ring, had not he who was my guide
Up hither, from among the trees appear'd,
Prefence divine. Rejoicing, but with awe,
In adoration at his feet I fell
Submifs he rear'd me', and Whom thou fought'ft I am,
Said mildly, Author of all this thou feest
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
Vol. I.
Eat freely with glad heart; fear here no dearth:
But of the tree whofe operation brings
Knowledge of good and ill, which I have fet
The pledge of thy obedience and thy faith,
Amid the garden by the tree of life,
Remember what I warn thee, shun to tafte,
And fhun the bitter confequence for know,
The day thou eat'st thereof, my sole command
Tranfgrefs'd, inevitably thou fhalt die,
From that day mortal, and this happy state
Shalt lofe, expell'd from hence into a world
Of woe and forrow. Sternly he pronounc'd
The rigid interdiction, which refounds
Yet dreadful in mine ear, though in my choice
Not to incur; but foon 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
Poffefs it, and all things that therein live,
Or live in fea, or air, beaft, fish, and fowl,
In fign whereof each bird and beast behold
After their kinds; I bring them to receive
From thee their names, and pay thee feälty
With low fubjection; understand the fame
Of fish within their watry refidence,
Not hither fummon'd, fince they cannot change
Their element to draw the thinner air.
As thus he fpake, each bird and beast behold
Approaching two and two, thefe cowring low
With blandishment, each bird stoop'd on his wing.
I nam'd them, as they pafs'd, and understood
Their nature, with fuch knowledge God indued
My fudden apprehension: but in these
I found not what methought I wanted still;
And to the heav'nly vifion thus presum'd.
O by what name, for thou above all these,
Above mankind, or ought than mankind higher,
Surpaffeft 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 fo liberal
Thou haft provided all things: but with me
I fee not who partakes. In folitude
What happiness, who can enjoy alone,
Or all enjoying, what contentment find?
Thus I prefumptuous; and the vision bright,
As with a smile more brighten'd, thus reply'd.
What call'st thou folitude? 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 reafon not contemptibly; with these
Find pastime, and bear rule; thy realm is large. 375 So fpake the univerfal Lord, and feem'd
So ord'ring. I with leave of fpeech implor'd,
And humble deprecation thus reply'd.
Let not my words offend thee, heav'nly Power,
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