This one, this easie charge, of all the Trees

  In Paradise that bear delicious fruit

  So various, not to taste that onely Tree

  Of knowledge, planted by the Tree of Life,

  425

  So neer grows Death to Life, what ere Death is,

  Som dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou knowst

  God hath pronounc’t it death to taste that Tree,

  The only sign of our obedience left

  Among so many signes of power and rule

  430

  Conferrd upon us, and Dominion giv’n

  Over all other Creatures that possess

  Earth, Air, and Sea. Then let us not think hard

  One easie prohibition, who enjoy

  Free leave so large to all things else, and choice

  435

  Unlimited of manifold delights:

  But let us ever praise him, and extoll

  His bountie, following our delightful task

  To prune these growing Plants, and tend these Flowrs,

  Which were it toilsom, yet with thee were sweet.

  440

  To whom thus Eve repli’d. O thou for whom

  And from whom I was formd flesh of thy flesh,

  And without whom am to no end, my Guide

  And Head, what thou hast said is just and right.

  For wee to him indeed all praises owe,

  445

  And daily thanks, I chiefly who enjoy

  So farr the happier Lot, enjoying thee

  Præeminent by so much odds, while thou

  Like consort to thy self canst no where find.

  That day I oft remember, when from sleep

  450

  I first awak’t, and found my self repos’d

  Under a shade on flowrs, much wondring where

  And what I was, whence thither brought, and how.

  Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound

  Of waters issu’d from a Cave and spread

  455

  Into a liquid Plain, then stood unmov’d

  Pure as th’ expanse of Heav’n; I thither went

  With unexperienc’t thought, and laid me down

  On the green bank, to look into the cleer

  Smooth Lake, that to me seemd another Skie.

  460

  As I bent down to look, just opposite,

  A Shape within the watry gleam appeerd

  Bending to look on me, I started back,

  It started back, but pleas’d I soon returnd,

  Pleas’d it returnd as soon with answering looks

  465

  Of sympathie and love; there I had fixt

  Mine eyes till now, and pin’d with vain desire,

  Had not a voice thus warnd me, What thou seest,

  What there thou seest fair Creature is thy self,

  With thee it came and goes: but follow me,

  470

  And I will bring thee where no shadow staies39

  Thy coming, and thy soft imbraces, hee

  Whose image thou art, him thou shall enjoy

  Inseparablie thine, to him shalt bear

  Multitudes like thy self, and thence be call’d

  475

  Mother of human Race: what could I doe,

  But follow strait, invisibly thus led?

  Till I espi’d thee, fair indeed and tall,

  Under a Platan, yet methought less fair,

  Less winning soft, less amiablie mild,

  480

  Then that smooth watry image; back I turnd,

  Thou following cryd’st aloud, Return fair Eve,

  Whom fli’st thou? whom thou first, of him thou art,

  His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent

  Out of my side to thee, neerest my heart

  485

  Substantial Life, to have thee by my side

  Henceforth an individual40 solace dear;

  Part of my Soul I seek thee, and thee claim

  My other half: with that thy gentle hand

  Seis’d mine, I yeilded, and from that time see

  490

  How beauty is excelld by manly grace

  And wisdom, which alone is truly fair.

  So spake our general Mother, and with eyes

  Of conjugal attraction unreprov’d,

  And meek surrender, half imbracing leand

  495

  On our first Father, half her swelling Breast

  Naked met his under the flowing Gold

  Of her loose tresses hid: he in delight

  Both of her Beauty and submissive Charms

  Smil’d with superior Love, as Jupiter

  500

  On Juno41 smiles, when he impregns the Clouds

  That shed May Flowers; and press’d her Matron lip

  With kisses pure: aside the Devil turnd

  For envie, yet with jealous leer maligne

  Ey’d them askance, and to himself thus plaind.

  505

  Sight hateful, sight tormenting! thus these two

  Imparadis’t in one anothers arms

  The happier Eden, shall enjoy thir fill

  Of bliss on bliss, while I to Hell am thrust,

  Where neither joy nor love, but fierce desire,

  510

  Among our other torments not the least,

  Still unfulfill’d with pain of longing pines;

  Yet let me not forget what I have gain’d

  From thir own mouths; all is not theirs it seems:

  One fatal Tree there stands of Knowledge call’d,

  515

  Forbidden them to taste: Knowledge forbidd’n?

  Suspicious, reasonless. Why should thir Lord

  Envie them that? can it be sin to know,

  Can it be death? and do they onely stand

  By Ignorance, is that thir happie state,

  520

  The proof of thir obedience and thir faith?

  O fair foundation laid whereon to build

  Thir ruin I Hence I will excite thir minds

  With more desire to know, and to reject

  Envious commands, invented with designe

  525

  To keep them low whom knowledge might exalt

  Equal with Gods; aspiring to be such,

  They taste and die: what likelier can ensue?

  But first with narrow search I must walk round

  This Garden, and no corner leave unspi’d;

  530

  A chance but chance may lead where I may meet

  Some wandring Spirit of Heav’n, by Fountain side,

  Or in thick shade retir’d, from him to draw

  What further would be learnt. Live while ye may,

  Yet happie pair; enjoy, till I return,

  535

  Short pleasures, for long woes are to succeed.

  So saying, his proud step he scornful turn’d,

  But with sly circumspection, and began

  Through wood, through waste, o’re hill, o’re dale his roam.

  Mean while in utmost Longitude,42 where Heav’n

  540

  With Earth and Ocean meets, the setting Sun

  Slowly descended, and with right aspect43

  Against the eastern Gate of Paradise

  Leveld his eevning Rayes: it was a Rock

  Of Alablaster, pil’d up to the Clouds,

  545

  Conspicuous farr, winding with one ascent

  Accessible from Earth, one entrance high;

  The rest was craggie cliff, that overhung

  Still as it rose, impossible to climb.

  Betwixt these rockie Pillars Gabriel sat

  550

  Chief of th’ Angelic Guards, awaiting night;

  About him exercis’d Heroic Games

  Th’ unarmed Youth of Heav’n, but nigh at hand

  Celestial Armourie, Shields, Helms, and Speares

  Hung high with Diamond flaming, and with Gold.

  555


  Thither came Uriel, gliding through the Eev’n

  On a Sun beam, swift as a shooting Starr

  In Autumn thwarts the night, when vapors fir’d

  Impress the Air, and shews the Mariner

  From what point of his Compass to beware

  560

  Impetuous winds: he thus began in haste.

  Gabriel, to thee thy cours by Lot hath giv’n

  Charge and strict watch that to this happie place

  No evil thing approach or enter in;

  This day at highth of Noon came to my Sphear

  565

  A Spirit, zealous, as he seem’d, to know

  More of th’ Almighties works, and chiefly Man

  Gods latest Image: I describ’d his way

  Bent all on speed, and markt his Aerie Gate;

  But in the Mount that lies from Eden North,

  570

  Where he first lighted, soon discernd his looks

  Alien from Heav’n, with passions foul obscur’d:

  Mine eye pursu’d him still, but under shade

  Lost sight of him; one of the banisht crew

  I fear, hath ventur’d from the deep, to raise

  575

  New troubles; him thy care must be to find.

  To whom the winged Warriour thus returnd:

  Uriel, no wonder if thy perfet sight,

  Amid the Suns bright circle where thou sitst,

  See farr and wide: in at this Gate none pass

  580

  The vigilance here plac’t, but such as come

  Well known from Heav’n; and since Meridian hour

  No Creature thence: if Spirit of other sort,

  So minded, have oreleapt these earthie bounds

  On purpose, hard thou knowst it to exclude

  585

  Spiritual substance with corporeal barr.

  But if within the circuit of these walks

  In whatsoever shape he lurk, of whom

  Thou tellst, by morrow dawning I shall know.

  So promis’d hee, and Uriel to his charge

  590

  Returnd on that bright beam, whose point now rais’d

  Bore him slope downward to the Sun now fall’n

  Beneath th’ Azores; whither the prime Orb,

  Incredible how swift, had thither rowl’d

  Diurnal, or this less volubil Earth

  595

  By shorter flight to th’ East, had left him there

  Arraying with reflected Purple and Gold

  The Clouds that on his Western Throne attend:

  Now came still Eevning on, and Twilight gray

  Had in her sober Liverie all things clad;

  600

  Silence accompanied, for Beast and Bird,

  They to thir grassie Couch, these to thir Nests

  Were slunk, all but the wakeful Nightingale;

  She all night long her amorous descant sung;

  Silence was pleas’d: now glow’d the Firmament

  605

  With living Saphirs: Hesperus that led

  The starrie Host, rode brightest, till the Moon

  Rising in clouded Majestie, at length

  Apparent Queen unvaild her peerless light,

  And o’re the dark her Silver Mantle threw.

  610

  When Adam thus to Eve: Fair Consort, th’ hour

  Of night, and all things now retir’d to rest

  Mind us of like repose, since God hath set

  Labour and rest, as day and night to men

  Successive, and the timely dew of sleep

  615

  Now falling with soft slumbrous weight inclines

  Our eye-lids; other Creatures all day long

  Rove idle unimploid, and less need rest;

  Man hath his daily work of body or mind

  Appointed, which declares his Dignitie,

  620

  And the regard of Heav’n on all his waies;

  While other Animals unactive range,

  And of thir doings God takes no account.

  To morrow ere fresh Morning streak the East

  With first approach of light, we must be ris’n,

  625

  And at our pleasant labour, to reform

  Yon flowrie Arbors, yonder Allies green,

  Our walk at noon, with branches overgrown,

  That mock our scant manuring,44 and require

  More hands then ours to lop thir wanton growth:

  630

  Those Blossoms also, and those dropping Gumms,

  That lie bestrown unsightly and unsmooth,

  Ask riddance, if we mean to tread with ease;

  Mean while, as Nature wills, Night bids us rest.

  To whom thus Eve with perfet beauty adornd.

  635

  My Author and Disposer, what thou bidst

  Unargu’d I obey; so God ordains,

  God is thy Law, thou mine: to know no more

  Is womans happiest knowledge and her praise.

  With thee conversing I forget all time,

  640

  All seasons45 and thir change, all please alike.

  Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet,

  With charm46 of earliest Birds; pleasant the Sun

  When first on this delightful Land he spreads

  His orient Beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flowr,

  645

  Glistring with dew; fragrant the fertil earth

  After soft showers; and sweet the coming on

  Of grateful Eevning mild, then silent Night

  With this her solemn Bird and this fair Moon,

  And these the Gemms of Heav’n, her starrie train:

  650

  But neither breath of Morn when she ascends

  With charm of earliest Birds, nor rising Sun

  On this delightful land, nor herb, fruit, flowr,

  Glistring with dew, nor fragrance after showers,

  Nor grateful Eevning mild, nor silent Night

  655

  With this her solemn Bird, nor walk by Moon,

  Or glittering Starr-light without thee is sweet.

  But wherfore all night long shine these, for whom

  This glorious sight, when sleep hath shut all eyes?

  To whom our general Ancestor repli’d.

  660

  Daughter of God and Man, accomplisht47 Eve,

  Those have thir course to finish, round the Earth,

  By morrow Eevning, and from Land to Land

  In order, though to Nations yet unborn,

  Ministring light prepar’d, they set and rise;

  665

  Least total darkness should by Night regain

  Her old possession, and extinguish life

  In Nature and all things, which these soft fires

  Not only enlighten, but with kindly heat

  Of various influence foment and warm,

  670

  Temper or nourish, or in part shed down

  Thir stellar vertue on all kinds that grow

  On Earth, made hereby apter to receive

  Perfection from the Suns more potent Ray.

  These then, though unbeheld in deep of night,

  675

  Shine not in vain, nor think, though men were none,

  That heav’n would want spectators, God want praise;

  Millions of spiritual Creatures walk the Earth

  Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep:

  All these with ceasless praise his works behold

  680

  Both day and night: how often from the steep

  Of echoing Hill or Thicket have we heard

  Celestial voices to the midnight air,

  Sole, or responsive each to others note

  Singing thir great Creator: oft in bands

  685

  While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk

  With Heav’nly touch of instrumental sounds

  In full harmonic number
joind, thir songs

  Divide the night,48 and lift our thoughts to Heav’n.

  Thus talking hand in hand alone they pass’d

  690

  On to thir blissful Bower; it was a place

  Chos’n by the sovran Planter, when he fram’d

  All things to mans delightful use; the roof

  Of thickest covert was inwoven shade

  Laurel and Mirtle, and what higher grew

  695

  Of firm and fragrant leaf; on either side

  Acanthus, and each odorous bushie shrub

  Fenc’d up the verdant wall; each beauteous flowr,

  Iris all hues, Roses, and Gessamin

  Rear’d high thir flourisht49 heads between, and wrought

  700

  Mosaic; underfoot the Violet,

  Crocus, and Hyacinth with rich inlay

  Broiderd the ground, more colour’d then with stone

  Of costliest Emblem:50 other Creature here

  Beast, Bird, Insect, or Worm durst enter none;

  705

  Such was thir awe of Man. In shadier Bower

  More sacred and sequesterd, though but feign’d,

  Pan or Silvanus never slept, nor Nymph,

  Nor Faunas haunted. Here in close recess

  With Flowers, Garlands, and sweet-smelling Herbs

  710

  Espoused Eve deckt first her Nuptial Bed,

  And heav’nly Quires the Hymenæan51 sung,

  What day the genial52 Angel to our Sire

  Brought her in naked beauty more adorn’d,

  More lovely than Pandora,53 whom the Gods

  715

  Endowd with all thir gifts, and O too like

  In sad event, when to th’ unwiser Son

  Of Japhet brought by Hermes, she ensnar’d

  Mankind with her fair looks, to be aveng’d

  On him who had stole Joves authentic fire.

  720

  Thus at thir shadie Lodge arriv’d, both stood,

  Both turnd, and under op’n Skie ador’d

  The God that made both Skie, Air, Earth and Heav’n

  Which they beheld, the Moons resplendent Globe

  And starrie Pole: Thou also mad’st the Night,