Than self-esteem, grounded on just and right Well managed; of that skill the more thou know'st,

The more she will acknowledge thee her head,
And to realities yield all her shows:

Made so adorn for thy delight the more,

575

580

585

So awful, that with honour thou mayst love
Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen least wise.
But if the sense of touch, whereby mankind
Is propagated, seem such dear delight
Beyond all other; think the same vouchsafed
To cattle and each beast; which would not be
To them made common and divulged, if aught
Therein enjoy'd were worthy to subdue
The soul of man, or passion in him move.
What higher in her society thou find'st
Attractive, human, rational, love still;
In loving thou dost well, in passion not,
Wherein true love consists not: love refines
The thoughts, and heart enlarges; hath his seat
In reason, and is judicions; is the scale
By which to heavenly love thou mayst ascend,
Not sunk in carnal pleasure; for which cause,
Among the beasts no mate for thee was found.

591

To whom thus, half abash'd, Adam replied: Neither her outside form'd so fair, nor aught 596 In procreation common to all kinds,

(Though higher of the genial bed by far, And with mysterious reverence I deem)

So much delights me, as those graceful acts, 600 Those thousand decencies, that daily flow

From all her words and actions, mix'd with love

34

And sweet compliance, which declare unfeign'd Union of mind, or in us both one soul; Harmony to behold in wedded pair

605

More grateful than harmonious sound to the ear.
Yet these subject not: I to thee disclose
What inward thence I feel, not therefore foil'd;
Who meet with various objects, from the sense
Variously representing; yet, still free,
.610
Approve the best, and follow what I approve.
To love, thou blamest me not; for love, thou sayst,
Leads up to heaven, is both the way and guide;
Bear with me then, if lawful what I ask :
Love not the heavenly spirits, and how their love
Express they? by looks only? or do they mix 616
Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?

To whom the angel, with a smile that glow'd
Celestial rosy red, love's proper hue,
Answer'd: Let it suffice thee that thou know'st
Us happy; and without love no happiness.
Whatever pure thou in the body enjoy'st,
(And pure thou wert created) we enjoy
In eminence; and obstacle find none

621

Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclusive bars: 625 Easier than air with air, if spirits embrace,

35

Total they mix, union of pure with pure
Desiring; nor restrain'd conveyance need,
As flesh to mix with flesh, or soul with soul.
But I can now no more;°
36 the parting sun,
Beyond the earth's green cape and verdant isles
Hesperian, sets; my signal to depart.

630

Be strong, live happy, and love! but, first of all, Him, whom to love is to obey," and keep

His great command: take heed, lest passion sway
Thy judgment to do aught, which else free will 636
Would not admit: thine, and of all thy sons,
The weal or woe in thee is placed; beware!
I in thy persevering shall rejoice,

And all the blest: stand fast; to stand or fall 640
Free in thine own arbitrement it lies.

Perfect within, no outward aid require;
And all temptation to transgress repel.

So saying, he arose; whom Adam thus
Follow'd with benediction :-Since to part,
Go, heavenly guest, ethereal messenger,
Sent from whose sovran goodness I adore!
Gentle to me and affable hath been
Thy condescension, and shall be honour'd ever
With grateful memory: thou to mankind
Be good and friendly still, and oft return!
So parted they; the angel up to heaven
From the thick shade, and Adam to his bower.

645

650

NOTES ON BOOK VIII.

1 VERSE 1. The angel ended. This eighth book made a part of the seventh book in the first edition.

Milton has here imitated the graceful suspension in the narrative of Ulysses; see the eleventh book of the Odyssey: and Pope, when translating the passage, ingeniously framed his version of Milton's own words :

He ceased; but left so charming in their ear

His voice, that listening still they seem'd to hear.

2 Ver. 15. When I behold, &c. Milton, after having given so noble an idea of the creation of the new world, takes a proper occasion to show the two great systems, usually called the Ptolemaic and the Copernican: one making the earth, the other the sun, to be the centre; and this he does by introducing Adam proposing very judiciously the difficulties that occur in the first, and which was the system most obvious to him. The reply of the angel touches on the expedients the Ptolemaics invented to solve those difficulties, and to patch up their system; and then intimates that perhaps the sun is the centre; and so opens that system, and withal the noble improvements of the new philosophy; not however determining for one or the other: on the con→

trary, he exhorts our progenitor to apply his thoughts rather to what more nearly concerns him, and is within his reach. -RICHARDSON.

What a lovely picture has the poet here drawn of Eve! As it did not become her to bear a part in the conversation, she modestly sits at a distance, but yet within view she stays as long as the angel and her husband are discoursing of things which it might concern her and her duty to know ; but when they enter upon abstruser points, then she decently retires. This is preserving the decorum of character: and so Cephalus in Plato's 'Republic,' and Scævola in Cicero's treatise de Oratore,' stay only as long as it was suitable for persons of their character; and are made to withdraw when the discourse was less proper for them to hear. Eve's withdrawing is juster, and more beautiful than these instances. She rises to go forth with lowliness, but yet with majesty and grace. What modesty and what dignity is

here!-NEWTON.

Ver. 61. A pomp of winning Graces. Gray has imitated this in the opening of his poem, 'The Progress of Poesy.' Gray may be perpetually tracked in his imitations of Milton's expressions.

5 Ver. 70. This to attain. It imports not, it matters not, whether heaven move or earth, whether the Ptolemaic or Copernican system be true. This knowledge we may still attain ;—the rest, other more curious points of inquiry' concerning the heavenly bodies, God hath done wisely to conceal.-NEWTON.

See Psalm cxxxix. 5:—“ Such knowledge is too wonderful and excellent for me; I cannot attain unto it."DUNSTER.