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Let not my words offend thee, heav'nly Pow'r, My Maker, be propitious while I fpeak! Haft thou not made me here thy fubftitute, And these inferior far beneath me fet? Among unequals what fociety

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Can fort, what harmony, or true delight?
Which must be mutual, in proportion due
Giv'n and receiv'd: but in disparity
(The one intenfe, the other ftill remifs)
Cannot well fuit with either, but foon prove
Tedious alike. Of fellowship I fpeak
Such as I feek, fit to participate
All rational delight; wherein the brute
Cannot be human confort: they rejoyce
Each with their kind, lion with lioness;
So fitly them in pairs thou haft combin'd:
Much lefs can bird with beaft, or fish with fowl 395
Šo well converfe, nor with the ox the ape:
Worfe then can man with beaft, and leaft of all.

400

Whereto th' Almighty anfwer'd, not difpleas'd. A nice and fubtile happiness I fee Thou to thy felf propofeft, in the choice Of thy affociates, ADAM; and wilt tafte No pleasure (though in pleasure) folitary. What think'st thou then of me, and this my ftate ? Seem I to thee fufficiently poffeft

Of happiness, or not, who am alone

405

From all eternity? for none I know

Second to me, or like; equal much less.

How have I then with whom to hold converse,

Save with the creatures which I made, and those To me inferior, infinite descents

Beneath what other creatures are to thee?

He ceas'd, I lowly anfwer'd. To attain

410

The height, and depth of thy eternal ways,
All human thoughts come short, Supreme of things

Thou

Thou in thy felf art perfect, and in thee
Is no deficience found. Not fo is Man,
But in degree; the caufe of his defire,
By converfation with his like to help,
Or folace his defects. No need that thou
Should't propagate, already Infinite;

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And through all numbers abfolute, though ONE.
But Man by number is to manifeft
His fingle imperfection; and beget

Like of his like, his image multiply'd:
In unity defective, which requires
Collateral love, and deareft amity.
Thou in thy fecrefy although alone,

Beft with thy felf accompany'd, feek'ft not
Social communication: yet, fo pleas'd,

Canft raife thy creature, to what height thou wilt
Of union or communion, deify'd:

I by converfing cannot thefe erect

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43

From prone, nor in their ways complacence find.

Thus I imbolden'd fpake, and freedom us'd Permiffive, and acceptance found; which gain'd 435 This anfwer from the gracious Voice Divine.

Thus far to try thee, ADAM, I was pleas'd;
And find thee knowing, not of beafts alone,
(Which thou haft rightly nam'd) but of thy felf:
Exprefling well the fpirit within thee free,
My Image, not imparted to the brute:
Whose fellowship therefore unmeet for thee,
Good reafon was thou freely fhouldft diflike;
And be fo minded ftill. I, e're thou fpak'ft,
Knew it not good for man to be alone:
And no fuch company as then thou faw'ft
Intended thee; for tryal only brought,
To fee how thou couldst judge of fit and meet.

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445

What next I bring fhall pleafe thee, be affur'd,
Thy likeness, thy fit help, thy other felf,
Thy with, exactly to thy heart's defire.

450

He ended, or I heard no more, for now

My earthly by his heav'nly overpower'd,

Which it had long ftood under, ftrain'd to th' height In that coeleftial colloquy fublime,

2

455

46a

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470

(As with an object that excels the fenfe, 'Dazl'd 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 tranfe) methought I faw, Though fleeping, where I lay, and faw the fhape Still glorious before whom awake I ftood: Who ftooping open'd my left fide, and took From thence a rib, with cordial fpirits warm, And life-blood ftreaming 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 Man-like, but different fex: fo lovely fair! 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 Sweetness into my heart, unfelt before: And into all things from her air infpir'd The fpirit of love, and amorous delight. She difappear'd, and left me dark! I wak'd To find her, or for ever to deplore Her lofs, and other pleafures 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 2 To make her amiable: On the came, Led by her heav'nly Maker (though unfeen) 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.

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480

485

490