of man

This turn hath made amends; Thou haft fulfillid
Thy words, Creator bounteous and benign!
Giver of all things fair! but fairest this
Of all thy gifts, nor enviett. I now see
Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, my self 495
Before me: woman is her name,
Extracted : for this cause he thall forgo
Father and mother, and t' his wife adbere;
And they shall be one fiesh, one heart, one foul.

She heard me thus, and tho' divinely brought, 500
Yet innocence, and virgin modesty,
Her virtue , and the conicience of her worth ,
That would be woo'd, and not unsought be won,
Not obvious, not obtrusive, but reiird,
The more degrable : or, to say all,

sos
Nature her self (though pure of finful thought)
Wrought in her so, that seeing me, the turn'd.
I follow'd her; The what was honor knew,
And with obsequious majesty approv'd,
My pleased reason. --- To the nuptial bow'r

S10
I led her blushing like the inorn: all heav'n ,
And happy conifellations, on that hour
Shed their selectest influence: the earth
Gave sign of gratulation, and each hill:
Joyous the birds; freih gales, and gentle airs 515
Whisper'd it to the woods, and from their wings
Flung rofe, flung odors from the spicy Ihruh,
Disporting! till the amourous bird of night
Sung spousal, and bid haste the ev’ning itar
On his hill-top, to light the bridal lamp.

520
Thus I have told thee all my state, and brought
My story to the sum of earthly bliss,
Which I enjoy; and must confefs to find
In all things else delight indeed, but such
As us’d or not, works in the mind no change, 525
Nor vehement defire; these delicacies

I mean of tafte, fight, smell, herbs, fruits, and flow'rs,
Walks, and the melody of birds : but here
Far otherwise, transported I behold,
Transported touch: here passion first I felt,

530
Commotion strange! in all enjoyinents else
Superior, and unmov'd; here only weak,
Against the charm of beauty's powerful glance.
Or Nature fail'd in me, and left some part
Not proof enough such object to fustain ; 535
Or from my fide subducting, took perhaps
More than enough : at least, on her bestow'd
Too much of ornament; in outward shew
Elaborate, of inward less exact,
For well I understand in the prime end

540 Of Nature, her th' inferior, in the mind And inward faculties, which moft excel : In outward also her resembling less His image who made both; and less expressing The character of that dominion giv'n

545 O'er other creatures, Yot, when I approach Her loveliness, so absolute she seems And in her self complete, so well to know Her own ; that what she wills to do or say, Seems wiseft, virtuouselt, discreteft, beft: All higher knowledge in her presence falls Degraded; wisdom in discourse with her Loles discount'nanc'd, and like folly 1hcws: Authority and reason on ber wait, As one intended first, not after made

555. Occasionally; and (to consummate all) Greatness of mind, and nobleness, their seat Build in her loveliest, and create an awe About her, as a guard Angelic plac'd.

To wham the Angel with contracted brow. 560

550

Accuse not Nature, she hath done her part; Do thou but thine , and be not diffident