From us no other fervice than to keep So various, not to taste that only Tree 420 Of Knowledge, planted by the Tree of Life, Among fo many figns of pow'r and rule Earth, air, and fea. Then let us not think hard Free leave fo large to all things elfe, and choice But let us ever praise him, and extoll His bounty, following our delightful task 430 435 To prune thefe growing plants, & tend thefe flow'rs; Which were it tailfome, yet with thee were sweet. 445 To whom thus Eve reply'd. O thou for whom 440 And from whom I was form'd, flesh of thy flesh, And without whom am to no end, my guide And head! what thou haft faid is juft and right: For we to him indeed all praises owe, And daily thanks; I chiefly, who enjoy So far the happier lot, enjoying thee Præeminent by fo much odds, while thou Like confort to thy felf canft no where find. That day I oft remember, when from fleep I first awak'd, and found my felf repos'd Under a fhade of flow'rs, much wond'ring where And what I was, whence thither brought, and how. Not diftant far from thence a murmuring found Of waters iffu'd from a cave, and spread Into a liquid plain, then ftood unmov'd Pure as th' expanse of heav'n: I thither went F4 450 455 With 460 With unexperienc'd thought, and laid me down 465 Mine eyes till now, and pin'd with vain defire, Had not a voice thus warn'd me, "What thou feeft, "What there thou feeft, fair Creature, is thy felf, "With thee it came and goes: but follow me, "And I will bring thee where no fhadow ftays 470 Thy coming, and thy foft embraces, he "Whofe image thou art, him thou shalt enjoy Than that fmooth watry image: back I turn'd, 480 My other felf! with that thy gentle hand Seis'd mine, I yielded, and from that time fee 485 490 And wisdom, which alone is truly fair. So fpake our general mother, and with eyes. Of conjugal attraction unreprov'd, And |