And meek furrender, half embracing lean'd
On our first father; half her fwelling breaft
Naked met his under the flowing gold
Of her loofe treffes hid: he in delight
Both of her beauty and fubmiffive charms
Smil'd with fuperior love, as JUPITER
On JUN o fmiles, when he impregns the clouds 500
That shed MAY flow'rs; and prefs'd her matron lip
With kiffes pure: afide the Devil turn'd
For envy, yet with jealous leer malign
Ey'd them askance, and to himself thus plain'd.
Sight hateful, fight tormenting! thus these two 505 Imparadis'd in one anothers arms,
(The happier EDEN) fhall enjoy their fill
Of blifs on blifs, while I to Hell am thruft,
Where neither joy nor love, but fierce defire,
(Among our other torments not the leaft)
Still unfulfill'd with pain of longing, pines.
Yet let me not forget what I have gain'd
From their own mouths; all is not theirs it seems:
One fatal Tree there ftands of Knowledge call'd,
Forbidden them to tafte: Knowledge forbidden? 515
Sufpicious, reafonlefs. Why fhould their Lord
Envy them that? can it be fin to know?
Can it be death? and do they only stand
By ignorance? is that their happy ftate,
The proof of their obedience and their faith?
O fair foundation laid whereon to build
Their ruin! hence I will excite their minds
With more defire to know, and to reject
Envious commands, invented with defign
To keep them low whom knowledge might exalt 525
Equal with Gods; afpiring to be fuch,
They taste and die: what likelier can enfue?
But firft with narrow fearch I muft walk round
This garden, and no corner leave unspy'd;
A chance but chance may lead where I may meet 530 F 5
Some wandring Spirit of Heav'n, by fountain fide,
Or in thick fhade retir'd, from him to draw
What further would be learn'd. Live while ye may
Yet happy pair; enjoy, till I return,
Short pleasures, for long woes are to fucceed. 535
So faying, his proud ftep he fcornful turn'd, But with fly circumfpection, and began [roam. Through wood, through wafte, o'er hill, o'er dale his Mean-while in utmoft longitude, where heav'n With earth and ocean meets, the fetting Sun Slowly defcended, and with right afpect Against the caftern gate of Paradife Level'd his ev'ning rays: it was a rock Of alabafter, pil'd up to the clouds, Confpicuous far, winding with one afcent Acceffible from earth, one entrance high; The reft was craggy cliff, that overhung Still as it rofe, impoffible to climb. Betwixt thefe rocky pillars GABRIEL fat, Chief of th' Angelic guards, awaiting night: About him exercis'd heroic games
Th' unarmed youth of Heav'n, but nigh at hand
Coeleftial armory, fhields, helms, and fpears,
Hung high with diamond flaming, and with gold.
Thither came URIEL, gliding through the ev'n 555
On a Sun beam, fwift as a hooting star
In Autumn thwarts the night, when vapors fir'd
Imprefs the air, and fhews the mariner
From what point of his Compass to beware
Impetuous winds: he thus began in hafte.
GABRIEL, to thee thy courfe by lot hath giv'n Charge and strict watch, that to this happy place No evil thing approach, or enter in:
This day at height of noon came to my fphear
A fpirit, zealous, as he feem'd, to know
More of th' Almighty's works, and chiefly man,
God's latest image: I defcrib'd his way
Bent all on speed, and mark'd his aery gait :
But in the mount that lies from EDEN north,
Where he first lighted, foon difcern'd his looks 570
Alien from Heav'n, with paffions foul obfcur'd;
Mine eye perfu'd him ftill, but under shade
Loft fight of him; one of the banish'd crew,
I fear, hath ventur'd from the deep to raise
New troubles; him thy care must be to find.
To whom the winged warrior thus return'd:
URIEL, no wonder if thy perfect fight,
Amid the Sun's bright circle where thou fit'ft,
See far and wide: in at this gate none pafs
The vigilance here plac'd, but fuch as come.
Well known from Heav'n; and fince meridian hour
No creature thence. If fpirit of other fort,
So minded, have o'erleap'd thefe earthy bounds
On purpose, hard thou know'ft it to exclude
Spiritual fubftance with corporeal bar.
But if within the circuit of these walks,
In whatfoever fhape he lurk, of whom
Thou tell'ft, by morrow dawning I fhall know.
So promis'd he, and URIEL to his charge 589
Return'd on that bright beam, whofe point now rais'd
Bore him flope downward to the Sun, now fall'n
Beneath th' AZORES; (whether the prime orb,
Incredible how fwift, had thither rowl'd
Diurnal, or this lefs volubil earth
By fhorter flight to th' eaft, had left him there
Arraying with reflected purple, and gold,
The clouds that on his weftern throne attend.)
Now came ftill evening on, and twilight gray
Had in her fober livery all things clad;
Silence accompany'd, for beaft and bird,
They to their graffy couch, thefe to their nefts
Were flunk, all but the wakeful nightingale:
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