And meek furrender, half embracing lean'd On our first father; half her swelling breast Naked met his under the flowing gold Of her loofe tresses hid: he in delight Both of her beauty and fubmifsive charms Smil'd with fuperior love, as JUPITER On JUNO smiles, when he impregns the clouds 500 That shed MAY flow'rs; and press'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) shall enjoy their fill Of bliss on bliss, while I to Hell am thrust, 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 stands of Knowledge call'd, Forbidden them to taste: Knowledge forbidden? 515 Sufpicious, reasonless. Why should 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 state, 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 design To keep them low whom knowledge might exalt 525
Equal with Gods; afpiring to be fuch,
They taste and die: what likelier can ensue? But first with narrow fearch I must walk round This garden, and no corner leave unspy'd; A chance but chance may lead where I may meet 530 Some
Some wandring Spirit of Heav'n, by fountain fide, Or in thick shade 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 step he scornful turn'd,
But with fly circumspection, and began [roam. Through wood, through waste, o'er hill, o'er dale his Mean-while in utmost longitude, where heav'n With earth and ocean meets, the fetting Sun Slowly defcended, and with right aspect Against the eastern gate of Paradife Level'd his ev'ning rays: it was a rock Of alabaster, pil'd up to the clouds Confpicuous far, winding with one afcent Accessible from earth, one entrance high; The rest was craggy cliff, that overhung Still as it rose, impoffible to climb. Betwixt these rocky pillars GABRIEL sat, Chief of th' Angelic guards, awaiting night: About him exercis'd heroic games Th' unarmed youth of Heav'n, but nigh at hand Cœleftial armory, shields, helms, and spears, Hung high with diamond flaming, and with gold. Thither came URIEL, gliding through the evin 555 On a Sun beam, swift as a thooting star In Autumn thwarts the night, when vapors fir'd Impress the air, and shews the mariner From what point of his Compass to beware Impetuous winds: he thus began in hafte.
GABRIEL, to thee thy course 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 sphear
A fpirit, zealous, as he seem'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 persu'd him ftill, but under shade Loft fight of him; one of the banith'd crew, I fear, hath ventur'd from the deep to raife 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'st, 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 spirit of other fort, So minded, have o'erleap'd these earthy bounds On purpose, hard thou know'st it to exclude Spiritual substance with corporeal bar. But if within the circuit of these walks, In whatsoever shape he lurk, of whom Thou tell'st, by morrow dawning I shall know.
So promis'd he, and URIEL to his charge 589 Return'd on that bright beam, whose point now rais'd Bore him flope downward to the Sun, now fall'n Beneath th' A zORES; (whether the prime orb, Incredible how swift, had thither rowl'd Diurnal, or this less volubil earth
By shorter flight to th' eaft, had left him there 595
Arraying with reflected purple, and gold, The clouds that on his western 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, these to their nests
Were flunk; all but the wakeful nightingale:
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