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495

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

510

520

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

Fs

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,

,

540

545

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.

550

560

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

565

1

More of th' Almighty's works, and chiefly man,

God's

!

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.

575

580

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.

585

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,

600

They to their graffy couch, these to their nests

Were flunk; all but the wakeful nightingale:

She

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