Sweet of thyself, but much more sweet thus
Forbidden here, it seems, as only fit
For Gods, yet able to make Gods of men:
And why not Gods of men, since good, the more
Communicated, more abundant grows,
The author not impair'd, but honour'd more
Here, happy creature, fair angelic Eve,
Partake thou also; happy though thou art,
Happier thou may'st be, worthier canst not be:
Taste this, and be henceforth among the Gods
Thyself a Goddess, not to earth confin'd,
But sometimes in the air, as we, sometimes
Ascend to heav'n, by merit thine, and see
What life the Gods live there, and such live thou.
So saying, he drew nigh, and to me held,
Even to my mouth of that same fruit held part
Which he had pluck'd; the pleasant savoury smell
So quicken'd appetite, that I, methought,
Could not but taste. Forthwith up to the clouds
With him I flew, and underneath beheld
The earth outstretch'd immense, a prospect wide
And various wond'ring at my flight and change
To this high exaltation, suddenly
My guide was gone, and I, methought, sunk down, And fell asleep: but O how glad I wak'd
Communicari gaudet, et multis suo
Prodesse fructu. Nemo participi carens
Vivit beatus.'
Grotii Adamus Exsul. p. 23.
To find this but a dream! Thus Eve her night
Related, and thus Adam answer'd sad.
Best image of myself and dearer half,
The trouble of thy thoughts this night in sleep
Affects me equally; nor can I like
This uncouth dream, of evil sprung I fear:
Yet evil whence? in thee can harbour none,
But know that in the soul
Created pure.
Are many lesser faculties that serve
Reason as chief: among these fancy next
Her office holds; of all external things,
Which the five watchful senses represent,
She forms imaginations, aery shapes,
Which reason joining, or disjoining, frames
All what we affirm, or what deny, and call
Our knowledge or opinion; then retires
Into her private cell when nature rests.
Oft in her absence mimic fancy wakes
To imitate her; but, misjoining shapes,
Wild work produces oft, and most in dreams,
Ill matching words and deeds long past or late
Some such resemblances methinks I find
Of our last evening's talk in this thy dream, 115
But with addition strange; yet be not sad:
Evil into the mind of GoD or man
May come and go, so unapprov'd, and leave
"night] for the " dreams of night." v. S. Ital. iii. 216. 'Promissa evolvit somni, noctemque retractat.' Hume. 11" God] God here signifies angel.' See ver. 59 and 70. Newton.
No spot or blame behind; which gives me hope
That what in sleep thou didst abhor to dream, 120
Waking thou never wilt consent to do.
Be not dishearten'd then, nor cloud those looks
That wont to be more cheerful and serene
Than when fair morning first smiles on the world;
And let us to our fresh employments rise,
Among the groves, the fountains, and the flow'rs,
That open now their choicest bosom'd smells,
Reserv'd from night, and kept for thee in store.
So cheer'd he his fair spouse, and she was cheer'd; But silently a gentle tear let fall From either eye, and wip'd them with her hair: Two other precious drops that ready stood, Each in their crystal sluice, he ere they fell Kiss'd as the gracious signs of sweet remorse, And pious awe that fear'd to have offended.
So all was clear'd, and to the field they haste. But first, from under shady arborous roof Soon as they forth were come to open sight Of dayspring and the sun, who, scarce uprisen With wheels yet hov'ring o'er the ocean brim, 140 Shot parallel to the earth his dewy ray, Discovering in wide landscape all the east Of paradise and Eden's happy plains, Lowly they bow'd adoring, and began
127 bosom'd] Bosom.' Bentl. MS.
137 roof] In Milton's own edition, a comma stands after 'roof,' which Tickell, Fenton, Bentley followed. Pearce properly corrected it.
Their orisons, each morning duly paid
In various style; for neither various style
Nor holy rapture wanted they to praise
Their Maker, in fit strains pronounc'd or sung
Unmeditated, such prompt eloquence
Flow'd from their lips, in prose or numerous verse,
More tuneable than needed lute or harp
To add more sweetness; and they thus began.
These are thy glorious works, Parent of good,
Almighty, thine this universal frame,
Thus wondrous fair; thyself how wondrous then!
Unspeakable, who sitt'st above these heavens, 156
To us invisible, or dimly seen
In these thy lowest works; yet these declare
Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine.
Speak ye who best can tell, ye sons of light, 160
Angels, for ye behold him, and with songs
And choral symphonies, day without night,
Circle his throne rejoicing, ye in heaven,
On earth join all ye creatures to extol
Him first, him last, him midst, and without end.
Fairest of stars, last in the train of night,
If better thou belong not to the dawn,
Sure pledge of day, that crown'st the smiling morn
With thy bright circlet, praise him in thy sphere
While day arises, that sweet hour of prime.
150 numerous] 'To enter David's numerous fane.'
166 Fairest] Hom. II. xxii. 318. and Ov. Met. ii. 114.
This Lynn Follows closely, while
Thou sun, of this great world both eye and soul, Acknowledge him thy greater, sound his praise In thy eternal course, both when thou clim'st, And when high noon hast gain'd, and when thou
Moon, that now meet'st the orient sun, now fly'st;
With the fix'd stars, fix'd in their orb that flies,
And ye five other wand'ring fires that move
In mystic dance not without song, resound
His praise, who out of darkness call'd up light.
Air, and ye elements the eldest birth
Of nature's womb, that in quaternion run
Perpetual circle, multiform, and mix
And nourish all things, let your ceaseless change
Vary to our great Maker still new praise.:
Ye mists and exhalations that now rise
From hill or steaming lake, dusky or grey,
Till the sun paint your fleecy skirts with gold,
In honour to the world's great author rise,
Whether to deck with clouds the uncolour'd sky,
Or wet the thirsty earth with falling showers, 190
Rising or falling still advance his praise.
His praise, ye winds that from four quarters blow,
Breathe soft or loud; and wave your tops, ye pines,
With every plant, in sign of worship wave.
177 'five] Verum etiam quinque stellas, quæ vulgo vage nuncupantur.'
v. Apul. de Deo Socratis, ed. Delph. vol. ii. p. 666. quaternion] Heywood's Hier. p. 193.
"What ternions and classes be
In the cælestial hierarchie.'
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