Of wisdom: she deferts thee not, if thou
Difmifs not her, when moft thou need'ft her nigh;
By attributing over-much to things
565
Lefs excellent, as thou thy felf perceiv'ft.
For what admir'ft thou, what tranfports thee fo?
An outfide? fair no doubt, and worthy well
Thy cherifhng, thy honoring, and thy love;
Not thy fubjection. Weigh with her thy felf;
Then value oft-times nothing profits more
Than felf-esteem, grounded on juft and right,
Well manag'd: of that skill the more thou know'ft
The more he will acknowledge thee her Head,
And to realities yield all her fhews:
Made fo adorn for thy delight the more;
So awful, that with honor thou may'ft love
Thy mate; who fees, when thou art feen leaft wife.
But if the fenfe of touch, whereby mankind
Is propagated, feem fuch dear delight
Beyond all other; think the fame vouchsaf'd
To cattel, and each beaft; which would not be
To them made common, and divulg'd, if ought
Therein enjoy'd were worthy to fubdue
The foul of man, or paffion in him move.
What higher in her fociety thou findft
Attractive, human, rational, love ftill:
In loving thou doft well, in paffion not;
Wherein true love confifts not. Love refines
The thoughts, and heart enlarges; hath his feat 590
In reason, and is judicious; is the fcale
By which to heav'nly love thou may'ft afcend;
Not funk in carnal pleafure; for which caufe,
Among the beafts no mate for thee was found.
To whom thus, half abafh'd, ADAM reply'd. 595
Neither her out-fide form'd fo fair, nor ought
In procreation common to all kinds,
(Though higher of the genial bed by far,
And with myfterious reverence I deem)
So much delights me, as thofe graceful acts,
Thofe thousand decencies that daily flow
From all her words, and actions, mix'd with love,
And fweet compliance, which declare unfeign'd
Union of mind, or in us both one foul;
Harmony to behold in wedded pair,
More grateful than harmonious found to th' ear.
Yet thefe fubject not: I to thee disclose
What inward thence I feel; not therefore foil'd;
Who meet with various objects, from the fenfe
Varioufly reprefenting; yet ftill free,
Approve the beft, and follow what I approve.
To love thou blam'ft me not; for love thou fay'st
Leads up to Heav'n, is both the way and guide;
Bear with me then, if lawful what I ask:
Love not the heav'nly fpirits? And how their love
Express they? By looks only? Or do they mix 616
Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?
To whom the Angel, (with a smile that glow'd Cœleftial rofy-red, love's proper hue)
Anfwer'd. Let it fuffice thee that thou know'ft 610
Us happy, and without love no happiness.
Whatever pure thou in thy body enjoy'ft,
(And pure thou wert created) we enjoy
In eminence: and obftacle find none
Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclufive bars: 625
Eafier than air with air, if fpirits embrace,
Total they mix; union of pure with pure
Defiring nor reftrain'd conveyance need,
As flesh to mix with flesh, or foul with foul.
But I can now no more: the parting Sun
Beyond the earth's green cape, and verdant ifles,
HESPEREAN fets, my fignal to depart.
Be ftrong, live happy, and love! But, first of all,
HIM, whom to love is to obey, and keep
His great command: take heed left paffion fway 635
Thy judgment to do ought, which elfe free will
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