Blossoms and fruits at once of golden hue,
Appear'd, with gay enamel'd colours mix'd:
On which the sun more glad impress'd his beams, Than in fair ev'ning cloud, or humid bow,
When God hath shower'd the earth; so lovely seem'd That landscape, and of pure, now purer air
- Meets his approach, and to the heart inspires Vernal delight and joy, able to drive
All sadness but despair: now gentle gales Fanning their odorif 'rous wings, dispense Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole Those balmy spoils. As when to them who sail Beyond the Cape of Hope, and now are past Mozambic, off at sea north-east winds blow Sabean odours from the spicy shore
Of Araby the bless'd; with such delay
Well pleas'd they slack their course, and many a league Cheer'd with the grateful smell old Ocean smiles: So entertain'd those od'rous sweets the fiend
Who came their bane; though with them better pleas'd Than Asmodeous with the fishy fume
That drove him, though enamour'd, from the spouse Of l'obit's son, and with a vengeance sent From Media post to Egypt, there fast bound.
Now to th' ascent of that steep savage hill Satan had journey'd on, pensive and slow; But further way found none, so thick intwin'd, As one continu'd brake, the undergrowth Of shrubs and tangling bushes had perplex'd All path of man or beast that pass'd that way. One gate there only was, and that look'd east On th' other side: which when th' arch-felon saw, Due entrance he disdain'd, and in contempt, At one slight bound, high overleap'd all bound Of hill or highest wall, and sheer within Lights on his feet. As when a prowling wolf, Whom hunger drives to seek new haunt for prey, Watching where shepherds pen their Hocks at eve, In hurdled cotes amid the field secure,
Leaps o'er the fence with ease into the fold: Or as a thief, bent to unhoard the cash
Of some rich burgher, whose substantial doors, Cross-barr'd and bolted fast, fear no assault, In at the window climbs, or o'er the tiles: So clomb this first grand thief into God's fold; So since into his church lewd hirelings climb. Thence up he flew, and on the tree of life, The middle tree, and highest there that grew, Sat like a cormorant; yet not true life Thereby regain'd, but sat devising death To them who liv'd; nor on the virtue thought Of that life-giving plant, but only us'd
For prospect, what well us'd had been the pledge Of immortality. So little knows
Any, but God alone, to value right
The good before him, but perverts best things To worst abuse, or to their meanest use. Beneath him with new wonder now he views, To all delight of human sense expos'd,
In narrow room, nature's whole wealth, yea more, A heav'n on earth: for blissful Paradise Of God the garden was, by him in th' east Of Eden planted; Eden stretch'd her line From Auran eastward to the royal towers Of great Selucia, built by Grecian kings, Or where the sons of Eden long before Dwelt in Telassar: in this pleasant soil His far more pleasant garden God ordain'd; Out of the fertile ground he caus'd to grow All trees of noblest kind for sight, smell, taste; And all amid them stood the tree of life, High eminent, blooming ambrosial fruit Of vegetable gold and next to life,
Our death, the tree of knowledge, grew fast by; Knowledge of good bought dear by knowing ill. Southward through Eden went a river large, Nor chang'd his course, but through the shaggy hill Pass'd underneath ingulf'd; for God had thrown That mountain as his garden-mould high rais'd.
Upon the rapid current, which through veins Of porous earth with kindly thirst up drawn, Rose a fresh fountain, and with many a rill Water'd the garden; thence united fell
Down the steep glade, and met the nether flood, Which from his darksome passage now appears, And now divided into four main streams, Runs diverse, wand'ring many a famous realm And country, whereof here needs no account; But rather to tell how, if art could tell,
How from that sapphire fount the crisped brooks, Rolling on orient pearls and sands of gold, With mazy error under pendent shades Ran nectar, visiting each plant, and fed Flow'rs, worthy of Paradise, which not nice art In beds and curious knots, but nature boon Pour'd forth profuse on hill, and dale, and plain, Both where the morning-sun first warmly smote The open field, and where the unpierc'd shade Imbrown'd the noontide-bow'rs. Thus was this place A happy rural seat of various views:
Groves whose rich trees wept od❜rous gums and balm, Others whose fruit, burnish'd with golden rind, Hung amiable, Hesperian fables true,
If true, here only, and of delicious taste: Betwixt them lawns, or level downs, and flocks Grazing the tender herb, were interpos'd,
Or palmy hillock; or the flow'ry lap
Of some irriguous valley spread her store, Flow'rs of all hue, and without thorn the rose: Another side, umbrageous grots and caves Of cool recess, o'er which the mantling vine Lays forth her purple grape, and gently creeps Luxuriant: meanwhile murm'ring waters fall Down the slope hills, dispers'd, or in a lake, That to the fringed bank with myrtle crown'd Her chrystal mirror holds, unite their streams. The birds their quire-apply; airs, vernal airs, Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune The trembling leaves, while universal Pan,
Knit with the Graces and the Ilours in dance, Led on th' eternal spring. Not that fair field Of Enna, where Proserpine gath'ring flow'rs, Herself a fairer flow'r, by gloomy Dis
Was gather'd, which cost Ceres all that pain
To seek her through the world; nor that sweet grove Of Daphne by Orontes, and th' inspir'd
Castalian spring, might with this Paradise
Of Eden strive; nor that Nyseian isle
Girt with the river Triton, where old Cham, Whom Gentiles Ammon call, and Lybian Jove, Hid Amalthea, and her florid son,
Young Bacchus, from his step-damne Rhea's eye; Nor where Abassin kings their issue guard, Mount Amara, though this by some suppos'd True Paradise under the Ethiop line
By Nilus head, enclos'd with shining rock, A whole day's journey high, but wide remote From this Assyrian garden; where the fiend Saw undelighted all delight, all kind
Of living creatures, new to sight, and strange. Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall, God-like erect, with native honour clad In naked majesty, seem'd lords of all: And worthy seem'd; for in their looks divine The image of their glorious Maker shone, Truth, wisdom, sanctitude severe and pure, (Severe, but in true filial freedom plac'd) Whence true authority in men: though both Not equal, as their sex not equal seemid: For contemplation he, and valour form'd, For softness she, and sweet attractive grace; He for God only, she for God in him. liis fair large front and eye sublime declar'd Absolute rule; and hyacinthine locks Round from his parted forelock manly hung Clust'ring, but not beneath his shoulders broad: She, as a veil, down to the slender waist Her unadorned golden tresses wore Disheveld, but in wanton ringlets way'd,
As the vine curls her tendrils, which imply'd Subjection, but requir'd with gentle sway, And by her yielded, by him best receiv'd, Yielded with coy submission, modest pride, And sweet reluctant amorous delay.
Nor those mysterious parts were then conceal'd; Then was not guilty shame, dishonest shame Of nature's works, honour dishonourable: Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind With shows instead, mere shows of seeming pure, And banish'd from man's life his happiest life, Simplicity, and spotless innocence!
So pass'd they naked on, nor shun'd the sight Of God or angels; for they thought no ill: So hand in hand they pass'd, the loveliest pair That ever since in love's embraces met; Adam the goodliest man of men since born His sons, the fairest of her daughters, Eve. Under a tuft of shade that on a green Stood whisp'ring soft, by a fresh fountain-side They sat them down; and after no more toil Of their sweet gard'ning labour than suffic'd To recommend cool zephyr, and made ease More easy, wholesome thirst and appetite More grateful, to their supper-fruits they fell, Nectarine fruits which the compliant boughs Yielded them, side-long as they sat recline On the soft downy bank damask'd with flowers: The sav'ry pulp they chew, and in the rind, Still as they thirsted, scoop the brimming stream; Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles Wanted, nor youthful dalliance, as beseems Fair couple, link'd in happy nuptial league, Alone as they. About them frisking play'd All beasts of th' earth, since wild, and of all chase In wood or wilderness, forest or den;
Sporting the lion ramp, and in his paw
Dandled the kid; bears, tygers, ounces, pards, Gambol'd before them; th' unwieldy elephant, To make them mirth us'd all his might, and wreath'd
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