Sole, or refponfive each to others note,
Singing their great Creator? oft in bands
While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk 685 With heav'nly touch of inftrumental founds
In full harmonic number join'd, their fongs
Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to Heaven.
Thus talking hand in hand alone they pafs'd
On to their blifsful bow'r; it was a place
Chos'n by the fovran Planter, when he fram'd
All things to Man's delightful use; the roof
Of thickest covert was inwoven fhade
Laurel and myrtle, and what higher grew
of firm and fragrant leaf on either fide
Acanthus, and each odorous bushy shrub
Fenc'd up the verdant wall; each beauteous flower,
Iris all hues, rofes, and jeffamin,
Rear'd high their flourish'd heads between, and wrought
Mofaic; underfoot the violet,
Crocus, and hyacinth, with rich inlay
Broider'd the ground, more color'd than with stone
Of costlieft emblem: other creature here,
Beast, bird, infect, or worm, durft enter none,
Such was their awe of Man.. In fhadier bower 705
More facred and fequefter'd, though but feign'd,
Pan or Sylvanus never flept, nor Nymph,
Nor Faunus haunted. Here in clofe recefs
With flowers, garlands, and fweet-smelling herbs
Efpoused Eve deck'd first her nuptial bed,
And heav'nly quires the hymenæan fung,
What day the genial Angel to our fire
Brought her in naked beauty more adorn'd,
More lovely than Pandora, whom the Gods
Endow'd with all their gifts, and O too like
In fad event, when to th' unwifer fon
Of Japhet brought by Hermes, fhe infnar'd
Mankind with her fair looks, to be aveng'd
On him who had ftole Jove's authentic fire.
Thus at their fhady lodge arriv'd, both stood, 720
Both turn'd, and under open sky ador'd
The God that made both fky, air, earth, and heaven,
Which they beheld, the moon's refplendent globe,
And starry pole: Thou also mad'st the night,
Maker omnipotent, and thou the day,
Which we in our appointed work employ'd
Have finish'd, happy in our mutual help.
And mutual love, the crown of all our blifs
Ordain'd by thee, and this delicious place
For us too large, where thy abundance wants
Partakers, and uncropt falls to the ground.
But thou hast promis'd from us two a race
To fill the earth, who shall with us extol
Thy goodness infinite, both when we wake,
And when we feek, as now, thy gift of fleep.
This faid unanimous, and other rites.
Obferving none, but adoration pure
Which God likes beft, into their inmoft bower
Handed they went; and eas'd the putting off
These troublesome disguises which we wear,
Strait fide by fide were laid; nor turn'd I ween
Adam from his fair spouse, nor Eve the rites
Mysterious of connubial love refus'd :
Whatever hypocrites aufterely talk
Of purity and place and innocence,
Defaming as impure what God declares
Pure, and commands to fome, leaves free to all..
Our Maker bids increase; who bids abftain
But our Destroyer, foe to God and Man ?
Hail wedded Love, myfterious law, true fource
Of human offspring, fole propriety
In Paradife of all things common else.
By thee adult'rous luft was driv'n from men
Among the bestial herds to range; by thee
Founded in reafon, loyal, just, and pure,
Relations dear, and all the charities
Of father, fon, and brother, firft were known.
Far be' it, that I.fhould write thee fin or blame,
Or think thee unbefitting holiest place,
Perpetual fountain of domestic fweets
Whose bed is undefil'd and chaste pronounc'd,
Prefent, or paft, as faints and patriarchs us'd.
Here love his golden fhafts employs, here lights
His conftant lamp, and waves his purple wings,
Reigns here and revels; not in the bought fmile 765-
Of harlots, loveless, joylefs, unindear'd,
Casual fruition; nor in court amours,
Mix'd dance, or wanton mask, or midnight ball,
Or ferenate, which the starv'd lover fings
To his proud fair, beft quitted with difdain.
Thefe lull'd by nightingales embracing flept,
And on their naked limbs the flow'ry roof
Show'rd rofes, which the morn repair'd. Sleep on,
Bleft pair; and O yet happiest, if ye seek
No happier ftate, and know to know no more.
Now had night measur'd, with her shadowy cone
Half way up hill this vaft fublunar vault,.
And from their ivory port the Cherubim
Forth iffying at th' accustom'd hour stood arm'd
To their night watches in warlike parade,
When Gabriel to his next in pow'r thus fpake.
Uzziel, half these draw off, and coast the south With strictest watch; these other wheel the north; Our circuit, meets. full weft. As flame they part, Half wheeling, to the fhield, half to the fpear.. 785 From thefe, two strong and fubtle Spi'rits he call'd That near him ftood, and gave them thus in charge. Ithuriel and Zephon, with wing'd speed
Search through this, garden, leave unfearch'd no nook;
But chiefly where thofe two fair, creatures lodge,. 790%
Now laid perhaps afleep fecure of harm.
This evening from the fun's decline arriv'd
Who tells of fome infernal Spirit seen
Hitherward bent (who could have thought?) escap'd
The bars of Hell, on errand bad no doubt:
Such where ye find, seise faft, and hither bring. he led his radiant files,
Dazling the moon; these to the bow'r direct
In fearch of whom they fought him there they found
Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve,
Affaying by his devilish art to reach
The organs of her fancy, and with them forge
Illufions as he lift, phantafms and dreams,
Or if, infpiring venom, he might taint
Th' animal spirits that from pure blood arife
Like gentle breaths from rivers pure, thence raife
At least diftemper'd, difcontented thoughts,
Vain hopes, vain aims, inordinate defires,
Blown up with high conceits ingendring pride.
Him thus intent Ithuriel with his spear
'Touch'd lightly; for no falshood can indure
Touch of celestial temper, but returns
Of force to its own likeness up he starts
Difcover'd and furpris'd. As when a spark
Lights on a heap of nitrous powder, laid
Fit for the tun fome magazine to store
Against a rumor'd war, the smutty grain
With fudden blaze diffus'd inflames the air :
So ftarted up in his own shape the Fiend.
Back stept thofe two fair Angels half amaz'd
So fudden to behold the grifly king;
Yet thus, unmov'd with fear, accoft him foon.
Which of those rebel Spi'rits adjudg'd to Hell
Com'ft thou, efcap'd thy prifon? and transform'd,
Why fatft thou like an enemy in wait,
Here watching at the head of these that sleep?
Know ye not then, faid Satan fill'd with scorn,
Know ye not me? ye knew me once no mate
For you, there fitting where ye durft not foar:
Not to know me argues yourselves unknown,
The lowest of your throng; or if ye know,
Why afk ye, and fuperfluous begin
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