MORNING approached, Eve relates to Adam her troublesome dream; he likes it not, yet comforts her: they come forth to their day-labours: their morning hymn at the door of their bower. GOD, to render man inexcusable, sends Raphael to admonish him of his obedience, of his free estate, of his enemy near at hand, who he is, and why his enemy, and whatever else may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to paradise; his appearance described, his coming discerned by Adam afar off, sitting at the door of his bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choicest fruits of paradise got together by Eve; their discourse at table: Raphael performs his message, minds Adam of his state, and of his enemy; relates, at Adam's request, who that enemy is, and how he came to be so, beginning from his first revolt in heaven, and the occasion thereof; how he drew his legions after him to the parts of the north, and there incited them to rebel with him; persuading all but only Abdiel a seraph, who in argument dissuades and opposes him, then forsakes him.
Now morn, her rosy steps in th' eastern clime Advancing, sow'd the earth with orient pearl,
1 rosy steps] Quintus Smyrnæus applies the eithet, podóoφυρος to Aurora. v. Lib. i. 137. A. Dyce.
2 sow'd] 'Ambo de comis calorem, et ambo radios conserunt.' See Anthol. Lat. vol. i. p. 8, ed. Burm. Avieni, Orb. Desc. ver. 580, and Fragm. in Aristot. Poet.
Σπείρων θεοκτίσταν φλόγα. Upton.
1
When Adam wak'd, so custom'd, for his sleep
Was aery light, from pure digestion bred, [sound
And temperate vapours bland, which th' only
Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan,
Lightly dispers'd, and the shrill matin song
Of birds on every bough: so much the more
His wonder was to find unwaken'd Eve
With tresses discompos'd and glowing cheek,
As through unquiet rest: he, on his side
Leaning half-rais'd, with looks of cordial love
Hung over her enamour'd, and beheld
Beauty, which, whether waking or asleep,
Shot forth peculiar graces: then with voice
Mild, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,
Her hand soft touching, whisper'd thus: Awake,
5 only] For alone.' Spens. F. Q. v. xi. 30.
'As if the only sound thereof she fear'd.'
now began Aurora's usher with his windy fan
Gently to shake the woods on every side.'
6 fuming] v. Lucretii. lib. vi. Virg. Geo. ii. 217.
6 fan] Sylvester's Du Bartas, p. 116.
'Calls forth the winds. Oh Heaven's fresh fans, quoth he;' and p. 161;
'Rise up, my wif, my love, my lady free,
The turtle's vois is heard, myn owen swete!
The winter is gon, with all his raines wete!
Come forth now,' &c.
7 matin] Virg. Æn. viii. 456.
• Et matutini volucrum sub culmine cantus.'
Newton.
17 awake] See Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, ver. 10012. (Marchant's Tale.)
1
My fairest, my espous'd, my latest found,
Heaven's last best gift, my ever new delight,
Awake, the morning shines, and the fresh field 20
Calls us; we lose the prime, to mark how spring
Our tended plants, how blows the citron grove,
What drops the myrrh, and what the balmy reed,
How nature paints her colours, how the bee
Sits on the bloom extracting liquid sweet.
25
Such whisp'ring wak'd her, but with startled eye On Adam, whom embracing, thus she spake.
O sole in whom my thoughts find all repose, My glory, my perfection, glad I see
Thy face, and morn return'd; for I this night, 30
Such night till this I never pass'd, have dream'd,
If dream'd, not, as I oft am wont, of thee,
Works of day pass'd, or morrow's next design,
But of offence and trouble, which my mind
Knew never till this irksome night: methought 35
Close at mine ear one call'd me forth to walk
With gentle voice; I thought it thine: it said,
Why sleep'st thou Eve? now is the pleasant time,
The cool, the silent, save where silence yields
To the night-warbling bird, that now awake
Tunes sweetest his love-labour'd song; now reigns
Full orb'd the moon, and with more pleasing light
23 balmy reed] εὐοδμοῦ καλαμοῖο. v. Dionysii Geog.
ver. 937.
41 his] In the other passages, where the song of the nightingale is described, the bird is of the feminine gender; v. iii. 40. iv. 602. vii. 436. Newton.
Shadowy sets off the face of things; in vain,
If none regard: heaven wakes with all his eyes,
Whom to behold but thee, nature's desire,
In whose sight all things joy, with ravishment
Attracted by thy beauty still to gaze.
I rose as at thy call, but found thee not
To find thee I directed then my walk;
And on, methought, alone I pass'd through ways 50
That brought me on a sudden to the tree
Of interdicted knowledge: fair it seem'd,
Much fairer to my fancy than by day:
And as I wond'ring look'd, beside it stood
One shap❜d and wing'd like one of those from heaven
By us oft seen; his dewy locks distill'd
Ambrosia; on that tree he also gaz'd;
And O fair plant, said he, with fruit surcharg'd,
Deigns none to ease thy load and taste thy sweet,
Nor GOD, nor man; is knowledge so despis'd? 60
Or envy, or what reserve forbids to taste?
Forbid who will, none shall from me withhold
Longer thy offer'd good; why else set here?
This said, he paus'd not, but with vent❜rous arm
He pluck'd, he tasted; me damp horror chill'd 65
At such bold words vouch'd with a deed so bold.
But he thus overjoy'd: O fruit divine,
44 wakes] G. Fletcher's Christ's Victorie, p. 1. st. 78. เ Heaven awakened all his eyes.' Todd.
57 Ambrosia] Virg. Æn. i. 403.
'Ambrosiæque comæ divinum vertice odorem
Spiravere.'
Sweet of thyself, but much more sweet thus
cropp'd,
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,
80
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 heaven, 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
'Ista natura est boni,
Communicari gaudet, et multis suo
Prodesse fructu. Nemo participi carens
Vivit beatus.'
My guide was gone, and I, methought, sunk down, And fell asleep: but O how glad I wak'd
71 good]
Grotii Adamus Exsul. p. 23.
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