Insuperable highth of loftiest shade,
Cedar, and pine, and fir, and branching palm, A sylvan scene; and, as the ranks ascend Shade above shade, a woody theatre
Of stateliest view. Yet higher than their tops The verdurous wall of Paradise up sprung; Which to our general sire gave prospect large Into his nether empire neighbouring round. And higher than that wall a circling row Of goodliest trees loaden with fairest fruit, 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 evening cloud, or humid bow, When God hath shower'd the earth; so lovely
That landskip and of pure now purer Meets his approach, and to the heart inspires Vernal delight and joy,7 able to drive All sadness but despair: now gentle gales, Fanning their odoriferous 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 pass'd Mozambic, off at sea north-east winds blow Sabæan odours 9 from the spicy shore
Of Araby the bless'd; with such delay
Well pleased they slack their course, and many a league
Cheer'd with the grateful smell old Ocean smiles: So entertain'd those odorous sweets the fiend 166 Who came their bane; though with them better pleased
Than Asmodeus 10 with the fishy fume,
That drove him, though enamour'd, from the
Of Tobit's son, and with a vengeance sent From Media post to Egypt, there fast bound. Now to the ascent of that steep savage hill Satan had journey'd on, pensive and slow; But farther way found none; so thick entwined, As one continued 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 the other side: which when the arch-felon saw, Due entrance he disdain'd; and in contempt, 180 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 flocks 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, 190 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 highest11 there that grew, 195 Sat like a cormorant; yet not true life Thereby regain'd, but sat devising death
To them who lived; nor on the virtue thought
Of that life-giving plant,12 but only used For prospect, what well used 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, 205 To all delight of human sense exposed,
In narrow room, Nature's whole wealth, yea, more, A heaven on earth: for blissful Paradise Of God the garden was,13 by him in the east Of Eden planted; Eden stretch'd her line From Auran eastward to the royal towers Of great Seleucia, 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: 215 Out of the fertile ground he caused 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 14 went a river large, Nor changed his course, but through the shaggy
Pass'd underneath ingulfed; for God had thrown That mountain as his garden mould, high raised 226 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, wandering many a famous realm And country, whereof here needs no account; 235 But rather to tell how, if art could tell, How from that sapphire fount the crisped brooks, Rolling on orient pearl and sands of gold, With mazy errour under pendent shades Ran nectar, visiting each plant, and fed Flowers 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 unpierced shade 245 Imbrown'd the noontide bowers. Thus was this place
A happy rural seat of various view:
Groves whose rich trees wept odorous 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 interposed; Or palmy hillock, or the flowery lap Of some irriguous valley spread her store; Flowers 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 murmuring waters fall 260 Down the slope hills, dispersed, or in a lake, That to the fringed bank with myrtle crown'd Her crystal mirrour holds, unite their streams. The birds their quire apply; airs, vernal airs, Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune 265 The trembling leaves; while universal Pan, 15 Knit with the Graces and the Hours in dance, Led on the eternal spring. Not that fair field Of Enna, where Proserpine gathering flowers, Herself a fairer flower, by gloomy Dis
Was gather'd, which cost Ceres all that pain To seek her through the world; nor that sweet
Of Daphne by Orontes, and the inspired 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 Libyan Jove, Hid Amalthea, and her florid son,
Young Bacchus, from his stepdame Rhea's eye; Nor where Abassin kings their issue guard, 280 Mount Amara,16 though this by some supposed True Paradise, under the Ethiop line 17 By Nilus' head, enclosed 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, Godlike erect, with native honour clad In naked majesty, seem'd lords of all;
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