666 “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 venturous arm 65" He pluck'd-he tasted: me damp horror chill'd "At such bold words, vouch'd with a deed so bold: "But he thus, overjoy'd: 'O fruit divine! "Sweet of thyself, but much more sweet thus cropt! "Forbidden here, it seems, as only fit 70"For gods, yet able to make gods of men: "And why not gods of men? since good, the more "Communicated, more abundant grows; 666 "The author not impair'd, but honoured more. "Here, happy creature, fair angelic Eve! 75"Partake thou also: happy though thou art, "Happier thou mayst 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 80 "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— "Ev'n to my mouth-of that same fruit held part "Which he had pluck'd: the pleasant savoury smell 85 "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 90" To this high exaltation; suddenly 95 "My guide was gone; and I, methought, sunk down, "And fell asleep: but O, how glad I wak'd, "To find this but a dream!" Thus Eve her night Related, and thus Adam answer'd sad: "Best image of myself, and dearer half! "The trouble of thy thoughts, this night in sleep, "This uncouth dream,-of evil sprung, I fear. I "Yet evil whence? in thee can harbour none, 100"Created pure. But know, that in the soul "Are many lesser faculties, that serve "Reason as chief: among these, Fancy next "Her office holds; of all external things "Which the five watchful senses represent, 105 "She forms imaginations, aery shapes, "Which Reason joining, or disjoining, frames "All what we affirm, or what deny, and call "Our knowledge, or opinion; then retires "Into her private cell, when nature rests. 110"Oft, in her absence, mimic Fancy wakes "To imitate her; but, misjoining shapes, "Wild work produces oft, and most in dreams; Ill-matching words and deeds, long past or late. "Some such resemblances, methinks, I find 115 "Of our last ev'ning's talk, in this thy dream, "But with addition strange; yet be not sad. "Evil into the mind of God, or man, 66 "May come and go, so unapprov'd, and leave "No spot or blame behind: which gives me hope 120That what in sleep thou didst abhor to dream, Waking thou never wilt consent to do. 66 "Be not dishearten'd then; nor cloud those looks, "That wont to be more cheerful and serene, "Than when fair morning first smiles on the world : 125"And let us to our fresh employments rise, Among the groves, the fountains, and the flowers, "That open now their choicest bosom'd smells, "Reserv'd from night, and kept for thee in store." So cheer'd he his fair spouse, and she was cheer'd; 130 But silently a gentle tear let fall From either eye, and wip'd them with her hair; Two other precious drops that ready stood, Each in their crystal sluice, he, ere they fell, Kiss'd, as the gracious signs of sweet remorse, 135 And pious awe that fear'd to have offended. So all was clear'd, and to the field they haste: But first, from under shady arborous roof, 150 Flow'd from their lips, in prose, or numerous verse; More tuneable than needed lute or harp To add more sweetness: and they thus began. "These are thy glorious works, Parent of good! 155 "Thus wondrous fair;-Thyself how wondrous then! 66 Unspeakable! who sitt'st above these heavens, "To us invisible, or dimly seen 66 "In these thy lowest works; yet these declare "Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine. 160 Speak, ye who best can tell, ye sons of light, "Angels! for ye behold him, and with songs, "And choral symphonies, day without night, "Circle his throne, rejoicing-ye in heaven: "On earth, join all ye creatures to extol 165" Him first, him last, him midst, and without end! "Fairest of stars! last in the train of night, "If better thou belong not to the dawn, "Sure pledge of day, that crown'st the smiling morn "With thy bright circlet,-praise him in thy sphere, 170" While day arises, that sweet hour of prime. 66 "Thou sun! of this great world both eye and soul, Acknowledge him thy greater; sound his praise "In thy eternal course, both when thou climb'st, "And when high noon hast gain'd, and when thou fall'st. 175 180 185 190 195 200 205 "Moon! that now meet'st the orient sun, now fly'st "With the fix'd stars,-fix'd in their orb that flies; "And ye five other wand'ring fires! that move "In mystic dance, not without song, resound "His praise who out of darkness call'd up light. "Air, and ye elements! the eldest birth "Of nature's womb, that in quaternion run "And nourish all things; let your ceaseless change 66 "Ye mists and exhalations! that now rise "His praise, ye winds! that from four quarters blow, "Breathe soft, or loud; and wave your tops, ye pines! "With every plant, in sign of worship, wave. "Fountains! and ye that warble, as ye flow, "Bear on your wings, and in your notes, his praise. 66 So pray'd they innocent, and to their thoughts Of fruit-trees, over-woody, reach'd too far Their pamper'd boughs, and needed hands to check 215 Fruitless embraces: or they led the vine To wed her elm; she, spous'd, about him twines His marriage with the sev'n-times-wedded maid. 66 "Raphael," said he, "thou hear'st what stir on earth 225 "Satan, from hell 'scaped through the darksome gulf, "Hath rais'd in Paradise; and how disturb'd "This night the human pair; how he designs "In them at once to ruin all mankind. "Go therefore, half this day as friend with friend 230 "Converse with Adam, in what bower or shade "Thou find'st him, from the heat of noon retir'd 66 To respite his day-labour with repast, "Or with repose; and such discourse bring on, "As may advise him of his happy state235"Happiness in his power left free to will, "Left to his own free will-his will, though free, "Yet mutable: whence warn him to beware "He swerve not, too secure. Tell him withal "His danger, and from whom; what enemy, 240"Late fall'n himself from heaven, is plotting now "The fall of others from like state of bliss: By violence? no, for that shall be withstood; "But by deceit and lies: this let him know, Lest, wilfully transgressing, he pretend 245 "Surprisal, unadmonish'd, unforewarn'd." 66 So spake the Eternal Father, and fulfill'd |