Multitudes like thyself, and thence be call'd
Mother of human race. What could I do,
But follow ftrait, invifibly thus led?
Till I efpy'd thee, fair indeed and tall,
Under a platan; yet methought less fair,
Lefs winning foft, lefs amiably mild,

475

Than that smooth watry image: back I turn'd; 480
Thou following cry'dft aloud, Return fair Eve,
Whom fly'st thou? whom thou fly'st, of him thou art,
His flesh, his bone; to give thee be'ing I lent
Out of my fide to thee, nearest my heart
Substantial life, to have thee by my fide
Henceforth an individual solace dear;
Part of my foul I feek thee, and thee clame
My other half: with that thy gentle hand

Cumque ego porrexi tibi brachia,

porrigis ultro: Cum rifi, arrides: lacrymas quoque fæpe notavi Me lacrymante tuas.

Ifta repercuffæ, quam cernis, imaginis umbra eft:

Nil habet ifta fui: tecum venit

que manetque; Tecum difcedet, fi tu difcedere poffis.

478. Under a platan ;] The plane tree fo named from the breadth of

485

Anima dimidium meæ. Od. I. III. U 4 492.

Seis'd mine; I yielded, and from that time see
How beauty is excell'd by manly grace
And wisdom, which alone is truly fair.

So fpake our general mother, and with eyes
Of conjugal attraction unreprov'd,
And meek furrender, half embracing lean'd
On our first father; half her swelling breast
Naked met his under the flowing gold
Of her loose treffes hid: he in delight

492. So pake our general mother,
and with eyes
Of conjugal attraction unreprov'd,
&c.] Spenfer, Faery Queen,

B. 2. Cant. 7. St. 16.

But with glad thanks and unre proved truth.

What a charming picture of love and innocence has the poet given us in this paragraph! There is the greatest warmth of affection, and yet the moft exact delicacy and decorum. One would have thought that a scene of this nature could not with any confiftency have been introduced into a divine poem, and yet our author has fo nicely and judiciously cover'd the foft defcription with the veil of modefty, that the pureft and chafteft mind can find no room for offente. The meek furrender and the half embracement are circumstances inimitable. An Italian's imagination would have huried him the length of

490

495

Both.

ten or a dozen flanzas upon this occafion, and with its luxuriant wildness chang'd Adam and Eve into a Venus and Adonis. Thyer.

494.

embracing] Milton fometimes fpells the word embrace after the French embraffer, and fometimes imbrace after the Italian imbracciare; but the former has now prevail'd univerfally.

499 as Jupiter &c.] As the Heaven fmiles upon the air, when it makes the clouds and every thing fruitful in the fpring. This feems to be the meaning of the allegory; for Jupiter is commonly taken for the Heaven or æther, and Juno for the air, tho' fome underftand by them the air and earth. However that be, the congress of Jupiter and Juno was accounted the great caufe of fruitfulness. Homer in the fourteenth book of the Iliad inlarges much upon the ftory of their loves, more than enough to give occafion to this

fimile,

Both of her beauty and fubmiffive charms
Smil'd, with fuperior love, as Jupiter

On Juno fmiles, when he impregns the clouds

500

That shed May flow'rs; and prefs'd her matron lip

With kiffes pure: afide the Devil turn'd

For envy, yet with jealous leer malign

Ey'd them askance, and to himself thus plain'd. Sight hateful, fight tormenting! thus these two Imparadis'd in one another's arms,

506 The

like that fine one in the Pfalms of the clouds dropping fatnefs, Pfal. LXXV. 12. and it is faid May flow'rs to fignify that this is done in the fpring, as Virgil defcribes it. And then follows and prefs'd her matron lip, where the conftruction is Adam Smil'd with fuperior love, and prefs'd ber matron lip, the fimile being to be understood as included in a parenthefis. Her matron lip evidently fignifies her married lip, in diftinction from a maiden or a virgin lip, as Ovid Faft. II. 828. fpeaking of Lucretia then married, lays matron

cheeks.

Et matronales erubuere genæ. It implies that he was married to him, and that therefore their kiffes were lawful and innocent. It was the innocence of their loves that

made the Devil turn afide for envy.

506. Imparadis'd in one another's

arms, Imparadis'd has been remark'd as a word first coin'd by Milton.

The happier Eden, fhall enjoy their fill
Of blifs on blifs; while I to Hell am thrust,
Where neither joy nor love, but fierce defire,
Among our other torments not the least,
Still unfulfill'd with pain of longing pines.
Yet let me not forget what I have gain'd

510

From their own mouths: all is not theirs it seems;
One fatal tree there ftands of knowledge call'd,
Forbidden them to tafte: Knowledge forbidden? 515
Sufpicious, reafonlefs. Why fhould their Lord
Envy them that? can it be fin to know?
Can it be death? and do they only stand
By ignorance? is that their happy state,
The proof of their obedience and their faith? 520
O fair foundation laid whereon to build
Their ruin! Hence I will excite their minds

1

With more defire to know, and to reject
Envious commands, invented with defign

To keep them low whom knowledge might exalt Equal with Gods: aspiring to be such,

526

They taste and die: what likelier can enfue?

But firft with narrow fearch I must walk round

This garden, and no corner leave unspy'd;

529

A chance but chance may lead where I may meet

Some wand'ring Spi'rit of Heav'n by fountain fide,
Or in thick fhade retir'd, from him to draw
What further would be learn'd. Live while ye may,
Yet happy pair; enjoy, till I return,

Short pleasures, for long woes are to fucceed.

So faying, his proud step he scornful turn'd,

But with fly circumfpection, and began

535

[roam.

Through wood, through waste, o'er hill, o'er dale, his