Could not but taste. Forthwith up to the clouds With him I flew, and underneath beheld
The Earth outstretched immense, a prospect wide And various. Wondering at my flight and change To this high exaltation, suddenly
My guide was gone, and I, methought, sunk down, And fell asleep; but, O, how glad I waked To find this but a dream!" Thus Eve her night Related, and thus Adam answered sad :-
"Best image of myself, and dearer half,
The trouble of thy thoughts this night in sleep Affects me equally; nor can I like
This uncouth dream-of evil sprung, I fear; Yet evil whence? In thee can harbour none, Created pure. But know that in the soul
Are many lesser faculties, that serve
Among these Fancy next
Her office holds; of all external things, Which the five watchful senses represent, 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. 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 Of our last evening's talk in this thy dream, But with addition strange. Yet be not sad: Evil into the mind of God and Man May come and go, so unapproved, and leave No spot or blame behind; which gives me hope That what in sleep thou didst abhor to dream Waking thou never wilt consent to do.
Be not disheartened, then, nor cloud those looks, That wont to be more cheerful and serene Than when fair Morning first smiles on the world; And let us to our fresh employments rise Among the groves, the fountains, and the flowers, That open now their choicest bosomed smells, Reserved from night, and kept for thee in store."
So cheered he his fair spouse; and she was cheered, But silently a gentle tear let fall 13C From either eye, and wiped them with her hair : Two other precious drops that ready stood, Each in their crystal sluice, he, ere they fell, Kissed as the gracious signs of sweet remorse And pious awe, that feared to have offended.
So all was cleared, and to the field they haste. But first, from under shady arborous roof Soon as they forth were come to open sight Of day-spring, and the Sun-who, scarce uprisen, With wheels yet hovering o'er the ocean-brim, Shot parallel to the Earth his dewy ray, Discovering in wide landskip all the east Of Paradise and Eden's happy plains- Lowly they bowed, adoring, and began Their orisons, each morning duly paid In various style; for neither various style Nor holy rapture wanted they to praise Their Maker, in fit strains pronounced, or sung Unmeditated; such prompt eloquence
Flowed from their lips, in prose or numerous verse, More tuneable than needed lute or harp 151 To add more sweetness: And they thus began :- "These are thy glorious works, Parent of good, Almighty! thine this universal frame,
Thus wondrous fair: Thyself how wondrous then! Unspeakable! who sitt'st above these heavens To us invisible, or dimly seen.
In these thy lowest works; yet these declare Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine. 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
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 While day arises, that sweet hour of prime. 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 gained, and when thou fall’st. Moon, that now meet'st the orient Sun, now fliest, With the fixed stars, fixed in their orb that flies; And ye five other wandering Fires, that move In mystic dance, not without song, resound His praise who out of Darkness called up Light. Air, and ye Elements, the eldest birth Of Nature's womb, that in quaternion run Perpetual circle, multiform, and mix
And nourish all things, let your ceaseless change Vary to our great Maker still new praise. Ye Mists and Exhalations, that now rise From hill or steaming lake, dusky or gray, Till the sun paint your fleecy skirts with gold, In honour to the World's great Author rise; Whether to deck with clouds the uncoloured sky, Or wet the thirsty earth with falling showers, Rising or falling, still advance his praise. 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, Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise. Join voices, all ye living Souls. Ye Birds, That, singing, up to Heaven-gate ascend, Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise. Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk The earth, and stately tread, or lowly creep, Witness if I be silent, morn or even,
To hill or valley, fountain, or fresh shade, Made vocal by my song, and taught his praise. Hail, universal Lord! Be bounteous still To give us only good; and, if the night Have gathered aught of evil, or concealed, Disperse it, as now light dispels the dark."
So prayed they innocent, and to their thoughts Firm peace recovered soon, and wonted calm. On to their morning's rural work they haste, Among sweet dews and flowers, where any row Of fruit-trees, over-woody, reached too far
Their pampered boughs, and needed hands to check Fruitless embraces or they led the vine
To wed her elm; she, spoused, about him twines Her marriageable arms, and with her brings
Her dower, the adopted clusters, to adorn
His barren leaves. Them thus employed beheld With pity Heaven's high King, and to him called 220 Raphael, the sociable Spirit, that deigned To travel with Tobias, and secured
His marriage with the seven-times-wedded maid. "Raphael," said he, "thou hear'st what stir on Earth Satan, from Hell scaped through the darksome Gulf. Hath raised in Paradise, and how disturbed 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,
Converse with Adam, in what bower or shade Thou find'st him from the heat of noon retired To respite his day-labour with repast Or with repose; and such discourse bring on As may advise him of his happy state- 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, Late fallen himself from Heaven, is plotting now 240 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 Surprisal, unadmonished, unforewarned."
So spake the Eternal Father, and fulfilled All justice. Nor delayed the winged Saint After his charge received; but from among Thousand celestial Ardours, where he stood Veiled with his gorgeous wings, upspringing light, 250 Flew through the midst of Heaven. The angelic quires, On each hand parting, to his speed gave way Through all the empyreal road, till, at the gate Of Heaven arrived, the gate self-opened wide, On golden hinges turning, as by work
Divine the sovran Architect had framed.
From hence--no cloud or, to obstruct his sight,
Star interposed, however small — he sees,
Not unconform to other shining globes,
Earth, and the Garden of God, with cedars crowned 260 Above all hills; as when by night the glass
Of Galileo, less assured, observes
Imagined lands and regions in the Moon;
Or pilot from amidst the Cyclades
Delos or Samos first appearing kens,
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