Difperfe it, as now light difpels the dark.
So pray'd they innocent, and to their thoughts
Firm peace recover'd foon and wonted calm.
On to their morning's rural' work they hafte
Among sweet dews and flow'rs; where any row
Of fruit-trees over-woody reach'd too far
Their pamper'd boughs, and needed hands to check Fruitlefs embraces: or they led the vine
To wed her elm; fhe fpous'd about him twines
Her marriageable arms, and with her brings
Her dow'r th' adopted clusters, to adorn
His barren leaves. Them thus employ'd beheld
With pity Heav'n's high King, and to him call'd 220
Raphael, the fociable spi'rit, that deign'd
To travel with Tobias, and fecur'd
His marriage with the fev'ntimes-wedded maid.
Raphael, faid he, thou hear'st what stir on Earth
Satan from Hell 'fcap'd through the darkfome 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
Converse with Adam, in what bow'r or shade
Thou find'ft him from the heat of noon retir'd,
To refpit his day-labor with repast,
Or with repofe; and fuch difcourfe bring on,
As may advife 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 fwerve not too fecure: tell him withal
His danger, and from whom; what enemy,
Late fall'n himself from Heav'n, is plotting now 240
The fall of others from like state of blifs;
By violence? no, for that fhall be withstood;
But by deceit and lies; this let him know,
Left wilfully tranfgreffing he pretend
Surprifal, unadmonish'd, unforewarn'd.
So fpake th' eternal Father, and fulfill'd
All juftice: nor delay'd the winged faint
After his charge receiv'd; but from among
Thousand celeftial Ardors, where he stood
Veil'd with his gorgeous wings, up fpringing light 250
Flew through the midst of Heav'n; th' angelic quires,
On each hand parting, to his fpeed gave way
Through all th' empyreal road; till at the gate
Of Heav'n arriv'd, the gate felf-open'd wide
On golden hinges turning, as by work
Divine the Sovran Architect had fram'd.
From hence no cloud, or, to obstruct his fight,
Star interpos'd, however fmall he fees,
Not unconform to other fhining globes,
Earth and the garden of God, with cedars crown'd Above all hills. As when by night the glass
Of Galileo, lefs affur'd, obferves
Imagin'd lands and regions in the moon :
Or pilot, from amidst the Cyclades
Delos or Samos first appearing, kens
A cloudy spot. Down thither prone in flight
He speeds, and through the vast ethereal sky
Sails between worlds and worlds, with fteddy wing
Now on the polar winds, then with quick fan
Winnows the buxom air; till within foar
Of tow'ring eagles, to' all the fowls he seems
A phoenix, gaz'd by all, as that fole bird,
When to infhrine his reliques in the Sun's
Bright temple, to Egyptian Thebes he flies.
At once on th' eaftern cliff of Paradife
He lights, and to his proper shape returns
A feraph wing'd; fix wings he wore, to shade
His lineaments divine; the pair that clad
Each fhoulder broad came mantling o'er his breast With regal ornament; the middle pair
Girt like a starry zone his waist, and round
Skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold
And colors dipt in Heav'n; the third his feet
Shadow'd from either heel with feather'd mail,
Sky-tinctur'd grain. Like Maia's fon he stood, 285
And shook his plumes, that heav'nly fragrance fill'd
The circuit wide. Strait knew him all the bands
Of angels under watch; and to his state,
And to his meffage high in honor rife;
For on fome meffage high they guess'd him bound. 290 Their glittering tents he pass'd, and now is come
Into the blissful field, through groves of myrrh,
And flow'ring odors, caffia, nard, and balm;
A wilderness of fweets; for Nature here
Wanton'd as in her prime, and play'd at will
Her virgin fancies, pouring forth more sweet,
Wild above rule or art; enormous bliss.
Him through the spicy foreft onward come
Adam difcern'd, as in the door he fat
Of his cool bower, while now the mounted fun 300
Shot down direct his fervid rays to warm
Earth's inmoftwomb,more warmth than Adam needs:
And Eve within, due at her hour prepar'd
For dinner favory fruits, of tafte to please
True appetite, and not difrelish thirst
Of necta'rous draughts between, from milky stream, Berry or grape: to whom thus Adam call'd.
Hafte hither Eve, and worth thy fight behold Eastward among thofe trees, what glorious shape Comes this way moving; feems another morn Ris'n on mid-noon; fome great beheft from Heav'n To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchsafe This day to be our gueft. But go with speed, And what thy ftores contain, bring forth, and pour Abundance, fit to honor and receive Our heav'nly stranger: well we may afford Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow From large beftow'd, where Nature multiplies Her fertil growth, and by disburd'ning grows
More fruitful, which instructs us not to spare. 320
To whom thus Eve. Adam,Earth's hallow'd mould,
Of God infpir'd, small store will ferve, where store,
All seasons, ripe for use hangs on the stalk;
Save what by frugal storing firmness gains
To nourish, and fuperfluous moist confumes : 325
But I will haste, and from each bough and brake,
Each plant and juiciest gourd, will pluck fuch choice
To entertain our angel guest, as he
Beholding fhall confess, that here on earth
God hath difpens'd his bounties as in heav'n. 330
So faying, with dispatchful looks in hafte
She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent
What choice to chufe for delicacy best,
What order, so contriv'd as not to mix
Tastes, not well join’d, inelegant, but bring
Taste after taste upheld with kindliest change;
Beftirs her then, and from cach tender stalk
Whatever Earth all-bearing mother yields
In India East or Weft, or middle shore
In Pontus or the Punic coast, or where
Alcinous reign'd, fruit of all kinds, in coat
Rough or fmooth rin'd, or bearded husk, or fhell,
She gathers, tribute large, and on the board
Heaps with unfparing hand; for drink the grape
She crushes, inoffensive must, and meaths 345
From many a berry', and from fweet kernels prefs'd
She tempers dulcet creams, nor these to hold
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