Transported touch; here passion first I felt, Commotion strange, in all enjoyments else Superior and unmoved, here only weak Against the charm of beauty's powerful glance. Or nature fail'd in me, and left some part Not proof enough such object to sustain, Or from my side subducting took perhaps More than enough; at least on her bestow'd Too much of ornament, in outward show Elaborate, of inward less exact.
For well I understand in the prime end Of nature her th' inferior, in the mind And inward faculties, which most excel, In outward also her resembling less
His image who made both, and less expressing The character of that dominion giv’n O'er other creatures: yet when I approach Her loveliness, so absolute she seems And in herself complete, so well to know Her own, that what she wills to do or say Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best: All higher knowledge in her presence falls Degraded, wisdom in discourse with her Loses discountenanced, and like folly shows: Authority and reason on her wait, As one intended first, not after made Occasionally; and, to consummate all, Greatness of mind and nobleness their seat Build in her loveliest, and create an awe About her, as a guard angelic placed.
To whom the angel with contracted brow. Accuse not nature, she hath done her part; Do thou but thine, and be not diffident Of wisdom; she deserts thee not, if thou Dismiss not her, when most thou need'st her nigh, By attributing overmuch to things
Less excellent, as thou thyself perceiv'st.
For what admir'st thou, what transports thee so? An outside? fair no doubt, and worthy well Thy cherishing, thy honouring, and thy love,
Not thy subjection: weigh with her thyself; Then value: oft times nothing profits more
Than self-esteem, grounded on just and right
Well managed of that skill the more thou know'st, The more she will acknowledge thee her head,
And to realities yield all her shows;
Made so adorn for thy delight the more,
So awful, that with honour thou may'st love Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen least wise. But if the sense of touch whereby mankind Is propagated seem such dear delight
Beyond all other, think the same vouchsafed To cattle and each beast; which would not be To them made common and divulged, if aught Therein enjoy'd were worthy to subdue The soul of man, or passion in him move. What higher in her society thou find'st Attractive, human, rational, love still: In loving thou dost well, in passion not, Wherein true love consists not: love refines The thoughts, and heart enlarges: hath his seat In reason, and is judicious; is the scale By which to heav'nly love thou may'st ascend, Not sunk in carnal pleasure; for which cause Among the beasts no mate for thee was found.
To whom thus half abash'd Adam replied. Neither her outside form'd so fair, nor aught In procreation common to all kinds, (Though higher of the genial bed by far And with mysterious reverence I deem,) So much delights me, as those graceful acts, Those thousand decencies that daily flow From all her words and actions, mix'd with love And sweet compliance, which declare unfeign'd Union of mind, or in us both one soul; Harmony to behold in wedded pair,
More grateful than harmonious sound to the ear. Yet these subject not; I to thee disclose What inward thence I feel, not therefore foil'd, Who meet with various objects, from the sense
Variously representing; yet still free
Approve the best, and follow what I approve. To love thou blam'st me not, for love thou say'st Leads up to heav'n, is both the way and guide; Bear with me then, if lawful what I ask : Love not the heav'nly spirits, and how their love Express they? by looks only? or do they mix Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?
To whom the angel with a smile that glow'd Celestial rosy red, love's proper hue,
Answer'd. Let it suffice thee that thou know'st Us happy, and without love no happiness. Whatever pure thou in the body enjoy'st, (And pure thou wert created,) we enjoy In eminence, and obstacle find none
Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclusive bars : Easier than air with air, if spirits embrace, Total they mix, union of pure with pure Desiring; nor restrain'd conveyance need As flesh to mix with flesh, or soul with soul. But I can now no more; the parting sun
Beyond the earth's green Cape and Verdant Isles,1 Hesperean 2 sets, my signal to depart.
Be strong, live happy, and love, but first of all Him whom to love is to obey,3 and keep
His great command; take heed lest passion sway Thy judgment to do aught, which else free will Would not admit; thine and of all thy sons The weal or woe in thee is placed; beware. I in thy persevering shall rejoice,
And all the blest: stand fast; to stand or fall Free in thine own arbitrement it lies; Perfect within, no outward aid require, And all temptation to transgress repel.
So saying, he arose; whom Adam thus Follow'd with benediction. Since to part, Go, heavenly guest, ethereal messenger,
1 Cape de Verde and the Cape de Verde Islands.
2 In the West, where Hesperus, the evening star, appears.-From NEWTON. 3 1 John v. 3.
Sent from whose sov'reign goodness I adore. Gentle to me and affable hath been
Thy condescension, and shall be honour'd ever With grateful memory: thou to mankind Be good and friendly still, and oft return.
So parted they, the angel up to heav'n
From the thick shade, and Adam to his bower.
Satan having compassed the earth, with meditated guile returns as a mist by night into paradise, and enters into the serpent sleeping. Adam and Eve in the morning go forth to their labours, which Eve proposes to divide in several places, each labouring apart: Adam consents not, alleging the danger, lest that enemy, of whom they were forewarned, should attempt her found alone: Eve, loth to be thought not circumspect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather desirous to make trial of her strength: Adam at last yields: the serpent finds her alone; his subtle approach, first gazing, then speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above all other creatures. Eve, wondering to hear the serpent speak, asks how he attained to human speech and such understanding not till now; the serpent answers, that by tasting of a certain tree in the garden he attained both to speech and reason, till then void of both: Eve requires him to bring her to that tree, and finds it to be the Tree of Knowledge forbidden; the serpent, now grown bolder, with many wiles and arguments induces her at length to eat: she, pleased with the taste, deliberates a while whether to impart thereof to Adam, or not; at last brings him of the fruit, relates what persuaded her to eat thereof: Adam at first amazed, but perceiving her lost, resolves, through vehemence of love, to perish with her, and extenuating the trespass eats also of the fruit: the effects thereof in them both: they seek to cover their nakedness: then fall to variance and accusation of one another.
No more of talk where GOD or Angel guest With man, as with his friend, familiar used To sit indulgent, and with him partake Rural repast, permitting him the while
Venial discourse unblamed; I now must change These notes to tragic; foul distrust, and breach Disloyal on the part of man, revolt, And disobedience: on the part of heav'n Now alienated, distance and distaste, Anger, and just rebuke, and judgment giv'n, That brought into this world a world of woe; Sin and her shadow Death, and misery Death's harbinger: sad task, yet argument Not less but more heroic than the wrath Of stern Achilles on his foe1 pursued Thrice fugitive about Troy wall; or rage Of Turnus for Lavinia disespoused,2 Or Neptune's ire or Juno's, that so long Perplex'd the Greek and Cytherea's son
1 Hector. See Iliad,
2 See Eneid.
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