LITMIR.BIZ

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on the grass Coucht, and now fild with pasture gazing sat, Or Bedward ruminating: for the Sun Declin’d was hasting now with prone carreer To th’ Ocean Iles, and in th’ ascending Scale Of Heav’n the Starrs that usher Evening rose: When Satan still in gaze, as first he stood, Scarce thus at length faild speech recoverd sad.

      O Hell! what doe mine eyes with grief behold,

       Into our room of bliss thus high advanc’t

       Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps,

       Not Spirits, yet to heav’nly Spirits bright

       Little inferior; whom my thoughts pursue

       With wonder, and could love, so lively shines

       In them Divine resemblance, and such grace

       The hand that formd them on thir shape hath pourd.

       Ah gentle pair, yee little think how nigh

       Your change approaches, when all these delights

       Will vanish and deliver ye to woe,

       More woe, the more your taste is now of joy;

       Happie, but for so happie ill secur’d

       Long to continue, and this high seat your Heav’n

       Ill fenc’t for Heav’n to keep out such a foe

       As now is enterd; yet no purpos’d foe

       To you whom I could pittie thus forlorne

       Though I unpittied: League with you I seek,

       And mutual amitie so streight, so close,

       That I with you must dwell, or you with me

       Henceforth; my dwelling haply may not please

       Like this fair Paradise, your sense, yet such

       Accept your Makers work; he gave it me,

       Which I as freely give; Hell shall unfould,

       To entertain you two, her widest Gates,

       And send forth all her Kings; there will be room,

       Not like these narrow limits, to receive

       Your numerous ofspring; if no better place,

       Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge

       On you who wrong me not for him who wrongd.

       And should I at your harmless innocence

       Melt, as I doe, yet public reason just,

       Honour and Empire with revenge enlarg’d,

       By conquering this new World, compels me now

       To do what else though damnd I should abhorre.

      So spake the Fiend, and with necessitie,

       The Tyrants plea, excus’d his devilish deeds.

       Then from his loftie stand on that high Tree

       Down he alights among the sportful Herd

       Of those fourfooted kindes, himself now one,

       Now other, as thir shape servd best his end

       Neerer to view his prey, and unespi’d

       To mark what of thir state he more might learn

       By word or action markt: about them round

       A Lion now he stalkes with fierie glare,

       Then as a Tiger, who by chance hath spi’d

       In some Purlieu two gentle Fawnes at play,

       Strait couches close, then rising changes oft

       His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground

       Whence rushing he might surest seise them both

       Grip’t in each paw: when Adam first of men To first of women Eve thus moving speech, Turnd him all eare to heare new utterance flow.

      Sole partner and sole part of all these joyes,

       Dearer thy self then all; needs must the Power

       That made us, and for us this ample World

       Be infinitly good, and of his good

       As liberal and free as infinite,

       That rais’d us from the dust and plac’t us here

       In all this happiness, who at his hand

       Have nothing merited, nor can performe

       Aught whereof hee hath need, hee who requires

       From us no other service then to keep

       This one, this easie charge, of all the Trees

       In Paradise that beare delicious fruit

       So various, not to taste that onely Tree

       Of knowledge, planted by the Tree of Life,

       So neer grows Death to Life, what ere Death is,

       Som dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou knowst

       God hath pronounc’t it death to taste that Tree,

       The only sign of our obedience left

       Among so many signes of power and rule

       Conferrd upon us, and Dominion giv’n

       Over all other Creatures that possesse

       Earth, Aire, and Sea. Then let us not think hard

       One easie prohibition, who enjoy

       Free leave so large to all things else, and choice

       Unlimited of manifold delights:

       But let us ever praise him, and extoll

       His bountie, following our delightful task

       To prune these growing Plants, & tend these Flours,

       Which were it toilsom, yet with thee were sweet.

      To whom thus Eve repli’d. O thou for whom

       And from whom I was formd flesh of thy flesh,

       And without whom am to no end, my Guide

       And Head, what thou hast said is just and right.

       For wee to him indeed all praises owe,

       And daily thanks, I chiefly who enjoy

       So farr the happier Lot, enjoying thee

       Preeminent by so much odds, while thou

       Like consort to thy self canst no where find.

       That day I oft remember, when from sleep

       I first awak’t, and found my self repos’d

       Under a shade on flours, much wondring where

       And what I was, whence thither brought, and how.

       Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound

       Of waters issu’d from a Cave and spread

       Into a liquid Plain, then stood unmov’d

       Pure as th’ expanse of Heav’n; I thither went

       With unexperienc’t thought, and laid me downe

       On the green bank, to look into the cleer

       Smooth Lake, that to me seemd another Skie.

       As I bent down to look, just opposite,

       A Shape within the watry gleam appeerd

       Bending to look on me, I started back,

       It started back, but pleasd I soon returnd,

       Pleas’d it returnd as soon with answering looks

       Of sympathie and love, there I had fixt

       Mine eyes till now, and pin’d with vain desire,

       Had not a voice thus warnd me, What thou seest,

       What there thou seest fair Creature is thy self,

      

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