Each perturbation fmooth'd with outward calme, Artificer of Fraud, and was the first
That practis'd falfhood under faintly fhew, Deep malice to conceale, coucht with revenge: Yet not anough had practis'd to deceive
Uriel once warn'd; whofe eye purfu'd him down 125 The way he went, and on th'Affyrian mount Saw him disfigur'd, more than could befall Spirit of happy fort: his geftures fierce He mark'd and mad demeanour, then alone, As he fuppos'd, all unobferv'd, unfeen. So on he fares, and to the border comes, Of Eden, where delicious Paradise, Now nearer, Crowns with her enclosure green, As with a rural mound the champain head Of a steep wilderness whose hairie sides With thicket overgrown, grottefque and wilde, Access deny'd; and over head up grew Infuperable heighth of loftieft fhade,
Cedar, and Pine, and Firr, and branching Palm, A Silvan Scene, and as the ranks afcend Shade above Shade, a woody Theatre Of stateliest view. Yet higher than their tops The verdurous wall of Paradise up sprung: Which to our general Sire gave prospect large Into his neather Empire neighbouring round. And higher than that Wall a circling row Of goodlieft Trees laden with faireft Fruit, Bloffoms and Fruits at once of golden hue Appear'd, with gay enamel'd colours mixt:
On which the Sun more glad impress'd his beams 150 Than'in fair Evening Cloud, or humid Bow,
When God hath fhow'rd the earth, fo lovely feem'd That Lantskip: And of pure now purer air
Meets his approach, and to the heart inspires Vernal delight and joy, able to drive
All fadness but defpair: now gentle gales Fanning their odoriferous wings dispense Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole Those balmie spoiles. As when to them who faile Beyond the Cape of Hope, and now are past Mozambic, off at Sea North-Eaft winds blow Sabean Odour from the fpicie fhore Of Arabie the bleft, with fuch delay
Well pleas'd they flack their course,and many a League Chear'd with the grateful fmell old Ocean fmiles. 165 So entertain'd thofe odorous fweets the Fiend Who came their bane,though with them better pleas'd Than Afmodeus with the fishie fume, That drove him, though enamour'd, from the Spouse Of Tobit's Son, and with a vengeance fent From Media poft to Egypt, there faft bound. Now to th'afcent of that fteep favage Hill Satan had journied on, penfive and flow; But further way found none, fo thick entwin'd, As one continu'd brake, the undergrowth Of fhrubs and tangling bushes had perplext All path of Man or Beaft that past that way: One Gate there only was, and that look'd Eaft On th'other fide: which when th'arch-fellon faw
Due entrance he difdain'd, and in contempt, At one flight bound high over leap'd all bound Of Hill or highest Wall, and sheer within Lights on his feet. As when a prowling Wolfe, Whom hunger drives to feek new haunt for prey, Watching where Shepherds pen their Flocks at ceve In hurdl'd Cotes amid the field fecure, 186
Leaps o'er the fence with ease into the Fould: Or as a Thief bent to unhoo:d the cash Of fome rich Burgher, whofe fubftantial dores, Crofs-barr'd and bolted faft, fear no affault, In at the window climbs, or o'er the tiles; So clomb this first grand Thief into God's Fould; So fince into his Church lewd Hirelings climbe. Thence up he flew, and on the Tree of Life The middle Tree and highest there that grew, 195 Sat like a Cormorant; yet not true Life Thereby regain'd, but fat devifing Death
To them who liv'd; nor on the virtue thought Of that life-giving Plant, but only us'd
For profpect, what well us'd had been the pledge Of immortality. So little knows
Any, but God alone, to value right
The good before him, but perverts beft things
To worst abufe, or to their meanest use.
Beneath him with new wonder now he views 205
To all delight of human Sense expos'd
In narrow room Nature's whole wealth, yea more, A Heav'n on Earth, for blifsful Paradife Of God the Garden was, by him in the East
Of Eden planted; Eden ftretch'd her Line From Auran Eastward to the Royal Towrs Of great Seleucia, built by Grecian Kings, Or where the Sons of Eden long before Dwelt in Telaffar: in this pleafant foile His far more pleafant Garden God ordain'd; Out of the fertil ground he caus'd to grow All Trees of nobleft kind for fight, fmell, tafte; And all amid them ftood the Tree of Life, High eminent, blooming Ambrofial Fruit Of vegetable Gold; and next to Life,
Our Death the Tree of knowledge grew faft by, Knowledge of Good bought dear by knowing ill. Southward through Eden went a River large, Nor chang'd his courfe, but through the shaggie hill Pafs'd underneath ingulft, før God had thrown 225 That Mountain as his Garden mould high rais'd Upon the rapid current, which through veins Of porous Earth with kindly thirft up drawn, Rofe a fresh Fountain, and with many a rill Water'd the Garden; thence united fell Down the steep glade, and met the neather Floud Which from the darkfome paffage now appears, And now divided into four main Streams, Runs divers, wandring many a famous Realm And Country whereof here needs no account, But rather to tell how, if Art could tell, How from that Saphire Fount the crifped Brooks, Rowling on Orient Pearl and sands of Gold, With mazie error under pendant fhades
Ran Nectar, visiting each plant, and fed Flours worthy of Paradife which not nice Art In Beds and curious Knots, but Nature boon Pow'rd forth profuse on Hill and Dale and Plain, Both where the morning Sun firft warmly smote The open field, and where the unpierc'd shade 245 Imbround the noontide Bowrs: Thus was this place, A happy rural feat of various view;
[and Balme, Groves whose rich Trees wept odorous Gumms Others whofe fruit burnifht with Golden Rinde Hung amiable, Hefperian Fables true,
If true, here only, and of delicious taste:
Betwixt them Lawns, or level Downs, and Flocks Grafing the tender herb, were interpos'd,
Or palmie hillock, or the flourie lap
Of fome irriguous valley fpred her flore,
Flours of all hue, and without Thorn the Rose: Another fide, umbrageous Grots and Caves Of cool recess, o'er which the mantling vine Lays forth her purple Grape, and gently creeps Luxuriant; mean while murmuring waters fall 260 Down the flope hills, difperft, or in a Lake, That to the fringed Bank with Myrtle crown'd, Her chrystal mirror holds, unite their streams. The Birds their quire apply; aires, vernal aires, Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune 265 The trembling leaves, while Univerfal Pan Knit with the Graces and the Hours in dance. Led on th' Eternal Spring. Not that fair field Of Enna, where Proferpin gathering flours
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