She as a veil down to the slender waist
Her unadorned golden tresses wore
Disshevel❜d, but in wanton ringlets wav'd
As the vine curls her tendrils, which implied
Subjection, but required with gentle sway,
And by her yielded, by him best receiv'd;
Yielded with coy submission, modest pride,
And sweet reluctant amorous delay.
Nor those mysterious parts were then conceal'd;
Then was not guilty shame; dishonest shame
Of nature's works, honour dishonourable,
Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind
With shows instead, mere shows of seeming pure,
And banish'd from man's life his happiest life,
Simplicity and spotless innocence!
So pass'd they naked on, nor shunn'd the sight
Of God or angel, for they thought no ill:
So hand in hand they pass'd, the loveliest pair
304 as a veil] Carew's Poems, p. 143.
'Whose soft hair,
Fann'd with the breath of gentle air,
O'erspreads her shoulders like a tent,
And is her veil and ornament.'
Spenser's F. Queen, iv. 113.
"Which doft, her golden locks that were unbound
Still in a knot unto her heeles down traced,
And like a silken veil in compasse round
About her backe, and all her bodie wound.'
307 As the vine] See Merrick's Tryphiodorus, ver. 108.
'His flowing train depends with artful twine,
Like the long tendrils of the curling vine.'
315 ye] Should we not read 'you'? For what is he speaking to besides Shame? Newton.
That ever since in love's embraces met;
Adam the goodliest man of men since born
His sons, the fairest of her daughters Eve.
Under a tuft of shade, that on a green
Stood whisp'ring soft, by a fresh fountain side
They sat them down; and after no more toil
Of their sweet gard'ning labour than suffic'd
To recommend cool Zephyr, and made ease
More easy, wholesome thirst and appetite
More grateful, to their supper fruits they fell,
Nectarine fruits, which the compliant boughs
Yielded them, side-long as they sat recline
On the soft downy bank damask'd with flowery.
The savoury pulp they chew, and in the rind,
Still as they thirsted, scoop the brimming stream;
Nor gentle purpose nor endearing smiles
Wanted, nor youthful dalliance, as beseems
Fair couple, link'd in happy nuptial league,
323 goodliest] On this idiom, borrowed from the Greek, refer to Vigerus de Idiotismis, p. 68, and Thucyd. lib. i. c. 50. Ναυμαχία γὰρ ἅυτη Ελλησι πρὸς Ελληνας νεῶν πλήθει μεγίστη δὴ τῶν лçò lavins yeɣévntai. v. Herman ad Euripid. Med. ed. Elmsley, p. 67.
332 compliant boughs] Compare the Sarcotis of Masenius, lib. i. p. 94, ed. Barbou:
'Hic mensæ genialis opes, et dapsilis arbos
Fructibus inflexos, fœcundo palmite, ramos
Curvat ad obsequium, præbetque alimenta petenti.'
334 damask'd] P. Fletcher. P. Isl. c. xii. 1.
'Upon the flowrie banks
Where various flowers damaske the fragrant seat.' Todd.
337 gentle] Spens. F. Qu. iii. 8. 14. 'He gan make gentle purpose to his dame.' Thyer.
Alone as they. About them frisking played
All beasts of th' earth, since wild, and of all chase In wood or wilderness, forest or den;
Sporting the lion ramp'd, and in his
Dandled the kid; bears, tigers, ounces, pards,
Gambol'd before them; th' unwieldly elephant
To make them mirth us'd all his might, and wreath'd
His lithe proboscis; close the serpent sly
Insinuating wove with Gordian twine
His braided train, and of his fatal guile
Gave proof unheeded; others on the grass
Couch'd, and now fill'd with pasture gazing sat,
Or bedward ruminating: for the sun
Declin'd was hasting now with prone career
To th' ocean isles, and in th' ascending scale
Of heav'n the stars that usher evening rose:
When Satan still in gaze, as first he stood,
Scarce thus at length fail'd speech recover'd sad.
O hell! what do mine eyes with grief behold!
Into our room of bliss thus high advanc'd
Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps,
Not spirits, yet to heavenly spirits bright
Little inferior; whom my thoughts pursue
With wonder, and could love, so lively shines
358 O hell] Compare the speech of Antitheus, in the Sarcotis, at the sight of the happiness of Sarcothea, lib. i. p. 94.
• Viderat Antitheus niveam per gramina nympham
Errantem, et facilis captantem gaudia ruris,
Pascentemque animum jucundæ munere vitæ.
Vidit, et indoluit tantorum herede bonorum,' &c.
In them divine resemblance, and such grace
The hand that form'd them on their shape hath
Ah gentle pair, ye 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 :
Happy, but for so happy ill secur'd
Long to continue; and this high seat your heaven
Ill fenc'd for heaven to keep out such a foe
As now is enter'd: yet no purpos'd foe
To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn,
Though I unpitied. League with you I seek,
And mutual amity, so straight, 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 Maker's work; he gave it me,
Which I as freely give: hell shall unfold
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 offspring; if no better place,
Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge
On
you, who wrong me not, for him who wrong'd. And should I at your harmless innocence
Melt, as I do, yet public reason just,
Honour and empire with revenge enlarg'd,
By conquering this new world, compels me now
To do, what else, though damn'd, I should abhor.
So spake the fiend, and with necessity,
The tyrant's plea, excus'd his devilish deeds.
Then from his lofty stand on that high tree
Down he alights among the sportful herd
Of those fourfooted kinds, himself now one,
Now other, as their shape serv'd best his end
Nearer to view his prey, and unespy'd
To mark what of their state he more might learn 400 By word or action mark'd: about them round
A lion now he stalks with fiery glare,
Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spy'd
In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play,
Straight couches close, then rising changes oft
His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground,
Whence rushing he might surest seize them both
Grip'd in each paw: when Adam first of men,
To first of women Eve thus moving speech,
Turn'd him all ear to hear new utterance flow.
Sole partner and sole part of all these joys,
Dearer thy self than all, needs must the Power
That made us, and for us this ample world,
Be infinitely good, and of his good
As liberal and free as infinite,
That rais'd us from the dust and plac'd us here
In all this happiness, who at his hand
Have nothing merited, nor can perform
Aught whereof he hath need; he who requires
From us no other service than to keep
This one, this easy charge, of all the trees
In paradise that bear delicious fruit
So various, not to taste that only Tree
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