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190

Or wet the thirsty earth with falling fhowers,
Rifing or falling, still advance his praise.

195

His praise ye Winds, that from four quarters blow,
Breathe foft or loud; and wave your tops, ye Pines,
With every plant, in fign of worship wave.
Fountains, and ye. that warble as ye flow,
Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise.
Join voices all ye living Souls; ye Birds,
That finging up to Heaven gate ascend,
Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise.
Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk
The earth, and ftately tread, or lowly creep;
Witness if I be filent, morn or even,

200

205

To hill, or valley, fountain, or fresh shade,
Made vocal by my fong, and taught his praise.
Hail univerfal Lord, be bounteous ftill
To give us only good; and if the night
Have gather'd ought of evil, or conceal'd,
Disperse it, as now light difpels the dark.
So pray'd they, innocent; and to their thoughts
Firm peace recover'd foon and wonted calm. 210
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
Fruitless embraces: or they led the vine

215

To wed her clm; fhe,fpous'd, about him twines
Her marriageable arms; and with her brings

Her

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
Raphael, the fociable Spirit, that deign'd
To travel with Tobias, and fecur'd

220

His marriage with the fev'ntimes-wedded maid.
Raphael, said he, thou hear'st what ftir on Earth
Satan from Hell scap'd through the darksome gulf,225
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 fhade 230
Thou find'st him, from the heat of noon retir'd,
To respit his day-labor with repast,

Or with repose; and such discourse bring on,
A's may advise him of his happy flate;
Happiness in his pow'r left free to will,

Left to his own free will, his will though free,
Yet mutable; whence warn him to beware
He swerve not, too fecure: tell him withal

235

His danger, and from whom; what enemy,
Late fall'n himself from Heav'n, is plotting now 240
The fall of others from like flate 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.

245 So

So spake th'eternal Father, and fulfill'd All justice: nor delay'd the winged Saint, After his charge receiv'd; but from among Thousand celestial 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 speed 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 fovran Architect had fram'd. From hence, no cloud, or, to obftruct his fight, Star interpos'd; however small he fees,

Not unconform to other fhining globes,

255

Earth,and the gard'n of God, with cedars crown'd 260
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 firft appearing, kens

265

A cloudy spot. Down thither, prone in flight,
He speeds; and through the vaft 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 towring eagles, to all the fowls he seems
A Phoenix, gaz'd by all, as that fole bird,
When to infhrine his reliques in the fun's

270

275

Bright temple, to Egyptian Thebes he flies.
At once on th'eaftern cliff of Paradise
He lights, and to his proper shape returns,
A Seraph wing'd; fix wings he wore to fhade
His lineaments divine; the pair that clad
Each shoulder broad, came mantling o'er his breast
With regal ornament; the middle pair

280

Girt,like a starry zone,his waste, 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 flood, 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 flate,

And to his message high, in honor rise;

Foron fome message 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 sweets; 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 blifs.
Him,through the spicy foreft onward come,
Adam discern'd, as in the door he fat

295

Of his cool bow'r; while now the mounted fun 300 Shot down direct his fervid rays to warm

Earth's

Earth's inmoft womb; more warmth than Adam needs:
And Eve within, due at her hour, prepar'd
For dinner favory fruits, of taste to please
True appetite, and not difrelish thirft.
Of necta rous draughts between, from milky ftream,
Berry or grape: to whom thus Adam call'd.

305

Hafte hither Eve, and,worth thy fight, behold Eastward among thofe trees, what glorious fhape Comes this way moving, seems another morn 310 Ris'n on mid-noon; some great behest from Heaven To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchsafe This day to be our gueft. But go with speed, And what thy flores contain, bring forth, and pour Abundance, fit to honor and receive

315

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 inftructs us not to fpare. 320

To whom thus Eve. Adam, earth's hallow'd mold,
Of God inspir'd, small store will serve, where store,
All seasons, ripe for use hangs on the stalk;
Save what by frugal storing firmness gains
To nourish, and fuperfluous moist consumes:
But I will hafte, and from each bough and brake,
Each plant and jucieft gourd, will pluck fuch choice
To entertain our Angel gueft, as he

Beholding fhall confefs, that here on Earth

325

God

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