God hath difpens'd his bounties as in Heaven.

330

335

So faying, with dispatchful looks in hafte She turns, on hofpitable thoughts intent What choice to choose for delicacy beft, What order, fo contriv'd as not to mix Taftes, not well join'd, inelegant, but bring Taste after taste,upheld with kindliest change; Beftirs her then; and from each tender ftalk Whatever Earth all-bearing mother yields In India East or Weft, or middle fhore, In Pontus or the Punic coaft, or where Alcinous reign'd; fruit of all kinds, in coat Rough or smooth rin'd, or bearded husk, or shell, She gathers, tribute large, and on the board Heaps with unsparing hand; for drink the grape She crushes, inoffensive muft, and meaths 345 From many a berry, and fròm sweet kernels press'd She tempers dulcet creams, nor these to hold Wants her fit vessels pure, then ftrows the ground With rofe and odors from the fhrub unfum'd.

340

Mean while our primitive great fire, to meet 350 His God-like gueft, walks forth, without more train Accompanied than with his own complete Perfections; in himself was all his ftate;

More folemn than the tedious pomp that waits
On princes, when their rich retinue long
Of horses led, and grooms besmear'd with gold,
Dazles the croud, and fets them all agape.
X

355

Nearer

360

Nearer his prefence, Adam,though not aw'd,
Yet with fubmifs approach, and reverence meek,
As to a fuperior nature, bowing low,
Thus faid. Native of Heav'n, for other place
None can than Heav'n such glorious shape contain;
Since by defcending from the thrones above,
Those happy places thou haft deign'd a while
To want, and honor these, vouchsafe with us 365
Two only, who yet by fovran gift possess
This fpacious ground, in yonder shady bower
To reft, and what the garden choiceft bears
To fit and tafte, till this meridian heat
Be over, and the fun more cool decline.

370

Whom thus th'angelic Virtue answer'd mild. Adam, I therefore came, nor art thou such Created, or fuch place haft here to dwell, As may not oft invite, though Spi rits of Heaven To vifit thee; lead on then where thy bower 537 O'erfhades; for these mid-hours, till evening rise, I have at will. So to the fylvan lodge They came, that like Pomona's arbor fmil'd, With flow'rets deck'd and fragrant fmells; but Eve Undeck'd, fave with herself, more lovely fair 380 Than Wood-Nymph, or the fairest Goddess feign'd Of three that in mount Ida naked strove, Stood to entertain her guest from Heav'n; no veil She needed, virtue-proof; no thought infirm Alter'd her cheek. On whom the Angel Hail

385

Bestow'd,

Bestow'd, the holy falutation us'd

Long after to bleft Mary, fecond Eve.

Hail Mother of Mankind, whose fruitful womb Shall fill the world more numerous with thy fons, Than with thefe various fruits the trees of God 390 Have heap'd this table. Rais'd of graffy turf Their table was, and moffy feats had round; And on her ample square, from fide to fide, All autumn pil'd; though spring and autumn here Danc'dhand in hand. A while discourse they hold; 395 No fear left dinner cool, when thus began Our author. Heav'nly ftranger, please to tafte These bounties, which our Nourisher, from whom All perfect good, unmeasur'd out, defcends, To us for food and for delight hath caus'd The earth to yield; unfavory food perhaps

To spiritual natures; only this I know,

That one celestial Father gives to all.

400

405

To whom the Angel. Therefore what he gives, (Whose praise be ever fung) to Man in part Spiritual, may of purest Spi rits be found

No ingrateful food: and food alike those pure
Intelligential fubftances require,

As doth your rational; and both contain

Within them every lower faculty

410

Offense, whereby they hear, fee, smell, touch, taste,

Tafting concoct, digest, affimilate,

And corporeal to incorporeal turn.

For know, whatever was created, needs

To be fuftain'd and fed; of elements

The groffer feeds the purer; earth the sea,

Earth and the fea feed air, the air those fires
Ethereal, and, as loweft, first the moon;

415

Whence in her vifage round thofe fpots, unpurg'd
Vapors not yet into her fubftance turn'd.
Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale
From her moift continent to higher orbs.

420

The fun, that light imparts to all, receives
From all his alimental recompenfe

425

In humid exhalations, and at even

Sups with the ocean. Though in Heav'n the trees
Of life ambrofial fruitage bear, and vines
Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each morn
We brush mellifluous dews, and find the ground
Cover'd with pearly grain: yet God hath here 430
Varied his bounty fo with new delights,
As may compare with Heaven; and to taste
Think not I fhall be nice. So down they fat,
And to their viands fell; nor seemingly
The Angel, nor in mift, the common glofs
Of Theologians; but with keen dispatch

Of real hunger, and concoctive heat,

435

To transubstantiate: what redounds, transpires Through Spi rits with ease; nor wonder; if by fire Of footy coal th'empiric alchemist

Can turn, or holds it poffible to turn,

440

Metals

Metals of droffieft ore to perfect gold

As from the mine. Mean while at table Eve
Minifter'd naked, and their flowing cups

With pleasant liquors crown'd: O innocence 445
Deferving Paradife! if ever, then,

Then had the fons of God excuse to have been
Enamour'd at that fight; but in those hearts
Love unlibidinous reign'd; nor jealousy
Was understood, the injur'd lover's Hell.

450

Thus when with meats and drinks they had fuffic'd, Not burden'd nature, fudden mind arose

In Adam, not to let th'occafion pass

Giv'n him by this great conference, to know

Of things above his world, and of their being 455
Who dwell in Heav'n; whose excellence he saw
Transcend his own fo far, whofe radiant forms.
Divine effulgence, whose high pow'r so far
Exceeded human; and his wary speech
Thus to th'empyreal minister he fram'd.
Inhabitant with God, now know I well
Thy favor, in this honor done to Man,
Under whose lowly roof thou haft vouchsaf'd
To enter, and these earthly fruits to taste;

460

Food not of Angels, yet accepted so,

465

As that more willingly thou couldst not seem

At Heav'n's high feafts to have fed: yet what com

To whom the winged Hierarch reply'd.

(pare?

O Adam, one Almighty is, from whom

All