Under his forming hands a creature grew,
Manlike, but different sex, so lovely fair,

470

That what feem'd fair in all the world, seem'd now Mean, or in her fumm'd up, in her contain'd

And in her looks, which from that time infus'd
Sweetness into my heart, unfelt before,

475

And into all things from her air inspir'd
The spirit of love and amorous delight..
She disappear'd, and left me dark; I wak’d
To find her, or for ever to deplore

Her lofs, and other pleasures all abjure:

480

When out of hope, behold her, not far off,
Such as I faw her in my dream, adorn'd
With what all Earth or Heaven could bestow
To make her amiable: On fhe came,
Led by her heav'nly Maker, though unseen,

485

And guided by his voice, nor uninform'd

Of nuptial fanctity and marriage rites:

Grace was in all her steps, Heav'n in her eye,
In every gefture dignity and love.

I overjoy'd could not forbear aloud.

490

Thy words, Creator bounteous and benign,

This turn hath made amends; thou haft fulfill'd

Giver of all things fair, but fairest this
Of all thy gifts, nor enviest. I now fee
Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, myself
Before me; Woman is her name, of Man
Exftracted; for this cause he fhall forgo

495

Father

Father and mother, and to his wife adhere;

And they shall be one flesh, one heart, one foul.
She heard me thus, and though divinely brought,500
Yet innocence and virgin modefty,

Her virtue, and the confcience of her worth,
That would be woo'd, and not unfought be won,
Not obvious, not obtrusive, but retir'd,
The more desirable; or, to fay all,

505

Nature herself, though pure of finful thought,
Wrought in her so, that seeing me, she turn'd;

I follow'd her, she what was honor knew,

And with obfequious majefty approv'd
My pleaded reason. To the nuptial bower

510

I led her, blushing like the morn:` all Heaven,

And happy constellations on that hour

Shed their felecteft influence; the earth

Gave fign of gratulation, and each hill;

Joyous the birds; fresh gales and gentle airs

515

Whisper'd it to the woods, and from their wings
Flung rose, flung odors from the spicy shrub,

Disporting, till the amorous bird of night
Sung spousal, and bid haste the evening star
On his hill top, to light the bridal lamp.

520

Thus have I told thee all my flate, and brought

My story to the sum of earthly bliss

Which I enjoy, and must confefs to find

In all things else delight indeed, but fuch
As us'd or not, works in the mind no change,

525

Nor vehement defire; these delicacies

530

I mean of taste, fight, smell, herbs, fruits, and flowers,
Walks, and the melody of birds; but here
Far otherwise, transported I behold,
Transported touch; here paffion first I felt,
Commotion ftrange; in all enjoyments else
Superior and unmov'd; here only weak
Against the charm of beauty's pow'rful glance.
Or nature fail'd in me, and left some part
Not proof enough such object to sustain;
Or, from my fide fubducting, took perhaps
More than enough; at least on her bestow'd
Too much of ornament, in outward fhow
Elaborate, of inward less exact.

535

For well I understand in the prime end

540

Of nature her th' inferior, in the mind

And inward faculties, which most excel;

In outward also her resembling lefs

His image who made both, and less expreffing

The character of that dominion given

545

O'er other creatures; yet when I approach

Her loveliness, fo abfolute she seems
And in herself complete, so well to know
Her own, that what she wills to do or say,
Seems wifeft, virtuouseft, discreetest, best;
All higher knowledge in her prefence falls
Degraded; wisdom,in discourse with her,
Lofes discount'nanc'd, and like folly shows;

550

Authority

Authority and reason on her wait,

As one intended first, not after made
Occasionally; and, to confummate all,
Greatness of mind, and nobleness,their feat
Build in her lovelieft; and create an awe
About her, as a guard angelic plac'd.

part;

555

To whom the Angel,with contracted brow. 560 Accuse not nature, fhe hath done her Do thou but thine; and be not diffident Of wisdom; she deserts thee not, if thou Dismiss not her, when most thou need'st her nigh, By attributing overmuch to things

Lefs excellent, as thou thyfelf perceiv'ft.

565

570

For what admir'ft thou, what transports thee fo,
An outfide? fair no doubt, and worthy well
Thy cherishing, thy honoring, and thy love,
Not thy fubjection: weigh with her thyself,
Then value: Oft-times nothing profits more
Than felf esteem, grounded on juft and right,
Well manag'd; of that skill the more thou know'st,
The more fhe will acknowledge thee her head,
And to realities yield all her shows:

Made fo adorn for thy delight the more,

So awful, that with honor thou may'st love

575

Thy mate, who fees when thou art seen least wise. But if the sense of touch,whereby mankind

Is propagated, seem such dear delight

Beyond all other, think the fame vouchsaf'd

580

585

To cattel and each beaft; which would not be
To them made common and divulg'd, if ought
Therein enjoy'd were worthy to subdue
The foul of man, or paffion in him move.
What higher in her society thou find'st
Attractive, human, rational, love still;
In loving thou doft well, in paffion not,
Wherein true love confifts not; love refines
The thoughts, and heart inlarges, hath his feat 590
In rea fon, and is judicious; is the scale

By which to heav'nly love thou may'st ascend,

Not funk in carnal pleasure, for which cause

Among the beasts no mate for thee was found.

To whom thus, half abafh'd, Adam reply'd.
Neither her outfide form'd so fair, nor ought

In procreation, common to all kinds,
(Though higher of the genial bed by far,
And with myfterious reverente I deem)
So much delights me, as thofe graceful acts,
Those thousand decencies that daily flow
From all her words and actions, mix'd with love
And sweet compliance, which declare unfeign'd
Union of mind, or in us both one foul;
Harmony to behold in wedded pair

More grateful than harmonious found to th'ear.
Yet these fubject not; I to thee disclose

What inward thence I feel, not therefore foil'd;

Who meet with various objects, from the fenfe

595

600

605

Variously