Tranfgrefs'd, inevitably thou fhalt die,
From that day mortal, and this happy state
Shalt lofe, expell'd from hence into a world
Of woe and forrow. Sternly he pronounc'd
The rigid interdiction, which resounds
Yet dreadful in mine ear, though in
Not to incur; but foon his clear aspect
Return'd, and gracious purpofe thus renew'd.
Not only these fair bounds, but all the earth
To thee and to thy race I give; as lords
Possess it, and all things that therein live,
Or live in sea, or air, beast, fish, and fowl.
In fign whereof each bird and beaft behold
After their kinds; I bring them to receive
From thee their names, and thee feälty
With low fubjection; understand the same
Of fish,within their watry residence;
Not hither fummon'd, fince they cannot change
Their element to draw the thinner air.
As thus he spake, each bird and beast behold
Approaching two and two, these cowring low 350
With blandishment, each bird ftoop'd on his wing.
I nam'd them, as they pass'd, and understood
Their nature, with such knowledge God indued
My fudden apprehenfion: but in these
I found not what methought I wanted still;
And to the heav'nly vision thus prefum'd.
O by what name, for thou above all these,
Kk 2.
Above mankind, or ought than mankind higher,
Surpaffeft far my naming, how
may I Adore thee, Author of this universe,
And all this good to man? for whose well being
So amply, and with hands fo liberal
Thou haft provided all things: but with me
I fee not who partakes. In folitude
What happiness; who can enjoy alone,
Or all enjoying, what contentment find?
Thus I presumptuous; and the vision bright,
As with a smile more brighten'd, thus reply'd.
What call'ft thou folitude? is not the earth
With various living creatures, and the air
Replenish'd, and all these at thy command
To come and play before thee? know'ft thou not
Their language and their ways? they also know,
And reason not contemptibly; with these
Find pastime, and bear rule; thy realm is large. 375
So fpake the universal Lord, and feem'd
So ord'ring. I with leave of speech implor'd,
And humble deprecation thus reply'd.
Let not my words offend thee, heav'nly Power,
My Maker, be propitious while I speak.
Haft thou not made me here thy substitute,
And these inferior far beneath me fet?
Among unequals what fociety
Can fort, what harmony or true delight?
Which must be mutual, in proportion due
Giv'n and receiv'd; but in disparity,
The one intense, the other still remifs,
Cannot well fuit with either; but foon prove
Tedious alike: Of fellowship I speak
Such as I feek, fit to participate
All rational delight, wherein the brute
Cannot be human confort; they rejoice
Each with their kind, lion with lioness;
So fitly them in pairs thou haft combin'd;
Much less can bird with beast, or fish with fowl 395 So well converfe, nor with the ox the
Worse then can man with beast, and least of all.
Whereto th' Almighty answer'd, not difpleas'd. A nice and fubtle happiness I fee
Thou to thyself proposest, in the choice
Of thy affociates, Adam, and wilt tafte
No pleasure, though in pleasure, folitary.
What think'ft thou then of me, and this my state?
Seem I to thee fufficiently poffefs'd
Of happiness, or not? who am alone
From all eternity; for none I know
Second to me,or like, equal much less.
How have I then with whom to hold converse,
Save with the creatures which I made; and those
To me inferior, infinite descents
Beneath what other creatures are to thee?
He ceas'd; I lowly anfwer'd. To attain The highth and depth of thy eternal ways
All human thoughts come short, Supreme of things;
Thou in thyself art perfect, and in thee
Is no deficience found; not so is Man,
But in degree; the cause of his desire
By conversation with his like to help,
Or folace his defects. No need that thou
Shouldft propagate, already infinite,
And through all numbers abfolute, though one;
But Man by number is to manifest
His fingle imperfection, and beget
Like of his like, his image multiply'd,
In unity defective, which requires
Collateral love, and dearest amity.
Thou in thy fecrefy although alone,
Best with thyself accompanied, feek'st not
Social communication, yet,fo pleas'd,
Canft raise thy creature to what highth thou wilt 430 Of union,or communion, deify'd;
I by converfing cannot these erect
From prone, nor in their ways complacence find.
Thus I,imbolden'd,fpake, and freedom us'd
Permiffive, and acceptance found; which gain'd 435
This answer from the gracious voice divine.
Thus far to try thee, Adam, I was pleas'd,
And find thee knowing, not of beasts alone,
Which thou haft rightly nam'd, but of thyself,
Expreffing well the spirit within thee free,
My image, not imparted to the brute;
Whose fellowship, therefore, unmeet for thee,
Good reason was thou freely shouldst dislike,
And be so minded ftill; I, ere thou spak'st,
Knew it not good for Man to be alone;
And no fuch company as then thou faw'ft
Intended thee, for trial only brought,
To see how thou could'ft judge of fit and meet:
What next I bring shall please thee, be affur'd,
Thy likeness, thy fit help, thy other self,
Thy wish exactly to thy heart's defire.
He ended, or I heard no more, for now
My earthly by his heav'nly overpower'd,
Which it had long stood under, ftrain'd to th' highth In that celestial colloquy fublime,
As with an object that excels the sense
Dazled and spent, funk down, and fought repair
Of fleep; which instantly fell on me, call'd
By nature,as in aid, and clos'd mine eyes.
Mine eyes he clos'd, but open left the cell
Of fancy, my internal fight; by which,
Abstract, as in a trance, methought I saw,
Though fleeping, where I lay, and saw the shape
Still glorious before whom awake I stood;
Who, stooping,open'd my left fide, and took 465
From thence a rib, with cordial spirits warm,
And life-blood ftreaming fresh; wide was the wound,
But fuddenly with flesh fill'd up and heal'd:
The rib he form'd and fashon'd with his hands;
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