his broad Shoulders: She wore her unadorn'd fair Hair, loose as a Veil, down to her flender Waist, but wav'd in wanton Ringlets, as the Vine curls its Tendrils, which imply'd Subjection, but requir'd with gentle Government, and by him beft receiv'd when yielded by her with coy Submiffion, a modest Pride, and a fweet, reluctant, yet amorous Delay: Nor were those myfterious Parts hid which MEN now conceal; then was not guilty and dishonest Shame of Nature's Works (the Name of Honour! but difhonourable) bred from Sin, how has it troubled all MANKIND with mere Shews of feeming pure, inftead of being fo? and banish'd from MAN the greateft Happiness of his Life, his native Simplicity and fpotlefs Innocence? So they pafs'd on naked, nor ftrove to fhun the Sight of GOD or the Angels, for they thought no Evil: Hand in Hand they pafs'd along, lovelier than any Pair that ever fince met in the Embraces of Love; ADAM more excellent in Form than any of his Sons fince born, and EvE fairer than any of her Daughters.

UNDER the Shade of a Bower that flood on a Green, the Trees whifpering foftly, by a fresh Fountain's Side, they fat them down, and after no more Toil of their fweet Gardening Labour, than ferv'd to recommend the cool Air and make Eafe more pleasant, and wholesome Thirst and Appetite more grateful, they began to eat of the Fruits of the Garden for Supper, delicious Fruits, which the loaded Boughs yielded them; as they fat leaning along the Side of the foft downy Bank, fprinkled with Flowers, they chew'd the favoury Pulp, and then in the Rind, as often as they were thirsty, fcoop'd up the brimming Stream; nor was there wanting endearing Smiles, gentle Purpose, nor youthful Dalliance, as befeems a fair Couple bound in the happy nuptial League, and alone as they were. About them all the Beafts of the

L 4

Earth

Earth play'd wantonly, (tho' fince that grown wild) Beafts of all Chace, in Wood or Wilderness, Den or Foreft; the Lion fporting about ramp'd up, and in his Paw dandled the Kid, Bears, Tygers, Ounces, and Leopards, play'd before them; the unweildy Elephant us'd all his Might to make them Mirth, and twisted about his limber Trunk; the fly, clofe, infinuating Serpent, twisted his Train in many a Fold, and unobferv'd gave Proof of his fatal Subtilty; others of the Beasts couch'd upon the Grafs, and now fill'd with Pasture, fat gazing or lying down, and chewing the Cud; for the Sun was declin'd, and hafting with swift Career to the Ocean Iflands, and on the other Side of Heaven the Stars that introduc'd the Evening arofe; when SATAN, who all this While ftood gazing as at first, at length scarcely recover'd Power of Speech as follows:

OH Hell! what do my Eyes with Sorrow and Grief behold! Creatures of another Mold advanc'd into cur Room of Blifs; perhaps earth-born, and not Spirits, yet to bright heavenly Spirits little inferior; whom my Thoughts pursue with Wonder, and whom I could love, fo lively the divine Refemblance shines in them, and fuch Grace the Hand that made them hath bestow'd upon their Form. Ah gentle Pair! little do you think how near your Change approaches, when all these Delights will vanish, and deliver you up to Mifery; more Mifery by as much as now your Tafte of Joy is more; now happy, but that Happinefs too ill fecur'd to continue long, and this high Seat, your Heaven, too ill defended, to keep out fuch a Foe as is enter'd now; yet no purpos'd Foe to you, whom I could pity thus unguarded, though I myfelf am unpitied. I feek a League with you and mutual Amity, fo close and ftrait, that henceforward I muft dwell with you, or elfe you with me: Perhaps my Dwelling-Place may not delight your Senfes

like this fair PARADISE, yet fuch as it is accept it;. your Maker's Work; He gave it me, and I as freely give it: To entertain you two, Hell fhall unfold her Gates the wideft, and fend forth all her Kings: There (not like these narrow Limits) will be Room to receive your numerous Offfpring: If it is no better Place, thank him who puts me unwilling to take this Revenge on you who wrong me not, instead of him who wrongs me. And fhould I (as indeed I do) melt to Pity at your harmless Innocence; yet publick Reason, just Honour, and Revenge, and Empire, by: conquering this new World, compel me now to do, what elfe (notwithstanding I am damn'd) I should abhor.

THUS fpoke the Fiend, and with the Tyrant's Plea, Neceffity, excus'd his devilish Deeds. Then from his lofty Stand upon the Tree of Life, he lights down among the fporting Herd of thofe four-footed Beasts, turning himself into the Form fometimes of one and sometimes of another, as their Shapes ferv'd his End beft, to view his Prey nearer, and unobferv'd to mark what by Words or Actions he might learn further of their State: Now he ftalks round about them like a Lion, with a fierce Glare; then as a Tyger, who by Chance hath fpy'd two gentle Fawns at Play in fome Purlieu, ftrait couches down clofe, then rifing, changes his cunning Watch as one who was chufing his Ground, from whence rufhing out, he might fureft feize them both, grip'd in each Paw; when ADAM, the first of all Men, turning himself to EVE, the first of Women, began this moving Speech, which turn'd SATAN all to Attention:

SOLE Partner, and dearest of all these Joys; dearer than all! that Power that made us, and for our Ufe and Comfort all this great World, muft needs be infinitely good, and of his Good be as liberal and

free

free as he is infinite; that rais'd us from the Duft, and then plac'd us here in all this Happiness, who have merited nothing from him, nor are able to perform any Thing of which he hath any Need; who requires no other Service from us, than to keep this one eafy Charge, that of all the Trees in PARADISE, which bear fuch various and delicious Fruit, we are only forbid to tafte that Tree of Knowledge, which is planted by the Tree of Life, fo near is Death placed to Life! whatever Death be; no Doubt fome very dreadful Thing; for thou knoweft well God hath pronounc'd it Death to tafte of that Tree: Among fo many Signs of Power and Rule he has conferr'd upon us, and Dominion which he hath given us over all other Creatures that live on Earth, in Sea, or in the Air, this is the only Sign left of our Obedience : Then don't let us think one easy Prohibition hard, who enjoy fo large and free a Liberty in all Things elfe, and have an unlimited Choice of manifold Delights; but let us praise him for ever, and extol his Bounty, following our pleasurable Task to prune thefe growing Plants, and tend upon thefe Flowers; which if of itself were toilfome, yet with thee would seem fweet and pleasant.

To whom EVE reply'd thus; Oh thou! from whom and for whom I was form'd, Flefh of my Flesh, and without whom my Being would be to no Purpose, my Guide and Head! what thou haft faid is juft and right, for we indeed owe all Praises and daily Thanks to him; but I chiefly, who enjoy fo much the happier Lot by enjoying thee, who art . more noble and excellent by fo much Odds; whilst thou canft find no where any Thing that is equal to thyself. I often remember that Day when I first waked from Sleep, and laid down under a Shade upon Flowers, wondering much where I was and what I was, from whence, and how I was brought thither: Not

a

a great Way from thence a Sound of murmuring Waters flow'd forth from a Cave, and spread into a liquid Plain, which then ftood unmov'd and clear as the Sky; I went thither with unexperienc'd Thought, and laid me down upon the green Bank, to look into the fmooth and pure Lake, that feem'd to me to be another Sky: As I bent myself down to look, juft oppofite appear❜d a Shape in the Water, bending to look upon me; Iftarted back, and that ftarted back alfo; but I being pleas'd foon return'd, and that as foon return'd, and as pleas'd, with anfwering Looks of Sympathy and Love: There 'till now had I fix'd my Eyes, and pin'd away with vain Defire, had not a Voice thus warn'd "Fair Creature, what thou there feeft is no"thing but thyfelf, it came with thee, and with thee "it goes away; but follow me, and I will bring thee "where fomething more than a Shadow waits for thy

me.

coming, and for thy foft Embraces; 'tis he whole "Image thou art, thou fhall enjoy him infeparably, "to him fhalt bear Multitude of Creatures like thy"self, and thence fhalt be call'd the Mother of hu"man Kind." What could I do elfe but immediately follow, being led thus invifibly, 'till I faw thee under a Platan? (z) Fair indeed and tall, and yet methought lefs fair, lefs winning and foft, and lefs amiably mild than that other smooth watery Image: turn'd back, thou cryedft aloud, following me, fair EVE return; from whom doft thou fly? whom thou Alieft from, of him art thou made, his Flesh and Bone; to give thee thy Being I lent fubftantial Life, nearest

(*) Platan (in the lat. Edit. Plantan, which is wrong) Gr. i. e. Broad; because the Leaves of it are very broad and spreading wide, which make a cool, refreshing, and welcome Shade in hot Countries; the PlaneTree. It grows very large and

well fpread in Macedonia; the Body of it is a clear green, smooth as Glafs, very ftreight, and about zo Feet high; the Leaves are eight or ten Foot long, and four Foot broad; and the Heart of it is a common Food in South America.