Imatges de pàgina
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Wherein all things created firft he weigh'd,
The pendulous round earth, with ballanc'd air 1000
In counterpoife; now ponders all events,
Battels and realms: in thefe he put two weights
The fequel each of parting, and of fight;
The latter quick up flew, and kick'd the beam:
Which GABRIEL fpying, thus befpake the Fiend. 1005

SATAN, I know thy ftrength, & thou know'ft mine, Neither our own but giv'n: what folly then

To boaft what arms can do, fince thine no more Than Heav'n permits, nor mine, though doubled now To trample thee as mire: for proof look up, 1010 And read thy lot in yon cœleftial fign,

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Where thou art weigh'd, & fhown how light,how weak, If thou refift. The Fiend look'd up, and knew His mounted scale aloft: nor more; but fled Murm'ring, & with him fled the fhades of night, 1015

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK V.

THE ARGUMENT.

Morning approach'd, Eve relates to Adam her troublefome dream; he likes it not, yet comforts her: they come forth to their day labors: their morning hymn at the door of their bower. GoD to render Man inexcufable fends Raphael to admonish him of his obedience, of his free eftate, of his enemy near at hand, who he is, and why his enemy, and whatever else may avail Adam

to know.. Raphael comes down to Paradife; his appearance defcrib'd, his coming difcern'd by Adam afar off fitting at the door of his bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choiceft fruits of Paradife got together by Eve; their difcourfe at table: Raphael performs his message, minds Adam of his fate and of his enemy; relates at Adam's requeft who that enemy is, and how he came to be fo, beginning from his first revolt in Heaven, and the occafion thereof; how he drew his legions after him to the parts of the north, and there incited them to rebel with him, perfuading all but only Abdiel a Seraph, who in argument diffuades and opposes him, then forfakes him.

OW morn her rofy fteps in th' eastern clime

Advancing, fow'd the earth with orient pearl,

When ADAM wak'd: fo cuftom'd; for
his fleep

Was aery-light, from pure digeftion bred,
And temperate vapors bland, which th' only found *
Of leaves and fuming rills (AURORA'S fan)
Lightly difpers'd, and the thrill matin fong
Of birds on every bough. So much the more
His wonder was, to find unwaken'd EVE
With treffes difcompos'd, and glowing cheek,
As through unquiet rest: he on his fide
Leaning half rais'd, with looks of cordial love
Hung over her enamor'd, and beheld
Beauty, which whether waking or afleep,
Shot forth peculiar graces: then, with voice
Mild as when ZEPHYRUS on FLORA breathes,

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Her

Perhaps these two Verfes were originally dictated by the Author

thus :

And temperate vapors bland from fuming rills,
Which th only found of leaves (AURORA's fan)
Lightly difpers'd,

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Her hand foft touching, whifper'd thus: Awake
My faireft, my efpous'd, my latest found,
Heav'n's laft beft gift, my ever new delight!
Awake: the morning thines, and the fresh field
Calls us, we lofe the prime, to mark how spring
Our tended plants, how blows the citron grove,
What drops the myrrh, and what the balmy reed,
How nature paints her colors, how the bee
Sits on the bloom extracting liquid fweet.

Such whispering wak'd her, but with ftartl'd eye On ADAM, whom embracing, thus the fpake.

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O fole in whom my thoughts find all repofe, My glory, my perfection! glad I fee Thy face, and morn return'd; for I this night, 30 Such night till this I never pafs'd, have dream'd, (If dream'd) not, as I oft am wont, of thee, Works of day pafs'd, or morrow's next defign; But of offence and trouble, which my mind Knew never till this irksome night. Methought, 35 Close at mine ear one call'd me forth to walk With gentle voice, I thought it thine; it faid, Why fleep'st thou EVE? now is the pleasant time, The cool, the filent, fave where filence yields To the night-warbling bird, that now awake Tunes fweetest his love-labor'd fong; now reigns Full-orb'd the moon, and with more pleasant light Shadowy fets off the face of things; in vain, If none regard: heav'n wakes with all his eyes, Whom to behold but thee, nature's defire? In whofe fight all things joy, with ravishment Attracted by thy beauty ftill to gaze. I rofe as at thy call, but found thee not: To find thee I directed then my walk; And on, methought, alone I pafs'd thro' ways That brought me on a fudden to the Tree Of interdicted Knowledge: fair it seem'd,`

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