Perfections; in himself was all his state,
More folemn than the tedious pomp that waits
On princes, when their rich retinue long
Of horses led, and grooms befmear'd with gold,
Dazles the croud, and fets them all agape.
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 fuch glorious fhape contain
Since by descending from the thrones above,
Thofe happy places thou haft deign'd a while
To want, and honor thefe, vouchfafe with us
Two' only, who yet by fovran gift poffefs
This fpacious ground, in yonder fhady bower
To rest, and what the garden choicest bears
To fit and tafte, till this meridian heat
Be.over, and the fun more cool decline.

Whom thus th' angelic Virtue anfwer'd mild.
Adam, I therefore came, nor art thou fuch
Created, or fuch place haft here to dwell,

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As may not oft invite, though Spi'rits of Heaven,
To vifit thee; lead on then where thy bower
O'erfhades; for these mid-hours, till evening rife,
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 herfelf, more lovely fair 380
Than Wood-Nymph, or the fairest Goddess feign'd
Of three that in mount Ida naked ftrove,
L 4

Stood

Stood to' entertain her gueft from Heav'n; no veil
She needed, virtue-proof; no thought infirm.

Alter'd her cheek. On whom the Angel Hail 385
Beftow'd, the holy falutation us'd

Long after to bleft Mary, fecond Eve.

390

Hail Mother of Mankind, whose fruitful womb Shall fill the world more numerous with thy fons, Than with these various fruits the trees of God Have heap'd this table. Rais'd of grassy 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'd hand in hand. A while discourse they hold; No fear left dinner cool; when thus began Our author. Heav'nly ftranger, please to taste These bounties, which our Nourisher, from whom All perfect good, unmeafur'd out, descends, 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 celeftial Father gives to all.

To whom the Angel. Therefore what he gives

400

(Whose praise be ever fung) to Man in part

Spiritual, may of pureft Spi'rits be found

405

No' ingrateful food and food alike those pure

Intelligential fubstances require,

As doth your rational; and both contain

Within them every lower faculty

410

Of fenfe, whereby they hear, fee, fmell, touch, taste, Tafting concoct, digeft, affimilate,

And

And corporeal to incorporeal turn.

For know, whatever was created, needs

To be fuftain'd and fed; of elements

415

The groffer feeds the purer, earth the sea,

Earth and the sea feed air, the air thofe fires

Ethercal, and as lowest first the moon ;

Whence in her visage round those spots, unpurg'd
Vapors not yet into her substance turn'd.

420

Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale
From her moist continent to higher orbs.
The fun, that light imparts to all, receives
From all his alimental recompenfe

In humid exhalations, and at even

425

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
Varied his bounty fo with new delights,
As may compare with Heaven; and to tafte

430

Think not I shall be nice. So down they sat,
And to their viands fell; nor feemingly

The Angel, nor in mift, the common glofs

435

Of Theologians; but with keen difpatch

Of real hunger, and concoctive heat

To tranfubftantiate: what redounds, transpires

Through Spirits with ease; nor wonder; if by fire

Of footy coal th' empiric alchemist

440

Can turn, or holds it poffible to turn,

Metals of drofficft ore to perfect gold

As

As from the mine. Mean while at table Eve
Minister'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 excufe 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 pafs

Giv'n him by this great conference to know
Of things above his world, and of their being
Who dwell in Heav'n, whofe excellence he faw
Tranfcend his own fo far, whofe radiant forms
Divine effulgence, whofe high pow'r fo 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 whofe lowly roof thou haft vouchsaf'd
To enter, and these earthly fruits to taste,
Food not of Angels, yet accepted fo,

As that more willingly thou couldst not feem

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460

465

At Heav'n's high feasts to have fed: yet what compare?

To whom the winged Hierarch reply'd.

O Adam, one Almighty is, from whom
All things proceed, and up to him return,
If not deprav'd from good, created all
Such to perfection, one first matter all,

470

475

Indued with various forms, various degrees
Of substance, and in things that live, of life;
But more refin'd, more fpiritous, and pure,
As nearer to him plac'd or nearer tending
Each in their feveral active spheres affign'd,
Till body up to fpirit work, in bounds
Proportion'd to each kind. So from the root
Springs lighter the green stalk, from thence the leaves
More acry, last the bright confummate flower
Spirits odorous breathes: flow'rs and their fruit,
Man's nourishment, by gradual scale fublim'd,
To vital fpirits afpire, to animal,

To intellectual; give both life and sense,
Fancy and understanding; whence the foul
Reafon receives, and reafon is her being,
Difcurfive, or intuitive; difcourfe
Is oftest yours, the latter most is ours,
Differing but in degree, of kind the fame.

485

490

Wonder not then, what God for you faw good

If I refuse not, but convert, as you,

To proper. fubftance: time may come, when Men

With Angels may participate, and find

No inconvenient di'et, nor too light fare;

495

And from these corporal nutriments perhaps
Your bodies may at laft turn all to spirit,
Improv'd by tract of time, and wing'd afcend
Ethereal, as we, or may at choice
Here or in heav'nly Paradifes dwell;
If ye be found obedient, and retain
Unalterably firm his love entire,

500

Whofe