BOOK FOURTH
��When first on this delightful land he
spreads His orient beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and
flower, Glistering with dew; fragrant the fertil
Earth After soft showers; and sweet the coming-
on Of grateful Evening mild; then silent
Night, With this her solemn bird, and this fair
Moon, And these the gems of Heaven, her starry
train :
But neither breath of Morn, when she as- cends 650 With charm of earliest birds; nor rising
Sun On this delightful land; nor herb, fruit,
flower, Glistering with dew; nor fragrance after
showers ; Nor grateful Evening mild; nor silent
Night, With this her solemn bird; nor walk by
moon, Or glittering star-light, without thee is
sweet. But wherefore all night long shine these ?
for whom This glorious sight, when sleep hath shut
all eyes ? "
To whom our general ancestor replied:
- l Daughter of God and Man, accomplished
Eve, 660
Those have their course to finish round the
Earth
By morrow evening, and from land to land In order, though to nations yet unborn, Ministering light prepared, they set and
rise ;
Lest total Darkness should by night regain Her old possession, and extinguish life In nature and all things; which these soft
fires
Not only enlighten, but with kindly heat Of various influence foment and warm, 669 Temper or nourish, or in part shed down Their stellar virtue on all kinds that grow On Earth, made hereby apter to receive Perfection from the Sun's more potent ray. These, then, though unbeheld in deep of
night, Shine not in vain. Nor think, though men
were none,
��That Heaven would want spectators, God
want praise. Millions of spiritual creatures walk the
Earth Unseen, both when we wake, and when we
sleep: All these with ceaseless praise his works
behold
Both day and night. How often, from the steep 680
Of echoing hill or thicket, have we heard Celestial voices to the midnight air, Sole, or responsive each to other's note, Singing their great Creator ! Oft in bauds While they keep watch, or nightly round- ing walk,
With heavenly touch of instrumental sounds In full harmonic number joined, their songs Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to
Heaven."
Thus talking, hand in hand alone they
passed 689
On to their blissful bower. It was a place
Chosen by the sovran Planter, when he
framed All things to Man's delightful use. The
roof
Of thickest covert was inwoven shade, Laurel and myrtle, and what higher grew Of firm and fragrant leaf; on either side Acanthus, and each odorous bushy shrub, Fenced up the verdant wall; each beaute- ous flower,
Iris all hues, roses, and gessamin, Reared high their flourished heads be- tween, and wrought
Mosaic ; under foot the violet, 700
Crocus, and hyacinth, with rich inlay Broidered the ground, more coloured than
with stone
Of costliest emblem. Other creature here, Beast, bird, insect, or worm, durst enter
none; Such was their awe of Man. In shadier
bower More sacred and sequestered, though but
feigned,
Pan or Sylvanus never slept, nor Nymph Nor Faunus haunted. Here, in close re- cess, With flowers, garlands, and sweet-smelling
hearbs,
Espoused Eve decked first her nuptial bed, 710
And heavenly choirs the hymenaeau sung,
�� �
