192
��PARADISE LOST
��To make her amiable. On she came, Led by her Heavenly Maker, though un- seen
And guided by his voice, nor uninformed Of nuptial sanctity and marriage rites. Grace was in all her steps, heaven in her
eye,
In every gesture dignity and love. 489
I, overjoyed, could not forbear aloud: "'This turn hath made amends; thou
hast fulfilled
Thy words, Creator bounteous and benign, Giver of all things fair but fairest this Of all thy gifts ! nor enviest. I now see Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, my Self Before me. Woman is her name, of Man Extracted; for this cause he shall forgo Father and mother, and to his wife adhere, And they shall be one flesh, one heart, one
soul.'
" She heard me thus; and, though divinely
brought, 500
Yet innocence and virgin modesty,
Her virtue, and the conscience of her worth,
That would be wooed, and not unsought
be won,
Not obvious, not obtrusive, but retired, The more desirable or, to say all, Nature herself, though pure of sinful
thought Wrought in her so, that, seeing me, she
turned.
I followed her; she what was honour knew, And with obsequious majesty approved 509 My pleaded reason. To the nuptial bower I led her blushing like the Morn; all Hea- ven,
And happy constellations, on that hour Shed their selectest influence ; the Earth Gave sign of gratulation, and each hill; Joyous the birds; fresh gales and gentle
airs Whispered it to the woods, and from their
wings Flung rose, flung odours from the spicy
shrub,
Disporting, till the amorous bird of night Sung spousal, and bid haste the Evening- star
On his hill-top to light the bridal lamp. 52 " Thus have I told thee all my state, and
brought
My story to the sum of earthly bliss Which I enjoy, and must confess to find In all things else delight indeed, but such
��As, used or not, works in the mind no
change,
Nor vehement desire these delicacies 1 mean of taste, sight, smell, herbs, fruits,
and flowers,
Walks, and the melody of birds: but here, Far otherwise, transported I behold, 529 Transported touch ; here passion first I
felt,
Commotion strange, in all enjoyments else Superior and unmoved, here only weak Against the charm of beauty's powerful
glance.
Or Nature failed in me, and left some part Not proof enough such object to sustain, Or, from my side subducting, took perhaps More than enough at least on her be- stowed
Too much of ornament, in outward show Elaborate, of inward less exact. For well I understand in the prime end 540 Of Nature her the inferior, in the mind And inward faculties, which most excel; In outward also her resembling less His image who made both, and less ex- pressing
The character of that dominion given O'er other creatures. Yet when I ap- proach
Her loveliness, so absolute she seems 547 And in herself complete, so well to know Her own, that what she wills to do or say Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best. All higher Knowledge in her presence falls Degraded; Wisdom in discourse with her Loses, discountenanced, and like Folly
shews;
Authority and Reason on her wait, As one intended first, not after made Occasionally; and, to consum'mate all, Greatness of mind and nobleness their seat Build in her loveliest, and create an awe About her, as a guard angelic placed." To whom the Angel, with contracted brow: 560
" Accuse not Nature ! she hath done her
part;
Do thou but thine ! and be not diffident Of Wisdom; she deserts thee not, if thou Dismiss not her, when most thou need'st
her nigh,
By attributing overmuch to things Less excellent, as thon thyself perceiv'st. For, what admir'st thou, what transports thee so ?
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