Each shoulder broad, came mantling o'er his breast
With regal ornament: the middle pair
Girt like a starry zone his waist, and round
Skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold
And colours dipp'd in heaven; the third his feet
Shadow'd from either heel with feather'd mail,
Sky-tinctured grain. Like Maia's son he stood,
And shook his plumes, that heavenly fragrance fill'd
The circuit wide. Straight knew him all the bands
Of angels under watch; and to his state,
And to his message high, in honor rise;
For on some message high they guess'd him bound.
Their glittering tents he pass'd, and now is come
Into the blissful field, through groves of myrrh,
And flowering odors, cassia, nard, and balm;
A wilderness of sweets: for Nature here
Wanton'd as in her prime, and play'd at will
Her virgin fancies; pouring forth more sweet,
Wild above rule or art, enormous bliss.
Him through the spicy forest onward come
Adam discern'd, as in the door he sat

Of his cool bower, while now the mounted sun
Shot down direct his fervid rays to warm [needs:
Earth's inmost womb, more warmth than Adam
And Eve within, due at her hour, prepared
For dinner savoury fruits, of taste to please
True appetite, and not disrelish thirst

Of nectarous draughts between, from milky stream,
Berry or grape: to whom thus Adam call'd:

"Haste hither, Eve! and worth thy sight behold Eastward among those trees, what glorious shape Comes this way moving; seems another morn Risen on mid-noon: some great behest from Heaven To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchsafe

with speed,

This day to be our guest. But go
And, what thy stores contain, bring forth; and pour
Abundance, fit to honor and receive

Our heavenly stranger: well may we afford
Our givers their own gifts; and large bestow
From large bestow'd, where Nature multiplies
Her fertile growth, and by disburdening grows
More fruitful; which instructs us not to spare."
To whom thus Eve: " Adam, earth's hallow'd
mold,

Of God inspired! small store will serve, where store,
All seasons, ripe for use hangs on the stalk ;
Save what by frugal storing firmness gains
To nourish, and superfluous moist consumes.
But I will haste, and from each bough and brake,
Each plant and juiciest gourd, will pluck such choice
To entertain our angel-guest, as he

Beholding shall confess, that here on earth
God hath dispensed his bounties as in heaven."
So saying, with dispatchful looks in haste
She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent;
What choice to choose for delicacy best,
What order, so contrived as not to mix
Tastes, not well join'd inelegant, but bring
Taste after taste upheld with kindliest change:
Bestirs her then, and from each tender stalk
Whatever earth, all-bearing mother, yields
In India east or west; or middle shore
In Pontus or the Punic coast; or where
Alcinous reign'd; fruit of all kinds, in coat
Rough, or smooth rind, or bearded husk, or shell,
She gathers, tribute large, and on the board
Heaps with unsparing hand: for drink the grape
She crushes, inoffensive must, and meaths

From many a berry; and from sweet kernels press'd
She tempers dulcet creams: nor these to hold
Wants her fit vessels pure: then strews the ground
With rose and odors from the shrub unfumed.
Meanwhile our primitive great sire, to meet
His godlike guest, walks forth, without more train
Accompanied than with his own complete
Perfections: in himself was all his state;
More solemn than the tedious pomp that waits
On princes, when their rich retinue long,
Of horses led and grooms besmear'd with gold,
Dazzles the crowd, and sets them all agape.
Nearer his presence Adam, though not awed,
Yet with submiss approach and reverence meek,
As to' a superior nature bowing low,

Thus said: "Native of heaven! for other place
None can than heaven such glorious shape contain;
Since, by descending from the thrones above,
Those happy places thou hast deign'd awhile
To want, and honor these, vouchsafe with us
Two only, who yet by sovran gift possess
This spacious ground, in yonder shady bower
To rest; and what the garden choicest bears
To sit and taste, till this meridian heat
Be over, and the sun more cool decline."

Whom thus the' angelic Virtue answer'd mild : "Adam! I therefore came: nor art thou such Created, or such place hast here to dwell,

As may not oft invite, though Spirits of heaven,
To visit thee: lead on then where thy bower
O'ershades; for these mid-hours, till evening rise,
I have at will."-So to the sylvan lodge
They came, that like Pomona's arbor smiled,

With flowerets deck'd, and fragrant smells: but

Eve,

Undeck'd save with herself, more lovely fair Than Wood-Nymph, or the fairest Goddess feign'd Of three that in mount Ida naked strove,

Stood to' entertain her guest from heaven: no veil She needed, virtue-proof; no thought infirm Alter'd her cheek. On whom the angel HAIL Bestow'd, the holy salutation used

Long after to bless'd Mary, second Eve.

Hail, Mother of mankind! whose fruitful womb Shall fill the world more numerous with thy sons, Than with these various fruits the trees of God Have heap'd this table." Raised of grassy turf Their table was, and mossy seats had round; And on her ample square from side to side All autumn piled; though spring and autumn here Danced hand in hand. Awhile discourse they hold; No fear lest dinner cool; when thus began Our author: "Heavenly stranger! please to taste These bounties, which our Nourisher, from whom All perfect good, unmeasured out, descends, To us for food and for delight hath caused The earth to yield; unsavoury food perhaps To spiritual natures: only this I know, That one celestial Father gives to all."

To whom the angel: "Therefore what He gives
(Whose praise be ever sung) to man in part
Spiritual, may of purest Spirits be found
No' ingrateful food: and food alike those pure
Intelligential substances require,

As doth your rational; and both contain
Within them every lower faculty

Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, taste,
Tasting concoct, digest, assimilate,
And corporeal to incorporeal turn.
For know, whatever was created, needs
To be sustain'd and fed; of elements
The grosser feeds the purer; earth the sea;
Earth and the sea feed air; the air those fires
Etherial, and as lowest first the moon;
Whence in her visage round those spots, unpurged
Vapors not yet into her substance turn'd.
Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale
From her moist continent to higher orbs.
The sun, that light imparts to all, receives
From all his alimental recompense
In humid exhalations; and at even

Sups with the ocean. Though in heaven the trees
Of life ambrosial fruitage bear, and vines
Yieldnectar; 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 so with new delights,
As may compare with heaven; and to taste
Think not I shall be nice." So down they sat,
And to their viands fell; nor seemingly
The angel, nor in mist, (the common gloss
Of theologians) but with keen despatch
Of real hunger, and concoctive heat

To transubstantiate: what redounds, transpires
Through Spirits with ease: nor wonder; if by fire
Of sooty coal the' empiric alchemist

Can turn, or holds it possible to turn,
Metals of drossiest ore to perfect gold,
As from the mine. Meanwhile, at table Eve
Minister'd naked, and their flowing cups