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This answer from the gracious Voice divine: Thus far to try thee, Adam, I was pleased; And find thee knowing, not of beasts alone, Which thou hast rightly named, but of thyself; Expressing well the spirit within thee free, My image, not imparted to the brute; Whose fellowship, therefore, unmeet for thee, Good reason was thou freely shouldst dislike, And be so minded still. I, ere thou spakest, Knew it not good for man to be alone; And no such company as then thou saw'st Intended thee; for trial only brought,

PARADISE LOST. BOOK VIII.-448-483]

To see how thou couldst judge of fit and meet. What next I bring shall please thee, be assured, Thy likeness, thy fit help, thy other self, Thy wish exactly to thy heart's desire.

He ended, or I heard no more; for now My earthly by His heavenly overpowered, Which it had long stood under, strained to the height In that celestial colloquy sublime, As with an object that excels the sense, Dazzled and spent, sunk down, and sought repair Of sleep, which instantly fell on me, called By nature as in aid, and closed mine eyes. Mine eyes he closed, but open left the cell Of fancy, my internal sight; by which, Abstract, as in a trance, methought I saw, Though sleeping, where I lay, and saw the shape Still glorious before whom awake I stood, Who, stooping, opened my left side, and took From thence a rib, with cordial spirits warm, And life-blood streaming fresh. Wide was the wound, But suddenly with flesh filled up and healed. The rib he formed and fashioned with his hands; Under His forming hands a creature grew, Man-like, but different sex; so lovely fair, That what seemed fair in all the world, seemed now Mean, or in her summed up, in her contained, And in her looks, which, from that time, infused Sweetness unto my heart unfelt before, And into all things, from her air, inspired The spirit of love and amorous delight. She disappeared, and left me dark; I waked To find her, or for ever to deplore Her loss, and other pleasures all abjure; When out of hope, behold her, not far off, Such as I saw her in my dream, adorned With what all earth or heaven could bestow