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PARADISE LOST.

Authority and reason on her wait, Воок VIII.-588-623] As one intended first, not after made Occasionally; and, to consummate 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: 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 thou thyself perceivest. For, what admirest thou, what transports thee so? An outside; fair, no doubt, and worthy well Thy cherishing, thy honouring, and thy love; Not thy subjection; weigh with her thyself; Then value. Ofttimes nothing profits more Than self-esteem, grounded on just and right Well managed. Of that skill, the more thou know'st, The more she will acknowledge thee her head, And to realities yield all her shows: Made so adorn' for thy delight the more, So awful, that with honour thou may'st love Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen least wise. But if the sense of touch, whereby mankind Is propagated, seem such dear delight Beyond all other, think the same vouchsafed To cattle and each beast; which would not be To them made common and divulged, if aught Therein enjoyed were worthy to subdue The soul of man, or passion in him move. What higher in her society thou find'st Attractive, human, rational, love still;

In loving thou dost well, in passion not, Wherein true love consists not. Love refines The thoughts, and heart enlarges; hath his seat In reason, and is judicious; is the scale By which to heavenly love thou may'st ascend, Not sunk in carnal pleasure; for which cause, Among the beasts no mate for thee was found.

To whom thus, half abashed, Adam replied: Neither her outside, formed so fair, nor aught In procreation, common to all kinds-Though higher of the genial bed by far, And with mysterious reverence I deem-So much delights me, as those graceful acts, Those thousand decencies, that daily flow From all her words and actions, mixed with love And sweet compliance, which declare unfeigned Union of mind, or in us both one soul: Harmony to behold in wedded pair More grateful than harmonious sound to the ear. Yet these subject not; I to thee disclose What inward thence I feel, not therefore foiled, Who meet with various objects, from the sense Variously representing; yet, still free, Approve the best, and follow what I approve. To love thou blamest me not; for love, thou say'st, Leads up to heaven, is both the way and guide. Bear with me, then, if lawful what I ask: Love not the heavenly Spirits, and how their love Express they, by looks only, or do they mix Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?

To whom the angel, with a smile that glowed Celestial rosy red, love's proper hue, Answered: Let it suffice thee that thou knowest Us happy, and without love no happiness. Whatever pure thou in the body enjoyest— And pure thou wert created—we enjoy

¹ Made so adorn, -Adorned.