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Happy, but for so happy ill secured Long to continue, and this high seat, your heaven Ill fenced for heaven to keep out such a foe As now is entered; yet no purposed foe To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn, Though I unpitied. League with you I seek, And mutual amity, so straight, so close, That I with you must dwell, or you with me Henceforth. My dwelling haply may not please, Like this fair Paradise, your sense: yet such Accept, your Maker's work. He gave it me, Which I as freely give: hell shall unfold, To entertain you two, her widest gates, And send forth all her kings; there will be room, Not like these narrow limits, to receive Your numerous offspring; if no better place, Thank him who puts me loth to this revenge On you who wrong me not, for him who wronged. And should I at your harmless innocence Melt, as I do, yet public reason just, Honour and empire, with revenge enlarged By conquering this new world, compels me now To do what else, though damned, I should abhor.

So spake the Fiend, and with necessity,

The tyrant's plea, excused his devilish deeds.

Then from his lofty stand on that high tree

Down he alights among the sportful herd

Of those four-footed kinds, himself now one,

Now other, as their shape served best his end,

Nearer to view his prey, and unespied,

To mark what of their state he more might learn

By word or action marked. About them round

A lion now he stalks with fiery glare;

Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spied

In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play,

Straight crouches close, then rising, changes oft

His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground,

Whence rushing he might surest seize them both,

Whence rushing he might surest seize them both,

Griped in each paw; when Adam, first of men,

To first of women, Eve, thus moving speech,

Turned him, all ear to hear new utterance flow:

Sole partner, and sole part of all these joys,

PARADISE LOST.

Dearer thyself than all; needs must the Power That made us, and for us this ample world, Be infinitely good, and of his good As liberal, and free as infinite; That raised us from the dust, and placed us here In all this happiness; who at his hand Have nothing merited, nor can perform Aught whereof he hath need; he who requires From us no other service than to keep This one, this easy charge :-- of all the trees In Paradise that bear delicious fruit So various, not to taste that only Tree Of Knowledge, planted by the tree of Life; So near grows death to life, whate'er death is, Some dreadful thing . no doubt; for well thou know'st God hath pronounced it death to taste that tree, The only sign of our obedience left Among so many signs of power and rule Conferred upon us, and dominion given Over all other creatures that possess Earth, air, and sea. Then let us not think hard One easy prohibition, who enjoy Free leave so large to all things else, and choice Unlimited of manifold delights; But let us ever praise Him, and extol His bounty; following our delightful task, To prune these growing plants, and tend these flowers,

Which were it toilsome, yet with thee were sweet.

To whom thus Eve replied: O thou, for whom,

And from whom, I was formed, flesh of thy flesh,