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Show Or by Command, or hither k d by Choice? Or wander'ft thou within this lucid Orb, And ftray'd from thofe fair Fields of Light aboven Amid If this new Creation want'ft a Guide, To rcconducl: thy Steps ? Lm }f Bright Uriel, \ Chief of the Seven, thou flaming Minifter, W h o guard'ft this new created Orb of Light, (fhe World's Eye that, and thou the Eye of it) Thy Favour, and high Office, make thee known: An humble Cherub I, and of lefs Note, Yet, bold, by thy PermifTion, hither come, On high Difcoveries bent. Uriel. Speak thy Defign. Lucif. Urg'd by Renown of what I heard above, Divulg'd by Angels neareft Heav'n's high King, Concerning this new World, I came to view, (If worthy fuch a Favour) and admire This laft Effeft of our great Maker's Pow'r : Thence, to m y wond'ring Fellows fhall I turn, lull fraught with joyful Tidings of thefe Works, N e w Matter of his Praife, and of our Songs. Vrid. Thy Bufinefs is not what dcferves m y Blame, Nor thou, thy felf, unwelcome 5 fee, fair Spirit, Below yon' Sphere, (of Matter not unlike it,) There hangs the Ball of Earth and Water mixt, Self-center'd, and unmov'd. Lucif. • But where dwells M a n ? Uriel. On yonder Mount 3 thou feeft it fenc'd with Rocks, And round th'Afcent a Theatre of Trees, A Sylvane Scene, which rifing by degrees, Lifts up tbe Eye below, nor gluts the Sight With one full Profpecr, but invites by many, To view at laft the whole : There his Abode, Thither direcl thy Flight. Lucif. 0 bleft be thou, W h o , to m y low Converfe, haft lent thy Ear, And favour'd m y Requeft: Hail, and farewel. [ Flies downwards cut of Sight. Vriel. Not unobferv'd thou go'ft, whoe'er thou art 3 Whether fome Spirit, on holy Purpofe bent, Or fome fall'n Angel, from below broke loofe, W7ho com'ft with envious Eyes, and curft Intent, To view this World, and its created Lord: Here will I watch, and while m y Orb rouls on, Purfue from hence thy much fufpe&ed Flight 3 And, if difguis'd, pierce through the Beams of Light. IThe Chariot drives forward out offight. The Scene Paradife. Trees cut out on each fide, with fever al Fruits upon them : A Fountain in the midfl At the far end, the Profpetl terminates in Walks. Adam. If this be Dreaming, let me never wake- But ftill the Joys of that fweet Sleep partake Methought, - but why do I m y Blifs delay- By thinking what I thought? Fair Vifion, ftay • M y better half, thou fofter part of me, 7 To w h o m I yield m y boafted SovYaignty L I feek m y felf, and find not, wanting thee. \> Ex{t ,vf\Tel'n!e' Ye Hj,ls and Dales, and thou fair Sun, V\ too thin ft above, what am 13 whence besnm > TALL of MAN <$Ol J-ike m y felf, I fee nothing : From each Tree The feather'd Kind peep down, to look on me. And Beafts, with up-caft Eyes, forfake their fhade, And gaze, as if I were to be obey'd. Sure 1 am fomewhat which they wifh to be, And cannot: I m y felf a m proud of me. What's here ? another Firmament below, Spread wide, andotherJYees that downward grow ? And now a Face peeps up, and now draws near, With fmiling Looks, as pleas'd to fee m e here. Ao I advance, fo that advances too, And feems to imitate whate'er I do: W h e n I begin to fpeak, the Lips it moves 5 Streams drown the Voice, as it wou'd fay it loves. Yet when I would embrace, it will not ftay: Loft, e'er tis held 3 when neareft, far away. Ah! Fair, yet falfe! A h ! Being, form'd to cheat, By feeming Kindnefs, mixt with deep Deceit. Enter Adam. Adam. O Virgin! Heav'n begot and born of Man, Thou faireft of thy great Creator's Works • Thee, Goddefs, thee th'Eternal did ordain His fofter Subftitute on Earth to Reign : And wherefoe'er thy happy Foot-fteps tread, Nature in Triumph after thee is led : Angels with Pleafure view thy matchlefs Grace, And love their Maker's Image in thy Face. Eve. O ! only like m y felf, (for nothing here So graceful, fo Majeftick does appear:) Art thou the Form m y longing Eyes did fee, Loos'dfrom thy Fountain, and come out to me? Yet, fure thou art not 3 nor thy Face the fame 3 Nor thy Limbs moulded in fo foft a Frame: Thou look'ft more fternly, doft more ftrongly mov«5 And more of A w e thou bear'ft, and lefs of Love. Yet pleas'd I hear thee, and above the reft, L, next m y felf, admire and love thee beft. Adam. Made to command, thus freely I obey, And at thy Feet the whole Creation lay. Pity that Love thy Beauty does beget : W h a t more I fhall defire, I know not yet. Firft let us lock'd in thofe Embraces be 3 Thence I, perhaps, m a y teach m y felf and thee. Eve. Somewhat forbids m e which I cannot name: For ignorant of Guilt, I fear not Shame: But fome reftraining Thought, I know not why, Tells m e you long fhould beg, I long deny. Adam. In vain! m y Right to thee is feal'd above 3 Look round, and fee where thou canft place thy Lov«. All Creatures elfe are much unworthy Thee 3 They match'd, and thou alone art left for me. If not to Love, we both were made in vain: I m y new Empire would refign again 3 And change, with m y dumb Slaves, m y nobler Mind, W h o , void of Reafon, more of Pleafure find. Methinks, for m e they beg 3 each filently Demands thy Grace, and feems to watch thine Eye Eve. I well forefee, whene'er thy Suit I grant, That I m y much lov'd Sovereignty fhall want: Or like m y felf fome other may be made, And her new Beauty may thy Heart invade. Adam. Could Heav'n fome greater Mafter-piece devife, Set out with all the Glories of th$ Skies, [ Looks btto a Fountain, [ Stoops down to embrace. H h h h That |