The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (65 page)

90

To this high exaltation. Suddenly

91

My guide was gone, and I, methought, sunk down,

92

And fell asleep. But O, how glad I waked

93

To find this but a dream!” Thus Eve her night

94

Related, and thus Adam answered, sad:
³³¹⁷

95

   
“Best image of myself, and dearer half,

96

The trouble of thy thoughts this night in sleep

97

Affects me equally, nor can I like

98

This uncouth
³³¹⁸
dream, of evil sprung, I fear.

99

Yet evil whence? In thee can harbor none,

100

Created pure. But know that in the soul

101

Are many lesser faculties, that serve

102

Reason as chief; among these Fancy
³³¹⁹
next
³³²⁰

103

Her office
³³²¹
holds. Of all external things

104

Which the five watchful
³³²²
senses represent,
³³²³

105

She forms imaginations, airy shapes,

106

Which reason, joining or disjoining, frames

107

All what we affirm or what deny, and call
³³²⁴

108

Our knowledge or opinion, then retires

109

Into her private cell, when Nature rests.

110

Oft, in her absence, mimic Fancy wakes

111

To imitate her but, misjoining shapes,

112

Wild work produces oft, and most in dreams,

113

Ill matching words and deeds long past or late.
³³²⁵

114

Some such resemblances, methinks, I find

115

Of our last evening’s talk, in this thy dream,

116

But with addition strange. Yet be not sad.
³³²⁶

117

Evil into the mind of god or man

118

May come and go, so unapproved, and leave

119

No spot or blame behind. Which gives me hope

120

That what in sleep thou didst abhor to dream,

121

Waking thou never will consent to do.

122

Be not disheartened, then, nor cloud those looks

123

That wont to be more cheerful and serene

124

Than when fair morning first smiles on the world.

125

And let us to our fresh employments rise

126

Among the groves, the fountains, and the flowers

127

That open now their choicest bosomed
³³²⁷
smells,

128

Reserved from night, and kept for thee in store.

129

   
So cheered he his fair spouse, and she was cheered.

130

But silently a gentle tear let fall

131

From either eye, and wiped them with her hair.

132

Two other precious drops that ready stood,

133

Each in their crystal sluice,
³³²⁸
he ere they fell

134

Kissed, as the gracious signs of sweet remorse

135

And pious awe, that feared to have offended.

136

So all was cleared, and to the field they haste.

137

   
But first, from under shady arborous roof

138

Soon as they forth were come to open sight

139

Of day-spring, and the sun, who scarce up-risen,

140

With wheels yet hov’ring o’er the ocean-brim,

141

Shot parallel to the earth his dewy ray,

142

Discovering
³³²⁹
in wide landscape all the east

143

Of Paradise and Eden’s happy plains,

144

Lowly they bowed adoring, and began

145

Their orisons,
³³³⁰
each morning duly paid

146

In various
³³³¹
style, for neither various style

147

Nor holy rapture wanted
³³³²
they to praise

148

Their Maker, in fit
³³³³
strains
³³³⁴
pronounced, or sung

149

Unmeditated, such prompt
³³³⁵
eloquence

150

Flowed from their lips, in prose or numerous
³³³⁶
verse,

151

More tuneable
³³³⁷
than needed lute or harp

152

To add more sweetness. And they thus began:

153

   
“These are Thy glorious works, Parent of good,

154

Almighty! Thine this universal frame,
³³³⁸

155

Thus wondrous fair. Thyself how wondrous then!

156

Unspeakable, who sit’st above these. Heav’ns

157

To us invisible, or dimly seen

158

In these Thy lowest works. Yet these declare

159

Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine.

160

Speak ye who best can tell, ye sons of light,

161

Angels, for ye behold Him, and with songs

162

And choral symphonies,
³³³⁹
day without night,

163

Circle His throne rejoicing, ye in Heav’n!

164

On earth join all ye creatures to extol

165

Him first, Him last, Him midst, and without end!

166

Fairest of stars,
³³⁴⁰
last in the train of night

167

(If better thou belong not to the dawn)

168

Sure pledge
³³⁴¹
of day that crown’st the smiling morn

169

With thy bright circlet,
³³⁴²
praise Him in thy sphere,

170

While day arises, that sweet hour of prime.
³³⁴³

171

Thou sun, of this great world both eye and soul,

172

Acknowledge Him thy greater, sound His praise

173

In thse, both when thou climb’st

174

And when high noon hast gained,
³³⁴⁴
and when thou fall’st.

175

Moon, that now meet’st the orient
³³⁴⁵
sun, now fly’st
³³⁴⁶

176

With the fixed stars, fixed in their orb that flies,
³³⁴⁷

177

And ye five other wand’ring
³³⁴⁸
fires
³³⁴⁹
that move

178

In mystic dance not without song, resound

179

His praise, who out of darkness called up light.

180

Air, and ye Elements, the eldest birth