The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (97 page)

Read The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems Online

Authors: John Milton,Burton Raffel

Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Literary Collections, #Poetry, #Classics, #English; Irish; Scottish; Welsh, #English poetry

BOOK: The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems
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538

      

Too much of ornament, in outward show

539

      

Elaborate,
4612
of inward less exact.

540

      

For well I understand in the prime end
4613

541

      

Of Nature her th’ inferior, in the mind

542

      

And inward faculties, which most excel.
4614

543

      

In outward also her resembling less

544

      

His image who made both, and less expressing

545

      

The character of that dominion giv’n

546

      

O’er other creatures. Yet when I approach

547

      

Her loveliness, so absolute
4615
she seems

548

      

And in herself complete, so well to know

549

      

Her own, that what she wills to do or say

550

      

Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best.

551

      

All higher knowledge in her presence falls

552

      

Degraded,
4616
wisdom in discourse with her

553

      

Looses
4617
discount’nanced,
4618
and like folly shows.
4619

554

      

Authority and reason on her wait,

555

      

As
4620
one intended first, not after made
4621

556

      

Occasionally.
4622
And, to consummate
4623
all,

557

      

Greatness of mind and nobleness their seat

558

      

Build in her loveliest, and create an awe

559

      

About her, as
4624
a guard Angelic placed.

560

      

To whom the Angel with contracted brow:

561

      

   
“Accuse not Nature. She hath done her part;

562

      

Do thou but thine, and be not diffident
4625

563

      

Of wisdom. She deserts thee not, if thou

564

      

Dismiss
4626
not her, when most thou need’st her nigh,

565

      

By attributing
4627
overmuch to things

566

      

Less excellent, as thou thyself perceiv’st.

567

      

For what admir’st thou, what transports thee so?

568

      

An outside? Fair, no doubt, and worthy well

569

      

Thy cherishing, thy honoring, and thy love.

570

      

Not thy subjection. Weigh with her thyself,

571

      

Then value. Oft-times nothing profits more

572

      

Than self-esteem, grounded on just and right

573

      

Well managed. Of that skill
4628
the more thou know’st

574

      

The more she will acknowledge thee her head,
4629

575

      

And to realities yield all her shows,
4630

576

      

Made so adorn for thy delight the more,

577

      

So awful
4631
that with honor thou may’st love

578

      

Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen least wise.

579

      

But if the sense of touch, whereby mankind

580

      

Is propagated, seem such dear delight

581

      

Beyond all other, think the same vouchsafed

582

      

To cattle and each beast, which would not be

583

      

To them made common and divulged, if aught

584

      

Therein enjoyed were worthy to subdue

585

      

The soul of man, or passion in him move.

586

      

What higher in her society thou find’st

587

      

Attractive, human, rational, love still.
4632

588

      

In loving thou dost well, in passion not,

589

      

Wherein true love consists not. Love refines

590

      

The thoughts, and heart enlarges, hath his seat

591

      

In reason, and is judicious, is the scale

592

      

By which to Heav’nly love thou may’st ascend,

593

      

Not sunk in carnal pleasure. For which cause

594

      

Among the beasts no mate for thee was found.

595

      

To whom thus, half abashed, Adam replied:

596

      

   
“Neither her outside formed so fair, nor aught

597

      

In procreation common to all kinds

598

      

( Though higher of the genial
4633
bed by far,

599

      

And with mysterious reverence, I deem)
4634

600

      

So much delights me as those graceful
4635
acts,

601

      

Those thousand decencies,
4636
that daily flow

602

      

From all her words and actions, mixed with love

603

      

And sweet compliance, which declare unfeigned

604

      

Union of mind, or in us both one soul.

605

      

Harmony to behold in wedded pair

606

      

More grateful
4637
than harmonious sound to th’ ear.

607

      

Yet these subject
4638
not. I to thee disclose

608

      

What inward thence I feel, not therefore foiled,
4639

609

      

Who meet with various objects
4640
from the sense

610

      

Variously representing,
4641
yet still free

611

      

Approve the best, and follow what I approve.

612

      

To love, thou blam’st me not, for love, thou say’st,

613

      

Leads up to Heav’n, is both the way and guide.

614

      

Bear with me, then, if lawful what I ask:

615

      

Love not the Heav’nly Spirits, and how their love

616

      

Express they? by looks only? or do they mix

617

      

Irradiance,
4642
virtual
4643
or immediate touch?

618

      

To whom the Angel, with a smile that glowed

619

      

Celestial rosy red, love’s proper hue,

620

      

Answered:

 

      

“Let it suffice thee that thou know’st

621

      

Us happy, and without love no happiness.

622

      

Whatever pure thou in the body enjoy’st

623

      

(And pure thou wert created), we enjoy

624

      

In eminence,
4644
and obstacle find none

625

      

Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclusive
4645
bars.

626

      

Easier than air with air, if Spirits embrace:

627

      

Total they mix, union of pure with pure

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