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THE

FIFTH BOOK

OF

PARADISE LOST.

T

The ARGUMENT.:

HE Morning approaching Eve relates to Adam her troublefome Dream; he does not like it, yet comforts her; they

come forth to their Day-Labour: Their Morning Hymn at the Door of the Bower. GoD to render MAN inexcufable, fends Raphael to admonifh him of his Obedience, of his free Eftate, of his Enemy near at Hand; who he is; and why his Enemy, and whatever elfe may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to Paradife; his Appearance defcribed, his Coming difcerned by Adam afar off, fitting at the Door of his Bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his Lodge, entertains bim with the choiceft Fruits of Paradife got together by Eve; their Difcourfe at Table: Raphael performs his Meffage, and puts Adam in mind of

his

bis State, and of his Enemy. Raphael at the Rebueft of Adam, relates who his great Enemy is, and how he came to be fo, beginning from his first Revolt in Heaven, and the Occafion thereof; bow he drew his Legions after him to the Parts of the North, and therein incited them to rebel with him; perfuading all, but only Abdiel, a Seraph, who in Argument diffuades and oppofes kim, then forfakes

bim.

CHAP. I.

Eve relates to Adam her Dream; they come forth to their Day-Labour: Their Morning Hymn.

N

OW the Morning advancing with red Streaks. in the Eaft, covered the Earth with fhining Drops of Dew, when ADAM awaked, being fo accustomed; for his Sleep was light, bred from pure Digestion and temperate pleafing Fumes, which the bare Sound of Leaves, and running Streams and the fhrill Morning Song of Birds on every Bough lightly difperfed: His Wonder was fo much the more to find EV E not yet awake; her Hair difcompofed and her Cheeks glowing, as through unquiet Sleep He on his Side half-raised and leaning, hung over her enamoured with Looks of Cordial Love, and beheld Beauty, which either afleep or awake caft forth peculiar Graces: Then with Voice as mild as when the gentleft Winds breathe on the Flowers, foftly touching her Hand, whispered thus: Awake, my Faireft! my Spouse! my lait-found Good! Heaven's Jaft, beft Gift! My ever-new Delight! Awake! for now the Morning thines, and the fresh Field calls for us; weloofe the Prime to obferve how our tender Plants

Noah's first facrifice to GOD after his

Departure from the Ark.

Gen. 8.1. 20

fpring, how the Citron Grove blows, what the Balmtree and the Myrrh drop, how Nature paints her Colour, and how the Bee fits upon the Flowers extracting Honey. Such whifpering awaked her; but with ftartled Eyes, turned upon ADAM; to whom (embracing him) the spoke thus:

O THOU! in whom alone my Thoughts find any Repofe, my Perfection and my Glory! Gladly I fee thy Face and the Morning returned; for I this Night have dreamed, (if indeed it was a Dream, for fuch a Night till this I never paffed before) not as I am often ufed about thee, the Work of the passed Day, or that next defigned for the Morrow; but I have dreamed of Offence and Trouble, which till this irksome Night my Mind never knew. Methought that one close at my Ear with a gentle Voice called me to walk, I thought it was thine: It faid, Eve, why doft thou fleep? Now is the pleasant, cool and filent Time, only where Silence yields to the Nightingale, that now awake tunes in the fweeteft Notes, his lovelaboured Song: Now the full Moon reigns, and with a pleasanter Light fets off the Face of Things, but all in vain if none regard it: Heaven wakes with all his Eyes, and who is it to behold but thee, who art the Defire of Nature? in whofe Sight all Things have Joy, attracted by thy Beauty, still to gaze with Ravishment. I arofe thinking it to be thy Call, but could not find thee, to which End I then directed my Walk; and alone, methought, I paffed on through Ways that brought me on a fudden to the forbidden Tree of Knowledge. It feemed very fair, much fairer to my Fancy than it did by Day; and as I looked on it with Wonder, there ftood by the Side of it, one fhaped and winged, like thofe that come from Heaven, which we often fee, his dewy Locks dropped Sweetnefs; and he alfo gazed on that Tree: And O fair Plant, faid he, overcharged with Fruit! Does no Body

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