BOOK FOURTH
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��The good before him, but perverts best
things
To worst abuse, or to their meanest use. Beneath him, with new wonder, now he
views,
To all delight of human sense exposed, In narrow room Nature's whole wealth;
yea, more !
A Heaven on Earth: for blissful Paradise Of God the garden was, by him in the east Of Eden planted. Eden stretched her
line 210
From Auran eastward to the royal towers Of great Seleucia, built by Grecian kings, Or where the sous of Eden long before Dwelt in Telassar. In this pleasant soil His far more pleasant garden God ordained. Out of the fertile ground he caused to grow All trees of noblest kind for sight, smell,
taste;
And all amid them stood the Tree of Life, High eminent, blooming ambrosial fruit Of vegetable gold; and next to life, 220 Our death, the Tree of Knowledge, grew
fast by
Knowledge of good, bought dear by know- ing ill. Southward through Eden went a river
large, Nor changed his course, but through the
shaggy hill Passed underneath ingulfed; for God had
thrown That mountain, as his garden-mould, high
raised Upon the rapid current, which, through
veins
Of porous earth with kindly thirst up- drawn,
Rose a fresh fountain, and with many a rill Watered the garden; thence united fell 230 Down the steep glade, and met the nether
flood, Which from his darksome passage now
appears,
And now, divided into four main streams, Runs diverse, wandering many a famous
realm
And country whereof here needs no account; But rather to tell how, if Art could tell How, from that sapphire fount the crisped
brooks,
Rowling on orient pearl and sands of gold, With mazy error under pendent shades Ran nectar, visiting each plant, and fed 2 4
��Flowers worthy of Paradise, which not nice
Art
In beds and curious knots, but Nature boon Poured forth profuse on hill, and dale, and
plain, Both where the morning sun first warmly
smote The open field, and where the unpierced
shade Irnbrowned the noontide bowers. Thus
was this place,
A happy rural seat of various view: Groves whose rich trees wept odorous gums
and balm; Others whose fruit, burnished with golden
rind,
Hung amiable Hesperian fables true, 25 If true, here only and of delicious taste. Betwixt them lawns, or level downs, and
flocks
Grazing the tender herb, were interposed, Or palmy hillock; or the flowery lap Of some irriguous valley spread her store, Flowers of all hue, and without thorn the
rose.
Another side, umbrageous grots and caves Of cool recess, o'er which the mantling vine Lays forth her purple grape, and gently
creeps Luxuriant; meanwhile murmuring waters
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Down the slope hills dispersed, or in a lake, That to the fringed bank with myrtle
crowned Her crystal mirror holds, unite their
streams. The birds their quire apply; airs, vernal
airs,
Breathing the smell of field and grove, at- tune
The trembling leaves, while universal Pan, Knit with the Graces and the Hours in
dance, Led on the eternal Spring. Not that fair
field
Of Enna, where Proserpin gathering flow- ers,
Herself a fairer flower, by gloomy Dis 270 Was gathered which cost Ceres all that
pain To seek her through the world nor that
sweet grove
Of Daphne, by Orontes and the inspired Castalian spring, might with this Paradise Of Eden strive; nor that Nyseian isle,
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