第12章 11

Thus farr to try thee, Adam, I was pleasd, And finde thee knowing not of Beasts alone, Which thou hast rightly namd, but of thy self, Expressing well the spirit within thee free, [ 440 ] My Image, not imparted to the Brute, Whose fellowship therefore unmeet for thee Good reason was thou freely shouldst dislike,

And be so minded still; I, ere thou spakst, Knew it not good for Man to be alone, [ 445 ] And no such companie as then thou sawst Intended thee, for trial onely brought, To see how thou couldst judge of fit and meet: What next I bring shall please thee, be assurd, Thy likeness, thy fit help, thy other self, [ 450 ]

Thy wish, exactly to thy hearts desire. Hee ended, or I heard no more, for now My earthly by his Heavnly overpowerd, Which it had long stood under, streind to the highth In that celestial Colloquie sublime, [ 455 ] As with an object that excels the sense, Dazld and spent, sunk down, and sought repair

Of sleep, which instantly fell on me, calld By Nature as in aide, and closd mine eyes. Mine eyes he closd, but opn left the Cell [ 460 ] Of Fancie my internal sight, by which Abstract as in a transe methought I saw, Though sleeping, where I lay, and saw the shape Still glorious before whom awake I stood;

Who stooping opnd my left side, and took [ 465 ] From thence a Rib, with cordial spirits warme, And Life-blood streaming fresh; wide was the wound, But suddenly with flesh filld up and heald: The Rib he formd and fashond with his hands; Under his forming hands a Creature grew, [ 470 ] Manlike, but different sex, so lovly faire,

That what seemd fair in all the World, seemd now Mean, or in her summd up, in her containd And in her looks, which from that time infusd Sweetness into my heart, unfelt before, [ 475 ] And into all things from her Aire inspird The spirit of love and amorous delight.