She gathers, tribute large, and on the board Heaps with unsparing hand; for drink the grape 345 From many a berry', and from sweet kernels press'd MEANWHILE Our primitive great sire, to meet Perfections in himself was all his state, More solemn than the tedious pomp that waits 350 355 360 Thus said. Native of Heav'n, for other place None can than Heav'n such glorious shape contain; Since by descending from the thrones above, Those happy places thou hast deign'd awhile To want, and honour these, vouchsafe with us 365 370 WHOM thus th' angelic Virtue answer'd mild. Adam, I therefore came, nor art thou such Created, or such place hast here to dwell, As may not oft invite, though Spi'rits of Heav'n, Long after to bless Mary, second Eve. 375 380 385 390 HAIL Mother of Mankind, whose fruitful womb Shall fill the world more numerous with thy sons, Than with these various fruits the trees of God Have heap'd this table. Rais'd of grassy turf Their table was, and mossy seats had round, And on her ample square from side to side All autumn pil'd, though spring and autumn here Danc'd hand in hand. A while discourse they hold; No fear lest dinner cool; when thus began 396 Our author. Heav'nly stranger, please to taste 1 hese bounties, which our Nourisher, from whom All perfect good, unmeasur`d out, descends, To us for food and for delight hath caus'd 400 The earth to yield; unsavoury food perhaps To spiritual natures; only this I know, That one celestial Father gives to all. To whom the Angel Therefore what he gives (Whose praise be ever sung) to Man in part 405 410 Spiritual, may of purest Spi'rits be found No' ingrateful food: and food alike those pure As doth your rational; and both contain Within them every lower faculty Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, taste, Tasting concoct, digest, assimilate, And corporeal to incorporeal turn. For know, whatever was created, needs To be sustain'd and fed; of elements 415 The grosser feeds the purer, earth the sea, Earth and the sea feed air, the air those fires Whence in her visage round those spots, unpurg'd 420 In humid exhalations, and at even 425 Sups with the ocean. Though in Heav'n the trees Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each morn 430 Think not I shall be nice. So down they sat, The Angel, nor in mist, the common gloss Of real hunger, and concoctive heat To transubstantiate: what redounds, transpires Can turn, or holds it possible to turn, 435 440 Then had the sons of God excuse to' have been Enamour'd at that sight; but in those hearts Love unlibidinous reign'd, nor jealousy Was understood, the injur'd lover's Hell. 450 THUS when with meats and drinks they had suffic'd, Not burden'd nature, sudden mind arose In Adam, not to let th' occasion pass Giv'n him by this great conference to know 455 460 Under whose lowly roof thou hast vouchsaf'd To enter, and these earthly fruits to taste, Food not of Angels, yet accepted so, As that more willingly thou couldst not seem 465 At Heav'n's high feasts to' have fed: yet what compare? To whom the winged Hierarch reply'd. O Adam, one Almighty is, from whom All things proceed, and up to him return, 470 If not deprav'd from good, created all 475 481 Man's nourishment, by gradual scale sublim'd, To vital spi'rits aspire, to animal, To intellectual; give both life and зense, 485 Fancy and understanding; whence the soul Is oftest yours, the latter most is ours, Differing but in degree, of kind the same. 490 Wonder not then, what God for you saw good |