The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (60 page)

619

      

Appointed, which declares
³⁰⁶⁵
his dignity,

620

      

And the regard
³⁰⁶⁶
of Heav’n on all his ways,

621

      

While other animals unactive range,
³⁰⁶⁷

622

      

And of their doings God takes no account.

623

      

To-morrow, ere fresh morning streak the east

624

      

With first approach of light, we must be ris’n,

625

      

And at our pleasant labor, to reform
³⁰⁶⁸

626

      

Yon flow’ry arbors, yonder alleys
³⁰⁶⁹
green,

627

      

Our walk at noon, with branches overgrown,

628

      

That mock our scant manuring,
³⁰⁷⁰
and require

629

      

More hands than ours to lop their wanton
³⁰⁷¹
growth.

630

      

Those blossoms also, and those dropping gums,

631

      

That lie bestrewn, unsightly and unsmooth,

632

      

Ask riddance, if we mean to tread with ease.

633

      

Meanwhile, as Nature wills, night bids us rest.

634

      

To whom thus Eve, with perfect beauty adorned:

635

      

   
“My author and disposer, what thou bid’st

636

      

Unargued I obey. So God ordains:

637

      

God is thy law, thou mine. To know no more

638

      

Is woman’s happiest knowledge, and her praise.

639

      

With thee conversing I forget all time;

640

      

All seasons, and their change, all please alike.

641

      

Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet,

642

      

With charm
³⁰⁷²
of earliest birds. Pleasant the sun,

643

      

When first on this delightful land he spreads

644

      

His orient
³⁰⁷³
beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flow’r,

645

      

Glistering with dew. Fragrant the fertile earth

646

      

After soft showers, and sweet the coming on

647

      

Of grateful
³⁰⁷⁴
evening mild, then silent night,

648

      

With this her solemn bird, and this fair moon,

649

      

And these the gems of Heav’n, her starry train.

650

      

But neither breath of morn, when she ascends

651

      

With charm
³⁰⁷⁵
of earliest birds, nor rising sun

652

      

On this delightful land, nor herb, fruit, flow’r,

653

      

Glistering with dew, nor fragrance after showers,

654

      

Nor grateful ev’ning mild, nor silent night,

655

      

With this her solemn bird, nor walk by moon,

656

      

Or glittering star-light, without thee is sweet.

657

      

   
“But wherefore all night long shine these? For whom

658

      

This glorious sight, when sleep hath shut all eyes?

659

      

To whom our general
³⁰⁷⁶
ancestor replied:

660

      

   
“Daughter of God and man, accomplished
³⁰⁷⁷
Eve,

661

      

These have their course to finish round the earth,

662

      

By morrow ev’ning, and from land to land

663

      

In order, though to nations yet unborn.

664

      

Minist’ring
³⁰⁷⁸
light prepared,
³⁰⁷⁹
they set and rise,

665

      

Lest total darkness should by night regain

666

      

Her old possession, and extinguish life

667

      

In Nature and all things, which these soft fires

668

      

Not only enlighten,
³⁰⁸⁰
but with kindly
³⁰⁸¹
heat

669

      

Of various
³⁰⁸²
influence
³⁰⁸³
foment
³⁰⁸⁴
and warm,

670

      

Temper or nourish, or in part shed down

671

      

Their stellar virtue
³⁰⁸⁵
on all kinds
³⁰⁸⁶
that grow

672

      

On earth, made hereby apter
³⁰⁸⁷
to receive

673

      

Perfection from the sun’s more potent
³⁰⁸⁸
ray.

674

      

These then, though unbeheld in deep of night,

675

      

Shine not in vain, nor think,
³⁰⁸⁹
though men were

676

      

That Heav’n would want
³⁰⁹⁰
spectators, God want praise.

677

      

Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth

678

      

Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep:

679

      

All these with ceaseless praise His works behold

680

      

Both day and night. How often from the steep
³⁰⁹¹

681

      

Of echoing hill or thicket have we heard

682

      

Celestial voices to the midnight air,

683

      

Sole, or responsive each to others’ note,

684

      

Singing their great Creator? Oft in bands

685

      

While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk,
³⁰⁹²

686

      

With Heav’nly touch of instrumental sounds

687

      

In full harmonic number
³⁰⁹³
joined, their songs

688

      

Divide
³⁰⁹⁴
the night, and lift our thoughts to Heav’n.

689

      

   
Thus talking, hand in hand alone they passed

690

      

On to their blissful bower. It was a place

691

      

Chosen by the sov’reign Planter,
³⁰⁹⁵
when He framed

692

      

All things to man’s delightful use. The roof

693

      

Of thickest covert
³⁰⁹⁶
was inwoven shade,

694

      

Laurel and myrtle, and what higher grew

695

      

Of firm and fragrant leaf, on either side

696

      

Acanthus, and each odorous bushy shrub,

697

      

Fenced up the verdant wall. Each beauteous flow’r,

698

      

Iris all hues, roses, and jessamin,

699

      

Reared high their flourished
³⁰⁹⁷
heads between, and wrought
³⁰⁹⁸

700

      

Mosaic. Underfoot the violet,

701

      

Crocus, and hyacinth, with rich inlay

702

      

Broidered
³⁰⁹⁹
the ground, more colored than with stone

703

      

Of costliest emblem.
³¹⁰⁰
Other creature here,

704

      

Bird, beast, insect, or worm, durst enter none,

705

      

Such was their awe of man. In shadier bower

706

      

More sacred and sequestered, though but feigned,
³¹⁰¹

707

      

Pan or Sylvanus never slept, nor nymph