Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A50919
|
Paradise lost a poem written in ten books / by John Milton.
|
Milton, John, 1608-1674.
|
1667
(1667)
|
Wing M2137; ESTC R13460
|
160,733
|
344
|
sleep hath shut all eyes To whom our general Ancestor repli'd Daughter of God and Man accomplisht Eve Those have thir course to finish round the Earth By morrow Eevning and from Land to Land In order though to Nations yet unborn Ministring light prepar'd they set and rise Least total darkness should by Night regaine Her old possession and extinguish life In Nature and all things which these soft fires Not only enlighten but with kindly heate Of various influence foment and warme Temper or nourish or in part shed down Thir stellar vertue on all kinds that grow On Earth made hereby apter to receive Perfection from the Suns more potent Ray. These then though unbeheld in deep of night Shine not in vain nor think though men were none That heav'n would want spectators God want praise Millions of spiritual Creatures walk the Earth Unseen both when we wake and when we sleep All these with ceasless praise his works behold Both day and night how often from the steep Of echoing Hill or Thicket have we heard Celestial voices to the midnight air Sole or responsive each to others note Singing thir great Creator oft in bands While they keep watch or nightly rounding walk With Heav'nly touch of instrumental sounds In full harmonic number joind thir songs Divide the night and lift our thoughts to Heaven Thus talking hand in hand alone they pass'd On to thir blissful Bower it was a place Chos'n by the sovran Planter when he fram'd All things to mans delightful use the roofe Of thickest covert was inwoven shade Laurel and Mirtle and what higher grew Of firm and fragrant leaf on either side Acanthus and each odorous bushie shrub Fenc'd up the verdant wall each beauteous flour wrought Iris all hues Roses and Gessamin Rear'd high thir flourisht heads between and Mosaic underfoot the Violet Crocus and Hyacinth with rich inlay Broiderd the ground more colour'd then with stone Of costliest Emblem other Creature here Beast Bird Insect or Worm durst enter none Such was thir awe of man In shadier Bower More sacred and sequesterd though but feignd Pan or Silvanus never slept nor Nymph Nor Faunus haunted Here in close recess With Flowers Garlands and sweet-smelling Herbs Espoused Eve deckt first her Nuptial Bed And heav'nly Quires the Hymenaean sung What day the genial Angel to our Sire Brought her in naked beauty more adorn'd More lovely then Pandora whom the Gods Endowd with all thir gifts and O too like In sad event when to the unwiser Son Of Japhet brought by Hermes she ensnar'd Mankind with her faire looks to be aveng'd On him who had stole Joves authentic fire Thus at thir shadie Lodge arriv'd bâ—…th stood Both turnd and under op'n Skie adoâ—…'d The God that made both Skie Air Earth Heav'n Which they beheld the Moons resplendent Globe And starrie Pole Thou also mad'st the Night Maker Omnipotent and thou the Day Which we in our appointed work imployd Have finisâ—…t happie in our mutual help And mutual love the Crown of all our bliss Ordain'd by thee and this delicious place For us too large where thy abundance wants Partakers and uncropt falls to the ground But thou hast promis'd from us two a Race To fill the Earth who shall with us extoll Thy goodness infinite both when we wake And when we seek as now thy gift of sleep This said unanimous and other Rites Observing none but adoration pure Which God likes best into thir inmost bower Handed they went and eas'd the putting off These troublesom disguises which wee wear Strait side by side were â—…aid nor turnd I weene Adam from his fair Spouse nor Eve the Rites Mysterious of connubial Love refus'd Whatever Hypocrites austerely talk Of puritie and place and innocence Defaming as impure what God declares Pure and commands to som leaves free to all Our Maker bids increase who bids abâ—…ain But our Destroyer foe to God and Man Haile wedded Love mysterious Law true sourse Of human ofspring sole proprietie In Paradise of all things common else By thee adulterous lust was driv'n from men Among the bestial herds to raunge by thee Founded in Reason Loyal Just and Pure Relations dear and all the Charities Of Father Son and Brother first were known Farr be it that I should write thee sin or blame Or think thee unbeâ—…tting holiest place Perpetual Fountain of Domestic sweets Whose Bed is undefil'd and chast pronounc't Present or past as Saints and Patriarchs us'd Here Love his golden shafts imploies here lights His constant Lamp and waves his purple wings Reigns here and revels not in the bought smile Of Harlots loveless joyless unindeard Casual fruition nor in Court Amours Mixt Dance or wanton Mask or Midnight Bal Or Serenate which the starv'd Lover sings To his proud fair best quitted with disdain These lulld by Nightingales imbraceing slept And on thir naked limbs the flourie roof Showrd Roses which the Morn repair'd Sleep on Blest pair and O yet happiest if ye seek No happier state and know to know no more Now had night measur'd with her shaddowieCone Half way up Hill this vast Sublunar Vault And from thir Ivorie Port the Cherubim Forth issuing at th'accustomd hour stood armd To thir night watches in warlike Parade When Gabriel to his next in power thus spake Uzziel half these draw off and coast the South With strictest watch these other wheel the North Our circuit meets full West As flame they part Half wheeling to the Shield half to the Spear From these two strong and suttle Spirits he calld That neer him stood and gave them thus in charge Ithuriel and Zephon with wingd speed Search through this Garden leav unsearcht no nook But chiefly where those two fair Creatures Lodge Now laid perhaps asleep secure of harâ—…e This Eevning from the Sun 's decline arriv'd Who tells of som infernal Spirit seen Hitherward bent who could have thought escap'd The barrs of Hell on errand bad no doubt Such where ye find seise fast and hither bring So saying on he led his radiant Files Daz'ling the Moon these to the Bower direct In search of whom they sought him there they found Squat like a Toad close at the eare of Eve Assaying by his Devilish art to reach The Organs of her Fancie and with them forge Illusions as he list Phantasms and Dreams Or if inspiring venom he might taint Th' animal Spirits that from pure blood arise Like gentle breaths from Rivers pure thence raise At least distemperd discontented thoughts Vain hopes vain aimes inordinate desires Blown up with high conceits ingendring pride Him thus intent Ithuriel with his Spear Touch'd lightly for no falshood can endure Touch of Celestial temper but returns Of sorce to its own likeness up he starts Discoverd and surpriz'd As when a spark Lights on a heap of nitrous Powder laid Fit for the Tun som Magazin to store Against a rumord Warr the Smuttie graine With sudden blaze diffus'd inflames the Aire So started