the Kings of ABASSINIA (y) guard their Children, (tho' by fome fuppos'd to be the very Place) under the Equinoctial Line, and by the Head of NILE, encompals'd with fhining Rocks, a whole Day's Journey high; but in Reality far remote from this AssyRIAN Garden, where SATAN without any Pleasure beheld all Delight, all Kind of living Creatures ftrange to him, and quite new to his Sight.

Two of Shape far more noble than the reft, upright and tall, erect like Gods, cloathed with native Honour and in naked Majefty, feem'd Lords of all, and feem'd worthy to be fo; for in their divine Looks fhone the Image of their glorious Maker, Truth, Wisdom, and Sanctitude, pure and fevere, (fevere, but plac'd in true filial Freedom) whence comes true Authority in MEN; though they did not feem equal, as their Sex was not alike: He was form'd for Valour and Contemplation, fhe for Softness and fweet attracting Grace; he only for GOD, but fhe for GoD and him: His fair large Forehead and elevated Eye declar'd abfolute Rule, and his brown Hair, round from his parted Forehead hung curling, but not beneath his

or Upper Ethiopia, almoft in the Middle of it, on the South. There is a Mountain of the fame Name, about 90 M. in Compass, a Day's Journey high, and encompaffed with Rocks, with only one Entrance to it. On the Top are many beautiful Palaces, wherein the Emperor's Children are educated, and the younger Sons kept 'till they die, that they may not difturb the Govern

ment.

(7) Abafinia: from Abaffeni; Arab. A fcattered People; an antient People of Arabia, near Sabea, of the Pofterity of Jok

tan) who fettled afterwards in Ethiopia Superior; and there erected a vaft Empire of 26 or 30 diftin&t Kingdoms. The Portuguese discovered this Empire to the Europeans, A. D. 1500. And the Dutch call it the Country of Prefter John, from Unchan Jahannan, one of the Emperors of it, about A. D. 1200. The upper Ethiopia upon the Red Sea and the Perfian Ocean, on the Eaft Side of Africa. The Inhabitants are all black, and for the moft Part Chriftians.

his broad Shoulders: She wore her unadorn'd fair Hair, loose as a Veil, down to her flender Waist, but wav'd in wanton Ringlets as the Vine curls its Tendrils, which imply'd Subjection, but requir'd with gentle Government, and by him beft receiv'd when yielded by her with coy Submiffion, a modest Pride, and a sweet, reluctant, yet amorous Delay: Nor were those mysterious Parts hid which MEN now conceal; then was not guilty and difhoneft Shame of Nature's Works (the Name of Honour! but difhonourable) bred from Sin, how has it troubled all MANKIND with mere Shews of feeming pure, inftead of being fo? and banish'd from MAN the greatest Happinefs of his Life, his native Simplicity and fpotless Innocence? So they pafs'd on naked, nor ftrove to fhun the Sight of GOD or the Angels, for they thought no Evil: Hand in Hand they pafs'd along, lovelier than any Pair that ever fince met in the Embraces of Love; ADAM more excellent in Form than any of his Sons fince born, and Eve fairer than any of her Daughters.

UNDER the Shade of a Bower that ftood on a Green, the Trees whispering foftly, by a fresh Fountain's Side, they fat them down, and after no more Toil of their sweet Gardening Labour, than ferv'd to recommend the cool Air and make Eafe more pleasant, and wholesome Thirft and Appetite more grateful, they began to eat of the Fruits of the Garden for Supper, delicious Fruits, which the loaded Boughs yielded them; as they fat leaning along the Side of the foft downy Bank, fprinkled with Flowers, they chew'd the favoury Pulp, and then in the Rind, as often as they were thirfty, fcoop'd up the brimming Stream; nor was there wanting endearing Smiles, gentle Purpose, nor youthful Dalliance, as befeems a fair Couple bound in the happy nuptial League, and alone as they were. About them all the Beafts of the L. 4 Earth

Earth play'd wantonly, (tho' fince that grown wild) Beafts of all Chace, in Wood or Wilderness, Den or Foreft; the Lion fporting about ramp'd up, and in his Paw dandled the Kid; Bears, Tygers, Ounces, and Leopards, play'd before them; the unweildy Elephant us'd all his Might to make them Mirth, and twisted about his limber Trunk; the fly, close, infinuating Serpent, twisted his Train in many a Fold, and unobferv'd gave Proof of his fatal Subtilty; others of the Beafts couch'd upon the Grafs, and now fill'd with Pasture, fat gazing or lying down, and chewing the Cud; for the Sun was declin'd, and hasting with fwift Career to the Ocean Islands, and on the other Side of Heaven the Stars that introduc'd the Evening' arofe; when SATAN, who all this While ftood gazing as at firft, at length fcarcely recover'd Power of Speech as follows:

OH Hell! what do my Eyes with Sorrow and Grief behold! Creatures of another Mold advanc'd into our Room of Blifs; perhaps earth-born, and not Spirits, yet to bright heavenly Spirits little inferior; whom my Thoughts purfue with Wonder, and whom I could love, fo lively the divine Refemblance fhines in them, and fuch Grace the Hand that made them hath bestow'd upon their Form. Ah gentle Pair! little do you think how near your Change approaches, when all thefe Delights will vanifh, and deliver you up to Mifery; more Mifery by as much as now your Tafte of Joy is more; now happy, but that Happinefs too ill fecur'd to continue long, and this high Seat, your Heaven, too ill defended, to keep out fuch a Foe as is enter'd now; yet no purpos'd Foe to you, whom I could pity thus unguarded, though I myfelf am unpitied. I feek a League with you and mutual Amity, so close and strait, that henceforward I muft dwell with you, or else you with me: Perhaps my Dwelling-Place may not delight your Senses

like this fair PARADISE, yet fuch as it is accept it; your Maker's Work; He gave it me, and I as freely give it: To entertain you two, Hell fhall unfold her Gates the wideft, and fend forth all her Kings: There (not like these narrow Limits) will be Room to receive your numerous Offfpring: If it is no better Place, thank him who puts me unwilling to take this Revenge on you who wrong me not, inftead of him who wrongs me. And fhould I (as indeed I do) melt to Pity at your harmless Innocence; yet publick Reason, just Honour, and Revenge, and Empire, by conquering this new World, compel me now to do, what elfe (notwithstanding I am damn'd) I fhould abhor.

THUS fpoke the Fiend, and with the Tyrant's Plea, Neceffity, excus'd his devilish Deeds. Then from his lofty Stand upon the Tree of Life, he lights down among the fporting Herd of thofe four-footed Beafts, turning himself into the Form fometimes of one and sometimes of another, as their Shapes ferv'd his End beft, to view his Prey nearer, and unobferv'd to mark what by Words or Actions he might learn further of their State: Now he ftalks round about them like a Lion, with a fierce Glare; then as a Tyger, who by Chance hath spy'd two gentle Fawns at Play in fome Purlieu, ftrait couches down clofe, then rifing, changes his cunning Watch as one who was chufing his Ground, from whence rufhing out, he might fureft feize them both, grip'd in each Paw; when ADAM, the first of all Men, turning himself to EVE, the first of Women, began this moving Speech, which turn'd SATAN all to Attention:

SOLE Partner, and deareft of all thefe Joys; dearer than all that Power that made us, and for our Ufe and Comfort all this great World, muft needs be infinitely good, and of his Good be as liberal and

free

H

free as he is infinite; that rais'd us from the Duft, and then plac'd us here in all this Happiness, who have merited nothing from him, nor are able to perform any Thing of which he hath any Need; who requires no other Service from us, than to keep this one eafy Charge, that of all the Trees in PARADISE, which bear fuch various and delicious Fruit, we are only forbid to taste that Tree of Knowledge, which is planted by the Tree of Life, fo near is Death placed to Life! whatever Death be; no Doubt some very dreadful Thing; for thou knoweft well God hath pronounc'd it Death to taste of that Tree: Among fo many Signs of Power and Rule he has conferr'd upon us, and Dominion which he hath given us over all other Creatures that live on Earth, in Sea, or in the Air, this is the only Sign left of our Obedience: Then don't let us think one easy Prohibition hard, who enjoy fo large and free a Liberty in all Things elfe, and have an unlimited Choice of manifold Delights; but let us praife him for ever, and extol his Bounty, following our pleafurable Task to prune these growing Plants, and tend upon thefe Flowers; which it of itself were toilfome, yet with thee would seem fweet and pleasant.

To whom EvE reply'd thus; Oh thou! from whom and for whom I was form'd, Flefh of my Flesh, and without whom my Being would be to no Purpose, my Guide and Head! what thou haft faid is juft and right, for we indeed owe all Praifes and daily Thanks to him; but I chiefly, who enjoy fo much the happier Lot by enjoying thee, who art more noble and excellent by fo much Odds; whilst thou canft find no where any Thing that is equal to thyfelf. I often remember that Day when I firft waked from Sleep, and laid down under a Shade upon Flowers, wondering much where I was and what I was, from whence, and how I was brought thither: Not

a