Live well; how long, or short, permit to Heaven:

And now prepare thee for another sight.”

He looked, and saw a spacious plain, whereon

Were tents of various hue; by some, were herds

Of cattle grazing; others, whence the sound

Of instruments, that made melodious chime,

Was heard, of harp and organ; and, who moved

Their stops and chords, was seen; his volant touch,

Instinct through all proportions, low and high,

Fled and pursued transverse the resonant fugue.

In other part stood one who, at the forge

Labouring, two massy clods of iron and brass

Had melted, (whether found where casual fire

Had wasted woods on mountain or in vale,

Down to the veins of earth; thence gliding hot

To some cave’s mouth; or whether washed by stream

From underground;) the liquid ore he drained

Into fit moulds prepared; from which he formed

First his own tools; then, what might else be wrought

Fusil or graven in metal. After these,

But on the hither side, a different sort

From the high neighbouring hills, which was their seat,

Down to the plain descended; by their guise

Just men they seemed, and all their study bent

To worship God aright, and know his works

Not hid; nor those things last, which might preserve

Freedom and peace to Men; they on the plain

Long had not walked, when from the tents, behold!

A bevy of fair women, richly gay

In gems and wanton dress; to the harp they sung

Soft amorous ditties, and in dance came on:

The men, though grave, eyed them; and let their eyes

Rove without rein; till, in the amorous net

Fast caught, they liked; and each his liking chose;

And now of love they treat, till the evening-star,

Love’s harbinger, appeared; then, all in heat

They light the nuptial torch, and bid invoke

Hymen, then first to marriage rites invoked:

With feast and music all the tents resound.

Such happy interview, and fair event

Of love and youth not lost, songs, garlands, flowers,

And charming symphonies, attached the heart

Of Adam, soon inclined to admit delight,

The bent of nature; which he thus expressed.

“True opener of mine eyes, prime Angel blest;

Much better seems this vision, and more hope

Of peaceful days portends, than those two past;

Those were of hate and death, or pain much worse;

Here Nature seems fulfilled in all her ends.”

To whom thus Michael. “Judge not what is best

By pleasure, though to nature seeming meet;

Created, as thou art, to nobler end

Holy and pure, conformity divine.

Those tents thou sawest so pleasant, were the tents

Of wickedness, wherein shall dwell his race

Who slew his brother; studious they appear

Of arts that polish life, inventors rare;

Unmindful of their Maker, though his Spirit

Taught them; but they his gifts acknowledged none.

Yet they a beauteous offspring shall beget;

For that fair female troop thou sawest, that seemed

Of Goddesses, so blithe, so smooth, so gay,