Chapter 12 11
Thus farr to try thee, Adam, I was pleasant,
And finde thee knowing not of Beasts alone,
Which thou hast rightly namd, but of thy self,
Expressing well the spirit within thee free, [ 440 ]
My Image, not imparted to the Brute,
Whose fellowship therefore unmeet for thee
Good reason was thou freely should dislike,
And be so minded still; I, ere thou spakst,
Knew it not good for Man to be alone, [ 445 ]
And no such company as then thou sawst
Intended thee, for trial only brought,
To see how thou couldst judge of fit and meet:
What next I bring shall please thee, be assurd,
Thy likeness, thy fit help, thy other self, [ 450 ]
Thy wish, exactly to thy hearts desire.
Hee ended, or I heard no more, for now
My earthly by his Heavnly overpowered,
Which it had long stood under, streind to the highth
In that celestial Colloquie sublime, [ 455 ]
As with an object that excels the sense,
Dazld and spent, sunk down, and sought repair
Of sleep, which instantly fell on me, calld
By Nature as in aide, and close mine eyes.
Mine eyes he closd, but opn left the Cell [ 460 ]
Of Fancie my internal sight, by which
Abstract as in a transe methought I saw,
Though sleeping, where I lay, and saw the shape
Still glorious before whom awake I stood;
Who stooped opnd my left side, and took [ 465 ]
From thence a Rib, with cordial spirits warme,
And Life-blood streaming fresh; wide was the wound,
But suddenly with flesh fill up and heal:
The Rib he formd and fashioned with his hands;
Under his forming hands a Creature grew, [ 470 ]
Manlike, but different sex, so lovly faire,
That what seemsd fair in all the World, seemsd now
Mean, or in her summd up, in her contained
And in her looks, which from that time infusd
Sweetness into my heart, unfelt before, [ 475 ]
And into all things from her Aire inspired
The spirit of love and amorous delight.