Paradise First: A book of POETRY

And now by some strong motion I am led [ ] Into this Wilderness, to what intent I learn not yet, perhaps I need not know; For what concerns my knowledge God reveals. So spake our Morning Star then in his rise, And looking round on every side beheld [ ] A pathless Desert, dusk with horrid shades; The way he came not having mark'd , return Was difficult, by humane steps untrod; And he still on was led, but with such thoughts Accompanied of things past and to come [ ] Lodg'd in his brest , as well might recommend Such solitude before choicest Society.

Full forty days he pass'd , whether on hill Sometimes, anon in shady vale, each night Under the covert of some ancient Oak, [ ] Or Cedar, to defend him from the dew, Or harbour'd in one Cave, is not reveal'd ; Nor tasted humane food, nor hunger felt Till those days ended, hunger'd then at last Among wild Beasts: But now an aged man in Rural weeds , Following, as seem'd , the quest of some stray Ewe, [ ] Or wither'd sticks to gather; which might serve Against a Winters day when winds blow keen, To warm him wet return'd from field at Eve, He saw approach; who first with curious eye Perus'd him, then with words thus utt'red spake.

Sir, what ill chance hath brought thee to this place So far from path or road of men, who pass In Troop or Caravan, for single none Durst ever, who return'd , and dropt not here His Carcass, pin'd with hunger and with droughth?

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To whom the Son of God. Who brought me hither [ ] Will bring me hence, no other Guide I seek. By Miracle he may, reply'd the Swain, What other way I see not, for we here Live on tough roots and stubs , to thirst inur'd More then the Camel, and to drink go far, [ ] Men to much misery and hardship born; But if thou be the Son of God, Command That out of these hard stones be made thee bread ; So shalt thou save thyself and us relieve With Food, whereof we wretched seldom taste.

He ended, and the Son of God reply'd. Think'st thou such force in Bread? Why dost thou then suggest to me distrust, [ ] Knowing who I am, as I know who thou art? Whom thus answer'd th' Arch Fiend now undisguis'd. I came among the Sons of God, when he Gave up into my hands Uzzean Job To prove him, and illustrate his high worth; [ ] And when to all his Angels he propos'd To draw the proud King Ahab into fraud That he might fall in Ramoth , they demurring , I undertook that office, and the tongues Of all his flattering Prophets glibb'd with lyes [ ] To his destruction, as I had in charge.

For what he bids I do; though I have lost Much lustre of my native brightness , lost To be belov'd of God, I have not lost To love, at least contemplate and admire [ ] What I see excellent in good, or fair, Or vertuous , I should so have lost all sense.

The First Book

What can be then less in me then desire To see thee and approach thee, whom I know Declar'd the Son of God, to hear attent [ ] Thy wisdom, and behold thy God-like deeds? Men generally think me much a foe To all mankind: Envy they say excites me, thus to gain Companions of my misery and wo.

At first it may be; but long since with wo Nearer acquainted, now I feel by proof , [ ] That fellowship in pain divides not smart, Nor lightens aught each mans peculiar load. Small consolation then, were Man adjoyn'd: This wounds me most what can it less that Man, Man fall'n , shall be restor'd , I never more. To whom our Saviour sternly thus reply'd.

Deservedly thou griev'st , compos'd of lyes From the beginning, and in lies wilt end; Who boast'st release from Hell, and leave to come Into the Heav'n of Heavens; thou com'st indeed, [ ] As a poor miserable captive thrall, Comes to the place where he before had sat Among the Prime in Splendour , now depos'd , Ejected, emptyed , gaz'd , unpityed , shun'd , A spectacle of ruin or of scorn [ ] To all the Host of Heaven; the happy place Imparts to thee no happiness, no joy, Rather inflames thy torment, representing Lost bliss, to thee no more communicable, So never more in Hell then when in Heaven.

Wilt thou impute to obedience what thy fear Extorts, or pleasure to do ill excites? What but thy malice mov'd thee to misdeem Of righteous Job , then cruelly to afflict him [ ] With all inflictions? But his patience won? The other service was thy chosen task, To be a lyer in four hundred mouths ; For lying is thy sustenance, thy food. Yet thou pretend'st to truth; all Oracles [ ] By thee are giv'n , and what confest more true Among the Nations?

That hath been thy craft, By mixing somewhat true to vent more lyes.

Paradise First: A Book of Poetry - Ariel Lindus - Google Books

But what have been thy answers, what but dark Ambiguous and with double sense deluding, [ ] Which they who ask'd have seldom understood, And, not well understood, as good not known? Who ever by consulting at thy shrine Return'd the wiser, or the more instruct To flye or follow what concern'd him most, [ ] And run not sooner to his fatal snare?

For God hath justly giv'n the Nations up To thy Delusions; justly, since they fell Idolatrous; but when his purpose is Among them to declare his Providence [ ] To thee not known, whence hast thou then thy truth, But from him, or his Angels President In every Province, who themselves disdaining To approach thy Temples, give thee in command What to the smallest tittle thou shalt say [ ] To thy Adorers; thou with trembling fear, Or like a Fawning Parasite obey'st ; Then to thyself ascrib'st the truth fore-told.

But this thy glory shall be soon retrench'd ; No more shalt thou by oracling abuse [ ] The Gentiles; henceforth Oracles are ceast , And thou no more with Pomp and Sacrifice Shalt be enquir'd at Delphos or elsewhere, At least in vain, for they shall find thee mute.

Twice each month they participate in a feast at which a tale is told, alternately, by one of the city elders and one of the wanderers. The former tell tales on classical subjects, and the latter draw their tales from Norse and other medieval sources. Thus, of the twenty-four stories, twelve are Greek and classical and twelve are medieval or romantic. Each pair of stories corresponds with one of the twelve months, the first two being told in January, the second two in February, and so on.

Thus the long poem is neatly partitioned into twelve books with interpolated prologues and epilogues in the form of lyrics about the progressive changes in nature. The Earthly Paradise is written in different forms.

Paradise First: A Book of Poetry

William Morris used rhyme royal , [2] heroic couplet or iambic tetrameter. This is an example of seven-line rhyme royal ababbcc. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. For the Judaeo-Christian legend, see Garden of Eden.

• Paradise Regain'd!
• Account Options.
• Paradise Regain'd: Book 1.
• Glorious Dawn.
• Moving beyond Mind?
• Afraid!
• .

Golden Wings and Other Stories Retrieved from " https: Views Read Edit View history.