Paradise Lost

ADAM, thou know'st Heav'n his, and all the Earth 
Not this Rock onely; his Omnipresence fills 
Land, Sea, and Aire, and every kinde that lives, 
Fomented by his virtual power and warmd: 
All th' Earth he gave thee to possess and rule, 
No despicable gift; surmise not then 
His presence to these narrow bounds confin'd 
Of Paradise or EDEN: this had been 
Perhaps thy Capital Seate, from whence had spred 
All generations, and had hither come 
From all the ends of th' Earth, to celebrate 
And reverence thee thir great Progenitor. 
But this praeeminence thou hast lost, brought down 
To dwell on eeven ground now with thy Sons: 
Yet doubt not but in Vallie and in Plaine 
God is as here, and will be found alike 
Present, and of his presence many a signe 
Still following thee, still compassing thee round 
With goodness and paternal Love, his Face 
Express, and of his steps the track Divine. 
Which that thou mayst beleeve, and be confirmd, 
Ere thou from hence depart, know I am sent 
To shew thee what shall come in future dayes 
To thee and to thy Ofspring; good with bad 
Expect to hear, supernal Grace contending 
With sinfulness of Men; thereby to learn 
True patience, and to temper joy with fear 
And pious sorrow, equally enur'd 
By moderation either state to beare, 
Prosperous or adverse: so shalt thou lead 
Safest thy life, and best prepar'd endure 
Thy mortal passage when it comes.  Ascend 
This Hill; let EVE (for I have drencht her eyes) 
Here sleep below while thou to foresight wak'st, 
As once thou slepst, while Shee to life was formd. 
  To whom thus ADAM gratefully repli'd. 
Ascend, I follow thee, safe Guide, the path 
Thou lead'st me, and to the hand of Heav'n submit, 
However chast'ning, to the evil turne 
My obvious breast, arming to overcom 
By suffering, and earne rest from labour won, 
If so I may attain.  So both ascend 
In the Visions of God:  It was a Hill 
Of Paradise the highest, from whose top 
The Hemisphere of Earth in cleerest Ken 
Stretcht out to amplest reach of prospect lay. 
Not higher that Hill nor wider looking round, 
Whereon for different cause the Tempter set 
Our second ADAM in the Wilderness, 
To shew him all Earths Kingdomes and thir Glory. 
His Eye might there command wherever stood 
City of old or modern Fame, the Seat 
Of mightiest Empire, from the destind Walls 
Of CAMBALU, seat of CATHAIAN CAN 
And SAMARCHAND by OXUS, TEMIRS Throne, 
To PAQUIN of SINAEAN Kings, and thence 
To AGRA and LAHOR of great MOGUL 
Down to the golden CHERSONESE, or where 
The PERSIAN in ECBATAN sate, or since 
In HISPAHAN, or where the RUSSIAN KSAR 
In MOSCO, or the Sultan in BIZANCE, 
TURCHESTAN-born; nor could his eye not ken 
Th' Empire of NEGUS to his utmost Port 
ERCOCO and the less Maritine Kings 
MOMBAZA, and QUILOA, and MELIND, 
And SOFALA thought OPHIR, to the Realme 
Of CONGO, and ANGOLA fardest South; 
Or thence from NIGER Flood to ATLAS Mount 
The Kingdoms of ALMANSOR, FEZ, and SUS, 
MAROCCO and ALGIERS, and TREMISEN; 
On EUROPE thence, and where ROME was to sway 
The VVorld: in Spirit perhaps he also saw 
Rich MEXICO the seat of MOTEZUME, 
And CUSCO in PERU, the richer seat 
Of ATABALIPA, and yet unspoil'd 
GUIANA, whose great Citie GERYONS Sons 
Call EL DORADO: but to nobler sights 
MICHAEL from ADAMS eyes the Filme remov'd 
VVhich that false Fruit that promis'd clearer sight 
Had bred; then purg'd with Euphrasie and Rue 
The visual Nerve, for he had much to see; 
And from the VVell of Life three drops instill'd. 
So deep the power of these Ingredients pierc'd, 
Eevn to the inmost seat of mental sight, 
That ADAM now enforc't to close his eyes, 
Sunk down and all his Spirits became intranst: 
But him the gentle Angel by the hand 
Soon rais'd, and his attention thus recall'd. 
  ADAM, now ope thine eyes, and first behold 
Th' effects which thy original crime hath wrought 
In some to spring from thee, who never touch'd 
Th' excepted Tree, nor with the Snake conspir'd, 
Nor sinn'd thy sin, yet from that sin derive 
Corruption to bring forth more violent deeds. 
  His eyes he op'nd, and beheld a field, 
Part arable and tilth, whereon were Sheaves 
New reapt, the other part sheep-walks and foulds; 
Ith' midst an Altar as the Land-mark stood 
Rustic, of grassie sord; thither anon 
A sweatie Reaper from his Tillage brought