THE BOWER OF ADAM AND EVE 17 



THE BOVVER OF ADAM AND EVE 



(From " Paradise Lost ") 



THE roof 



Of thickest covert was inwoven shade, 

 Laurel and myrtle, and what higher grew 

 Of firm and fragrant leaf: on either side 

 Acanthus, and each odorous bushy shrub 

 Fenced up the verdant wall ; each beauteous flower, 

 Iris all hues, roses, and jessamine 

 Reared high their flourished heads between, and 



wrought 



Mosaic ; underfoot the violet, 

 Crocus, and hyacinth, with rich inlay 

 Broidered the ground, more coloured than with stone 

 Of costliest emblem : other creature here, 

 Beast, bird, insect, or worm, durst enter none 

 Such was their awe of Man. In shadier bower 

 More sacred and sequestered, though but feigned, 

 Pan or Sylvanus never slept, nor Nymph 

 Nor Faunus haunted. Here, in close recess, 

 With flowers, garlands, and sweet-smelling herbs, 

 Espoused Eve decked first her nuptial bed, 

 And Heavenly choirs the hymenean sung, 

 What day the genial angel to our sire 

 Brought her in naked beauty more adorned, 

 More lovely than Pandora, whom the gods 

 Endowed with all their gifts, and oh ! too like 

 In sad event, when to the unwiser son 

 Of Japhet brought by Hermes, she ensnared 

 Mankind with her fair looks, to be avenged 

 On him who had stole Jove's authentic fire. 



JOHN MILTON. 

 B 



