* * * Of Eden, where delicious Paradise, 

 Now nearer, crowns with her enclosure green, 

 As with a rural mound, the champian head 

 Of a steep wilderness, whose hairy sides 

 With thicket overgrown, grotesque and wild, 

 Access denied; and overhead up-grew 

 Insuperable hight of loftiest shade, 

 Cedar and Pine and fir, and branching palm, 

 A sylvan scene, and, as the ranks ascend 

 Shade above shade, a woody theatre 

 Of stateliest view. * 



Flowers worthy of Paradise, which not nice Art 

 In beds and curious knots, but Nature boon 

 Pour'd forth profuse on hill and dale and plain. 



Flowers of all hue, and without thorn the rose. 

 Another side, umbrageous grots and caves 

 Of cool recess, o'er which the mantling vine 

 Lays forth her purple grape, and gently creeps 

 Luxuriant; meanwhile murm'ring waters fall 

 Down the slope hill, dispers'd or in a lake 

 . That to the fringed bank with myrtle crown'd 

 Her crystal mirror holds, unite their streams. 



John Milton. 



I hold that the whole world was named a Para- 

 dise. Moses describes it according to Adam's sight, 

 so far as hee could see; but it was called Paradise 

 by reason it was all over so sweet and pleasant. 

 Adam was, and dwelled towards the East in Syria 

 and Arabia, when hee was created; but after he had 

 sinned, then it was no more so delightful and pleasant. 



Even so in our time hath God cursed likewise 

 fruitful lands, and hath caused them to bee barren 

 and unfruitful by reason of our sins : for where God 

 gives not His blessing, there grows nothing that is 



