246 PARADISE LOST. Boot( IX: Veil'd in a cloud of fragrance; where fhts. flood, 425 Half fpy'd, fo thick the rotes bluaiinz round About her glow'd; half-flooping to fupport Each flow'r of fli:nder flalk, whole head though gay Carnation, purple, azure, or fpeck'd with gold, Hung drooping unfuflain'd ; them the upflays 430 Gently with myrtle-band ; mindlefs the while Her fell, though laireft unfupported flow'r, From her beft prop fo far, and form fo nigh I Nearer he drew, and many a walk travers'd Of Itatelieft covert, cedar, pine, or palm ; 435 'Filen voluble and bold; now hid, now feen, Among thick-woven arborets and flow'rs lmborder'd on each bank, the hand of Eve: (Spot more delicious ! than thole gardens feign'd Or of reviv'd Adonis; or renown'd 440 Alcinous, holt of old Laertes' Son ; Or that, not myflic, where the Sapient King Held dalliance with his fair /Egyptian fpoute.) Much he the place admir'd, the perfon more: As one who long in populous city pent, 445 Where houfes thick, and fewers, annoy the air, Forth ifluing on a tummer's morn, to breathe Among the pleafant villages, and farms Adjoyn'd, from each thing met conceives delight ; The fmell of grain, or tedded grafs, or kine, 450 Or dairy, each rural fight, each rural found ; Ifchance, with Nymph-like flep, fair virgin pals, What p:edfing fecm'd, for her now pleafes more, She moll, and her look films all delight : Such plealure took the serpent to behold 455 This flow'ry Plat, the Tweet recefs of Eve Thus early, thus alone : her heav'nly form Angelic, (but more loft, and feminine) Her graceful innocence, her every air Of
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