To whom the Angel with tracted brow. [ 560 ]
Accuse not Nature, she hath don her part;
Do thou but thine, a diffident
Of Wisdom, she deserts thee not, if thou
Dismiss not her, when most thou her nigh,
By attributing overmuch to things [ 565 ]
Less excellent, as thou thy self perceavst.
For what admirst thou, what transports thee so,
An outside? fair no doubt, and worthy well
Thy cherishing, thy h, and thy love,
Not thy subje: weigh with her thy self; [ 570 ]
Then value: Oft times nothing profits more
Then self esteem, grounded on just and right
Well managd; of that skill the more thou knowst,
The more she will aowledge thee her Head,
And to realities yield all her shows: [ 575 ]
Made so adorn for thy delight the more,
So awful, that with honour thou maist love
Thy mate, who sees when thou art see wise.
But if the sense of touch whereby mankind
Is propagated seem such dear delight [ 580 ]
Beyond all other, think the same voutsaft
To Cattel and each Beast; which would not be
To them made on and divulgd, if aught
Therein enjoyd were worthy to subdue
The Soule of Man, or passion in him move. [ 585 ]
What higher in her societie thou findst
Attractive, human, rational, love still;
In loving thou dost well, in passion not,
Wherein true Love sists not; love refines
The thoughts, a enlarges, hath his seat [ 590 ]
In Reason, and is judicious, is the scale
By which to heavnly Love thou maist asd,
Not sunk in al pleasure, for which cause
Among the Beasts no Mate for thee was found.
To whom thus half abasht Adam replid. [ 595 ]