Some Metrical Scansions in Paradise Lost

Of Mans First Disobedience, and the Fruit Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal tast Brought Death into the World, and all our woe, With loss of Eden, till one greater Man Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat, Sing Heav’nly Muse, that on the secret top Of Oreb, or of Sinai, dids’t inspire That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed, In the Beginning how the Heav’ns and Earth Rose out of Chaos... (PL )

Of Mans | First Dis | obe | dience, and | the Fruit Of that | Forbid | den Tree, | whose mor | tal tast Brought Death | into | the World, | and all | our woe, With loss | of E | den, till | one grea | ter Man Restore | us, and | regain | the bliss |ful Seat, Sing Heav’n | ly Muse, | that on | the se | cret top Of Or | eb, or | of Si | nai, dids’t | inspire That Shep | herd, who | first taught | the cho | sen Seed, In the | Begin | ning how | the Heav’ns | and Earth Rose out | of Cha | os...

On th’ other side, Adam, soon as he heard The fatal Trespass don by Eve, amaz’d Astonied stood and Blank, while horror chill Ran through his veins, and all his joynts relax’d; From his slack hand the Garland wreath’d for Eve Down drop’d, and all the faded Roses shed: Speechless he stood and pale, till thus at length First to himself he inward silence broke. (PL )

On th’ o | ther side, | Adam, | soon as | he heard The fa | tal Tres | pass don | by Eve, | amaz’d Aston | ied stood | and Blank, | while hor | ror chill Ran through | his veins, | and all | his joynts | relax’d; From his | slack hand | the Gar | land wreath’d | for Eve Down drop’d, | and all | the fad | ed Ros | es shed: Speechless | he stood | and pale, | till thus | at length First to | himself | he in | ward si | lence broke.

O fairest of Creation, last and best Of all Gods works, Creature in whom excell’d Whatever can to sight or thought be formd, Holy, divine, good, amiable, or sweet! How are thou lost, how on a sudden lost, Defac’t, deflourd, and now to Death devote? (PL )

O fair | est of | Crea | tion, last | and best Of all | Gods works, | Creature | in whom | excell’d Whatev | er can | to sight | or thought | be formd, Holy, | divine, | good, | amiable, | or sweet! How are | thou lost, | how on | a sud | den lost, Defac’t, | deflourd, | and now | to Death | devote?

Som natural tears they drop’d, but wip’d them soon; The World was all before them, where to choose Thir place of rest, and Providence thir guide: They hand in hand with wandring steps and slow, Through Eden took thir solitarie way. (PL )

Som nat | tural tears | they drop’d, | but wip’d | them soon; The World | was all | before | them, where | to choose Thir place | of rest, | and Prov | idence | thir guide: They hand | in hand | with wan | dring steps | and slow, Through E | den took | thir sol | itar | ie way.

 When I consider how my light is spent Ere half my days in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, lest he returning chide, “Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?” I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies: “God doth not need Either man's work or his own gifts: who best Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed And post o'er land and ocean without rest: They also serve who only stand and wait.”