1. Some Metrical Scansionsin
Paradise Lost

2. 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 )

3. 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. . .

4. 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 )

5. 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.

6. 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 )

7. 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?

8. 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 )

9. 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.