"With thee conversing I forget all time;
All seasons, and their change, all please alike. Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet, With charm of earliest birds; pleasant the sun, When first on this delightful land he spreadsHis orient beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flower, Glist"ring with dew; fragrant the fertile earth After soft show"rs; and sweet the coming onOf grateful evening mild; then silent night, With this her solemn bird, and this fair moon, And these the gems of heav"n, her starry train. But neither breath of morn, when she ascends With charm of earliest birds; nor rising sun On this delightful land; nor herb, fruit, flower,Glist"ring with dew; nor fragrance after show"rs; Nor grateful evening mild; nor silent night, With this her solemn bird; nor walk by moon, Or glitt"ring starlight; without thee is sweet. "John Milton, in Paradise Lost.
Author.-Jo h n Mi l t o n (1608-1674), second perhaps only to Shakespeare among English poets. L"Allegro, It Penseroso, Comus, Lycidas, Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, Samson Agonistes, and his Sonnets constitute a body of noble poetry to equal which would be difficult in any language. He is the poet of Puritan England. He was blind in his later years. He was for a time secretary to Oliver Cromwell.
General Notes.-After reading the poem several times, quote frommemory what Eve said about dawn, early morn, fragrance after showers, evening, and night. Why could she not enjoy the charms of these periods without Adam?