"'The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden.'
"I suppose it is hardly possible for us to conceive the luxuriant beauty of the place.
"It was the sixth day of God's work of creation. The beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, fresh from his forming hand, had appeared before their Maker, who pronounced them 'very good.' And God said,—
"'Let us make man in our image,'—
"And behold 'earth into flesh transformed, and clay to man.'
"'Adam, arise, since I to thee impart
A spirit warm from my benignant breath
Arise, arise, first man,
And joyous let the world
Embrace its living miniature in thee!'"
* * * * * *
"'Man, be thou lord of all that now the sun
Warms, or the ocean laves; impose a name
On every thing that flies, or runs, or swims.'" *
* Gio. Battista Andreini, Italian poet, from whom Milton drew for his "Paradise Lost."
"'God brought every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, unto Adam, to see what he would call them; and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.' 'But for Adam, there was not found a helpmeet for him.'
"And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and from one of his ribs made fair woman's lovely form. And Adam awoke from his sleep, and beheld that 'marvel most sublime.' We can imagine with what rapture of delight he pressed this new and cherished being to his breast, exclaiming,—
"'O Eve,
Sole partner and sole part of all these joys,
Dearer thyself than all.
Under a tuft of shade, that on a green
Stood whispering soft, by a fresh fountain's side,
They sat them down; and to their supper fruits they fell.
Nectarine fruits, which the compliant boughs
Yielded them, sidelong as they sat recline.
On the soft, downy bank damasked with flowers,
The savory pulp they chew, and in the rind,
Still as they thirsted, scoop the brimming stream.'"
* * * "'About them frisking played.
Sporting the lion ramped, and in his paw
Dandled the kid: bears, tigers, ounces, pards,
Gambolled before them; the unwieldy elephant,
To make them mirth, used all his might, and wreathed
His lithe proboscis.'" *