‘That day I oft remember, when from sleep I first awaked, and found myself reposed Under a shade on flow’rs, much wond’ring where And what I was, whence thither brought, and how. Not distant far from thence a murm’ring sound Of waters issued from a cave, and spread Into a liquid plain, then stood unmoved Pure as th’ expanse of Heav’n.... I thither went With unexperienced thought, and laid me down On the green bank, to look into the clear Smooth lake, that to me seem’d another sky. As I bent down to look, just opposite A shape within the wat’ry gleam appear’d, Bending to look on me. I started back; It started back: but pleased I soon return’d; Pleased it return’d as soon with answ’ring looks Of sympathy and love: there I had fix’d Mine eyes till now, and pined with vain desire, Had not a voice thus warn’d me. What thou seest, What there thou seest, fair Creature, is thyself; With thee it came and goes: but follow me, And I will bring thee where no shadow stays Thy coming, and thy soft embraces, he Whose image thou art; him thou shalt enjoy Inseparably thine: to him shalt bear Multitudes like thyself, and thence be call’d Mother of Human Race. What could I do But follow straight, invisibly thus led? Till I espy’d thee, fair indeed and tall Under a platan; yet methought less fair, Less winning soft, less amiably mild, Than that smooth wat’ry image. Back I turn’d: Thou following cry’dst aloud, Return, fair Eve; Whom fly’st thou?’ Eve’s character, indeed, is one of the most wonderful efforts of the human imagination. She is a kind of abstract woman; essentially a typical being; an official ‘mother of all living.’ Yet she is a real interesting woman, not only full of delicacy and sweetness, but with all the undefinable fascination, the charm of personality, which such typical characters hardly ever have. By what consummate miracle of wit this charm of individuality is preserved, without impairing the general idea which is ever present to us, we cannot explain, for we do not know. Adam is far less successful. He has good hair,—‘hyacinthine locks’ that ‘from his parted forelock manly hung;’ a ‘fair large front’ and ‘eye sublime;’ but he has little else that we care for. There is, in truth, no opportunity of displaying manly virtues, even if he possessed them. He has only to yield to his wife’s solicitations, which he does. Nor are we sure that he does it well. He is very tedious; he indulges in sermons which are good; but most men cannot but fear that so delightful a being as Eve must have found him tiresome. She steps away, however, and goes to sleep at some of the worst points.