John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
2577 John Milton 1608-1674 John Bartlett
| NUMBER: | 2577 |
| AUTHOR: | John Milton (1608–1674) |
| QUOTATION: | 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 spreads His orient beams on herb, tree, fruit, and flower, Glist’ring with dew; fragrant the fertile earth After soft showers; and sweet the coming on Of grateful ev’ning mild; then silent night With this her solemn bird and this fair moon, And these the gems of heaven, 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 showers, Nor grateful ev’ning mild, nor silent night With this her solemn bird, nor walk by moon Or glittering starlight, without thee is sweet. |
| ATTRIBUTION: | Paradise Lost. Book iv. Line 639. |