Pleased it returned as soon with answering looks Of sympathy and love. There I had fixed Mine eyes till now, and pined with vain desire, Had not a voice thus warned 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 called Mother of human race.’ What could I do But follow straight, invisibly thus led? Till I espied thee, fair indeed and tall, Under a platane; yet methought less fair, Less winning soft, less amiably mild, Than that smooth watery image. Back I turned; Thou, following, cried’st aloud, ‘Return, fair Eve; Whom fliest thou? whom thou fliest, of him thou art, His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent Out of my side to thee, nearest my heart, Substantial life, to have thee by my side Henceforth an individual solace dear: Part of my soul, I seek thee, and thee claim