"And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field,
and every fowl of the air, and brought them unto Adam to see what he
would call them; and whatsoever Adam called every living creature,
that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to
the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam
there was not found a helpmeet for him."

Imagine Adam feeling this want of companionship as the beasts of earth
in their pristine beauty pass before him. There are those who mate
with a horse or a dog. Who make a pet of a brute, and, ignoring their
higher relations, live for their lower nature. We know that animals
can be brought to do almost anything but talk, and some birds have the
gift of speech. It was doubtless true of Eden. The serpent's talking
did not surprise Eve.

Perhaps Adam may have found animals that could have kept him company.
Yet he could find none who could meet his want as a helpmeet. Milton
has fancifully described Adam expressing his want to the Infinite. It
grew upon him. Then he has pictured him asleep, and seeing, as in a
trance, the rib, with cordial spirits warm, formed and fashioned with
his hands, until

"Under his forming hands a creature grew,
Manlike, but different sex, so lovely fair
That what seemed fair in all the world seemed now
Mean, or in her summed up, in her contained,
And in her looks, which from that time infused
Sweetness into my heart unfelt before,
And into all things from her air inspired