925

930

Much more to tafte it under ban to touch.
But paft who can recall, or done undo?
Not God omnipotent, nor Fate; yet fo
Perhaps thou shalt not die, perhaps the fact
Is not fo hainous now, foretafted fruit,
Profan'd first by the ferpent, by him firft
Made common and unhallow'd ere our taste;
Nor yet on him found deadly, he yet lives,
Lives, as thou faidft, and gains to live as Man
Higher degree of life, inducement strong
To us, as likely tasting to attain
Proportional afcent, which cannot be
But to be Gods, or Angels Demi-Gods.
Nor can I think that God, Creator wife,
Though threatning, will in carneft so destroy
Us his prime creatures, dignified fo high,
Set over all his works, which in our fall,

For us created, needs with us must fail,
Dependent made; fo God fhall uncreate,
Be fruftrate, do, undo, and labor lofe,

935

So faying, fhe embrac'd him, and for joy 990 Tenderly wept, much won that he his love Had fo ennobled, as of choice to' incur Divine difpleafure for her fake, or death. In recompenfe (for such compliance bad Such recompenfe beft merits) from the bough 995 She gave him of that fair enticing fruit With liberal hand: he fcrupled not to eat Against his better knowledge, not deceiv'd, But fondly overcome with female charm. Earth trembled from her entrails, as again In pangs, and Nature gave a fecond groan, Sky lour'd, and muttering thunder, fome fad drops Wept at completing of the mortal fin Original; while Adam took no thought, Eating his fill, nor Eve to iterate

1000

940

1005

Her former trefpafs fear'd, the more to footh Him with her lov'd fociety: that now

946

951

Not well conceiv'd of God, who though his power
Creation could repeat, yet would be loath
Us to abolish, left the Adversary
Triumph and fay; Fickle their state whom God
Most favors; who can pleafe him long? Me first
He ruin'd, now mankind; whom will he next?
Matter of scorn not to be given the Foe.
However I with thee have fix'd my lot,
Certain to undergo like doom; if death
Confort with thee, death is to me as life ;
So forcible within my heart I feel
The bond of nature draw me to my own,
My own in thee, for what thou art is mine;
Our ftate cannot be fever'd, we are one,

One flesh; to lofe thee were to lose myself.

955

So Adam, and thus Eve to him reply'd. 960 O glorious trial of exceeding love, Illuftrious evidence, example high! Engaging me to emulate, but fhort Of thy perfection, how fhall I attain,

970

Adam ?, from whofe dear fide I boaft me fprung,
And gladly of our union hear thee speak, 966
One heart, one foul in both; whereof good proof
This day affords, declaring thee refolv'd,
Rather than death or ought than death more dread
Shall feparate us, link'd in love fo dear,
To undergo with me one guilt, one crime,
If any be, of tafting this fair fruit,
Whofe virtue (for of good ftill good proceeds,
Direct, or by occafion) hath prefented
This happy trial of thy love, which elfe
So eminently never had been known.

975

1015

As with new wine intoxicated both
They fwim in mirth, and fancy that they feel
Divinity within them breeding wings,
Wherewith to fcorn the earth: but that falfe fruit
Far other operation first display'd,
Carnal defire inflaming; he on Eve
Began to caft lafcivious eyes, fhe him
As wantonly repaid; in luft they burn:
Till Adam thus 'gan Eve to dalliance move.
Eve, now I fee thou art exact of taste,
And elegant, of fapience no fmall part,
Since to each meaning favor we apply,
And palate call judicious; I the praise
Yield thee, fo well this day thou haft purvey'd.
Much pleasure we have loft, while we abftain'd
From this delightful fruit, nor known till now
True relish, tafting; if fuch pleasure be

1020

In things to us forbidd'n, it might be wifh'd, 1025
For this one tree had been forbidden ten.
But come, fo well refrefh'd, now let us play,

As meet is, after fuch delicious fare;

1030

For never did thy beauty fince the day
I faw thee first and wedded thee, adorn'd
With all perfections, fo inflame my sense
With ardor to enjoy thee, fairer now
Than ever, bounty of this virtuous tree.
So faid he, and forbore not glance or toy
Of amorous intent, well understood
Of Eve, whofe eye darted contagious fire.
He hand he feiz'd, and to a fhady bank,
Thick overhead with verdant roof imbower'd,
He led her nothing loath; flow'rs were the couch,
Panfies and violets, and afphodel,

1035

1040

And hyacinth, earth's frefheft fofteft lap.
There they their fill of love and love's difport
Took largely, of their mutual guilt the feal,
The folace of their fin, till dewy fleep
Opprefs'd them, wearied with their amorous play.

Soon as the force of that fallacious fruit, 1046 That with exhilarating vapor bland

About their fpi'rits had play'd, and inmost powers
Made err, was now exhal'd; and groffer fleep
Bred of unkindly fumes, with confcious dreams
Incumber'd, now had left them; up they rofe
As from unreft, and each the other viewing,
Soon found their eyes how open'd, and their minds
How darken'd; innocence, that as a veil

1056

1060

Had fhadow'd them from knowing ill, was gone,
Juft confidence, and native righteoufnefs,
And honor from about them, naked left
To guilty fhame; he cover'd, but his robe
Uncover'd more. So rofe the Danite strong
Herculean Samfon from the harlot-lap
Of Philiftéan Dalilah, and wak'd
Shorn of his strength. They destitute and bare
Of all their virtue: filent, and in face
Confounded long they fat, as strucken mute,
Till Adam, though not lefs than Eve abafh'd, 1065
At length gave utterance to these words constrain'd.
O Eve, in evil hour thou didst give ear
To that false worm, of whomfoever taught
To counterfeit Man's voice, true in our fall,
Falfe in our promis'd rifing; fince our eyes 1070
Open'd we find indeed, and find we know
Both good and ev'il, good loft, and evil got,
Bad fruit of knowledge, if this be to know,
Which leaves us naked thus, of honor void,
Of innocence, of faith, of purity,
Our wonted ornaments now foil'd and ftain'd,
And in our faces evident the figns

Of foul concupifcence; whence evil ftore;
Ev'n fhame, the laft of evils; of the firft

1075

1085

Be fure then. How fhall I behold the face 1080
Henceforth of God or Angel, erft with joy
And rapture fo' oft beheld? thofe heav'nly fhapes
Will dazzle now this earthly with their blaze
Infufferably bright. O might I here
In folitude live favage, in fome glade
Obfcur'd, where highest woods, impenetrable
To ftar or fun-light, fpread their umbrage broad
And brown as evening: Cover me, ye Pines,
Ye Cedars, with innumerable boughs
Hide me, where I may never fee them more. 1090
But let us now, as in bad plight, devife
What best may for the present serve to hide
The parts of each from other, that seem moft
To fhame obnoxious, and unfeemlieft feen;
Some tree, whofe broad smooth leaves together
fow'd,

1095

And girded on our loins, may cover round
Thofe middle parts, that this new comer, fhame,
There fit not, and reproach us as unclean.

So counsel'd he, and both together went
Into the thickeft wood; there foon they chefe 1100
The fig-tree, not that kind for fruit renown'd,
But fuch as at this day to Indians known
In Malabar or Decan spreads her arms
Branching fo broad and long, that in the ground
The bended twigs take root, and daughters grow
About the mother tree, a pillar'd shade IIC6
High overarch'd, and echoing walks between;
There oft the Indian herdfman fhunning heat
Shelters in cool, and tends his pafturing herds
At loopholes cut through thickeft fhade: Thofe
leaves

IIIO

Among the trees on iles and woody shores.
Thus fenc'd, and, as they thought, their fhame in

part

1120

Cover'd, but not at reft or ease of mind,
They fat them down to weep; nor only tears
Rain'd at their eyes, but high winds worfe within
Began to rife, high paffions, anger, hate,
Miftruft, fufpicion, difcord, and fhook fore
Their inward state of mind, calm region once 1125
And full of peace, now toft and turbulent:
For understanding rul'd not, and the will
Heard not her lore, both in fubje&tion now
To fenfual appetite, who from beneath
Ufurping over fovran reafon claim'd
Superior fway from thus diftemper'd breast,
Adam, eftrang'd in look and alter'd stile,
Speech intermitted thus to Eve renew'd.
Would thou hadft hearken'd to my words, and
ftay'd

1130

With me, as I be fought thee, when that strange
Defire of wand'ring this unhappy morn, 1136
I know not whence poffefs'd thee: we had then
Remain'd ftill happy; not as now, defpoil'd
Of all our good, fham'd, naked, miferable.
Let none henceforth feck needle's caufe to' ap-

prove

1140

The faith they owe; when carnestly they feek
Such proof, conclude, they then begin to fail.

To whom foon mov'd with touch of blame thus
Eve.

What words have pafs'd thy lips, Adam fevere!
Imput'ft thou that to my default, or will 1145
Of wand'ring, as thou call'ft it, which who knows
But might as ill have happen'd thou being by,
Or to thyfelf perhaps? hadft thou been there,
Or here th' attempt, thou couldft not have dif
cern'd

Frand in the Serpent, fpeaking as he fpakc; 1150
No ground of enmity between us known,
Why he fhould mean me ill, or feek to harm.
Was I to' have never parted from thy fide?
As good have grown there ftill a lifeless rib.
Being as I am, why didft not thou the head 1155
Command me abfolutely not to go,
Going into fuch danger as thou faidft?
Too facil then thou didft not much gainfay,
Nay didft permit, approve, and fair difmifs.
Hadft thou been firm and fix'd in thy diffent,"1160
Neither had I tranfgrefs'd, nor thou with me.
To whom then firft incens'd Adam reply'd.
Is this the love, is this the recompenfe
Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve, express'd
Immutable when thou wert loft, not I,
Who might have liv'd and joy'd inmortal blifs,
Yet willingly chofe rather death with thee?
And am I now upbraided as the caufe
Of thy tranfgreffing? not enough fevere,
It feems, in thy reftraint: what could I more?
I warn'd thee, I adnionifh'd thee, foretold 1171
The danger, and the lurking enemy
That lay in wait; beyond this had been force,
And force upon free will hath here no place.
But confidence then bore thee on, fecure
Either to meet no danger, or to find
Matter of glorious trial; and perhaps

1165

1175

1180

1 alio err'd in overmuch admiring
What feem'd in thee fo perfect, that I thought
No evil durft attempt thee, but I rue
That error now, which is become my crime,
And thou th' accufer. Thus it fhall befall
Him who to worth in woman overtrusting

Lets her will rule; reftraint fhe will not brook

1185

And left to' herself, if evil thence enfue,
She firft his weak indulgence will accufe.
Thus they in mutual accusation spent
The fruitless hours, but neither felf-condemning,
And of their vain contest appear'd no end.

THE END OF THE NINTH BOOK.

35

Affembled Angels, and ye Pow'rs return'd
From unfuccefsful charge, be not difmay'd,
Nor troubled at these tidings from the earth,
Which your fincereft care could not prevent,
Foretold fo lately what would come to pafs,
When first this tempter crofs'd the gulf from Hell.
I told you then he should prevail and speed

On his bad errand, Man fhould be feduc'd
And flatter'd out of all, believing lies
Against his Maker; no decree of mine
Concurring to neceffitate his fall,

Or touch with lightest moment of impulse
His free will, to her own inclining left
In even scale. But fall'n he is, and now
What refts, but that the mortal sentence pafs
On his tranfgreffion, death denounc'd that day?
Which he prefumes already vain and void,
Because not yet inflicted, as he fear'd,

40

45

50

Love was not in their looks, either to God
Or to each other, but apparent guilt,
And fhame, and perturbation, and despair,
Anger, and obflinacy', and hate, and guile.
Whence Adam faultring long, thus anfwer'd brief.
I heard thee in the gard'n, and of thy voice 116
Afraid, being naked, hid myself. To whom
The gracious Judge without revile reply'd.
My voice thou oft haft heard, and haft not fear'd,
But fill rejoic'd; how is it now become
So dreadful to thee? that thou' art naked, who
Hath told thee? haft thou eaten of the tree,
Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldft not eat?
To whom thus Adam fore befet reply'd,
O Heav'n! in evil ftrait this day I fiand

Before my judge, either to undergo
Myfelf the total crime, or to accufe

120

125

My other felf, the partner of my life;

Whofe failing, while her faith to me remains,

70

I should conceal, and not expose to blame

130

Mine both in Heav'n and Earth to do thy will
Supreme, that thou in me thy Son belov'd
May't ever reft well pleas'd. I go to judge
On earth these thy tranfgreffors, but thou know'ft,
Whoever judg'd, the worst on me muft light,
When time fhall be, for fo I undertook

Before thee'; and not repenting, this obtain 75
Of right, that I may mitigate their doom
On me deriv'd, yet I fhall temper fo
Juftice with mercy', as may illuflrate most
Them fully fatisfy'd, and thee appease.
Attendance none fhall need, nor train, where none
Are to behold the judgment, but the judg'd, 81
Those two; the third beft abfent is condemn'd,
Convict by flight, and rebel to all law :
Conviction to the ferpent none belongs.
Thus faying, from his radiant feat he refe
VOL. II.

85

By my complaint; but ftrict neceflity
Subdues me, and calamitous constraint,
Left on my head both fin and punishment,
However infupportable, be all

Devolv'd; though fhould I hold my peace, yet