In

woman, than to ftudy houfhold good,
And good works in her husband to promote.
Yet not fo strictly hath our Lord impos'd
Labor, as to debar us when we need

Refreshment, whether food, or talk between,
Food of the mind, or this sweet intercourse

Of looks and fmiles, for fmiles from reafon flow,
To brute deny'd, and are of love the food,

Love not the lowest end of human life.

235

240

For not to irksome toil, but to delight

He made us, and delight to reafon join'd.

These paths and bow'rs doubt not but our joint hands Will keep from wilderness with ease, as wide

245

As we need walk, till younger hands ere long
Affift us: but if much converse perhaps

Thee fatiate, to short absence I could yield:
For folitude fometimes is best fociety,

And short retirement urges fweet return.
But other doubt poffeffes me, left harm

250

Befall thee fever'd from me; for thou know'ft
What hath been warn'd us, what malicious foe
Envying our happiness, and of his own
Despairing, feeks to work us woe and fhame
By fly affault; and fomewhere nigh at hand
Watches, no doubt, with greedy hope to find
His with and beft advantage, us afunder,
Hopeless to circumvent us join'd, where each
To other speedy aid might lend at need;
Whether his first design be to withdraw
Our feälty from God, or to disturb

255

260

Conjugal

Conjugal love, than which perhaps no blifs
Enjoy'd by us excites his envy more;

Or this, or worfe, leave not the faithful fide

265

That gave thee be'ing, ftill fhades thee and protects.
The wife, where danger or difhonor lurks,
Safeft and feemlieft by her husband stays,

Who guards her, or with her the worst indures.
To whom the virgin majefty of Eve,

As one who loves, and fome unkindnefs meets,
With feet auftere compofure thus reply'd.

270

Offspring of Heav'n and Earth, and all Earth's Lord, That fuch an enemy we have, who feeks Our ruin, both by thee inform'd I learn, And from the parting Angel over-heard, As in a fhady nook I ftood behind,

275

Just then return'd at shut of evening flowers.

But that thou shouldft my firmnefs therefore doubt
To God or thee, because we have a foe

May tempt it, I expected not to hear.

280

His violence thou fear'ft not, being fuch
As we, not capable of death or pain,
Can either not receive, or can repel.

His fraud is then thy fear, which plain infers

285

Thy equal fear that my firm faith and love

Can by his fraud be fhaken or feduc'd;

Thoughts, which how found they harbour in thy breast, Adam, mis-thought of her to thee fo dear?

To whom with healing words Adam reply'd.

Daughter of God and Man, immortal Eve,

290

For fuch thou art, from fin and blame entire

Not

Not diffident of thee do I diffuade

Thy abfence from my fight, but to avoid

Th' attempt itself, intended by our foe.

295

For he who tempts, though' in vain, at least afperfes
The tempted with dishonor foul, fuppos'd
Not incorruptible of faith, not proof

Againft temptation: thou thyfelf with fcorn.
And anger wouldst resent the offer'd wrong,
Though ineffectual found: mifdeem not then,
If fuch affront I labor to avert

From thee alone, which on us both at once
The enemy, though bold, will hardly dare,
Or daring, first on me th' affault shall light.
Nor thou his malice and false guile contemn;
Subtle he needs must be, who could feduce
Angels; nor think fuperfluous others aid.
I from the influence of thy looks receive
Access in every virtue, in thy fight

300

305

310

More wife, more watchful, stronger, if need were

Of outward strength; while fhame, thou looking on, Shame to be overcome or over-reach'd

Would utmost vigor raise, and rais'd unite.

Why shouldst not thou like sense within thee feel 315

When I am present, and thy trial choose

With me, beft witness of thy virtue try'd?

So fpake domestic Adam in his care

And matrimonial love; but Eve, who thought

Lefs attributed to her faith fincere,

Thus her reply with accent sweet renew'd.

If this be our condition, thus to dwell

320

In narrow circuit ftraiten'd by a foe,
Subtle or violent, we not indued
Single with like defense, wherever met,
How are we happy, still in fear of harm?
But harm precedes not fin: only our foe
Tempting affronts us with his foul esteem
Of our integrity: his foul efteem

325

Sticks no difhonor on our front, but turns

330

Foul on himself; then wherefore fhunn'd or fear'd

By us? who rather double honor gain

From his furmife prov'd falfe, find peace within,

Favor from Heav'n, our witness from th' event.

335

And what is faith, love, virtue unaffay'd
Alone, without exterior help fuftain'd?
Let us not then fufpect our happy state
Left fo imperfect by the Maker wife,
As not fecure to fingle or combin'd.
Frail is our happiness, if this be fo,
And Eden were no Eden thus expos'd.

To whom thus Adam fervently reply'd.

O Woman, best are all things as the will
Of God ordain'd them; his creating hand
Nothing imperfect or deficient left

Of all that he created, much lefs Man,
Or ought that might his happy ftate fecure,
Secure from outward force; within himself
The danger lies, yet lies within his power :
Against his will he can receive no harm.
But God left free the will, for what obeys
Reafon, is free, and reafon he made right,

340

345

350

But

But bid her well be ware, and still erect,
Left by fome fair appearing good furpris'd
She dictate falfe, and misinform the will

355

To do what God exprefly hath forbid.

Not then mistrust, but tender love injoins,

That I should mind thee oft, and mind thou me.

Firm we fubfift, yet pollible to fwerve,

Since reafon not impoffibly may meet

360

Some fpecious object by the foe fuborn'd,

And fall into deception unaware,

Not keeping strictest watch, as she was warn'd.

Seek not temptation then, which to avoid

369

Were better, and most likely if from me
Thou fever not: trial will come unfought.
Wouldst thou approve thy conftancy, approve
First thy obedience; th' other who can know,
Not feeing thee attempted, who attest?
But if thou think trial unfought may find

379

Us both fecurer than thus warn'd thou feem'ft,

Go; for thy stay, not free, absents thee more;
Go in thy native innocence, rely

On what thou haft of virtue, fummon all,

For God towards thee hath done his part, do thine.
So fpake the patriarch of mankind; but Eve
Perfifted, yet fubmifs, though last, reply'd.
With thy permiffion then, and thus forewarn'd
Chiefly by what thy own last reasoning words
Touch'd only, that our trial, when least fought, 380
May find us both perhaps far less prepar'd,
The willinger I go, nor much expect

5

A foe