Creation could repeat, yet would be loath
Us to abolish, left the Adversary

946

Triumph; and fay, Fickle their state whom God
Most favors; who can please him long? Me first
He ruin'd, now Mankind; whom will he next? 950
Matter of scorn, not to be giv'n 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

955

The bond of nature draw me to my own;

My own in thee, for what thou art is mine;

Our state cannot be fever'd, we are one,
One flesh; to lofe thee were to lose myself.

So Adam, and thus Eve to him reply'd.
O glorious trial of exceeding love,
Illuftrious evidence, example high!
Engaging me to emulate; but short

Of thy perfection, how shall I attain,

960

Adam? from whofe dear fide I boast me sprung, 965 And gladly of our union hear thee speak,

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 feperate us, link'd in love so dear,

To undergo with me one guilt, one crime,

If any be, of tafting this fair fruit;

Whose virtue (for of good still good proceeds,

970

Direct, or by occafion) hath presented

This happy trial of thy love, which else
So eminently never had been known.

975

Were it I thought death menac'd would enfue
This my attempt, I would sustain alone,

The worst, and not persuade thee, rather die
Deserted, than oblige thee with a fact
Pernicious to thy peace; chiefly assur'd
Remarkably so late of thy so true,

So faithful love unequal'd; but I feel

Far otherwise th'event, not death, but life

980

Augmented, open'd eyes, new hopes, new joys, 985 Tafte fo divine, that what of sweet before

Hath touch'd my sense, flat feems to this, and harsh. On my experience, Adam, freely tafte,

And fear of death deliver to the winds.

So faying, fhe embrac'd him, and for joy
Tenderly wept, much won that he his love.
Had fo ennobled, as of choice to incur
Divine displeasure for her fake, or death.
In recompense (for fuch compliance bad
Such recompense best merits) from the bough
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;

990

995

1000

Sky

Sky lour'd, and muttering thunder, some sad drops
Wept at completing of the mortal sin

Original; while Adam took no thought,
Eating his fill, nor Eve to iterate

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

As with new wine intoxicated both,

1005

They swim in mirth, and fancy that they feel

ΙΟΙΟ

Divinity within them breeding wings

Wherewith to. fcorn the earth: but that false fruit

Far other operation first display'd,

Carnal desire 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 tafte,
And elegant, of sapience no small part,
Since to each meaning favor we apply,
And palate call judicious; I the praise
Yield thee, fo well this day thou hast purvey'd.
Much pleasure we have loft, while we abftain'd
From this delightful fruit, nor known till now
True relish, tasting; if such pleasure be
In things to us forbidd'n, it might be wifh'd,
For this one tree had been forbidden ten.
But come, fo well refresh'd, now let us play,
As meet is, after fuch delicious fare;

For never did thy beauty fince the day

1015

1020

1025

I saw thee firft and wedded thee, adorn'd

1030

With all perfections, fo inflame my fenfe

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

1035

Of Eve, whofe eye darted contagious fire.

Her hand he feis'd, and to a fhady bank,

Thick overhead with verdant roof imbowr'd,

He led her nothing loath; flow'rs were the couch, Panfies, and violets, and asphodel,

And hyacinth, earth's freshest softest lap.

There they their fill of love and love's disport

1040

Took largely, of their mutual guilt the seal,
The folace of their fin, till dewy fleep

Opprefs'd them, wearied with their amorous play.
Soon as the force of that fallacious fruit,
That with exhilerating vapor bland

1046

About their spi rits had play'd, and inmoft powers
Made err, was now exhal'd; and groffer fleep
Bred of unkindly fumes, with confcious dreams 1050
Incumber'd, now had left them; up they rose
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

Had shadow'd them from knowing ill, was gone, 1055 Juft confidence, and native righteousness,

And honor from about them, naked left

Το

To guilty shame; he cover'd, but his robe
Uncover'd more. So rose the Danite ftrong,
Herculean Samfon, from the harlot-lap
Of Philiftéan Dalilah, and wak'd

Shorn of his ftrength, They destitute and bare
Of all their virtue: filent, and in face

Confounded long they fat, as ftrucken mute;

1060

Till Adam, though not less than Eve abash'd, 1065
At length gave utterance to these words constrain’d.
O Eve, in evil hour thou didst give ear
To that falle worm, of whomfoever taught
To counterfeit Man's voice, true in our fall,
False in our promis'd rifing; since our eyes
Open'd we find indeed, and find we know
Both good and evil, 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,

1070

1075

Our wonted ornaments, now foil'd and ftain'd,

And in our faces evident the signs

Of foul concupiscence; whence evil store;
Ev'n fhame, the laft of evils; of the firft

Be sure then. How fhall I behold the face

1080

Henceforth of God or Angel, erft with joy

And rapture fo oft beheld? those heav'nly shapes Will dazle now this earthly with their blaze

Insufferably bright. O might I here

In folitude live favage, in fome glade

1085 Obfcur'd,