So awful, that with honor thou may't love Thy mate, who fees when thou art feen leaft wife. But if the fenfe of touch whereby mankind Is propagated feem fuch dear delight Beyond all other, think the fame vouchfal'd To cattel and each beaft; which would not be To them made common and divulg'd, if ought Therein enjoy'd were worthy to fubdue The foul of man, or paffion in him move. What high'er in her fociety thou find'st Attractive, human, rational, love ftill; In loving thou doft well, in paffion not, Wherein true love confifts not; love refines The thoughts, and heart inlarges, hath his feat In rea'fon, and is judicious, is the feale By which to heav'nly love thou may'st ascend, Not funk in carnal pleature, for which cause Among the beafs no mate for thee was found. To whom thus half abafh'd Adam reply'd. 595 Neither her outfide form'd fo fair, nor ought In procreation common to all kinds (Though higher of the genial bed by far, And with myfterious reverence I deum) So much delights me, as thofe graceful acts, Thofe thoufand decencies that daily flow From all her words and actions nix'd with love And fweet eompliance, which declare unfeign'd Union of mind, or in us both one foul; Harmony to behold in wedded pair
Bear with me then, if lawful what I afk; Love not the heav'nly Spirits, and how their love Express they, by looks only', or do they mix 616 Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?
To whom the Angel with a fmile that glow'd Celestial rofy red, love's proper hue, Anfwer'd. Let it fuffice thee that thou know' Us happy', and without love no happiness. 621 Whatever pure thou in the body' enjoy't (And pure thou wert created) we enjoy In eminence, and obftacle find none Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclusive bars; 625 Eafier than air with air, if Spirits embrace, Total they mix, union of pure with pare Defiring; nor reftrain'd conveyance need As flesh to mix with flesh, or foul with fool But I can now no more; the parting fun 630 Beyond the earth's green Cape and verdant lles Hefperian fets, my fignal to depart. Be ftrong, live happy', and love, but first of all Him whom to love is to obey, and keep 634 His great command; take heed leit passion fway Thy judgment to do ought, which elfe free will Would not admit; thine and of all thy fons, The weal or woc in thee is plac'd; beware. I in thy perfevering fhall rejoice, And all the Bleft: ftand faft; to ftand or fall 640 Free in thy own arbitrement it lies. Perfect within, no outward aid require; And all temptation to tranfgrefs repel.
So faying, he arofe; whom Adam thus Follow'd with benediction. Since to part, Go heav'nly Gueft, ethereal Meffenger, Sent from whofe fovran goodness I adore. Gentle to me and affable hath been Thy condefcenfion, and fhall be' honor'd ever With grateful memory: thou to mankind Be good and friendly itill, and oft return.
So parted they, the Angel up to Heaven From the thick fhade, and Adam to his bower.
THE END OF THE EIGHTH BOOK.
Satan having compass'd the Earth, with meditated guile returns as a mift by night into Paradife, enters into the Serpent sleeping. Adam and Eve in the morning go forth to their labors, which Eve propofes to divide in feveral places, each laboring apart: Adam confents not, alledging the danger, left that enemy, of whom they were forewarn'd, fhould attempt her found alone: Eve, loath to be thought not circumfpect, or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather defirous to make trial of her strength; Adam at latt yields: The Serpent finds her alone; his fubtle approach, first gazing, then speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above allother creatures. Eve wondering to hear the Serpent speak, afks how he attain'd to human speech and such understanding not till now; the Serpent answers, that by tafting of a certain tree in the garden he attain'd both to speech and reafon, till then void of both: Eve requires him to bring her to that tree, and finds it to be the tree of knowledge forbidden: The Serpent now grown bolder, with many wiles and arguments induces her at length to eat: fhe pleas'd with the tafte deliberates a while whether to impart thereof to Adam or not, at laft brings him of the fruit, relates what perfuaded her to cat thereof: Adam at first àmaz'd, but perceiving her loft, refolves through vehemence of love to perish with her; and extenuating the trefpafs eats alfo of the fruit: The effects thereof in them both; they seek to cover their nakedness; then fall to variance and accufation of one another.
To fit indulgent, and with him partake Rural repaft, permitting him the while Venial difcourfe unblam'd: I now must change s Thofe notes to tragic; foul distrust, and breach Difloyal on the part of Man, revolt, And difobedience: on the part of Heaven Now alienated, diftance and distaste,
Anger and just rebuke, and judgment given, 10 That brought into this world a world of woe, Sin and her fhadow Death, and Mifery Death's harbinger: sad task, yet arguiment Not lefs but more heroic than the wrath Of fierce Achilles on his foe purfu'd Thrice fugitive about Troy wall; or rage Of Turnus for Lavinia difefpous'd, Or Neptune's ire or Juno's, that fo leng Perplex'd the Greek and Cytherea's fon; If anfwerable ftile I can obtain
On Man's deftruction, maugre what might hap Of heavier on himself, fearless return'd. By night he fled, and at midnight return'd From compaffing the carth, cautious of day, Since Uriel regent of the fun defery'd His entrance, and forewarn'd the Cherubim That kept their watch; thence full of anguifh driven, The fpace of fev'n continued nights he rode With darkness, thrice the equinoctial line He circled, four times crofs'd the car of night 65 From pole to pole, travérfing each colure; On th' eighth return'd, and on the coaft averfe From entrance or Cherubic watch, by stealth Found unfufpected way. There was a place, Now not, though sin, not time, first wrought the change,
Where Tigris at the foot of Paradife Into a guli fhot under ground, till part Rofe up a fountain by the tree of life;
In with the river funk, and with it rofe
Satan involv'd-in rising mist, then fought Where to lie hid; fea he had fearch'd and land From Eden over Poutus, and the pool Mæotis, up beyond the river Ob; Downward as far antarctic; and in length Weft from Orontes to the ocean barr'd At Darien, thence to the land where flows Ganges and Indus: thus the orb he roam'd With narrow search, and with inspection deep Confider'd every creature, which of all Mot opportune might ferve his wiles, and found The Serpent fubtieft beaft of all the field.
Light above light, for thee alone, as feems, 105 In thee concentring all their precious beams Of facred influence! As God in Heaven Is center, yet extends to all, fo thou Centring receiv'ft from all thofe orbs; in thee, Not in themselves, all their known virtue' appears Produ&ive in herb, plant, and nobler birth III Of creatures animate with gradual life
Of growth, fenfe, reafon, all fumm'd up in Man. With what delight could I have walk'd thee round, If I could joy ir ought, fweet interchange Of hill, and valley, rivers, woods, and plains, Now land, now fea, and fhores with forest
But neither here feek I, no nor in Heaven To dwell, unless by maft'ring Heav'n's Supreme; Nor hope to be myfelf lefs miferable By what I feek, but others to make fuch As I, though thereby worse to me redound: For only in deftroying I find cafe
To my relentless thoughts; and him deftroy'd, 130 Or won to what may work his utter lofs, For whom all this was made, all this will foon Follow, as to him link'd in weal or woe; In woe then; that deftruction wide may range: To me fhall be the glory fole among 135 Th' infernal Pow'rs, in one day to have marr'd What he Almighty flil'd, fix days and nights Continued making, and who knows how long Before had been contriving, though perhaps Not longer than fince I in one night freed From fervitude inglorious well nigh half Th' angelic name, and thinner left the throng Of his adorers: he to be aveng'd,
And to repair his numbers thus impair'd, Whether fuch virtue spent of old now fail'd 145 More Angels to create, if they at least Are his created, or to spite us more, Determin'd to advance into our room
Him after long debate, irrefolute
Of thoughts revolv'd, his final fentence chofe
With heavily fpois, our fpoils: What he decreed He' effected; Mau he made, and for him built Magnificent this world, and earth his feat, Him lord pronounc'd, and, O indignity! Subjected to his fervice Angel wings, And flaming minifters to watch and tend Their earthly charge: Of thefe the vigilance I dread, and to elude, thus wrapt in mift Of midnight vapor glide obfcure, and pry In every bush and brake, where hap may find 160 The ferpent fleeping, in whofe mazy folds To hide me, and the dark intent I bring. O foul defcent! that I who erat contended With Gous to fit the high'efl, am now constrain'd Into a beaft, and mix'd with beftial flime, This effence to incarnate and imbrute, That to the highth of Deity afpir'd;
Nor nocent yet, but on the graffy herb Fearless unfear'd he flept: in at his mouth The Devil enter'd, and his brutal fenfe, In heart or head, poffefling foon infpir'd With act intelligential; but his fleep Disturb'd not, waiting close th' approach of morn.
: Now when as facred light began to dawn
In Eden on the humid flow'rs, that breath'd Their morning incenfe, when all things that breathe,
From th' earth's great altar fend up filent praise To the Creator, and his noftrils fill 196 With grateful fmell, forth came the human pair, And join'd their vocal worship to the quire Of creatures wanting voice; that done, partake The feafon, prime for sweetest scents and airs: Then commune how that day they belt may ply Their growing work: for much their work outgrew
The hands difpatch of two gard'ning fo wide, And Eve first to her hufband thus began. Adam, well may we labor still to dress
This garden, ftill to tend plant, herb, and flower, Our pleasant task injoin'd, but till more hands Aid us, the work under our labor grows Luxurious by reftraint; what we by day Lop overgrown, or prune, or prop, or bind, 210 One night or two with wanton growth derides Tending to wild. Thou therefore now advife, Or bear what to my mind first thoughts prefent; Let us divide our labors, thou where choice Leads thee, or where most needs, whether to wind The woodbine round this arbor, or direct 216 The clafping ivy where to climb, while I In yonder fpring of rofes intermix'd With myrtle, find what to redrefs till noon : For while fo near each other thus all day Our task we choofe, what wonder if fo near Looks intervene and fmiles, or object new Cafuel difcourfe draw on, which intermits Our day's work brought to little, though begun Early, and th' hour of fupper comes unearn'd. 225 To whom mild anfwer Adam thus return'd. Sole Eve, affociate fole, to me beyond Compare above all living creatures dear, Well haft thou motion'd, well thy thoughts employ'd
How we might best fulfil the work which here 230 God hath allign'd us, nor of me fhalt pafs Unprais'd for nothing lovelier can be found In woman, than to study houfhold good, And good works in her husband to promote. Yet not fo ftrictly 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 intercourfe Of looks and fmiles, for fmiles from reafon flow, To brute deny'd, and are of love the food, 240 Love not the lowest end of human life.
For not to irksome toil, but to delight He made us, and delight to reafon join'd. Thefe paths and bow'rs doubt not but our joint
Will keep from wilderness with ease, as wide 245 As we need walk, till younger hands ere long Affift us: but if much converfe perhaps Thee fatiate, to fhort abfence I could yield: For folitude fometimes is beft fociety, And fhort retirement urges fweet return. But other doubt poffeffes me, left harm Befall thee fever'd from me; for thou know'ft What hath been warn'd us, what malicious toe Envying our happiness, and of his own Despairing, feeks to work us woe and fhame 255 By fly affault; and fomewhere nigh at hand Watches, no doubt, with greedy hope to find His wifh and beft advantage, us afunder, Hopeless to circumvent us join'd, where each To other speedy aid might lend at need; Whether his firit defign be to withdraw Our feälty from God, or to disturb Conjugal love, than which perhaps no blifs Enjoy'd by us excites his envy more;
Or this, or worse, leave not the faithful fide 265 That gave thee be'ing, ftill fhades thee and
Daughter of God and Man, immortal Eve, For fuch thou art, from fin and blame entire : Not diffident of thee do I diffuade Thy abfence from my fight, but to avoid 'Th' attempt itfelf, intended by our foe.
For he who tempts, though' in vain, at least alperfes
The tempted with difhonor foul, fuppos'd Not incorruptible of faith, not proof Against temptation: thou thyfelf with fearn
And anger wouldst resent the offer'd wrong, 300 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. 305 Nor thou his malice and falfe guile contemn; Subtle he needs muft be, who could feduce Angels; nor think fuperfluous others aid. 1 from the influence of thy looks receive Accefs in every virtue, in thy fight More wife, more watchful, ftronger, if need were Of outward firength; while fhame, thou looking
Sticks no difhonor on our front; but turns Foul on himfelf; then wherefore fhunn'd or fear d By us? who rather double honor gain From his furmise prov'd falfe, find peace within, Favor from Heav'n, our witness, from th' event. And what is faith, love, virtue, unaffay'd Alone, without exterior help fuftain'd? Let us not then fufpect our happy ftate Left fo imperfect by the Maker wife, As not fecure to fingie or combin’d. Frail is our happinefs, if this be fo, And Eden were no Eden thus expos'd.
To whom thus Adam fervently reply'd. O Woman, beft 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 state secure, Secure from outward force; within himfelf The danger lies, yet lies within his power: Against his will he can receive no harm. Bet God left free the will, for what obeys Reafon, is free, and reafon he made right, But bid her well be ware, and ftill erect,
Left by fome fair appearing good furpris'd She dictate falfe, and mifinform the will To do what God exprefly hath forbid. Not then miftruft, but tender love injoins, That I fhould mind thee oft, and mind thou me. Firm we fubfift, yet poffible to fwerve, Since reafon not impoffibly may meet Some fpecious object by the foe fuborn'd, And fall into deception unaware,
Not keeping strictest watch, as fhe was warn'd. Seek not temptation then, which to avoid Were better, and most likely if from me Thou fever not: trial will come unfought. Would 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 370 Us both fecurer than thus warn'd thou feem'û, 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 Perfifting, yet fubmifs, though lait, reply'd.
With thy permiflion then, and thus forewarn'd Chiefly by what thy own laft reasoning words Touch'd only, that our trial, when leaft fought, May find us both perhaps far lefs prepar'd, 381 The willinger I go, nor much expect
A foe fo proud will firft the weaker seek; So bent, the more fhall fhame him his repulfe.
Thus faying, from her husband's hand her hand Soft fhe withdrew, and like a Wood-Nymph light, Oread or Dryad, or of Delia's train, Betook her to the groves, but Delia's felf In gait furpafs'd, and Goddess-like deport, Though not as the with bow and quiver arm'd, But with fuch gard'ning tools as art yet rude, 391 Guiltlefs of fire, had form'd, or Angels brought. To Pales, or Pomona, thus adorn'd, Likeft the feem'd, Pomona when she fled Vertumnus, or to Ceres in her prime, Yet virgin of Proferpina from Jove. Her long with ardent look his eye pursued Delighted, but defiring more her stay. Oft he to her his charge of quick return Repeated, the to him as oft engag'd To be return'd by noon amid the bower, And all things in beft order to invite Noontide repaft, or afternoon's repose. O much deceiv'd, much failing, hapless Eve, Of thy prefum'd return. event perverfe! Thou never from that hour in Paradife Found it either fweet repaft, or found repofe; Such ambush hid among fweet flow'rs and fhades Waited with hellish rancor imminent To intercept thy way, or fend thee back Defpoil'd of innocence, of faith, of blifs. For now, and fince first break of dawn the Fiend, Mere ferpent in appearance, forth was come, And on his qucft, where likelieft he might End The only two of mankind, but in them The whole included race, his purpos'd prey. In bow'r and field he fought, where any tuft Of grove or garden-plot more pleasant lay,
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