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But first low reverence done,1 as to the Power
That dwelt within, whose presence had infused
Into the plant sciential sap, derived

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From nectar, drink of Gods. Adam the while,
Waiting desirous her return, had wove
Of choicest flowers a garland, to adorn
Her tresses, and her rural labours crown;

As reapers oft are wont their harvest queen.

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Great joy he promised to his thoughts, and new
Solace in her return, so long delayed.
Yet oft his heart, divine of something ill,3
Misgave him; he the faltering measure felt ;3
And forth to meet her went, the way she took
That morn when first they parted: by the tree
Of knowledge he must pass; there he her met,
Scarce from the tree returning; in her hand
A bough of fairest fruit, that downy smiled,
New gathered, and ambrosial smell diffused.
To him she hasted: in her face excuse

Came prologue, and apology too prompt;

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Which, with bland words at will, she thus addressed : 855 "Hast thou not wondered, Adam, at my stay?

"Thee I have missed, and thought it long, deprived

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"Not felt-nor shall be twice; for never more

"Mean I to try, what rash untried I sought,

"The pain of absence from thy sight. But strange
"Hath been the cause, and wonderful to hear:
"This tree is not, as we are told, a tree

"Of danger tasted, nor to evil unknown

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1 But first low reverence done,—this first sign of idolatry is well imagined as an immediate consequence of the fall.

2 Divine of something ill,-in the Latin sense of foreboding.

3 Yet oft his heart...misgave him; he the faltering measure felt;-his heart beat irregularly, as is usual under agitation of mind: he was conscious of this, and feeling uneasy, went forth to meet her.

Came prologue,- as a prologue is delivered before the commencement of a play, so the expression of Eve's face prepared Adam for the speech that was to follow, and seemed to plead excuse before she spoke.

5 Cf danger tasted,-i. e. is not a tree of danger when tasted.

"Opening the way; but of divine effect

"To open eyes, and make them Gods who taste;

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"And hath been tasted such: the serpent, wise,
"Or not restrained as we, or not obeying,
"Hath eaten of the fruit; and is become,

"Not dead, as we are threatened, but thenceforth "Endued with human voice, and human sense;

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Reasoning to admiration! and with me "Persuasively hath so prevailed, that I "Have also tasted, and have also found "The effects to correspond-opener mine eyes, "Dim erst-dilated spirits-ampler heart"And growing up to godhead; which for thee

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Chiefly I sought, without thee can despise. "For bliss, as thou hast part, to me is bliss ; "Tedious, unshared with thee, and odious soon. "Thou therefore also taste, that equal lot

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May join us-equal joy, as equal love;

"Lest, thou not tasting, different degree
"Disjoin us, and I then too late renounce
"Deity for thee, when fate will not permit."

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Thus Eve, with countenance blithe, her story told;

But in her cheek distemper flushing glowed.1

On the other side, Adam, soon as he heard
The fatal trespass done by Eve, amazed,

Astonied stood and blank! while horror chill
Ran through his veins, and all his joints relaxed;"
From his slack hand the garland wreathed for Eve
Down dropt, and all the faded roses shed:
Speechless he stood and pale; till thus, at length,
First to himself he inward silence broke:

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"O fairest of creation! last and best "Of all God's works! creature in whom excelled "Whatever can, to sight or thought, be formed

1 But in her cheek distemper flushing glowed.—See line 793, where Eve is already described as if "heightened with wine."

2 These lines should be read slowly, and with several pauses, in order to give full effect to the picture of Adam's astonishment and horror.

"Holy, divine, good, amiable, or sweet!

"How art thou lost! how on a sudden lost,
"Defaced, deflowered, and now to death devote !1
"Rather, how hast thou yielded to transgress
"The strict forbiddance, how to violate
"The sacred fruit forbidden! Some cursed fraud
"Of enemy hath beguiled thee, yet unknown,
"And me with thee hath ruined; for with thee
"Certain my resolution is to die.

"How can I live without thee-how forego

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66 Thy sweet convérse, and love so dearly joined,3
"To live again in these wild woods3 forlorn?
"Should God create another Eve, and I

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"Another rib afford, yet loss of thee

"Would never from my heart:4 no, no! I feel "The link of nature draw me: flesh of flesh,

"Bone of my bone, thou art; and from thy state "Mine never shall be parted, bliss or woe!"

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So having said, as one from sad dismay Recomforted, and, after thoughts disturbed, Submitting to what seemed remediless,

Thus in calm mood his words to Eve he turned:5

"Bold deed thou hast presumed, adventurous Eve! "And peril great provoked, who thus hast dared, "Had it been only coveting to eye

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"That sacred fruit-sacred to abstinence;

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1 Defaced, deflowered, and now to death devote!-a good example of alliteration; in which, however, Milton rarely indulges.

2 Thy sweet convérse, and love so dearly joined,—i. e. sweet convérse, and love of thee so dearly joined.

3 In these wild woods,—the very thought of separation from Eve casts a gloom on the glories of Paradise, and makes Adam speak of Eden as a wilderness.

4 Would never from my heart,—would never cease to burden my heart. 5 It has been observed, this line cannot be pronounced but as it ought,slowly-gravely.

Had it been only coveting to eye, &c.-It was a great peril only to eye the fruit (even though only coveting it, or longing for it, without intending to go farther); much greater peril was it to dare. to taste it, since they were under a ban to touch it: ban,—strict prohibition, enforced by a curse in case of disobedience.

"Much more to taste it, under ban to touch.
"But past who can recall, or done undo?
"Not God omnipotent, not fate: yet so
"Perhaps thou shalt not die;1 perhaps the fact
"Is not so heinous now,-foretasted fruit,-
"Profaned first by the serpent,-by him first
"Made common, and unhallowed, ere our taste:
"Nor yet on him found deadly; he yet lives;
"Lives, as thou saidst, and gains to live, as Man,
66 Higher degree of life: inducement strong
"To us, as likely, tasting, to attain

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Proportional ascent; which cannot be

"But to be Gods, or Angels-Demigods.
"Nor can I think that God, Creator wise,
"Though threatening, will in earnest so destroy
"Us his prime creatures, dignified so high,
"Set over all his works; which, in our fall,
"For us created, needs with us must fail,
"Dependant made; so God shall uncreate-
"Be frustrate-do-undo, and labour lose;

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"Not well conceived of God, who, though his power 945 "Creation could repeat, yet would be loth

"Us to abolish, lest the adversary

"Triumph, and say, 'Fickle their state, whom God "Most favours! who can please him long? Me first "He ruined, now mankind; whom will he next?'- 950 "Matter of scorn, not to be given the foe. “ However, I with thee have fixed my lot, "Certain to undergo like doom: if death "Consort 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 state cannot be severed; we are one"One flesh; to lose thee were to lose myself."

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1 Perhaps thou shalt not die;-Adam had just before condemned Eve, but wishing to find her innocent, his reasonings are warped by his inclinations.

So Adam; and thus Eve to him replied: "O glorious trial of exceeding love, "Illustrious evidence, example high! "Engaging me to emulate; but, short

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"Of thy perfection, how shall I attain,

"Adam? from whose dear side I boast me sprung, "And gladly of our union hear thee speak,

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"One heart, one soul in both; whereof good proof "This day affords, declaring thee resolved,

"Rather than death, or aught than death more dread, "Shall separate us linked in love so dear,

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"To undergo with me one guilt, one crime, "If any be, of tasting this fair fruit;

"Whose virtue (for of good still good proceeds,

"Direct, or by occasion) hath presented

"This happy trial of thy love, which else

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"So eminently never had been known.

"Were it I thought death menaced would ensue "This my attempt, I would sustain alone

"The worst, and not persuade thee-rather die
"Deserted, than oblige thee with a fact
"Pernicious1 to thy peace: chiefly, assured
"Remarkably so late of thy so true,

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"So faithful, love unequalled: but I feel

"Far otherwise the event; not death, but life

“Augmented—opened eyes—new hopes—new joys— 985

"Taste so divine, that what of sweet before

"Hath touched my sense, flat seems to this, and harsh.

"On my experience, Adam, freely taste, "And fear of death deliver to the winds."

So saying, she embraced him, and for joy Tenderly wept; much won, that he his love Had so ennobled, as of choice to incur Divine displeasure for her sake, or death. In recompense, (for such compliance bad

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Such recompense best merits,) from the bough

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1 Oblige thee with a fact pernicious,—bind thee, or render thee obnoxious

to punishment,-by permitting thee to share my crime.

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