Harmony to behold in wedded pair More grateful than harmonious sound to th' ear. 605 610 Love not the heav'nly spi'rits, and how their love 615 Express they, by looks only', or do they mix Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?" To whom the angel, with a smile that glow'd Answer'd. "Let it suffice thee that thou know'st 620 Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclusive bars; Be strong, live happy', and love! but, first of all, 625 630 His great command; take heed lest passion away 635 And all the blest: stand fast; to stand or fall 640 So saying, he arose; whom Adam thus So parted they; the angel up to Heav'n 645 650 THE END OF THE EIGHTH BOOK. THE ARGUMENT. Satan, having compassed the Earth, with meditated guile returns, as a mist, by night, into Paradise; enters into the serpent sleeping. Adam and Eve in the morning go forth to their labours, which Eve proposes to divide in several places, each labouring apart: Adam consents not, alleging the danger, lest that enemy, of whom they were forewarned, should attempt her found alone: Eve, loth to be thought not circumspect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather desirous to make trial of her strength; Adam at last yields: the serpent finds her alone; his subtle approach, first gazing, then speaking; with much flattery extolling Eve above all other creatures. Eve, wondering to hear the serpent speak, asks how he attained to human speech and such understanding not till now; the serpent answers, that by tasting of a certain tree in the garden he attained both to speech and reason, 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; she, pleased with the taste, deli berates awhile whether to impart thereof to Adam or not; at last brings him of the fruit, relates what persuaded her to eat thereof: Adam, at first amazed, but perceiving her lost, resolves, through vehemence of love, to perish with her; and, extenuating the trespass, eats also of the fruit: the effects thereof in them both; they seek to cover their nakedness; then fall to variance and accusation of one another. PARADISE LOST. BOOK IX. NO more of talk, where God or angel guest Venial discourse unblam'd: I now must change 5 Those notes to tragic; foul distrust, and breach And disobedience; on the part of Heav'n, Anger and just rebuke, and judgment given, 10 15 20 Pleas'd me, long choosing, and beginning late; Not sedulous by nature to indite Wars, hitherto the only argument |