But thou know'st what has been warn'd us

What a malicious foe

Envies our bliss, despair'd of his,
And seeks to work us wo,

And somewhere nigh at hand, no doubt,
Watches with greedy hope
To find us separate; shy foe
Of whom the angel spake :
His harm I fear on the alone,
If far sever'd from me,
Less likely if both join'd it is
We shall assaulted be."

To whom fair Eve as one who loves
And some unkindness meets,
With sweet austere composure thus
Unto her husband speaks:
"That such an enemy we have

Who seeks us to undo,
I by thee inform'd learn

And by the angel too:

But that thou should'st my firmness doubt, Firmness to God or thee

Because we have a foe to tempt,

I never thought would be."

To whom with healing words again
Adam to her repli'd :

"Daughter of God and man, fairest

Of all his works besides,

Not jealous of thy firmness, I

Dissuade thee not to go

But to avoid th' attempt itself
Intended by our foe;

No doubt if he thee first should tempt,
Thou wouldst thyself with scorn
And anger just towards the foe
Resent the offer'd wrong;

But still thou wouldst dishonor'd be,
Tho' tempted were in vain.

And incorruptible of faith,

And free from a worse shame;
Misdeem not then, if such offence
I labor to avert

From thee; but if together both,
The foe seek to pervert,
First on me th' assult shall light,
Nor thou his guile contemn,
Nor think superfluous my aid,
Nor my advice condemn."
This said in matrimonial love,
But Eve of him who view'd
Less attributed to her faith,
Her accents sweet renew'd:
"If this our lot to dwell hedg'd in
And straighten'd by a foe
And not endur'd with like defence,
Who can be happy so,

Still in fear of hidden harm?
But harm preceds not sin:
Only our foe tempting affronts

Us with his foul esteem,
Which no dishonor sticks on us,

But turns foul on himself:

Then wherefore shun'd by us, or fear'd, This subtle, envious elf."

To whom Adam again repli'd:
"Best are all things, O thou my bride,
Made as the will of God ordain'd,
And naught imperfect can be nam'd
Of all he made, and much less man,
Nor aught him can secure, nor can
He e'er receive against his will
Harm from an outward force or ill;
The danger lies himself within,
Yet lies within his pow'r, and sin:
And unrestraiu'd in will is he,
For what obeys reason is free,
And reason God made right and fair,
But bade erect and well beware,
Lest by some fair good appearing
Surpris'd she dictate false and erring,
And misinform the will to deeds
That God expressly us forbids.
Then not mistrust, but tender love,
Love not the least gift from above,
Enjoins that oft I should mind thee,
But thou, fair Eve, oftener mind me.
Tho' firm we now subsist 'tis true,
Yet possible to swerve 'tis too;
Since reason possibly may meet
Some specious thing design'd to cheat,
And unawares fall into wrong,

Not keeping watch as she was warn'd;
Seek not temptation then abroad,
Which were bettler for thee t'avoid,
And if thou sever not from me,
Trial will come unsought of thee.

Would'st thou approve thy constancy,
Prove thy obed'ence first to me;

Who'll know how thou wilt stand the test,
None seeing thee, who can attest?
But if thou think trial may find
Us both from harm securer than
Thus warn'd thou seem'st, go, for thy stay,
Not free, absents the more away."
So spake the patr'arch to his bride;
But she persisting thus repli'd:
With thy permission then I go,
Nor much expect so proud a foe,
So bent, will first the weaker seek,
The more shall shame him his retreat.”
This said her hand from his she took,
And to the groves herself betook;
Light like a woodnimph o'er the plain;
Dryad, or one of Delia's train:
But Delia's self surpass'd in gait,
And goddess-like deport and trait.
Her long with ardent looks his sight
Pursu'd her parting with delight,
But ardent more desired her stay,
For long alone he deem'd the day:
Oft he to her his charge enjoined,
That she by noon should be return'd,
And she to him as oft repli'd
She would return at high noon.tide,
And 'mid the bow'r all things enclose
For noon repast or sweet repose:
O much deceiv'd, much failing one,
O Eve, of thy presumed return!

Thou never, never from that hour
Found'st sweet repast under thy bow'r,
Such hellish rancour imminent

In ambush lay so fully bent
To end at once thy happiness,
Or send thee back despoil'd of bliss.
For now and since first break of dawn
The fiend, mere serpent in his form,
Forthwith was come and on his guest,
Where likeliest he might find the blest;
In whom center'd the fate of all,
With him to stand or him to fall;
Not that he was the first e'er made,
Be that, or not, as Moses laid,
Was something more, aye, was ordain'd
Head of a clover seed, and nam'd
High-priest to keep one law for all,
Free of himself to stand or fall.
So christians now centre and hang
On him who died for sinful man:
And now began a devious walk,
By grove or fount both them he sought,
But wish'd he might find Eve alone,
But without hope, as seldom known,
When to his wish and more he sees
Eve separate thro, spicy trees,
Veil'd in a cloud of fragrancies
Roses and balm, and od❜rous leaves,
Which drooping, she with fost'ring hand
Gently upstays with myrtle band,
Mindless herself at this sad hour,
Though fairest unsupported flow'r,