Page images
PDF
EPUB

On what thou haft of vertue, fummon all,
For God towards thee hath done his part, do thine.

So fpake the Patriarch of Mankinde, but Eve Perfifted, yet fubmifs, though laft, repli'd.

With thy permiffion then, and thus forewarnd Chiefly by what thy own last reasoning words Touchd onely, that our trial, when leaft fought, May finde us both perhaps farr less prepar'd, 381 The willinger I goe, nor much expect

A Foe fo proud will first the weaker seek;
So bent, the more shall shame him his repulse.
Thus faying, from her Husbands hand her hand
Soft she withdrew, and like a Wood-Nymph light
Oread or Dryad, or of Delia's Traine,

389

Betook her to the Groves, but Delia's felf
In gate surpass'd and Goddess-like deport,
Though not as fhee with Bow and Quiver armd,
But with fuch Gardning Tools as Art yet rude,
Guiltless of fire had formd, or Angels brought.
To Pales, or Pomona, thus adornd,
Likeft she seemd, Pomona when she fled
Vertumnus, or to Ceres in her Prime,
Yet Virgin of Proferpina from Jove.
Her long with ardent look his Eye purfu'd
Delighted, but defiring more her stay.
Oft he to her his charge of quick returne
Repeated, fhee to him as oft engag'd
To be returnd by Noon amid the Bowre,
And all things in best order to invite
Noontide repaft, or Afternoons repofe.
O much deceav'd, much failing, hapless Eve,
Of thy prefum'd return! event perverse !

400

Thou never from that houre in Paradife

Foundft either sweet repaft, or found repofe; Such ambush hid among fweet Flours and Shades Waited with hellish rancor imminent

410

To intercept thy way, or fend thee back
Defpoild of Innocence, of Faith, of Bliss.
For now, and fince first break of dawne the Fiend,
Meer Serpent in appearance, forth was come,
And on his Quest, where likelieft he might finde
The onely two of Mankinde, but in them
The whole included Race, his purpofd prey.
In Bowre and Field he fought, where any tuft
Of Grove or Garden-Plot more pleasant lay,
Thir tendance or Plantation for delight,
By Fountain or by fhadie Rivulet

420

He fought them both, but wish'd his hap might find
Eve feparate, he wish'd, but not with hope
Of what fo feldom chanc'd, when to his wish,
Beyond his hope, Eve separate he spies,

Veild in a Cloud of Fragrance, where she stood,
Half spi'd, so thick the Roses bushing round
About her glowd, oft stooping to support

Each Flour of flender stalk, whofe head though gay
Carnation, Purple, Azure, or spect with Gold,
Hung drooping unsustaind, them she upstaies 430
Gently with Mirtle band, mindless the while,
Her felf, though fairest unfupported Flour,
From her best prop so farr, and storm so nigh.
Neerer he drew, and many a walk travers'd
Of statelieft Covert, Cedar, Pine, or Palme,
Then voluble and bold, now hid, now seen
Among thick-wov'n Arborets and Flours

Imborderd on each Bank, the hand of Eve:
Spot more delicious then those Gardens feign'd
Or of reviv'd Adonis, or renownd
Alcinous, hoft of old Laertes Son,

440

Or that, not Myftic, where the Sapient King
Held dalliance with his faire Egyptian Spouse.
Much hee the Place admir'd, the Perfon more.
As one who long in populous City pent,
Where Houses thick and Sewers annoy the Aire,
Forth iffuing on a Summers Morn to breathe
Among the pleasant Villages and Farmes
Adjoynd, from each thing met conceaves delight,
The smell of Grain, or tedded Grafs, or Kine, 450
Or Dairie, each rural fight, each rural found;
If chance with Nymphlike step fair Virgin pass,
What pleasing seemd, for her now pleases more,
She most, and in her look fumms all Delight.
Such Pleasure took the Serpent to behold
This Flourie Plat, the sweet recess of Eve
Thus earlie, thus alone; her Heav'nly forme
Angelic, but more foft, and Feminine,

Her graceful Innocence, her

every Aire

Of gefture or left action overawd

His Malice, and with rapine sweet bereav'd
His fierceness of the fierce intent it brought:
That space the Evil one abstracted stood
From his own evil, and for the time remaind
Stupidly good, of enmitie difarm'd,

Of guile, of hate, of envie, of revenge;

But the hot Hell that alwayes in him burnes, Though in mid Heav'n, foon ended his delight, And tortures him now more, the more he fees

460

Of pleasure not for him ordain'd: then foon
Fierce hate he recollects, and all his thoughts
Of mischief, gratulating, thus excites.

1

470

480

Thoughts, whither have ye led me, with what Compulfion thus transported to forget [sweet What hither brought us, hate, not love, nor hope Of Paradise for Hell, hope here to taste Of pleasure, but all pleasure to destroy, Save what is in deftroying, other joy To me is loft. Then let me not let pass Occafion which now fmiles, behold alone The Woman, opportune to all attempts, Her Husband, for I view far round, not nigh, Whose higher intellectual more I shun, And strength, of courage hautie, and of limb Heroic built, though of terrestrial mould, Foe not informidable, exempt from wound, I not; fo much hath Hell debas'd, and paine Infeebl❜d me, to what I was in Heav'n. Shee fair, divinely fair, fit Love for Gods, Not terrible, though terrour be in Love And beautie, not approacht by stronger hate, Hate stronger, under fhew of Love well feign'd, The way which to her ruin now I tend.

So fpake the Enemie of Mankind, enclos'd In Serpent, Inmate bad, and toward Eve Addrefs'd his way, not with indented wave, Prone on the ground, as fince, but on his reare, Circular base of rifing foulds, that tour'd Fould above fould a furging Maze, his Head Crested aloft, and Carbuncle his Eyes; With burnifht Neck of verdant Gold, erect

490

500

511

Amidst his circling Spires, that on the grass
Floted redundant: pleafing was his shape,
And lovely, never fince of Serpent kind
Lovelier, not those that in Illyria chang'd
Hermione and Cadmus, or the God
In Epidaurus; nor to which transformd
Ammonian Jove, or Capitoline was seen,
Hee with Olympias, this with her who bore
Scipio the highth of Rome. With tract oblique
At first, as one who fought access, but feard
To interrupt, fide-long he works his way.
As when a Ship by skilful Stearsman wrought
Nigh Rivers mouth or Foreland, where the Wind
Veres oft, as oft so steers, and shifts her Saile;
So varied hee, and of his tortuous Traine
Curld many a wanton wreath in fight of Eve,
To lure her Eye; shee bufied heard the found
Of rufling Leaves, but minded not, as us'd
To such disport before her through the Field, 520
From every Beast, more duteous at her call,
Then at Circean call the Herd disguis'd.
Hee boulder now, uncall'd before her stood;
But as in gaze admiring: Oft he bowd
His turret Creft, and fleek enamel'd Neck,
Fawning, and lick'd the ground whereon she trod.
His gentle dumb expreffion turnd at length
The Eye of Eve to mark his play; he glad
Of her attention gaind, with Serpent Tongue
Organic, or impulse of vocal Air,

His fraudulent temptation thus began.

Wonder not, fovran Mistress, if perhaps

530

Thou canft, who art fole Wonder, much less arm

« PreviousContinue »