But if the fenfe of touch whereby mankind
Is propagated feem fuch dear delight.
Beyond all other, think the fame vouchfaf'd
To cattle 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 590
In rea❜fon, and is judicious, is the fcale
By which to heav'nly love thou may'st ascend,
Not funk in carnal pleasure, for which caufe
Among the beafts no mate for thee was found.
To whom thus half abash'd Adam reply'd.
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 Ideem)
So much delights me, as thofe graceful acts,
Thofe thousand decencies that daily flow
From all her words and actions mix'd with love
And fweet compliance, which declare unfeign'd
Union of mind, or in us both one foul;
Harmony to behold in wedded pair
More grateful than harmonious found to th'ear.
Yet thefe fubject not; I to thee difclofe
What inward thence I feel, not therefore foil'd,
Who meet with various objects, from the fenfe
Variously reprefenting; yet ftill free
Approve the beft, and follow what I approve.
To love thou blam'ft me not, for love thou fay'ft
Leads up to Heav'n, is both the way and guide;
Bear with me then, if lawful what I afk;
Love not the heav'nly Spirits, and how their love 615 Exprefs they, by looks only', or do they mix Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?
To whom the Angel with a file that glow'd Celestial rofy red, love's proper hue,
Anfwer'd. Let it fuffice thee that thou know'ft 620
Us happy', and without love no happiness.
Whatever pure thou in the body' enjoy'st
(And pure thou wert created) we enjoy
In eminence, and obftacle find none
Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclufive bars;
Eafier than air with air, if Spirits embrace,
Total they mix, union of pure with pure
Defiring; nor reftrain'd conveyance need
As flesh to mix with flesh, or foul with soul.
But I can now no more; the parting fun
Beyond the earth's green Cape and verdant Ifles
Hefperian fets, my signal to depart.
Be ftrong, live happy', and love, but first of all
Him whom to love is to obey, and keep
His great command; take heed left paffion fway 635
Thy judgment to do ought, which elfe free will
Would not admit; thine and of all thy fons
The weal or woe in thee is plac'd; beware.
I in thy perfevering shall rejoice
And all the Bleft: ftand faft; to stand or fall
Free in thine 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 whose sovran 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 till, 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.
THE ARGUMEN T.
Satan having compass'd the Earth, with meditated guile returns as a mift by night into Paradife, enters into the Jerpent fleeping. 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 ber found alone: Eve loath to be thought not circumfpect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the ratber defirous to make trial of ber ftrength; Adam at laft yields; The Serpent finds her alone; bis fubtle approach, firft gazing, then Speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above all other creatures. Eve wond'ring to bear the Serpent Speak, asks how be attain'd to human Speech and Such understanding not till now; the Serpent anfwers, that by tafting of a certain tree in the garden he at tain'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 last brings him of the fruit, relates what perfuaded ber to eat thereof; Adam at firft amaz'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 feck to cover their nakedness; then fall to variance and accufation of one another.
O more of talk where God or Angel guest
N as
With Man, as with his friend, familiar us'd
To fit indulgent, and with him partake
Rural repaft, permitting him the while
Venial difcourfe unblam'd: I now muft change
Thofe notes to tragic; foul diftrust, and breach
'Difloyal on the part of Man, revolt,
And disobedience; on the part of Heaven
Now alienated, diftance and diftaste,
Anger and just rebuke, and judgment given,
That brought into this world a world of woe,
Sin and her fhadow Death, and Mifery
Death's harbinger: Sad tafk, yet argument
Not lefs but more heroic than the wrath
Of ftern 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 long
Perplex'd the Greek and Cytherea's fon;
If anfwerable ftile I can obtain
Of my celestial patronefs, who deigns
Her nightly vifitation unimplor'd,
And dictates to me flumbring, or infpires
Eafy my unpremeditated verfe:
Since first this fubject for heroic fong
Pleas'd me long choofing, and beginning late;
Not fedulous by nature to indite
Wars, hitherto the only argument
Heroic deem'd, chief maft'ry to diffect
With long and tedious havoc fabled knights.
In battles feign'd; the better fortitude.
|