A Paradife within thee, happier far!....
Let us descend now therefore from this top
Of fpeculation; for the hour precife

Exa&s our parting hence: and fee! the Guards,
By me incamp'd on yonder hill, expe&
Their motion; at whofe front a flaming fword,
In fignal of remove, waves fiercely round.
We may no longer ftay: go! waken Eve;
Her alfo I with gentle dreams have calm'd,
Portending good; and all her fpirits compos'd
>To meek submission; thou, at feason fit,
Let her with thee partake what thou haft heard;
Chiefly, what may concern her faith to know
The great deliverance by her feed to come
(For by the woman's feed) on all mankind.
That ye may live (which will be many days)"
Buth in one faith unanimous, though fad
(With caufe!) for evils paftyet,much more cheer'
With meditation on the happy end.

He ended ; and they both defcend the hill: Defcended, Adam to the bow'r, where Eve Lay fleeping, ran before ; but found her wak'd ; And thus with words not fad she him receiv'd. › Whence thou return'ft, and whither went'ft, I

For God is alfo in fleep, and dreams advise;
Which He hath fent propitious, fome great good
Prefaging, fince with forrow, and heart's distress
Wearied I fell asleep: but now,
lead on!!
In me is no delay; with thee to go,

Is to stay here; without thee here to stay,
Is to go hence unwilling: thou to me
Art all things under heav'n, all places thou;
Who for my wilful crime art banish'd hence.
This further confolation yet fecure

1 carry hence; though all by me is loft,
Such favor I unworthy am vouchsaf'd,
By me the Promis'd Seed shall all restore.

So fpake our mother Eve; and Adam heard
Well-pleas'd, but answer'd not: for now, too nigh
Th' Arch-Angel ftood; and from the other hill
To their fix'd station, all in bright array,
The Cherubim defcended; on the ground
Gliding meteorous, as ev'ning mist,
Ris'n from a river, o'er the marish glides ;
And gathers ground faft at the labrer's heel,
Homeward returning. High in front advanc'd,
The brandish'd, fword of God before them blaz'd ;
Fierce as a comet; which with torrid heat,
And vapors as the Libyan air aduft
Began to parch that temperate clime : whereat
In either hand the haft'ning Angel caught
Our lingring Parents; and to th' eastern gate
Led them dire&; and down the cliff as fast,
To the fubje&ted plain; then disappear'd.
They looking back, all th' eaftern fide beheld
Of Paradife ; fo late their happy feat!
Wav'd over by that flaming brand; the gate
With dreadful faces throng'd, and fiery arms.
Some natural tears they drop'd, but vip'd them foon:

The world was all before them, where to chufe Their place of reft, and Providence their guide. They, hand in hand, with wand'ring fteps, and flow, Through Eden took their folitary way.

THE END,

IN DE X,

A

A Aron and Mofes, their mis

fion to Egypt

Abdiel (a Seraph) opposes Satan. promoting the Angels revolt,

&c.

Reply to his answer

C His fidelity, &c. celebrated
Retreat from Satan's partys
Soliloquy, on view of him at their

& head

Speech to him thereon.
Reply to his anfwer

ર

Encounters him in the battel Vanquishes Ariel, Arioc and > 23 +Ramiel (fallen Angels) Abel and Cain, their story related Abraham's and the patriarchs

All nations his fons by faith

Acheron, a river of hell
Adam and Eve defcrib'd generally
particularly

Sleep on the formation of Eve}

defcrib'd

Ε His firft view of her

Paffion for her
Valediction to Raphael
Difcourfe withEve preceding the
temptation (on Satan's fub-
tilty, and the means to resist
it, &c.)
Care, and fears for her in abfence
Meets her returning with the for-

bidden fruit

efor-}

Refolves to die with her

Speech to her thereon

Eats the forbidden fruit t

Incites her to carnal fruition}

(the firft effect of it)

2 The place, &c. described

After-speech to her on their fall

9

19: 285 13 285 27

9288

12

30

}

}

Answer to God (the Son) calling 10
him to judgment