Till dieted by thee I grow mature
In knowledge, as the Gods who all things know;
Though others envy what they cannot give;
For had the gift been theirs, it had not here
Thus grown. Experience, next to thee I owe,
Beft guide; not following thee, I had remain'd
In ignorance; thou open'st wisdom's way,
And giv'ft accefs, though fecret she retire.
And I perhaps am fecret; Heav'n is high,
High, and remote to fee from thence distinct
Each thing on earth; and other care perhaps
May have diverted from continual watch
Our great forbidder, safe with all his spies
About him. But to Adam in what fort
Shall I appear? fhall I to him make known
As yet my change, and give him to partake
Full happiness with me, or rather not,
But keep the odds of knowledge in my power
Without copartner? fo to add what wants
In female fex, the more to draw his love,
And render me more equal, and perhaps,
A thing not undefirable, fometime
Superior; for inferior who is free?
This may be well: but what if God hath feen,
And death enfue? then I fhall be no more,
And Adam wedded to another Eve,
Shall live with her enjoying, I extin&t;
A death to think. Confirm'd then I refolve,
Adam fhall fhare with me in blifs or woe:
So dear I love him, that with him all deaths
I could indure, without him live no life.
So faying, from the tree her step she turn'd,
But first low reverence done, as to the Power
That dwelt within, whose presence had infus'd
Into the plant fciential fap, deriv'd
From nectar, drink of Gods. Adam the while,
Waiting defirous her return, had wove
Of choicest flow'rs a garland to adorn
Her treffes, and her rural labors crown,
As reapers oft are wont their harvest
Great joy he promis'd to his thoughts, and new
Solace in her return, fo long delay'd;
Yet oft his heart, divine of fomething ill,
Mifgave him; he the faltring measure felt;
And forth to meet her went, the way she took
That morn when firft they parted; by the tree
Of knowledge he muft pafs, there he her met,
Scarce from the tree returning; in her hand
A bough of fairest fruit, that downy smil'd,
New gather'd, and ambrofial fmell diffus'd.
To him she hafted; in her face excufe
Came prologue, and apology too prompt,
Which with bland words at will she thus address'd. 855 Haft thou not wonder'd, Adam, at my stay?
Thee I have mifs'd, and thought it long, depriv'd
Thy prefence, agony of love till now
Not felt, nor fhall be twice, for never more
Mean I to try, what rash untry'd I fought,
The pain of abfence from thy fight. But ftrange
Hath been the cause, and wonderful to hear:
This tree is not as we are told, a tree
Of danger tasted, nor to' evil unknown
Opening the way, but of divine effect
To open eyes, and make them Gods who tafte;
And hath been tafted fuch; the serpent wife,
Or not restrain'd as we, or not obeying,
Hath eaten of the fruit, and is become,
Not dead, as we are threaten'd, but thenceforth 870
Indued with human voice and human fense,
Reasoning to admiration, and with me
Perfuafively hath fo prevail'd, that I
Have alfo tafted, and have also found
Th' effects to correfpond, opener mine eyes,
Dim erft, dilated fpirits, ampler heart,
And growing up to Godhead; which for thee
Chiefly I fought, without thee can defpife.
For blifs, as thou haft part, to me is blifs,
Tedious, unshar'd with thee, and odious foon.
Thou therefore alfo tafte, that equal lot
May join us, equal joy, as equal love;
Left, thou not tafting, different degree
Disjoin us, and I then too late renounce
Deity for thee, when fate will not permit.
Thus Eve with count'nance blithe her story told;
But in her cheek diftemper flufhing glow'd.
On th' other fide, Adam, foon as he heard
The fatal trefpafs done by Eve, amaz'd,
Aftonied ftood and blank, while horror chill
Ran through his veins, and all his joints relax'd;
From his flack hand the garland wreath'd for Eve
Down dropt, and all the faded roses shed :
Speechless he stood and pale, till thus at length
Firft to himself he inward filence broke."
O fairest of creation, laft and best
Of all God's works, Creature in whom excell'd
Whatever can to fight or thought be form'd,
Holy, divine, good, amiable, or sweet!
How art thou loft, how on a fudden loft,
Defac'd, deflower'd, and now to death devote?
Rather how haft thou yielded to tranfgrefs
The strict forbiddance, how to violate
The facred fruit forbidd'n? fome curfed fraud
Of enemy hath beguil'd thee, yet unknown,
And me with thee hath ruin'd, for with thee
Certain my refolution is to die :
How can I live without thee, how forgo
Thy sweet converfe and love fo dearly join'd,
To live again in these wild woods forlorn?
Should God create another Eve, and I
Another rib afford, yet lofs of thee
Would never from my heart; no, no, I feel
The link of nature draw me: flesh of flesh,
Bone of my bone thou art, and from thy state
Mine never shall be parted, blifs or woe.
So having faid, as one from fad difmay
Recomforted, and after thoughts disturb'd
Submitting to what seem'd remedilefs,
Thus in calm mood his words to Eve he turn'd.
Bold deed thou haft prefum'd, adventrous Eve,
And peril great provok'd, who thus hast dar'd,
VOL. II.
Had it been only coveting to eye
That facred fruit, facred to abftinence,
Much more to taste it under ban to touch.
But past who can recall, or done undo?
Not God omnipotent, nor Fate; yet fo
Perhaps thou shalt not die, perhaps the fact
Is not fo hainous now, foretafted fruit,
Profan'd first by the serpent, by him first
Made common and unhallow'd ere our tafte;
Nor yet on him found deadly, he yet lives,
Lives, as thou faidft, and gains to live as Man
Higher degree of life, inducement strong
To us, as likely tafting to attain
Proportional afcent, which cannot be
But to be Gods, or Angels Demi-Gods.
Nor can I think that God, Creator wife,
Though threatning, will in earnest fo destroy
Us his prime creatures, dignified fo high,
Set over all his works, which in our fall,
For us created, needs with us muft fail,
Dependent made; fo God fhall uncreate,
Be fruftrate, do, undo, and labor lose,
Not well conceiv'd of God, who though his power 945 Creation could repeat, yet would be loath
Us to abolish, left the Adversary
Triumph and fay; Fickle their state whom God
Most favors; who can please him long? Me first
He ruin'd, now mankind; whom will he next?
Matter of scorn not to be given the Foe.
However I with thee have fix'd my lot,
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