(For by the woman's seed) on all mankind; That ye may live, which will be many days, Both in one faith unanimous, though sad,

With cause, for evils past, yet much more cheer'd With meditation on the happy end."

He ended, and they both descend the hill;
Descended, Adam to the bower, where Eve
Lay sleeping, ran before, but found her waked;
And thus with words not sad she him received:
"Whence thou return'st, and whither went'st, I
know;

For God is also in sleep; and dreams advise,
Which he hath sent propitious, some great good
Presaging, since, with sorrow 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 heaven, all places tnou,
Who for my wilful crime art banish'd hence.
This further consolation yet secure

I carry hence; though all by me is lost,
Such favour I, unworthy, am vouchsafed,
By me the promised Seed shall all restore."

So spake our mother Eve; and Adam heard,
Well pleased, but answer'd not; for now, too nigh
The archangel stood; and from the other hill
To their fix'd station, all in bright array,
The cherubim descended, on the ground
Gliding meteorous, as evening mist,
Risen from a river, o'er the marish glides,

And gathers ground fast at the labourer's heel,
Homeward returning. High in front advanced,
The brandish'd sword of God before them blazed,
Fierce as a comet; which, with torrid heat,
And vapour as the Lybian air adust,

Began to parch that temperate clime; whereat
In either hand the hastening angel caught
Our lingering parents, and to the eastern gate
Led them direct, and down the cliff as fast
To the subjected plain; then disappear'd.
They, looking back, all the eastern side beheld
Of Paradise, so late their happy seat,

Waved over by that flaming brand; the gate
With dreadful faces throng'd, and fiery arms.
Some natural tears they dropt, but wiped them soon;
The world was all before them, where to choose
Their place of rest, and Providence their guide:
They, hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow,
Through Eden took their solitary way.

THE END.

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