And hateful; nothing wants, but that thy shape, Acknowledg’d and deplor'd, in Adam wrought
Like his, and colour serpentine, may show Commiseration : soon his heart relented
Thy inward fraud; to warn all creatures from thee Towards her, his life so late, and solc delight,
Henceforth ; lest that too heavenly forn, pretended Now at his feet submissive in distress ;
To hellish falsehood, snare them ! But for thee Creature so fair his reconcilement seeking,
I had persisted happy; had not thy pride

His counsel, whom she had displeas’d, his aid ;
And wandering vanity, when least was safe, As one disarm’d, his anger all he lost,
Rejected my forewarning, and disdain'd

And thus with peaceful words uprais'd her soon. Not to be trusted ; longing to be seen,

“ Unwary, and too desirous, as before, Though by the Devil bimself; him overweening So now of what thou know'st not, who desir'st To over-reach; but, with the serpent meeting, The punishment all on thyself; alas ! Fool'd and beguil'd; by him thou, I by thee, Bear thine own first, ill able to sustain To trust thee from my side ; imagin'd wise, His full wrath, whose thou feel'st as yet least pari, Constant, mature, proof against all assaults ; And my displeasure bear'st so ill. If prayers And understood not all was but a show,

Could alter high decrees, I to that place Rather than solid virtue ; all but a rib

Would speed before thee, and be louder heard, Crooked by nature, bent, as now appears,

That on my head all might be visited ; More to the part sinister, from me drawn;

Thy frailty and infirmer sex forgiven, Well if thrown out, as supernumerary

To me committed, and by me expos’d. To my just number found. 0! why did God, But rise; - let us no more contend, nor blame Creator wise, that peopled highest Heaven

Each other, blam'd enough elsewhere ; but strive With spirits masculine, create at last

In offices of love, how we may lighten This novelty on Earth, this fair defect

Each other's burthen, in our share of woe; Of Nature, and not fill the world at once

Since this day's death denounc'd, if aught I see, With men, as angels, without feminine;

Will prove no sudden, but a slow pac'd, evil; Or find some other way to generate

A long day's dying to augment our pain Mankind ? This mischief had not then befall'n, And to our seed (O hapless seed!) deriv'd." And more that shall befall; innumerable

To whom thus Eve, recovering heart, replied.
Disturbances on Earth through female snares, “Adam, by sad experiment I know
And straight conjunction with this sex : for either How little weight my words with thee can find,
He never shall find out fit mate, but such

Found so erroneous; thence by just event
As some misfortune brings him, or mistake ; Found so unfortunate: nevertheless,
Or whom he wishes most shall seldom gain Restor’d by thee, vile as I am, to place
Through her perverseness, but shall see her gain'd Of new acceptance, hopeful to regain
By a far worse; or, if she love, withheld

Thy love, the sole contentment of my heart
By parents; or his happiest choice too late

Living or dying, from thee I will not hide Shall meet, already link'd and wedlock-bound What thoughts in my unquiet breast are risen, To a fell adversary, his hate or shame ;

Tending to some relief of our extremes, Which infinite calamity shall cause

Or end; though sharp and sad, yet tolerable,
To human life, and household peace confound." As in our evils, and of easier choice.

He added not, and from her turn'd; but Eve, If care of our descent perplex us most,
Not so repuls'd, with tears that ceas'd not flowing Which must be born to certain woe, devour'd
And tresses all disorder'd, at his feet

By Death at last; and miserable it is,
Fell humble; and, embracing them, besought To be to others cause of misery,
His peace, and thus proceeded in her plaint. Our own begotten, and of our loins to bring

“ Forsake me not thus, Adam ! witness Heaven Into this cursed world a woeful race, What love sincere, and reverence in my heart That after wretched life must be at last I bear thee, and unweeting have offended,

Food for so foul a monster; in thy power
Unhappily deceiv'd! Thy suppliant

It lies, yet ere conception to prevent
I beg, and clasp thy knees; bereave me not, The race unblest, to being yet unbeget.
Whereon I live, thy gentle looks, thy aid,

Childless thou art, childless remain ; so Death
Thy counsel, in this uttermost distress,

Shall be deceiv'd his glut, and with us two
My only strength and stay : forlorn of thee, Be forc'd to satisfy his ravenous maw.
Whither shall I betake me, where subsist ?

But if thou judge it hard and difficult,
While yet we live, scarce one short hour perhaps, Conversing, looking, loving, to abstain
Between us two let there be peace; both joining, From love's due rites, nuptial embraces sweet;
As join'd in injuries, one enmity

And with desire to languish without hope,
Against a foe by doom express assign'd us, Before the present object languishing
That cruel serpent : on me exercise not

With like desire ; which would be misery
Thy hatred for this misery befall’n ;

And torment less than none of what we dread : On me already lost, me than thyself

Then, both ourselves and seed at once to free More miserable ! Both have sinn'd; but thou From what we fear for both, let us make short, Against God only ; I against God and thee; Let us seek Death ;-or, he not found, supply And to the place of judgment will return,

With our own hands his office on ourselves: There with my crimes importune Heaven ; that all Why stand we longer shivering under fears, The sentence, from thy head remov’d, may light That show no end but death, and have the power, On me, sole cause to thee of all this woe;

Of many ways to die the shortest choosing, Me, me only, just object of his ire !"

Destruction with destruction to destroy?”. She ended weeping; and her lowly plight,

She ended here, or vehement despair Immoveable, till peace obtain'd from fault

Broke off the rest : so much of death her thougats

Had entertain'd, as dy'd her cheeks with pale. Which might supply the Sun : such fire to use,
But Adam, with such counsel nothing sway'd, And what may else be remedy or cure
To better hopes his more attentive mind

To evils which our own misdeeds have wrought, Labouring had rais'd; and thus to Eve replied. He will instruct us praying, and of grace

“ Eve, thy contempt of life and pleasure seems Beseeching him ; so as we need not fear To argue in thee something more sublime To pass commodiously this life, sustain'd And excellent, than what thy mind contemns ; By him with many comforts, till we end But self-destruction therefore sought, refutes In dust, our final rest and native home. That excellence thought in thee ; and implies, What better can we do, than, to the place Not thy contempt, but anguish and regret

Repairing where he judg'd us, prostrate fall For loss of life and pleasure overlov'd.

Before him reverent; and there confess Or if thou covet death, as utmost end

Humbly our faults, and pardon beg ; with tears Of misery, so thinking to evade

Watering the ground, and with our sighs the air The penalty pronounc'd ; doubt not but God Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign Hath wiselier arm'd his vengeful ire, than so Of sorrow unfeign’d, and humiliation meek ? To be forestall’d; much more I fear lest death, Undoubtedly he will relent, and turn So snatch'd, will not exempt us from the pain From his displeasure ; in whose looks serene, We are by doom to pay ; rather, such acts

When angry most he seem'd and most severe, Of contumacy will provoke the Highest

What else but favour, grace, and mercy, shone ?" To make death in us live : then let us seek

So spake our father penitent; nor Eve Some safer resolution, which methinks

Felt less remorse : they, forthwith to the place I have in view, calling to mind with heed

Repairing where he judg'd them, prostrate fell Part of our sentence, that thy seed shall bruise Before him reverent; and both confess'd The serpent's head; piteous amends! unless Humbly their faults, and pardon begg'd; with tears Be meant, whom I conjecture, our grand foe, Watering the ground, and with their sighs the air Satan ; who, in the serpent, hath contriv'd

Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign Against us this deceit: to crush his head

Of sorrow unfeign'd, and humiliation meek.
Would be revenge indeed! which will be lost
By death brought on ourselves, or childless days
Resolv'd, as thou proposest; so our foe

Book XI. .
Shall 'scape his punishment ordain'd, and we
Instead shall double ours upon our heads.

The Argument.
No more be mention'd then of violence
Against ourselves; and wilful barrenness,

The Son of God presents to his Father the prayers That cuts us off from hope ; and savours only of our first parents now repenting, and interRancour and pride, impatience and despite,

cedes for them: God accepts them, but declares Reluctance against God and his just yoke

that they must no longer abide in Paradise ; sends Laid on our necks. Remember with what mild Michael with a band of cherubim to dispossess And gracious temper he both heard, and judg'd, them; but first to reveal to Adam future things : Without wrath or reviling; we expected

Michael's coming down. Adam shows to Eve Immediate dissolution, which we thought

certain ominous signs; he discerns Michael's Was meant by death that day ; when lo! to thee approach; goes out to meet him : the angel dePains only in child-bearing were foretold,

nounces their departure. Eve's lamentation. And bringing forth ; soon recompens'd with joy, Adam pleads, but submits; the angel leads him Fruit of thy womb : on me the curse aslope

up to a high hill; sets before him in vision what Glanc'd on the ground; with labour I must earn shall happen till the Flood. My bread; what harm? Idleness had been worse ; My labour will sustain me; and, lest cold

Thus they, in lowliest plight, repentant stood Or heat should injure us, his timely care

Praying ; for from the mercy-seat above Hath, unbesought, provided; and his hands Prevenient grace descending had remov'd Cloth'd us unworthy, pitying while he judg'd; The stony from their hearts, and made new flesh How much more if we pray him, will his ear Regenerate grow instead ; that sighs now breath'd Be open, and his heart to pity incline,

Unutterable ; which the spirit of prayer And teach us further by what means to shun Inspir'd, and wing'd for Heaven with speedier flight The inclement seasons, rain, ice, hail, and snow? Than loudest oratory: yet their port Which now the sky, with various face, begins Not of mean suitors ; nor important less To show us in this mountain ; while the winds Seem'd their petition, than when the ancient pair Blow moist and keen, shattering the graceful locks In fables old, less ancient yet than these, Of these fair spreading trees; which bids us seek Deucalion and chaste Pyrrha, to restore Some better shroud, some better warmth to cherish The race of mankind drown'd, before the shrine Our timnbs benumm'd, ere this diurnal star

Of Themis stood devout. To Heaven their prayers Leave cold the night, how we his gather'd beams Flew up, nor miss'd the way, by envious winds Reflected may with matter sere foment;

Blown vagabond or frustrate : in they pass'd Or, by collision of two bodies, grind

Dimensionless through heavenly doors ; then clad The air attrite to fire; as late the clouds

With incense, where the golden altar fum’d, or push'd with winds, rude in their shock, By their great Intercessor, came in sight Tine the slant lightning ; whose thwart Alame, Before the Father's throne: them the glad Son driven down,

Presenting, thus to intercede began. (sprung Kindles the gummy bark of fir or pine ;

“ See, Father, what first-fruits on Earth are And sends a comfortable heat from far

From thy implanted grace in Man ; these sighs

H

Justling,

And prayers, which in this golden censer, mix'd His heart I know, how variable and rain,
With incense, I thy priest before thee bring ; Self-left. Lest therefore his now bolder land
Fruits of more pleasing savour, from thy seed Reach also of the tree of life, and eat,
Sown with contrition in his heart, than those And live for ever, dream at least to live
Which, his own hand manuring, all the trees For ever, to remove him I decree,
Of Paradise could have produc'd ere fall’n And send him from the garden forth to till
From innocence. Now, therefore, bend thine ear The ground whence he was taken, fitter soil.
To supplication ; hear his sighs, though mute ; “ Michael, this my behest have thou in charge:
Unskilful with what words to pray, let me

Take to thee from among the cherubim
Interpret for him ; me, his advocate

Thy choice of Aaming warriours, lest the fiend, And propitiation; all his works on me,

Or in behalf of Man, or to invade Good, or not good, ingraft; my merit those Vacant possession, some new trouble raise ; Shall perfect, and for these my death shall pay. Haste thee, and from the Paradise of God Accept me; and, in me, from these receive Without remorse drive out the sinful pair; The smell of peace toward mankind : let him live From hallow'd ground the unholy; and denounce Before thee reconcil'd, at least his days

To them, and to their progeny, from thence Number'd though sad; till death, his doom, (which I Perpetual banishment. Yet, lest they faint To mitigate thus plead, not to reverse,)

At the sad sentence rigorously urg'd,
To better life shall yield him: where with me (For I behold them soften'd, and with tears
All my redeem'd may dwell in joy and bliss ; Bewailing their excess,) all terrour hide
Made one with me, as I with thee am one.” If patiently thy bidding they obey,

To whom the Father, without cloud, serene. Dismiss them not disconsolate ; reveal “ All thy request for Man, accepted Son,

To Adam what shall come in future days, Obtain ; all thy request was my decree :

As I shall thee enlighten; intermix But, longer in that Paradise to dwell,

My covenant in the woman's seed renew'd : The law I gave to Nature him forbids :

So send them forth, though sorrowing, yet in peace: Those pure immortal elements, that know

And on the east side of the garden place, No gross, no unharmonious mixture foul,

Where entrance up from Eden easiest climbs, Eject him, tainted now; and purge him off, Cherubic watch; and of a sword the flame As a distemper, gross, to air as gross,

Wide-waving ; all approach far off' to fright, And mortal food; as may dispose him best And guard all passage to the tree of life : For dissolution wrought by sin, that first

Lest Paradise a receptacle prove Distemper'd all things, and of incorrupt

To spirits foul, and all my trees their prey : Corrupted. I, at first, with two fair gifts

With whose stol'n fruit man once more to delude' Created him endow'd ; with happiness,

He ceas'd; and the arch-angelic power prepard And immortality: that fondly lost,

For swift descent; with him the cohort bright This other serv'd but to eternize woe ;

Of watchful cherubim : four faces each Till I provided death : so death becomes

Had, like a double Janus; all their shape His final remedy; and, after life,

Spangled with eyes more numerous than those Tried in sharp tribulation, and refin'd

Of Argus, and more wakeful than to drouse, By faith and faithful works, to second life,

Charm'd with Arcadian pipe, the pastoral reed Wak'd in the renovation of the just,

Of Hermes, or his opiate rod. Meanwhile, Resigns him up with Heaven and Earth renew'd. To re-salute the world with sacred light, But let us call to synod all the blest,

Leucothea wak’d; and with fresh dews embalm'd Through Heaven's wide bounds : from them I will | The Earth ; when Adam and first matron Eve not hide

Had ended now their orisons, and found My judgments ; how with mankind I proceed, Strength added from above; new hope to spring As how with peccant angels late they saw,

Out of despair; joy, but with fear yet link'd; And in their state, though firm, stood more con

Which thus to Eve his welcome words renew'd. firm'd.”

“ Eve, easily may faith admit, that all He ended, and the Son gave signal high The good which we enjoy, from Heaven descends; To the bright minister that watch'd ; he blew But, that from us aught should ascend to Heasca His trumpet, heard in Oreb since perhaps

So prevalent as to concern the mind When God descended, and perhaps once more Of God high-blest, or to incline his will, To sound at general doom. The angelic blast Hard to belief may seem ; yet this will prayer Fill'd all the regions: from their blissful bowers Or one short sigh of human breath, upborne Of amarantine shade, fountain or spring,

Even to the seat of God. For since I sought By the waters of life, where'er they sat

By prayer the offended Deity to appease ; In fellowships of joy, the sons of light

Kneel'd, and before him humbled all my heart; Hasted, resorting to the summons high :

Methought I saw him placable and mild, And took their seats : till from his throne supreme Bending his ear; persuasion in me grew The Almighty thus pronounc'd his sovran will. That I was heard with favour; peace return'd “ O sons, like one of us Man is become

Home to my breast, and to my memory To know both good and evil, since his taste His promise, that thy seed shall bruise our foe; Of that defended fruit; but let him boast

Which, then not minded in dismay, yet now His knowledge of good lost, and evil got ;

Assures me that the bitterness of death Happier ! had it suffic'd him to have known Is past, and we shall live. Whence hail to thee, Good by itself, and evil not at all.

Eve rightly call’d, mother of all mankind, He sorrows now, repents, and prays contrite, Mother of all things living, since by thee My motions in him; longer than they move, Man is to live ; and all things live for Man."

To whom thus Eve with sad demeanour meek. One of the heavenly host; and, by his gait, “ Ill-worthy I such title should belong

None of the meanest; some great potentate
To me transgressor ; who, for thee ordain'd Or of the thrones above; such majesty
A help, became thy snare; to me reproach

Invests him coming! yet not terrible,
Rather belongs, distrust, and all dispraise : That I should fear; nor sociably mild,
But infinite in pardon was my judge,

As Raphaël, that I should much confide; That I, who first brought death on all, am grac'd But solemn and sublime ; whom not to offend, The source of life; next favourable thou,

With reverence I must meet, and thou retire." Who highly thus to entitle me vouchsaf'st,

He ended ; and the arch-angel soon drew nigh, Far other name deserving. But the field

Not in his shape celestial, but as man
To labour calls us, now with sweat impos'd, Clad to meet man; over his lucid arms
Though after sleepless night; for see! the Morn, A military vest of purple flow'd,
All unconcern'd with our unrest, begins

Livelier than Melibean, or the grain
Her rosy progress smiling : let us forth;

Of Sarra, worn by kings and heroes old I never from thy side henceforth to stray,

In time of truce; Iris had dipt the woof; Where'er our day's work lies, though now enjoin’d His starry helm unbuckled show'd him prime Laborious till day droop; while here we dwell, In manhood where youth ended ; by his side, What can be toilsome in these pleasant walks ? As in a glistering zodiac, hung the sword, Here let us live, though in fall'n state, content. Satan's dire dread; and in his hand the spear.

So spake, so wish'd much-humbled Eve; but Fate Adam bow'd low; he, kingly, from his state Subscrib'd not; Nature first gave signs, impress'd Inclin'd not, but his coming thus declar'd. On bird, beast, air ; air suddenly eclips'd,

“ Adam, Heaven's high behest no preface needs: After short blush of morn: nigh in her sight Sufficient that thy prayers are heard ; and Death, The bird of Jove, stoop'd from his aery tour, Then due by sentence when thou didst transgress, Two birds of gayest plume before him drove; Defeated of his seizure many days Down from a hill the beast that reigns in woods, Given thee of grace; wherein thou may'st repent, First hunter then, pursu'd a gentle brace

And one bad act with many deeds well done Goodliest of all the forest, hart and hind

May'st cover : well may then thy Lord, appeas'd, Direct to the eastern gate was bent their flight. Redeem thee quite from Death's rapacious claim; Adam observ'd, and with his eye the chase

But longer in this Paradise to dwell Pursuing, not unmov'd, to Eve thus spake. Permits not : to remove thee I am come,

“O Eve, some further change awaits us nigh, And send thee from the garden forth to till Which Heaven, by these mute signs in Nature, The ground whence thou wast taken, fitter soil.” shows

He added not ; for Adam at the news Forerunners of his purpose ; or to warn

Heart-struck with chilling gripe of sorrow stood, Us, haply too secure, of our discharge

That all his senses bound; Eve, who unseen From penalty, because from death releas'd

Yet all had heard, with audible lament Some days; how long, and what till then our life, Discover'd soon the place of her retire. Who knows? or more than this, that we are dust, “ O unexpected stroke, worse than of Death : And thither must return, and be no more?

Must I thus leave thee, Paradise ? thus leave Why else this double object in our sight

Thee, native soil ! these happy walks and shades, Of flight pursued in the air, and o'er the ground, Fit haunt of gods ? where I had hope to spend, One way the self-same hour? why in the east Quiet though sad, the respite of that day Darkness ere day's mid-course, and morning-light That must be mortal to us both. O Mowers, More orient in yon western cloud, that draws That never will in other climate grow, O'er the blue firmament a radiant white,

My early visitation, and my last And slow descends with something heavenly At even, which I bred up with tender hand fraught?"

From the first opening bud, and gave ye names ! He err'd not; for by this the heavenly bands Who now shall rear ye to the Sun, or rank Down from a sky of jasper lighted now

Your tribes, and water from the ambrosial fount? In Paradise, and on a hill made halt;

Thee lastly, nuptial bower! by me adorn'd A glorious apparition, had not doubt

With what to sight or smell was sweet! from thee
And carnal fear that day dimm’d Adam's eye. How shall I part, and whither wander down
Not that more glorious, when the angels met Into a lower world ; to this obscure
Jacob in Mahanaim, where he saw

And wild ? how shall we breathe in other air
The field pavilion'd with his guardians bright; Less pure, accustom'd to immortal fruits ?"
Nor that, which on the flaming mount appear'd Whom thus the angel interrupted mild.
In Dothan, cover'd with a camp of fire,

“ Lament not, Eve, but patiently resign Against the Syrian king, who to surprise

What justly thou hast lost, nor set thy heart, One man, assassin-like, had levied war,

Thus over-fond, on that which is not thine : War unproclaim'd. The princely hierarch Thy going is not lonely; with thee goes In their bright stand there left his powers, to seize Thy husband ; him to follow thou art bound; Possession of the garden ; he alone,

Where he abides, think there thy native soil." To find where Adam shelter'd, took his way,

Adam, by this from the cold sudden damp Not unperceiv'd of Adam : who to Eve,

Recovering, and his scatter'd spirits return'd, While the great visitant approach'd, thus spake. To Michael thus his humble words address'd.

“ Eve, now expect great tidings, which perhaps “ Celestia), whether among the thrones, or nam'd Of us will soon determine, or impose

Of them the highest ; for such of shape may seem New laws to be observ'd; for I descry,

Prince above princes! gently hast thou told From yonder blazing cloud that veils the bill, Thy message, which might else in telling wound,

And in performing end us; what besides

As once thou slept'st, while she to life wa Of sorrow, and dejection, and despair,

form'd.” Our frailty can sustain, thy tidings bring,

To whom thus Adam gratefully replied. Departure from this happy place, our sweet “ Ascend, I follow thee, safe guide, the path Recess, and only consolation left

Thou lead'st me; and to the hand of Heaven subur, Familiar to our eyes! all places else

However chastening; to the evil turn Inhospitable appear, and desolate;

My obvious breast; arming to overcome Nor knowing us, nor known: and, if by prayer By suffering, and earn rest from labour won, Incessant I could hope to change the will

If so I may attain."— So both ascend Of him who all things can, I would not cease In the visions of God. It was a hill, To weary him with my assiduous cries :

Of Paradise the highest ; from whose top But prayer against his absolute decree

The hemisphere of Earth, in clearest ken, No more avails than breath against the wind, Stretch'd out to the amplest reach of prospect lay. Blown stilling back on him that breathes it forth : Not higher that hill, nor wider looking round, Therefore to his great bidding I submit.

Whereon, for different cause, the Tempter set This most afflicts me, that, departing hence, Our secoud Adam, in the wilderness; As from his face I shall be hid, depriv'd

To show hiin all Earth's kingdoms, and their glary His blessed countenance : here I could frequent His eye might there command wherever stood With worship place by place where he vouchsaf'd City of old or modern fame, the seat Presence Divine; and to my sons relate,

Of mightiest empire, from the destin'd walls
. On this mount he appear’d; under this tree Of Cainbalu, seat of Cathaian Can,
Stood visible; among these pines his voice

And Sarnarchand by Oxus, Temir's throne,
I heard; here with him at this fountain talk'd : To Paquin of Sinæan kings; and thence
So many grateful altars I would rear

To Agra and Lahor of great Mogul,
Of grassy turf, and pile up every stone

Down to the golden Chersonese ; or where Of lustre from the brook, in memory

'The Persian in Ecbatan sat, or since Or monument to ages; and thereon

In Hispahan ; or where the Russian ksar
Offer sweet-smelling gums, and fruits, and flowers : In Mosco; or the sultan in Bizance,
In yonder nether world where shall I seek

Turchestan-born ; nor could his eye not ken
His bright appearances, or foot-step trace? The empire of Negus to his utmost port
For though I fled him angry, yet, recall'd

Ercoco, and the less marítim kings
To life prolong'd and promis'd race, I now Mombaza, and Quiloa, and Melind,
Gladly behold though but his utmost skirts

And Sofala, thought Ophir, to the realm
Of glory; and far off his steps adore."

Of Congo, and Angola farthest south;
To whom thus Michael with regard benign. Or thence from Niger flood to Atlas mount
“ Adam, thou know'st Heaven his, and all the The kingdoms of Almansor, Fez and Sus,
Earth;

Morocco, and Algiers, and Tremisen ;
Not this rock only; his Omnipresence fills On Europe thence, and where Rome was to sway
Land, sea, and air, and every kind that lives, The world : in spirit perhaps he also saw
Fomented by his virtual power and warm'd : Rich Mexico, the seat of Montezume,
All the Earth he gave thee to possess and rule, And Cusco in Peru, the richer seat
No despicable gift ; surmise not then

Of Atabalipa ; and yet unspoil'd
His presence to these narrow bounds confin'd Guiana, whose great city Geryon's sons
Of Paradise, or Eden : this had been

Call El Dorado. But to nobler sights Perhaps thy capital seat, from whence had spread Michael from Adam's eyes the film remov'd, All generations; and had hither come

Which that false fruit that promis'd clearer sight From all the ends of the Earth, to celebrate Had bred; then purg'd with euphrasy and rue And reverence thee, their great progenitor.

The visual nerve, for he had much to see ; But this pre-eminence thou hast lost, brought down And from the well of life three drops instillid. To dwell on even ground now with thy sons : So deep the power of these ingredients piere'd, Yet doubt not but in valley, and in plain,

Even to the inmost seat of mental sight, God is, as here ; and will be found alike

That Adam, now enforc'd to close his eyes, Present; and of his presence many a sign

Sunk down, and all his spirits became entrane'd; Still following thee, still compassing thee round But him the gentle angel by the hand With goodness and paternal love, his face

Soon rais'd, and his attention thus recall’d. Express, and of his steps the track divine.

“ Adam, now ope thine eyes; and first behold Which that thou may'st believe, and be confirm'd The effects, which thy original crime hath wrougte Ere thou from hence depart; know, I am sent In some to spring from thee; who never toucli'd To show thee what shall come in future days The excepted tree; nor with the snake conspir'd; To thee, and to thy offspring : good with bad Nor sinn'd thy sin; yet from that sin derive Expect to hear ; supernal grace contending Corruption, to bring forth more violent deeds." With sinfulness of men ; thereby to learn

His eyes he open'd, and beheld a field, True patience, and to temper joy with fear

Part arable and tilth, whereon were sheaves And pious sorrow; equally inur'd

New reap'd; the other part sheep-walks and falda, By moderation either state to bear,

l' the midst an altar as the land-mark stood Prosperous or adverse : so shalt thou lead

Rustic, of grassy sord; thither anon Safest thy life, and best prepar'd endure

A sweaty reaper from his tillage brought Thy mortal passage when it comes. - - Ascend First fruits, the green ear, and the yellow sheaf, This hill ; let Eve (for I have drench'd her eyes) Uncull'd, as came to hand; a shepherd next, Here sleep below; while thou to foresight wak’st; More meek, came with the firstlings of his flock