Or daring, first on me th' assault shall light. 305 310 So spake domestic Adam in his care 320 Thus her reply with accent sweet renew'd, If this be our condition, thus to dwell 385 350 Frail is our happiness, if this be fo, 340 And Eden were no Eden thus expos’d. To whom thus Adam fervently reply'd. O woman, best are all things as the will Of God ordain'd them: his creating hand Nothing imperfect or deficient left 345 Of all that he created ; much less man, Or aught that might his happy state secure, Secure from outward force; within himself The danger lies, yet lies within his power : Against his will he can receive no harm.. But God left free the will; for what obeys Reason, is free; and reason he made right, But bid her well be ware, and still erect, Leit by some fair appearing good furpris'd She dictate false, and milinform the will 355 To do what God expressly hath forbid. Not then mistrust, but tender love, injoins That I should mind thee oft, and mind thou me. Firm we subfift, yet poffible to (werve; Since reason' not impossibly may meet Some fpecious object by the foe fuborn'd, And fall into deception unaware, Not keeping strictest watch, as she was warn’d. Seek not temptation then, which to avoid Were better, and most likely if from me 365 Thoù sever not trial will come unsought. Wouldst thou approve thy constancy? appove First thy obedience; th’ other who can know, Not seeing thee attempted ? who atteft ? But if thou think, trial unfought may find 370) Us both securer than thus warn'd thou seem'st, Go; for thiy stay, not free, absents thee more ; Go in thy native innocence, rely On what thou hast of virtue, summon all, 360 For God towards thee hath done his part, do thine, So spake the patriarch of mankind; but Eve 376 Persisted, yet submiss, though laft, reply'd. With thy permillion then, and thus forewarn'd, Chiefly by what thy own last reasoning words Touch'd only, that our trial, when least fought, 386 May find us both perhaps far less prepar'd, The willinger I go; nor much expect A foe so proud will first the weaker seek; So bent, the more fhall shame him his repulse. 384 Thus saying, from her husband's hand her hand Soft she withdrew, and like a wood-uymph light Oread or Dryad, or of Delia's train, Betook her to the groves; but Delia's self In gait surpass’d, and goddesslike deport; Though not, as she, with bow and quiver arm'a, 390 But with such gard’ning tools as art yet rude, Guiltless of fire, had form'd, or angels brought. To Pales, or Pomona, thus adorn'd, Likest she seem'd, Pomona when she fled Vertumnus, or to Ceres in her prime, 395 Yet virgin of Proserpina from Jove. Her long with ardent look his eye pursu'd Delighted, but defiring more her stay. Oft he to her his charge of quick return Repeated ; she to him as oft engaged To be return'd by noon amid the bow'sy And all things in belt order to invite Noontide repaft, or afternoon's repose. much deceiv'd, much failing, hapless Eve, of thy prefum'd return ! event perverfe ! Thou never from that hour in Paradise Found!ft either sweet repast, or sound repose; Such ambush hid among sweet flowers and shades, Waited with helligh rancour imminent 400 410 To intercept thy way, or send thee back 415 420 He fought them both, but wilh'd his hap might find Eve separate; he wish'd, but not with hope Of what fo feldom chance'd : when to his wish, Beyond his hope, Eve separate he spies, Veil'd in a cloud of fragrance, where she stood 425 Half spy'd, fo thick the roses hushing round About her glow'd; oft stooping to support Each flower of flender falk, whose head though gay Carnation, purple', azure, or speck'd with gold, Hung drooping unsustaind: them she upstays Gently with myrtle band; mindless the while Herself, though fairelt unsupported flower, From her best prop so far, and form fo nigh. Nearer he drew, and many a walk travérs’d Of stateliest covert, cedar, pine, or palm; 435 Then voluble and bold, now hid, now seen Among chick-woven arborets and flowers Imborder'd on each bank, the hand of Eve: Spot more delicious than those gardens feign'd Or of reviv'd Adonis ; or renown'd Alcinous, host of old Laertes son ; Or that, not mystic, where the sapient king Held dalliance with his fair Egyptian fpouse. Much he the place admir'd, the person more. 430 450 460 As one who long in populous city pent, 445 Where houses thick and sewers annoy the air, Forth issuing on a summer's morn, to breathe Among the pleasant villages and farms Adjoin'd, from each thing met conceives delight; The sinell of grain, or tedded grass, or kine, Or dairy', each rural fight, each rural sound; If chance, with nymphlike step, fair virgin pass, What pleasing feem'd, for her now pleases more, She most, and in her look fums all delight: Such pleasure took the ferpent to behold 455 This flowery plat, the sweet recess of Eve Thus early, thus alone ; her heavenly form Angelic, but more soft, and feminine, Her graceful innocence, her ev'ry air Of geiture, or least action, overaw'd His malice, and with rapine sweet bereav'd His fierceness of the fierce intent it brought: That space the evil one abstracted stood From his own ev'il, and for the time remain'd Stupidly good, .of enmity difarm’d, 465 Of guile, of hate, of envy, of revenge. But the hot hell that always in him burns, Though in mid heaven, foon ended his delight; And tortures him now more, the more he fees Of pleasure not for him ordain'd: then foon 479 Fierce hate he recollects, and all his thoughts Of mischief, gratulating, thus excites. Thoughts, whither have ye led me! with what sweet Compulfion thus transported, to forget What hither brought us! hate, not love, nor hope Of Paradise for Hell, hope here to taste Of pleasure, but all pleasure to destroy, Save what is in destroying; other joy To me is loft. Then let me not let pass 476 |