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 endure, without him live no life.
So faying, from the tree her ftep fhe turn'd;
But first low reverence done, as to the power
That dwelt within, whofe 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 choiceft flowers a garland to adorn
Her treffes, and her rural labours crown,
As reapers oft are wont their harvest-queen.
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 falt'ring measure felt;
And forth to meet her went, the way fhe took
That morn when first 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 faireft fruit, that downy fmil'd,
New gather'd, and ambrofial smell diffus'd.
To him the hafted; in her face excufe
Came prologue, and apology too prompt,
Which with bland words at will fhe thus address'd.
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 rafh 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
Op'ning the way; but of divine effect
To open eyes, and make them gods who taste;
And hath been tafted fuch: the ferpent 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
Endu'd with human voice and human fense,
Reafoning to admiration, and with me.
Persuasively hath fo prevail'd, that I
Have alfo tafted, and have alið found
Th' effects to correfpond; op'ner mine eyes,
Dim erft, dilated fpirits, ampler heart,
And growing up to godhead; which for thee
Chiefly I fought, without thee can despise.
For blifs, as thou haft part, to me is blifs;
Tedious, unfhar'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 horrour 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 : Speechlefs he ftood, and pale; till thus at length Firft to himself he inward filence broke.
O fairest of creation, last 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,
Deface'd, deflower'd, and now to death devote?
Rather, how haft thou yielded to tranfgrefs
The ftrict forbiddance, how to violate
The facred fruit forbidd'n? Some 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 forego
Thy fweet converse 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 flate
Mine never fhall be parted, blifs or woe.
So having faid, as one from fad difmay
Recomforted, and, after thoughts difturb'd,
Submitting to what feem'd remedilefs,
Thus in calm mood his words to Eve he turn'd. 920
Bold deed thou haft prefum'd, advent'rous Eve,
And peril great provok'd, who thus haft dar'd,
Had it been only coveting to eye
That facred fruit, facred to abftinence,
Much more to tafle it, under ban to touch.
But past who can recal, or done undo ?
Not God Omnipotent, nor Fate: yet fo
Perhaps thou fhalt not die, perhaps the fact
Is not fo heinous now, foretafted fruit,
Profan'd first by the ferpent, by him first
Made common and unhallow'd ere our tafte:
Nor yet on him found deadly; he yet lives,
Lives as thou faidt, 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, demigods.
Nor can I think, that God, Creator wife,
Though threatning, will in earnest so destroy
Us his prime creatures, dignify'd fo high,
Set over all his works; which in our fall,
For us created, needs with us must fail,
Dependent made: fo God fhall uncreate,
Be fruftrate, do, undo, and labour lofe;
Not well conceiv'd of God, who though his power
Creation could repeat, yet would be loath
Us to abolish, left the adverfary
Triumph, and fay; Fickle their state whom God Moft favours; who can please him long? Me first He ruin'd, now mankind; whom will he next? 950 Matter of fcorn, not be given the foe.
However, I with thee have fix'd my lot,
Certain to undergo like doom: if death
Confort with thee, death is to me as life;
So forcible within my heart I feel
The bond of nature draw me to my own,
My own in thee, for what thou art is mine;
Our state cannot be fever'd, we are one,
One flesh; to lose thee were to lose myself.
So Adam; and thus Eve to him reply'd. O glorious trial of exceeding love, Illuftrious evidence, example high! Engaging me to emulate, but fhort
Of thy perfection, how fhall I attain,
Adam? from whofe dear fide I boast me fprung, 965
And gladly of our union hear thee fpeak,
One heart, one foul in both; whereof good proof
This day affords, declaring thee refolv'd,
Rather than death, or aught than death more dread,
Shall feparate us, link'd in love fo dear,
To undergo with me one guilt, one crime,
If any be, of tafting this fair fruit;-
Whofe virtue (for of good fill good proceeds,
Direct, or by occafion) hath presented
This happy trial of thy love, which elfe
So eminently never had been known.
Were it I thought death menace'd would enfue
This my attempt, I would fuftain alone
The worst, and not perfuade thee; rather die
Deferted, than oblige thee with a fact
Pernicious to thy peace; chiefly affur'd
Remarkably fo late of thy fo true,
So faithful love unequall'd: but I feel
Far otherwife th' event, not death, but life
Augmented, open'd eyes, new hopes, new joys, 985
Tafte fo divine, that what of fweet before
Hath touch'd my fenfe, flat feems to this, and harsh.
On my experience, Adam, freely taste,
And fear of death deliver to the winds.
So faying, the embrace'd him, and for joy Tenderly wept; much won, that he his love Had fo ennobled, as of choice to' incur Divine difpleasure for her fake, or death. In recompenfe (for fuch compliance bad Such recompenfe beft merits) from the bough She gave him of that fair enticing fruit With liberal hand: He fcrupled not to cat, Against his better knowledge; not deceiv'd, But fondly overcome with female charm. Earth trembled from her intrails, as again In pangs; and nature gave a fecond Sky lour'd, and muttering thunder, fome fad drops Wept at completing of the mortal fin Original; while Adam took no thought,
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