For whom all this was made, all this will soon
Follow, as to him link'd in weal or wo;
In wo then, that destruction wide may range.
To me shall be the glory sole, among
The infernal powers, in one day to have marr'd,
What he, Almighty styled, six nights and days
Continued making, and who knows how long
Before had been contriving; though perhaps
Not longer than since I, in one night, freed
From servitude inglorious well nigh half
The angelic name, and thinner left the throng
Of his adorers. He, to be avenged,
And to repair his numbers, thus impair'd,
Whether such virtue, spent of old, now fail'd
More angels to create, if they at least
Are his created, or, to spite us more,
Determined to advance into our room
A creature form'd of earth, & him endow,
Exalted from so base original,

With heavenly spoils, our spoils. What he decreed,
He effected; Man he made, and for him built
Magnificent, this world, and earth his seat;
Him lord pronounced; and, O indignity!
Subjected to his service angel wings,
And flaming ministers, to watch and tend
Their earthy charge. Of these the vigilance
I dread; and to elude, thus, wrapt in mist
Of midnight vapour, glide obscure, and pry
In every bush and brake, where hap may find
The serpent sleeping, in whose mazy folds
To hide me, and the dark intent I bring.
O foul descent! that I, who erst contended
With gods to sit the highest, am now constrain'd
Into a beast, and mix'd with bestial slime,
This essence to incarnate and imbrute,
That to the height of deity aspired;
But what will not ambition and revenge
Descend to? who aspires, must down as low
As high he soar'd, obnoxious, first or last,
To basest things. Revenge, at first though sweet
Bitter ere long, back on itself recoils;
Let it; I reck not, so it light well aim'd,
Since higher I fall short, on him who next
Provokes my envy; this new favourite
Of Heaven, this man of clay, son of despite;
Whom, us the more to spite, his Maker raised
From dust spite then with spite is best repaid."

So saying, through each thicket, dank or dry,
Like a black mist, low creeping, he held on
His midnight search, where soonest he might find
The serpent: him, fast sleeping, soon he found,
In labyrinth of many a round, self-roll'd,
His head the midst, well stor❜d with subtle wiles;
Nor yet in horrid shade, or dismal den,
Nor nocent yet, but on the grassy herb,
Fearless, unfear'd he slept. In at his mouth
The Devil enter'd, and his brutal sense,
In heart or head possessing, soon inspired
With act intelligential; but his sleep
Disturb'd not, waiting close the approach of morn.
Now when as sacred light began to dawn,
In Eden, on the humid flowers, that breathed
Their morning incense, when all things that breathe
From the earth's great altar send up silent praise

To the Creator and his nostrils fill
With grateful smell, forth came the human pair,
And join'd their vocal worship to the quire
Of creatures wanting voice: that done, partake
The season, prime for sweetest scents and airs:
Then commune how that day they best might ply
Their growing work: for much their work outgrew
The hands despatch of two, gardening so wide,
And Eve first, to her husband, thus began.

66

Adam, well may we labour still to dress This garden, still to tend plant, herb, and flower, Our pleasant task enjoined; but till more hands Aid us, the work under our labour grows Luxurious by restraint; what we by day Lop overgrown, or prune, or prop, or bind, One night or two with wanton growth derides, Tending to wild. Thou therefore now advise, Or hear, what to my mind first thoughts present: Let us divide our labours; thou where choice Leads thee, or where most needs, whether to wind The woodbine round this arbour, or direct The clasping ivy where to climb: while I, In yonder spring of roses intermix'd With myrtle, find what to redress till noon: For while so near each other thus all day Our task we choose, what wonder, if so near, Looks intervene and smiles, or object new, Casual discourse draw on? which intermits Our day's work, brought to little, though begun Early; and the hour of supper comes unearn'd."

To whom mild answer Adam thus return'd. "Sole Eve, associate sole, to me, beyond Compare, above all living creatures dear;

Well hast thou motion'd, well thy thoughts employ’d
How we might best fulfil the work, which here
God hath assign'd us, nor of me shalt pass
Unpraised for nothing lovelier can be found.
In woman, than to study household good,
And good works in her husband to promote,
Yet not so strictly hath our Lord imposed
Labour, as to debar us, when we need,
Refreshment, whether food, or talk, between,
Food of the mind, or this sweet intercourse
Of looks and smiles; for smiles from reason flow,
To brute denied, and are of love the food;
Love, not the lowest end of human life.
For not to irksome toil, but to delight,
He made us, and delight to reason join'd.
The paths & bowers, doubt not, but our joint hands
Will keep from wilderness, with ease, as wide
As we need walk, till younger hands ere long,
Assist us but if much converse, perhaps,
Thee satiate, to short absence I could yield
For solitude sometimes is best society,
And short retirement urges sweet_return.
But other doubt possesses me, lest harm
Befal thee severed from me; for thou know'st
What hath been warn'd us, what malicious foe,
Envying our happiness, and of his own
Despairing, seeks to work us woe and shame,
By sly assault; and somewhere nigh at hand
Watches no doubt, with greedy hope, to find
His wish, and best advantage, us asunder;
Hopeless to circumvent us join'd, where each
To other speedy aid might lend at need:
Whether his first design be to withdraw
Our fealty from God, or to disturb
Conjugal love; than which, perhaps, no bliss
Enjoy'd by us excites his envy more;
Or this, or worse; leave not the faithful side
That gave thee being, still shades thee, & protects,
The wife, where danger or dishonour lurks,
Safest, and seemliest, by her husband stays;
Who guards her, or with her worse endures."

To whom the virgin majesty of Eve,
As one who loves, & some unkindness meets,
With sweet austere composure, thus replied.

Offspring of Heaven and Earth, & all Earth's Lord, That such an enemy we have, who seeks Our ruin, both by thee inform'd, I learn, And from the parting angel overheard, As in a shady nook I stood behind, Just then return'd at shut of evening flowers. But that thou shouldst my firmness therefore doubt, To God, or thee, because we have a foe May tempt it, I expected not to hear. His violence thou fear'st not, being such As we, not capable of death or pain, Can either not receive, or can repel. His fraud is then thy fear; which plain infers Thy equal fear, that my firm faith and love Can by his fraud be shaken, or seduced; [breast, Thoughts, which how found they harbour in thy Adam, misthought of her, to thee so dear?"

To whom, with healing words, Adam replied.
Daughter of God and Man, immortal Eve,
For such thou art, from sin and blame entire :
Not diffident of thee, do I dissuade
Thy absence from my sight, but to avoid
The attempt itself, intended by our foe. [perses
For he who tempts, though in vain, at least as-
The tempted with dishonour foul, supposed
Not incorruptible of faith, not proof
Against temptation: thou thyself with scorn
And
wouldst resent the offer'd wrong,
anger,
Though ineffectual found; misdeem not then,
If such affront I labour to avert

From thee, alone, which on us both at once,
The enemy, though bold, will hardly dare;
Or daring, first on me the assault shall light.
Nor thou his malice and false guile contemn:
Subtle he needs must be, who could seduce
Angels; nor think superfluous others' aid.
I, from the influence of thy looks, receive
Access in every virtue; in thy sight
More wise, more watchful, stronger if need were
Of outward strength; while shame, thou looking
Shame to be overcome or overreach'd,
Would utmost vigour raise, and raised unite.
Why shouldst not thou like sense within thee feel
When I am present, and thy trial choose
With me, best witness of thy virtue tried !"
So spake domestic Adam, in his care
And matrimonial love; but Eve, who thought

[on,

Less attributed to her faith sincere,
Thus her reply, with accent sweet, renew'd.
"If this be our condition, thus to dwell
In narrow circuit, straiten'd by a foe,
Subtle or violent, we not endued,
Single, with like defence, wherever met,
How are we happy, still in fear of harm?
But harm precedes not sin; only our foe,
Tempting, affronts us with his foul esteem
Of our integrity; his foul esteem
Sticks no dishonour on our front, but turns
Foul on himself: then wherefore shunn'd or fear'd
By us? who rather double honour gain
From his surmise, proved false; find peace within,
Favour from Heaven, our witness from the even*
And what is faith, love, virtue, unassay'd,
Alone, without exterior help sustain'd?
Let us not then suspect our happy state,
Left so imperfect by the Maker wise,
As not secure, to single, or combined.
Frail is our happiness if this be so,
And Eden were no Eden thus exposed."

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

Of all that he created, much less Man,
Or ought 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 beware, and still erect
Lest, by some fair appearing good surprised,
She dictate false, and misinform the will,
To do what God expressly hath forbid.
Not then mistrust, but tender love, enjoins
That I should mind thee oft, & mind thou me.
Firm we subsist, yet possible to swerve;
Since reason not impossibly may meet
Some specious object, by the foe suborn'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
Thou sever not: trial will come unsought.