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PARADISE LOST.

BOOK X.

Man's transgression known, the guardian Ange.s forsake Paradise and return up to Heaven to approve their vigi.ance, and are ap proved; God declaring that the entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He sends his Son to judge the transgressors, who descends and gives sentence accordingly; then in pity clothes them both, and reascends. Sin and Death, sitting till then at the gates of Hell, by wondrous sympathy feeling the success of Satan in this new world, and the sin by Man there committed, resolve to sit no longer confined in Hell, but to follow Satan their sire up to the place of Man: To make the way easier from Hell to this world to and fro, they pave a broad highway or bridge over Chaos, according to the tract that Satan first made; then, preparing for Earth, they meet him, proud of his success, return ing to Hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pande monium, in full assembly relates with boasting his success against Man; instead of applause is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience, transformed with himself also suddenly into serpents, according to his doom given in Paradise; then, deluded with a show of the forbidden tree springing up before them, they, greedily reaching to take of the fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes. The proceedings of Sin and Death: God foretels the final victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all things; but, for the present, commands his Angels to make several alterations in the Heavens and elements. Adam, more and more perceiving his fallen condition, heavily bewails, rejects the condclement of Eve; she persists, and at length appeases him: then, to evade the curse likely to fall on their offspring, proposes to Adam violent ways, which he approves not; but, conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late promise made them, that her seed should be revenged on the Serpent; and exhorts her with him to seek peace of the offended Deity, by repentance and supplication.

MEANWHILE the heinous and despiteful act

Of Satan, done in Paradise; and how

He, in the Serpent, had perverted Eve,

Her husband she, to taste the fatal fruit,

Was known in Heaven; for what can scape the eye 5

Of God all-seeing, or deceive his heart

Omniscient? who, in all things wise and just

Hinder'd not Satan to attempt the mind

Of Man, with strength entire and free will arm'd,

Complete to have discover'd and repulsed

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Whatever wiles of fce or seeming friend.

For still they knew, and ought to have still remember'd,
The high injunction, not to taste that fruit,
Whoever tem ted; which they not obeying,

Incurr'd (what could they less?) the penalty;
And, manifold in sin, deserved to fall.
Up into Heaven from Paradise in haste
The Angelic guards ascended, mute and sad,
For Man; for of his state by this they knew,

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Much wondering how the subtle Fiend had stolen 20
Entrance unseen. Soon as the unwelcome news
From Earth arrived at Heaven-gate, displeased
All were who heard; dim Sadness did not spare
That time celestial visages, yet, mix'd
With pity, violated not their bliss.

About the new-arrived, in multitudes

The ethereal people ran, to hear and know

How all befel: They towards the throne supreme,
Accountable, made haste, to make appear,

With righteous plea, their utmost vigilance,

And easily approved: when the Most High
Eternal Father, from his secret cloud,
Amidst in thunder utter'd thus his voice :
Assembled Angels, and ye Powers return'd
From unsuccessful charge, be not dismay'd,
Nor troubled at these tidings from the earth,
Which your sincerest care could not prevent;
Foretold so lately what would come to pass,
When first this Tempter cross'd the gulf from Hell.

I told ye then he should prevail, and speed

On his bad errand; Man should be seduced,
And flatter'd out of all, believing lies
Against his Maker; no decree of mine
Concurring to necessitate his fall,

Or touch with lightest moment of impulse

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His free will, to her own inclining left
In even scale. But fallen he is; and now
What rests, but that the mortal sentence pass
On his transgression, death denounced that day
Which he presumes already vain and void,
Because not yet inflicted, as he fear'd,

By some immediate stroke; but soon shall find
Forbearance no acquittance, ere day end.
Justice shall not return as bounty scorn'd.

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But whom send I to judge them? whom but thee, 5o Vicegerent Son? To thee I have transferr'd

All judgment, whether in Heaven, or Earth, or Hell. Fasy it may be seen that I intend

Mercy colleague with Justice, sending thee,

Man's friend, his Mediator, his design'd

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Both ransom and Redeemer voluntary,

And destined Man himself to judge Man fallen.

So spake the Father; and, unfolding bright Toward the right hand his glory, on the Son Blazed forth unclouded Deity: He full

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Resplendent all his Father manifest

Express'd, and thus divinely answer'd mild:

Father Eternal, thine is to decree;

Mine, both in Heaven and Earth, to do thy will

Supreme; that thou in me, thy Son beloved,

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Mayst ever rest well pleased. I go to judge

On earth these thy transgressors; but thou know'st,
Whoever judged, the worst on me must light,
When time shall be; for so I undertook

Before thee; and, not repenting, this obtain
Of right, that I may mitigate their doom
On me derived; yet I shall temper so
Justice with mercy as may illustrate most
Them fully satisfied, and thee appease.

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Attendance none shall need, nor train, where none 8 Are to behold the judgment, but the judged,

Those two; the third best absent is condemn'd.

Convict by flight, and rebel to all law :
Conviction to the serpent none belongs.

Thus saying, from his radiant seat he rose

Of high collateral glory; Him Thrones, and Powers,
Princedoms, and Dominations ministrant,
Accompanied to Heaven-gate; from whence
Eden and all the coast in prospect lay.

Down he descended straight; the speed of Gods

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Time counts not, though with swiftest minutes wing'd. Now was the sun in western cadence low

From noon, and gentle airs, due at their hour,

To fan the earth now waked, and usher in

The evening cool; when he, from wrath more cool, 95
Came the mild judge, and Intercessor both,

To sentence Man: The voice of God they heard
Now walking in the garden, by soft winds

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Brought to their ears, while day declined; they heard,
And from his presence hid themselves among
The thickest trees, both man and wife; till God,
Approaching, thus to Adam call'd aloud :

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Where art thou, Adam wont with joy to meet
My coming seen far off? I miss thee here,
Not pleased, thus entertain'd with solitude,
Where obvious duty ere while appear'd unsought:
Or come I less conspicuous, or what change
Absents thee, or what chance detains ?-Come forth!
He came ; and with him Eve, more loath, though first
To offend; discountenanced both, and discomposed;
Love was not in their looks, either to God,
Or to each other; but apparent guilt,
And shame, and perturbation, and despair,
Anger, and obstinacy, and hate, and guile.

Whence Adam, faltering long, thus answer'd brief:
I heard thee in the garden, and of thy voice
Afraid, being naked, hid myself. To whom
The gracious Judge without revile replied:

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My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not fear'd,

But still rejoiced; how is it now become

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So dreadful to thee! That thou art naked, who
Hath told thee? Hast thou eaten of the tree

Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not eat?

To whom thus Adam sore beset replied:

O Heaven! in evil strait this day I stand

Before my Judge; either to undergo
Myself the total crime, or to accuse

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My other self, the partner of my life;

Whose failing, while her faith to me remains,

I should conceal, and not expose to blame

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By my complaint: but strict necessity
Subdues me, and calamitous constraint;

Lest on my head both sin and punishment

However insupportable, be all

Devolved; though should I hold my peace, yet thou

Wouldst easily detect what I conceal.

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This Woman, whom thou madest to be my help,

And gavest me as thy perfect gift, so good,

So fit, so acceptable, so divine,

That from her hand I could suspect no ill,

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And what she did, whatever in itself,

Her doing seem'd to justify the deed;

She gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

To whom the Sov'reign Presence thus replied.

Was she thy God, that her thou didst obey

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Before his voice? or was she made thy guide,

Superior, or but equal, that to her

Thou didst resign thy manhood, and the place
Wherein God set thee above her made of thee,
And for thee, whose perfection far excell'd
Hers in all real dignity? Adorn'd

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She was indeed, and lovely, to attract

Thy love, not thy subjection; and her gifts

Were such, as under government well seem'd ;
Unseemly to bear rule; which was thy part
And person, hadst thou known thyself aright

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