1150 Or here th' attempt, thou couldst not have discern'd Too facile then thou didst not much gainsay, Nay, didst permit, approve, and fair dismiss. 1155 Hadst thou been firm and fix'd in thy dissent, 1160 Neither had I transgress'd, nor thou with me. To whom then, first incensed, Adam reply'd: Is this the love, is this the recompense Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve, express'd Who might have lived and joy'd immortal bliss, And am I now upbraided as the cause Of thy transgressing? not enough severe, 1165 It seems, in thy restraint. What could I more? 1170 I warn'd thee, I admonish'd thee, foretold The danger, and the lurking enemy That lay in wait. Beyond this had been force; But confidence then bore thee on, secure 1175 And force upon free-will hath here no place. Either to meet no danger, or to find Matter of glorious trial; and perhaps I also err'd in overmuch admiring What seem'd in thee so perfect, that I thought 1180 That error now, which is become my crime, And thou th' accuser. Thus it shall befall Him who, to worth in women overtrusting, Lets her will rule. Restraint she will not brook; And left to' herself, if evil thence ensue, 1185 She first his weak indulgence will accuse. 1170. My restraint is found in some editions. 1183. Bentley reads, woman; but the transition from the singular to the plural, as in this passage, is not a sufficient reason for the change. BOOK X. THE ARGUMENT. Man's transgression known, the guardian Angels forsake Pe radise, and return up to Heaven to approve their vigilance, and are approved, 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 re-ascends. 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 track that Satan first made; then, preparing for Earth, they meet him, proud of his success, returning to Hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium, 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 foretells 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 condolement 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 hainous and despiteful act He in the serpent had perverted Eve, Was known in Heav'n: for what can 'scape the eye Of God all-seeing, or deceive his heart Of Man, with strength entire, and free-will arm'd, 6 10 [ber'd For still they knew, and ought to' have still remem. 1. There is more of action, as Addison has well observed, in this book than in any other, and all the characters of the poem are made to pass in quick succession before the reader. Incurr'd (what could they less?) the penalty, 15 Much wond'ring how the subtle fiend had stolen 20 25 About the new-arrived, in multitudes How all befell: they tow'rds the throne supreme, Assembled Angels, and ye Pow'rs return'd On his bad errand; Man should be seduced 30 35 40 Or touch with lightest moment of impulse 45 His free-will, to her own inclining left By some immediate stroke; but soon shall find 50 24. Mir'd with pity must be read as in a parenthesis, according to Warburton; the idea of angelic sadness thus softened bring very just and beautiful. But whom send I to judge them? Whom but thee, 55 Vicegerent Son? To thee I have transferr'd All judgment, whether in Heav'n, or Earth, or Hell. Easy it may be seen that I intend Mercy colleague with justice, sending thee 60 And destined Man himself to judge Man fall'n. 65 Express'd, and thus divinely answer'd mild: Mine, both in Heav'n and Earth, to do thy will Supreme, that thou in me, thy Son beloved, 70 Before thee; and not repenting, this obtain 75 Of right, that I may mitigate their doom On me derived; yet I shall temper so Justice with mercy', as may illustrate most Attendance none shall need, nor train where none 80 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 85 Of high collat'ral glory': him Thrones and Pow'rs, Down he descended straight: the speed of Gods 90 Time counts not, tho' with swiftest minutes wing'd. Now was the sun in western cadence low From noon, and gentle airs due at their hour 56. John v. 22-27. To fan the earth, now waked, and usher in 100 105 To sentence Man. The voice of God they heard Whence Adam, falt'ring long, thus answer'd brief: 116 120 So dreadful to thee? That thou'rt naked, who O Heav'n! in evil strait this day I stand Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not eat? To whom thus Adam, sore beset, reply'd: Before my Judge, either to undergo 125 Myself the total crime, or to accuse My other self, the partner of my life; Whose failing, while her faith to me remains, I should conceal, and not expose to blame 130 By my complaint; but strict necessity Subdues me, and calamitous constraint, Lest on my head both sin and punishment, However insupportable, be all Devolved; tho', should I hold my peace, yet thou 135 Wouldst easily detect what I conceal. |