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1150

Or here th' attempt, thou couldst not have discern'd
Fraud in the Serpent, speaking as he spake ;
No ground of enmity between us known,
Why he should mean me ill, or seek to harm.
Was I to have ne'er parted from thy side?
As good have grown there still, a lifeless rib!
Being as I am, why didst not thou, the head,
Command me absolutely not to go,
Going into such danger as thou saidst?

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
Immutable when thou wert lost, not I,

Who might have lived and joy'd immortal bliss,
Yet willingly chose rather death with thee?

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
No evil durst attempt thee; but I rue

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.
Thus they in mutual accusation spent
The fruitless hours, but neither self-condemning:
And of their vain contest appear'd no end.

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
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 Heav'n: for what can 'scape the eye

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
Whatever wiles of foe or seeming friend.

6

10

[ber'd

For still they knew, and ought to' have still remem.
The high injunction not to taste that fruit
Whoever tempted: which they not obeying,

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,
And manifold in sin, deserved to fall.
Up into Heav'n from Paradise in haste
Th' Angelic guards ascended, mute and sad
For Man; for of his state by this they knew,

15

Much wond'ring how the subtle fiend had stolen 20
Entrance unseen. Soon as th' 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.

25

About the new-arrived, in multitudes
Th' ethereal people ran, to hear and know

How all befell: they tow'rds 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 Pow'rs 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,

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35

40

Or touch with lightest moment of impulse

45

His free-will, to her own inclining left
In even scale. But fall'n 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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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
Man's Friend, his Mediator, his design'd
Both Ransom and Redeemer voluntary,

60

And destined Man himself to judge Man fall'n.
So spake the Father, and unfolding bright
Tow'rd the right hand his glory, on the Son
Blazed forth unclouded Deity: he full
Resplendent all his Father manifest

65

Express'd, and thus divinely answer'd mild:
Father Eternal, thine is to decree ;

Mine, both in Heav'n and Earth, to do thy will

Supreme, that thou in me, thy Son beloved,
May'st 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

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
Them fully satisfy'd, and thee appease.

Attendance none shall need, nor train where none 80
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

85

Of high collat'ral glory': him Thrones and Pow'rs,
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

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.
59. Ps. lxxxv. 10.
74. According to Book iii. line 236.
78. Illustrate most, shew or prove most clearly.
92. Gen. iii. 8, and following verses.

To fan the earth, now waked, and usher in
The ev'ning cool, when he from wrath more cool, 95
Came the mild Judge and Intercessor both,

100

105

To sentence Man. The voice of God they heard
Now walking in the garden, by soft winds
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:
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' erewhile 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 loth, tho' first
T'offend, discount'nanced both, and discomposed: 110
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, falt'ring 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, reply'd:
My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not fear'd,
But still rejoiced: how is it now become

116

120

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

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.

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