The fig-tree, not that kind for fruit renown'd,
But fuch as at this day to Indians known
In Malabar or Decan fpreads her arms

Branching fo broad and long, that in the ground
The bended twigs take root, and daughters grow
About the mother tree, a pillar'd fhade

1100

High overarch'd, and echoing walks between;
There oft the Indian herdsman shunning heat
Shelters in cool, and tends his pafturing herds
At loopholes cut through thickest shade: Thofe leaves
They gather'd, broad as Amazonian targe,
And with what skill they had, together fow'd,
To gird their wafte, vain covering if to hide

Ως ειπων θαμνων υπέδυσε το διος

Οδυσσευς.

Εκ πυκινώς δ' ύλης πορθου κλασε

χειρι παχει Φυλλων, ὡς φυσαιτο περί χροί undeα çaiC.

Then where the grove with leaves

umbrageous bends, With forceful ftrength a branch the

hero rends;

Their

to the fneer, What could they do f needles and thred? But the original fignifes no more than that they twisted the young twigs of the figtree round about their waftes, in the manner of a Roman crown, for which purpose the fig-tree of all others, efpecially in thofe eaftern countries, was the most serviceable; because it hath, as Pliny fays Lib. 16. cap. 26. folium maximum umbrofiffimumque, the greatest and most fhady leaf of all others. And our

author follows the best commentators fig-tree, the account of which he in fuppofing that this was the Indian borrows from Pliny, Lib. 12. c. 5. a Pliny had done before from Thephraftus. It was not that kind f

frust

Their guilt and dreaded fhame; O how unlike
To that first naked glory! Such of late

Columbus found th' American, fo girt

1115

With feather'd cincture, naked elfe and wild
Among the trees on iles and woody fhores.

Thus fenc'd, and as they thought, their shame in part
Cover'd, but not at reft or eafe of mind,

1120

They fat them down to weep; nor only tears Rain'd at their eyes, but high winds worfe within Began to rife, high paffions, anger, hate,

Miftruft, fufpicion, difcord, and fhook fore

Their inward state of mind, calm region once 1125 And full of peace, now toft and turbulent:

For

1103. In Malabar or Decan] Malabar is a vaft peninfula or promontary of the East Indies, of which Decan is a confiderable kingdom. Hume.

fruit renown'd, and Pliny fays that targe: Foliorum latitudo peltæ effithe largenefs of the leaves hinder'd giem Amazonicæ habet. Sir Walter he fruit from growing; hâc causâ Raleigh, upon his own knowledge, fructum in tegens, crefcere prohibet; gives very much the fame account of rarufque eft. It branches fo broad and this Ficus Indica in his Hiftory of long that in the ground the bended the World. B. 1. C. 4. S. 2. tvigs take root, and daughters grow about the mother tree, a pillar'd hade high overarch'd: As Pliny fays, Ipfa fe femper ferens, vaflis diffunditur ramis; quorum imi adeo in terram curvantur, ut annuo fpatio infigantur, novamque fibi propaginem faciant circa parentem quodam opere topiario - fornicato ambitu. There oft the Indian herdsman fhuning beat Shelters in cool &c: Intra fepem eam æltivant paltores &c. And its leaves are broad as Amazonian

1115.

Such of late Columbus found the American, &c.] Columbus, who made the first difcovery of America about the Year 1492, found the Americans fo girt about the wafte with feathers, as Adam and Eve were with fig-leaves.

0 3

1140. Let

For understanding rul'd not, and the will
. Heard not her lore, both in fubjection now
To fenfual appetite, who from beneath
Ufurping over fovran reafon clam'd

Superior fway: from thus diftemper'd breast,
Adam, eftrang'd in look and alter'd stile,
Speech intermitted thus to Eve renew'd,

1130

Would thou hadst hearken'd to my words, and stay'd With me, as I befought thee, when that strange 1135 Defire of wand'ring this unhappy morn,

I know not whence poffefs'd thee; we had then
Remain'd ftill happy, not as now, defpoil'd

Of all our good, fham'd, naked, miferable.
Let none henceforth feek needlefs caufe to'
approve
The faith they owe; when earneftly they feek 1141
Such proof, conclude, they then begin to fail.

To whom foon mov'd with touch of blame thus

Eve.

What words have pass'd thy lips, Adam fevere!

1140. Let none henceforth feek needlefs caufe to approve The faith they owe;] As Eve had done when she said ver. 335.

And what is faith, love, virtue, unaflay'd, &c.

Imput'ft

1144. What words have pass'd tip lips, Adam fevere!] Inimi tation of Homer, Iliad. XIV. 83.

Ατρείδη, ποιον σε επσ φυγει spxos of over;

Thyer. 1162, To

Imput'ft thou that to my default, or will

1145

Of wand'ring, as thou call'ft it, which who knows

But might as ill have happen'd thou being by,

1150

Or to thyfelf perhaps? hadft thou been there,
Or here th' attempt, thou couldst not have discern'd
Fraud in the Serpent, fpeaking as he fpake;
No ground of enmity between us known,
Why he should mean me ill, or feek to harm.
Was I to' have never parted from thy fide?
As good have grown there ftill a lifeless rib.

1155

Being as I am, why didft not thou the head
Command me abfolutely not to go,
Going into fuch danger as thou faidft?
Too facil then thou didst not much gainfay,
Nay didft permit, approve, and fair dismiss.
Hadft thou been firm and fix'd in thy diffent, 1160
Neither had I tranfgrefs'd, nor thou with me.
To whom then first incens'd Adam reply'd.
Is this the love, is this the recompenfe

1162. To whom then firft incens'd Adam reply'd.] As Adam is now firft angry, his fpeech is abrupt and his fentences broken. Is this the love, Dr. Bentley reads Is this

Of

thy love, is this the recompenfe of mine to thee, of my love to thee, which was express'd immutable when thou wert loft?

04

1170.

Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve, exprefs'd
Immutable when thou wert loft, not I,
Who might have liv'd and joy'd immortal bliss,
Yet willingly chofe rather death with thee?
And am I now upbraided as the cause

Of thy tranfgreffing? not enough fevere,

1165

It seems, in thy reftraint: 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,
And force upon free will hath here no place.
But confidence then bore thee on, secure
Either to meet no danger, or to find
Matter of glorious trial; and perhaps
I alfo err'd in overmuch admiring

What feem'd in thee fo perfect, that I thought
No evil durft attempt thee, but I rue
That error now, which is become my crime,
And thou th' accufer. Thus it fhall befall
Him who to worth in women overtrufting

1170.

in thy refraint:] This is the reading in all the first editions; but feveral of the later ones have my reftraint.

1175

1180

Lets

1183. in women overtrafing Dr. Bentley reads woman, and/ fhould rather prefer it on account of what follows, her will, he will st