For solitude sometimes is best society,
And short retirement urges sweet return.
But other doubt possesses me, lest harm
Befal thee sever'd 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 feälty 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 be'ing, still shades thee and protects: The wife, where danger or dishonour lurks, Safest and seemliest by her husband stays,
Who guards her, or with her the worst endures. To whom the virgin majesty of Eve,
As one who loves, and some unkindness meets, With sweet austere composure thus reply'd. Offspring of Heav'n and Earth, and 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 over-heard, 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 seduc'd; Thoughts which how found they harbour in thy breast,
Adam, misthought of her to thee so dear?
To whom with healing words Adam reply'd. 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
Th' attempt itself, intended by our foe.
For he who tempts, though' in vain, at least asperses The tempted with dishonour foul, suppos'd Not incorruptible of faith, not proof
Against temptation: thou thyself with scorn And anger would'st resent the offer'd wrong, 300 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 th' 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 on, Shame to be overcome or over-reach'd
Would utmost vigour raise, and rais’d 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 try'd? So spake domestic Adam in his care
And matrimonial love; but Eve, who thought Less attribúted 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 shun'd or fear'd
By us? Who rather double honour gain
From his surmise prov'd false, find peace within, Favour from Heav'n, our witness from th' event. 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 combin'd. Frail is our happiness, if this be so, And Eden were no Eden thus expos'd.
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 surpris'd 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, and 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 no temptation then, which to avoid Were better, and most likely if from me
Thou sever not; trial will come unsought.
Wouldst thou approve thy constancy, approve First thy obedience; th' other who can know, Not seeing thee attempted, who attest ? But if thou think, trial unsought may find
Us both securer than thus warn'd thou seem'st, Go; for thy stay, not free, absents thee more; Go in thy native innocence, rely
On what thou hast of virtue, summon all,
For God towards thee hath done his part, do thine. So spake the patriarch of mankind; but Eve Persisted, yet submiss, though last, reply'd.
With thy permission then, and thus forewarn'd Chiefly by what thy own last reasoning words Touch'd only, that our trial, when least sought, May find us both perhaps far less prepar'd, The willinger I go, nor much expect A foe so proud will first the weaker seek; So bent, the more shall shame him his repulse. Thus saying, from her husband's hand her hand Soft she withdrew, and like a Wood-Nymph light, Oread or Dryad, or of Delia's train,
Betook her to the groves, but Delia's self
In gait surpass'd, and Goddess-like deport, Though not as she with bow and quiver arm'd, But with such gard'ning tools as art yet rude, 391 Guiltless of fire, had form'd, or Angels brought, To Pales, or Pomona, thus adorn'd, Likest she seem'd, Pomona when she fled Vertumnus, or to Ceres in her prime, Yet Virgin of Pro-crpina from Jove,
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