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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;

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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,

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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,

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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,

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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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