620 Express they, by looks only', or do they mix To whom the angel with a smile that glow'd thou in the body' enjoy’st (And pure thou wert created) we enjoy 625 with pure 630 plied to the natural love be- Does not our author here mean tween the sexes. This very that the angel both smiled and philosophical dialogue of the blushed at Adam's curiosity ? angel and Adam altogether pro. Ariosto makes the angel Miceeds on this doctrine. But chael change colour upon a cerwhen Adam asks his celestial tain occasion, guest whether angels are sus. Nel viso s'arrossì l'Angelo beato, ceptible of love, whether they Parendogli che mal fosse ubidito express their passion by look's Al Creatore ; only, or by a mixture of irra Orl. Fur. cant. 27. st. 35. diation, by virtual or immediate Loaden with fruit and apples rosy contact, our author seems to red. have overleaped the Platonic pale, and to have lost his way Spenser, Faery Queen, b. i. among the solemn conceits of cant. 11. st. 46. Thyer. Peter Lombard and Thomas 630. But I can now no more ; Aquinas. It is no wonder that the parting sun &c.] The conthe angel blushed, as well as versation was now become of smiled, at some of these ques- such a nature that it was proper tions. T. Wurton. to put an end to it: and now 618. To whom the angel with the parting sun beyond the earth's a smile that glow'd green Cape, beyond Cape de Verd Celestial rosy red,] the most western point of Africa, 635 Beyond the earth's green Cape and verdant isles So saying, he arose ; whom Adam thus 640 and verdant isles, the islands of God, that we keep his commandCape de Verd, a knot of small ments, 1 John v. 3. His great islands lying off Cape de Verd, command every body will readily subject to the Portuguese, Hes- understand to be the command perian sets, sets westward, from not to eat of the forbidden tree, Hesperus the evening star ap- which was to be the trial of pearing there, my signal to de- Adam's obedience. part, for he was only to stay till 637. Would not admit;] Admit the evening, v. 376. is used in the Latin sense, as in Terence, Heaut. v. ii. 3. Quid -for these mid hours, till evening ego tantum sceleris admisi miser? rise, I have at will, What great wickedness have I committed ? And he very properly closes his 637. —-thine and of all thy sons discourse with those moral in- &c.] In te omnis domus instructions, which should make clinata recumbit. Virg. Æn. the most lasting impression on the mind of Adam, and to de 644. -whom Adam Adam thus] liver which was the principal Adam's speech at parting with end and design of the angel's the angel has in it a deference coming. and gratitude agreeable to an 634. Him whom to love is to inferior nature, and at the same obey,] For this is the love of time a certain dignity and great xii. 59. 645 Follow'd with benediction. Since to part, So parted they, the angel up to heaven 650 up to heaven ness suitable to the father of Glory and benediction, that is thanks. mankind in his state of inno Richardson. cence. Addison. 652. So parted they, the angel 645. Follow'd with benediction. Since to part,) Benedicere Do From the thick shade, and Adam mino, to bless God is a common to his bower.] phrase in religious offices. And It is very true, as Dr. Bentley so in a lower sense men may be says, that this conversation besaid to bless angels; for benedic- tween Adam and the angel was tion is (properly speaking) only held in the bower. For thither giving them good words, or Adam had invited him. V. 367. wishing them well. See Psal. Vouchsafe with us in yonder boveer cix. 17. In this sense therefore To rest. it is not improper to be used to And the angel had accepted the wards superiors. Since to part invitation, ver. 375. means, since we are to part. If -lead on then where thy lower the expression is abbreviated, so O'ershadeswas the time of Raphael's stay -So to the sylvan lodge with Adam. He was just upon They came. the point of going, and therefore But by bower in this place is Adam might choose brevity of meant his inmost bower, as it is speech, that he might express called in iv. 738. his place of all he had to say before the rest. There was a shady walk archangel withdrew himself. that led to Adam's bower. When Pearce. the angel arose, ver. 644. Adam Benediction here is not bless- followed him into this shady walk: ing, as it is usually understood, and it was from this thick shade but well speaking, thanks. So that they parted, and the angel Milton has explained the word, went up to heaven, and Adam Par. Reg. iii. 127. to his bower. THE ARGUMENT. SATAN having compassed the earth, with meditated guile returns as a mist by night into Paradise, enters into the Serpent sleeping. Adam and Eve in the morning go forth to their labours, which Eve proposes to divide in several places, each labouring apart: Adam consents not, alleging the danger, lest that enemy, of whom they were forewarned, should attempt her found alone: Eve, loath to be thought not circumspect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather desirous to make trial of her strength; Adam at last yields: the Serpent finds her alone; his subtle approach, first gazing, then speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above all other creatures. Eve, wondering to hear the Serpent speak, asks how he attained to human speech and such understanding not till now; the Serpent answers, that by tasting of a certain tree in the garden he attained both to speech and reason, till then void of both: Eve requires him to bring her to that tree, and finds it to be the tree of knowledge forbidden: the Serpent now grown bolder, with many wiles and arguments induces her at length to eat; she pleased with the taste deliberates a while whether to impart thereof to Adam or not, at last brings him of the fruit, relates what persuaded her to eat thereof: Adam at first amazed, but perceiving her lost, resolves through vehemence of love to perish with her: and extenuating the trespass eats also of the fruit: the effects thereof in them both; they seek to cover their nakedness; then fall to variance and accusation of one another. |