Page images
PDF
EPUB

With heav'nly spoils, our spoils: what he Their growing work: for much their work

decrced

He effected; Man he made, and for him built
Magnificent this world, and Earth his seat,
Him lord pronounc'd, and, O indignity!
Subjected to his service angel wings,
And flaming ministers to watch and tend
Their carthly charge: of these the vigilance
I dread, and to elude, thus wrapt in mist
Of midnight vapor glide obscure, and pry
In every bush and brake, where hap may find
The serpent sleeping, in whose mazy folds
To hide me, and the black intent I bring.
O foul descent! that I who erst contended
With gods to sit the highest, am now con-
strain'd

Into a beast, and mix'd with bestial slime,
This essence to incarnate and imbrute,
That to the height of Diety aspir'd;
But what will not Ambition and Revenge
Descend to? who aspires must down as low
As high he soar'd, obnoxious first or last
To basest things. Revenge, at first though
sweet,

Bitter ere long back on itself recoils;
Let it; I reck uot, so it light well aim'd,
Since higher I fall short, on him who next
Provokes my envy, this new favourite
Of Heav'n, this Man of Clay, Son of Despite,
Whom us the more to spite, his Maker rais'd
From dust: spite then with spite is best repaid.
So saying, through each thicket dank or dry,
Like a black mist low creeping, he held on
His midnight search, where soonest he might
find

The serpent: him fast sleeping soon he found
In labyrinth of many a round self-roll'd
His head the midst, well stor'd with subtle
wiles:

Nor yet iu horrid shade or dismal den,
Nor nocent yet, but on the grassy herb
Fearless unfear'd he slept: in at his mouth
The Devil enter'd, and his brutal sense,
In heart or head, possessing soon inspir'd
With act intelligential; but his sleep

outgrew

The hands' dispatch of two gard'ning so wide,
And Eve first to her husband thus began:
Adam, well may we labor still to dress
This garden, still to tend plant, herb and
flower,

Our pleasant task injoin'd, but till more hands
Aid us, the work under our labour grows,
Luxurious by restraint; what we by day
Lop overgrown, or prune, or prop, or bind,
One night or two with wanton growth derides,
Tending to wild. Thou therefore now advise,
O hear what to my mind first thoughts pre
sent;

Let us divide our labors, thou where choice
Leads thee, or where most needs, whether to

wind

The woodbine round this arbor, or direct
The clasping ivy where to climb, while I
In yonder spring of roses intermix'd
With myrtle, find what to redress till noon:
For while so near each other thus all day
Our task we chuse, no wonder if so near
Looks intervene and smiles, or object new
Casual discourse draws on, which intermits
Our day's work brought to little, though begun
Early, and the hour of supper comes unearn'd.

To whom mild answer Adam thus return'd:
Sole Eve, associate sole, to me beyond
Compare above all living creatures dear,
Well hast thou motion'd, well thy thoughts
employ'd

How we might best fulfil the work which here
God hath assign'd us, nor of me shalt pass
Unprais'd: for nothing lovier can be found
In woman, than to study household good,
And good works in her husband to promote.
Yet not so strictly hath our Lord impos'd
Labor, as to debar us when we need
Refreshment, whether food, or talk between.
Food of the mind, or this sweet intercourse
Of looks and smiles, for smiles from reason

flow,

To brute deny'd, and are of love the food,

Disturb'd not, waiting close th' approach of Love not the lowest end of human life.

morn.

Now when as sacred light began to dawn

In Eden on the humid flowers, that breath'd Their morning incense, when all things that breathe, [praise From th' Earth's great altar send up silent To the Creator, and his nostrils fill

For not to irksome toil, but to delight
He made us, and delight to reason join'd.
These paths and bowers doubt not but our
joint hands

Will keep from wilderness with ease, as wide
As we need walk, till younger hands ere long
Assist us, but if much converse perhaps

With grateful smell, forth came the Human Thee satiate, to short absence I could yield:

Pair,

And join'd their vocal worship to the quire
Of creatures wanting voice; that done, partake
The season, prime for sweetest scents and airs:
Then commune how that day they best may ply
No. VII-N S.

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'at
What hath been warn'd us, what malicious for

L

Envying our happiness, and of his own
Despairing, seeks to work us woe and shame
By sly assault; and some where 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 fealty 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 being, 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'u 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, nor 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 scor
And auger would'st resent the offer'd wrong,
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.

[blocks in formation]

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 attributed 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 fronts us with his foul esteem
Of our integrity: his foul esteem

Sticks no dishonour on our front, but turus Foul on himself: then wherefore shunn'd or

[blocks in formation]

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 aught that might this happy state sccnre,
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 weil 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, abscuts 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 fore warn'd

hand

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
[light,
Soft she withdrew, and like a Wood Nymph
Oread or Dryad, or of 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,
Guiltless of fire, had form'd, or Angels brought.
To Pales, or Pomona, thus adorn'd,
Likest she seem'd, l'omoua when she fled
Vertumnus, or to Ceres in her prime,
Yet virgin of Proserpina from Jove.
Her long with ardent look his eye pursu'd
Delighted, but desiring more her stay.
Oft he to her his charge of quick return
Repeated, she to him as oft engag'd
To be return'd by noon amid the bower,
And all things in best order to invite
Noontide repast, or afternoon's repose.
O much deceiv'd, much failing, hapless Eve,
Of thy presum'd return! event perverse!
Thou never from that hour in Paradise
Found'st either sweet repast, or sound repose;
Such ambush hid among sweet flow'rs and

shades

Waited with bellish rancour imminent
To intercept thy way, or send thee back
Despoil'd of innocence, of faith, of bliss.
For now, and since first break of dawn the
fiend,

Mere serpent in appearance, forth was come, And on his quest, where likeliest he might find,

The only two of mankind, but in them
The whole included race, his purpos'd prey.
In bow'r and field he sought, where any tuft
Of grove or garden plo more pleasant lay,
Their tendence or plantation for delight;
By fountain or by shady rivulet

He sought them both, but wish'd his hap might find

Eve separate, he wish'd, but not with hope Of what so seldom chane'd, wheu to his wish, Beyond his hope, Eve separate he spies, Vei'd in a cloud of fragrance, where she stood, Half spy'd, so thick the roses blushing roundAbout her glow'd, oft stooping to support Each flow'r of slender stalk, whose head though

gay

Carnation, purple, azure or speck'd with gold,
Hung drooping unsustain'd; them she upstays
Gently with myrtle band, mindless the while
Herself, though fairest unsupported flower,
From her best prop so far, and storm so nigh.
Nearer he drew, and many a walk travers'd
Of stateliest e vert, cedar, pine, or palm,
Then voluble and bold, now hid, now seen
Among thick-woven arborets and flowers
Imborder'd on each bank, the hand of Eve:
Spot more delicious than those gardens feigu'd
Or of reviv'd Adonis, or renown'd
Alcinous, host of old Laertes' son,

Or that, not mystic, where the sapient king
Held dalliance with his fair Egyptian spouse.
Much he the place admir'd, the person more.
As one who long in populous city pent,
Where houses thick and sewers annoy the air,
Forth issuing on a summer's morn to breathe
Among the pleasant villages and farms
Adjoin'd, from each thing met conceives de.
light,

pass,

The smell of grain, or tedded grass, or kine,
Or dairy, each rural sight, each rural sound;
If chance with nymph-like step fair virgin
[more,
What pleasing seem'd, for her now pleases
She most, and in her look sums all d.light:
Such pleasure took the Serpent to behold
This flow'ry plat, the sweet recess of Eve
Thus early, thus alone; her heav'nly form
Angelic, but more soft, and feminine,
Her graceful innocence, her every air
Of gesture or least action overaw'd

His malice, and with rapine sweet bercav'd
His fierceness of the fierce intent it brought:
That space the Evil one abstracted stood
From his own evil, and for the time remain'ă
Stupidly good, of enmity disarm'd
Of guile, of hate, of envy, of revenge ;

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

Of Paradise for Hell, hope here to taste
Of pleasure, but all pleasure to destroy,
Save what is destroying; other joy

To me is lost. Then let me not let pass
Occasion which now smiles; behold alone
The woman, opportune to all attempts,
Her husband, for I view far rouud, not nigh,
Whose higher intellectual more I shun,
And strength, of courage haughty, and of limb
Heroic built, though of terrestrial mould,
Foe not informidable, exempt from wound,
I not; so much hath hell debas'd, and pain
Enfeebled me, to what I was in Heaven.
She fair, divinely fair, fit love for Gods,
Not terrible, though terror be in love
And beauty, not approach'd by stronger hate,
Hate stronger, under shew of love well feign'd,
The way which to her ruin now I teud.

So spake the enemy of mankind, inclos'd
In serpent, inmate bad, and toward Eve
Address'd his way, not with indented wave,
Proue on the ground, as since, but on his rear,
Circular base of rising folds, that tower'd
Fold above fold a surging maze, his head
Crested aloft, and carbuncle his eyes ;
With burnish'd neck of verdant gold, erect
Amidst his cirling spires, that on the grass
Floated redundant: pleasing was his shape,
And lovely; never since of serpent kind
Lovelier, not those that in Illyria chang'd
Hermoine and Cadmus, or the God
In Epidaurus; nor to which transform'd
Ammonian Jove, or Capitoline was seen,
He with Olympias, this with her who bore
Scipio the height of Rome. With tract oblique
At first, as one who sought access, but fear'd
To interrupt, side-long he works his way.
As when a ship by skilful steersman wrought
Nigh river's mouth or foreland, where the wind
Veers oft, as oft so sleers, and shifts her sail :
So varied he, and of his tortuous train
Curl'd many a wanton wreath in sight of Eve,
To lure her eye; she busied heard the sound
Of rustling leaves, but minded not, as us'd
To such disport before her through the field,
From every beast, more duteous at her call,
Than at Circean call the herd disguis'd.

[blocks in formation]

Thy looks, the Heav'n of mildness, with dis.
Displeas'd that I approach thee thus, and gaze
Insatiate, I thus single, nor have fear'd
Thy awful brow, more awful thus retir'd.
Fairest resemblance of thy Maker fair,
Thee all things living gaze on, all things

thine

By gift, and thy celestial beauty adore
With ravishment beheld, there best beheld
Where universally admir'd; but here
In this inclosure wild, these beasts among,
Beholders rude, and shallow to discern
Half what in thee is fair, oue man except,
Who sees thee? (and what is one?) who
shouldst be seen

A Goddess among Gods, ador'd and serv'd
By Angels numberless, thy daily train.

So gloss'd the Tempter, and his proem

tun'd;

Into the heart of Eve his words made way, Though at the voice much marvelling; at length

Not unmaz'd she thus in answer spake.
What may this mean? Language of man pro-

nounc'd

[press'd By tongue of brute, and human sense ex. The first at least of these I thought deny'd To beasts, whom God on their creation-day Created mute to all articulate sound; The latter I demur, for in their looks Much reason, and in their actions oft appears. Thee, Serpent, subtlest beast of all the field I knew, but not with human voice endued; Redouble then this miracle, and say, How cam'st thou speakable of mute, and how To me so friendly grown above the rest Of brutal kind that daily are in sight: Say, for such wonder claims attention due.

To whom the guileful Tempter thus reply'd.
Empress of this fair world, resplendent Eve,
Easy to me it is to tell thee all
What thou command'st,and right thou shouldst
be obey'd:

I was at first as other beasts that graze
The trodden herb, of abject thoughts and low,
As was my food: nor ought but food discern'd

Or sex, and apprehended nothing high:
Till on a day roving the field, I chane'd
A goodly tree far distant to behold
Loaden with fruit of fairest colours mix'd,
Ruddy and gold: I nearer drew to gaze;
When from the boughs a savoury odour blown,
Grateful to appetite, more pleas'd my sense
Than smell of sweetest fennel, or the teats
Of ewe or goat dropping with milk at even,
Unsuck'd of lamb or kid, that tend their play.
To satisfy the sharp desire I bad

Of tasting those fair apples, I resolv'd
Not to defer; hunger and thirst at once,
Pow'rful persuaders, quicken'd at the scent
Of that alluring fruit, urg'd me so keeu.
About the mossy trunk I wound me soon,
For high from ground the branches would re-
quire

Thy utmost reach or Adam's: round the tree
All other beasts that saw, with like desire
Longing and envying stood, but could not
reach.

Amid the tree now got, where plenty hung
Tempting so nigh, to pluck and eat my fill
I spar'd uot, for such pleasure till that hour
At feed or fountain never had I found.
Sated at length, ere long I might perceive
Strange alteration in me, to degree
Of reason in my inward pow'rs, and speech
Wanted not long, though to this shape re-
tain'd.

Thenceforth to speculations high or deep
I turn'd my thoughts, and with capacious mind
Consider'd all things visible in Heaven,
Or Earth, or middle, all things fair and good:
But all that fair and good in thy divine
Semblance, and in thy beauty's heav'nly ray
United I beheld; no fair to thine
Equivalent or second, which compell'd
Me thus, though importune perhaps, to come
And gaze, and worship thee of right declar'd
Sov'reign of creatures, universal Dame.

So talk'd the spirited sly Suake; and Eve
Yet more amaz'd unwary thus reply'd.
Serpent, thy overpraising leaves in doubt
The virtue of that fruit, in thee first prov'd:
But say, where grows the tree, from hence how
far?

For many are the trees of God that grow
In Paradise, and various, yet unknown
To us in such abundance lies our choice,
As leaves a greater store of fruit untouch'd,
Still hanging incorruptible, till men
Grow up to their provision, and more hands
Help to disburden Nature of her birth.

To whom the wily Adder, blithe and glad.
Empress, the way is ready, and not loug,
Beyond a row of myrtles, on a flat,

Fast by a fountain, one small thicket past

Of blowing myırh and baim; if thou accept
My conduct, I can bring thee thither soon.
Lead then, said Eve. He leading swiftly

roll'd

In tangles, and made intricate seem strait,
To mischief swift. Hope elevates, and joy
Brightens his crest; as when a wand'ring fire,
Compact of unctuous vapour, which the night
Condenses, and the cold envirous round,
Kindled through agitation to a flame,
Which oft they say, some evil Spirit attends,
Hovering and blazing with delusive light,
Misleads th' amaz'd night-wand'rer from his
{pool,

way

To bogs and mires, and oft through pond or
There swallow'd up and lost, from succour far,
So glister'd the dire Snake, and into fraud
Led Eve our credulous mother, to the tree
Of prohibition, root of all our woe:
Which when she saw, thus to her guide she
[hither,
spake.

Serpent, we might have spar'd our coming
Fruitless to me, though fruit be here to excess,
The credit of whose virtue rest with thee,
Wondrous indeed, if cause of such effects.
But of this tree we may not taste nor touch;
God so commanded, and left that command
Sole daughter of his voice; the rest, we live
Law to ourselves, our reason is our law.

To whom the Tempter guilefully reply'd.
Indeed? Hath God then said that of the fruit
Of all these garden trees ye shell not eat,
Yet Lords declar'd of all in earth or air?

To whom thus Eve yet sinless. Of the fruit
Of each tree in the garden we may eat
But of the fruit of this fair tree amidst
The garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat
Thereof, nor shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

She scarce had said, though brief, when now
more bold

The Tempter, but with shew of zeal and love
To Man, and indignation at his wrong,
New part puts on, and as to passion mov'd,
Fluctuates disturb'd, yet comely and in act
Rais'd, as of some great matter to begin.
As when of old some orator renown'd
In Athens or free Rome, where eloquence
Flourish'd, since mute, to some great cause
address'd

Stood in himself collected, while each part,
Motion, each act won audience ere the tongue,
Sometimes in height began, as no delay
Of preface brooking through his zeal of right:
So standing, moving, or to height up grown,
The Tempter all impassion'd thus began.

O sacred, wise, and wisdom-giving Plant, 4
Mother of science, now I feel thy power
Within me clear, not only to discern
Things in their causes, but to trace the ways

« PreviousContinue »