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Lib.IX

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The ARGUMENT.

Satan having compaft the Earth, with meditated guile returns as a mift by Night into Paradife, enters into the Serpent fleeping. Adam and Eve in the Morning go forth to their labours, which Eve propofes to divide infeveral places, each labouring apart: Adam confents not, alledging the danger, left that Enemy, of whom they were forewarn'd, should attempt her found alone: Eve loath to be thought not circumfpect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather defirous to make tryal of her ftrength; Adam at laft yields: The Serpent finds her alone; his jubtle approach, first gazing, then speaking, with much flattery ex

tolling Eve above all other Creatures. Eve wendring to hear the Serpent Speak, asks how he attain'd to human Speech and fuch understanding not 'till now; the Serpent anfwers, that by tafting of a certain Tree in the Garden he attain'd both to Speech and Reafon, '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; fhe pleas'd with the tafte deliberates a while whether to impart thereof to Adam or not, at last brings him of the Fruit, relates what perfuaded her to eat thereof: Adam at firs amaz'd, but perceiving her loft, refolves through vehemence of love to perish with her; and extenuating the trefpafs eats alfo of the Fruit: The Effects thereof in them both; they seek to cover their nakedness; then full to variance and accufation of one another.

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O more of talk where God or Angel Guest
With Man, as with his Friend, familar us'd

To fit indulgent, and with him partake

Rural repaft, permitting him the while

Venial difcourfe unblam'd: I now muft change 5
Thofe Notes to Tragic; foul diftruft, and breach
Difoyal on the part of Man, revolt,

And difobedience: On the part of Heav'n

Now alienated, distance and diftafte,

Anger and just rebuke, and judgement giv'n,
That brought into this World a world of woe,
Sin and her fhadow Death, and Mifery
Death's Harbinger: Sad task, yet argument

Not lefs but more Heroic than the wrath
Of ftern Achilles on his Foe purfu'd
Thrice Fugitive about Troy Wall; or rage
Of Turnus for Lavinia difefpous'd,
Or Neptune's ire or Juno's, that fo long
Perplex'd the Greek and Cytherea's Son ;
If answerable ftyle I can obtain

Of my Celestial Patronefs, who deigns
Her nightly vifitation unimplor'd,
And dictates to me flumbring, or infpires

Eafie my unpremeditated Verfe:

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Since first this Subject for Heroic Song

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Fleas'd me long chufing, and beginning late;

Not fedulous by Nature to indite

Wars, hitherto the only Argument
Heroic deem'd, chief maft'ry to diffect

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