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At loop-holes cut through thickest shade: those leaves
They gather'd, broad as Amazonian targe,
And, with what kill they had, together few'd,
To gird their waist; vain covering, if to hide
Their guilt and dreaded shame! O how unlike
To that first naked glory! Such of late 1115
Columbus found th American, so girt
With feather'd cincture, naked else and wild
Among the trees, on ifles and woody fhores.
Thus fenc'd, and, as they thought, their shame in part
Cover'd, but not at rest or ease of mind,
They sat them down to weep; nor only tears
Rain'd at their eyes, but high winds worse within
Began to rise, high paifions, anger, hate,
Miftrust, fufpicion, discord, and shook sore
Their inward state of mind, calm region once, 1125
And full of peace, now tost and turbulent;
For understanding rul'd not, and the will
Heard not her lore, both in subjection now
To sensual appetite, who, from beneath
Usurping, over fov'reign reason claim'd H130
Superior sway: from thus distemper'd breast,
Adam, estrang'd in look and alter'd style,
Speech intermitted thus to Eve renew'd. [ftay'd

Would thou had'lt hearken'd to my words, and
With me, as I besought thee, when that strange 1135
Defire of wand'ring this unhappy morn,
I know not whence, poffess’d thee: we had then
Remain'd fill happy; not, as now, despoil'd
of all our good, sham’d, naked, miserable.
Let none henceforth seek needless cause to’approve
The faith they owe; when earnestly they seek 1145
Such proof, conclude, they then begin to fail.

To whom foon mov'd with touch of blame thus Eve What words have pass'd thy lips, Adam fevere!

Imput's

linput's thou that to my default, or will 1145
Of wand'ring, as thou call it it, which who knows
But might as ill have happen'd thou being by,
Or to thyself perhaps? Hadit thou been there,
Or here th' attempt, thou couldīt not have discern'd
Fraud in the serpent, speaking as he spake ; 1150
No ground of enmity between us known,
Why he should niean me ill, or seek to harm.
Was I to' have never parted from thy fide?
As good have grown there still a lifeless rib.
Being as I am, why didit not thou, the head, 1155
Command me absolutely not to go,
Going into such danger as thou faidst ?
Too facile then thou didit not much gainsay,
Nay didit permit approve, and fair dismiss.
Hadit thou been firm and fix'd in thy diffent,

1 160 Neither had I transgress'd, nor thou with me.

To whom, then first incens'd, Adam reply'd. Is this the love, is this the recompense Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve, express'd Immutable, when thou wert loft, not I; 1165 Who might have liv’d, and 'joy'd immortal bliss, Yet willingly chose rather death with thee? And am I now upbraided as the cause Of thy transgrelling? not enough severe, It seems, in thy restraint: what could I more? 1170 I warn'd thee, I admonish'd thee, foretold The danger, and the lurking enemy That lay in wait; beyond this had been force; And force upon free will hath here no place. But confidence then bore thee on, secure 1175 Either to meet no danger, or to find Matter of glorious trial; and perhaps I also err'd in overmuch admiring What seem'd in thee so perfect, that I thought

No

No evil durst attempt thee; but I rue

1180
That error now, which is become my crime,
And thou th' accuser. Thus it shall befall
Him who, to worth in women overtrufting,
Lets her will rule ; restraint she will not brook;
And left to herself, if evil thence ensue, 1185
She first his weak indulgence will accuse.

Thus they in mutual accufation spent
The fruitless hours, but neither felf-condemning,
And of their vain contest appear'd no end.

;

hlan's transgresion known, the guardian angels forsake

Paradise, and return up to beaven to approve their vigilance; and are approved, God declaring that the enfrance of Satan could not be by themi prevented. He ferds his Son to judge the transgrelors; who defcends, and gives sentence accordingly, then in pity clothes them buth, and reafcends. Sin and Death, sitting till then at the gates of hell, by wondrous fympathy feeling the fuccefs of Saton in this new world, and the fin by man there committed, resolve to fit no longer confined'in beli, but to follow Satan their fire up to the place of man: ta make the way e-fier from bell to this world to and fro, thez pave a broad high-way or bridge over Chaos, according to the track that Satan first made; then preparing for earth they meet him proud of his fuccess returning to hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium, in full al'embly relates with boasting bis fuccess against man; instead of applause, is enter. tai ed with a general hiss by all his audience, transformed with himself also suddenly into ferpents, according to his doon given in Paradise; then deluded with a feny of the forbidden tree springing up before then, they, greedily reaching to take of the fruit, chew duft and bitter asbes. The proceedings of Sin and Death: God foretells the final victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all things but for the prefent commands his angels to make several alterations in the heavens and clements. Adain, more and more perceiving bis Sallon coniition, heavily bewails; rejects the condolement of Eve; the perfifts, and at length appeases him; then, to evade the curfe likely to fall on their offspring, proposes to Adam violent wars, which he approves not ; but, conceiving better hope puts her in mind of the late promife made them, that her feed should be revenged on the serpent, and exhorts her with him to seek peace of sibe offended Deity by reperitance and fupplication.

PARADISE

:

ر

PA R

P A RADISE LOS T.

Β Ο Ο Κ Χ.

ME

Eanwhile the heinous and despiteful act

Of Satan done in Paradise, and how
He in the serpent had perverted Eve,
Her husband she, to taste the fatal fruit;
Was known in heav'n; for what can 'Icape the eye si
Of God all-seeing, or deceive his heart
Omniscient? who, in all things wife and just.
Hinder'd not Satan to attempt the mind
Of man, with ftrength entire, and free-will arm’d.
Complete to have discover'd and repulsid
Whatever wiles of foe or seeming friend:
For still they knew, and ought to'have still remember's
The high injunction not to taste that fruit; -
Whoever tempted ; which they not obeying,
Incurr'd (what could they less ?) the penalty, 15:
And manifold in sin, deferv'd to fall..

Up into heav'n from Paradise in haste
Th'angelic guards afcended; mute and fad
For man; for of his state by this they knew,
Much wond'ring how the fubtle fiend had ftol'n 25
Entrance unseen. Soon as th' univelćome news
From earth arriv'd at heav'n-gate; displeas'd
All were who heard ;'dim sadness did not spare
That time celestial visages, yet mis'd

Q 6