1114

At loop-holes cut through thickeft fhade: thofe leaves,
They gather'd, broad as Amazonian targe,
And, with what skill they had, together few'd,
To gird their waist; vain covering, if to hide
Their guilt and dreaded fhame! O how unlike
To that firft naked glory! Such of late
Columbus found th' American, fo girt
With feather'd cincture, naked elfe and wild
Among the trees, on ifles and woody fhores.
Thus fenc'd, and, as they thought, their fhame in part
Cover'd, but not at reft or eafe of mind,

1115

1120

They fat them down to weep; nor only tears
Rain'd at their eyes, but high winds worse within
Began to rife, high paffions, anger, hate,
Miftruft, fufpicion, difcord, and fhook fore
Their inward ftate of mind, calm region once, 1125
And full of peace, now toft and turbulent;
For understanding rul'd not, and the will
Heard not her lore, both in fubjection now
To fenfual appetite, who, from beneath
Ufurping, over fov'reign reafon claim'd
Superior fway from thus diftemper'd breast,
Adam, estrang'd in look and alter'd style,
Speech intermitted thus to Eve renew'd.

:

1130

[ftay'd

Would thou had't hearken'd to my words, and With me, as I befought thee, when that strange 1135 Defire of wand'ring this unhappy morn,

I know not whence, poffefs'd thee: we had then
Remain'd ftill happy; not, as now, defpoil'd
Of all our good, fham'd, naked, miferable.

Let none henceforth feek needlefs caufe to' approve
The faith they owe; when earneftly they feek 1144
Such proof, conclude, they then begin to fail.

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

04

Imput'

Imput' 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? Hadft thou been there,
Or here th' attempt, thou couldst not have discern'd
Fraud in the ferpent, fpeaking as he spake;
No ground of enmity between us known,

Why he should niean me ill, or feek to harm.
Was I to' have never parted from thy fide?

1150

As good have grown there ftill a lifeless rib.
Being as I am, why didft not thou, the head, 1155
Command me abfolutely not to go,

Going into fuch danger as thou faidst ?

Too facile then thou didit not much gainsay,
Nay didft permit, approve, and fair dismiss.
Hadit thou been firm and fix'd in thy diffent,
Neither had I tranfgrefs'd, nor thou with me.
To whom, then firft incens'd, Adam reply'd.
Is this the love, is this the recompenfe
Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve, exprefs'd
Immutable, when thou wert loft, not I;

1160

Who might have liv'd, and 'joy'd immortal bliss,
Yet willingly chofe rather death with thee?
And am I now upbraided as the cause
Of thy tranfgreffing? not enough fevere,

1165

It feems, in thy refraint: what could I more? 1170 I warn'd thee, I admonifh'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 feem'd in thee fo perfect, that I thought

No

No evil durft attempt thee; but I rue
That error now, which is become my crime,
And thou th' accufer. 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 enfue,

She first his weak indulgence will accufe.

Thus they in mutual accufation spent

The fruitless hours, but neither felf-condemning,
And of their vain contest appear'd no end.

1180

1185

END of the NINTH BOOK..

ARGU

05

Alan's tranfgreffion known, the guardian angels forfake Paradife, and return up to heaven to approve their vigilance; and are approved, God declaring that the entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He fends his Son to judge the tranfgreffors; who defcends, and gives fentence accordingly; then in pity clothes them bath, and reafcends. Sin and Death, fitting till then at the gates of hell, by wondrous fympathy feeling the fuccefs of Satan in this new world, and the fin by man there committed, refolve to fit no longer confined in bell, but to follow Satan their fire up to the place of man : to make the way eafier from hell to this world to and fro, they pave a broad high-way or bridge over Chaos, according to the track that Satan firft made; then preparing for earth they meet him proud of his fuccefs returning to hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium, in full affembly relates with boafting bis fuccefs against man; inftead of applaufe, is entertai ed with a general hifs by all his audience, transformed with himself also fuddenly into ferpents, according to his doom given in Paradife; then deluded with a shemo of the forbidden tree springing up before them, they, greedily reaching to take of the fruit, chew duft and bitter afhes. 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 elements. Adam, more and more perceiving his fallen condition, heavily bewails; rejects the condolement of Eve; fhe perfifts, and at length appeafes hims then, to evade the curfe likely to fall on their offspring, propofes to Adam violent ways, 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 ferpent, and exhorts her with him to feek peace of the offended Deity by repentance and fupplication.

PARADISE

PARADISE LOS T.

BOOK

X.

Eanwhile the heinous and defpiteful act
Of Satan done in Paradife, and how

Mar

He in the ferpent had perverted Eve,

Her husband fhe, to tafte the fatal fruit,

Was known in heav'n; for what can 'fcape the eye s
Of God all-feeing, or deceive his heart
Omnifcient who, in all things wife and juft,.
Hinder'd not Satan to attempt the mind

Of man, with ftrength entire, and free-will arm'd.
Complete to have discover'd and repuls'de
Whatever wiles of foe or feeming friend ::

For ftill they knew, and ought to have still remember'
The high injunction not to tafte that fruit,
Whoever tempted; which they not obeying,
Incurr'd (what could they lefs?) the penalty,
And manifold in fin, deferv'd to fall..

10

153

Up into heav'n from Paradife in hafte Th' angelic guards afcended; mute and fad For man; for of his ftate by this they knew, Much wond'ring how the fubtle fiend had ftol'n 20 Entrance unfeen. Soon as th' unwelcome news From earth arriv'd at heav'n-gate, difpleas'd All were who heard; ́dim sadness did not spare That time celeftial vifages, yet mix'd