585 The foul of man, or paffion in him move. So much delights me, as thofe graceful acts, More grateful than harmonious found to th' ear. 595 600 605 610 Approve the best, and follow what I approve. To whom the angel, with a fmile that glow'd Anfwer'd. Let it fuffice thee that thou know'ft 620 Us Us happy', and without love no happiness. Whatever pure thou in thy body' enjoy'ft, (And pure thou wert created), we enjoy In eminence, and obstacle find none Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclufive bars; Be ftrong, live happy', and love; but first of all 625 630 His great command; take heed left paffion fway 635 And all the blefs'd: ftand faft; to stand or fall 640 Thy condefcenfion, and shall be honour'd ever So parted they; the angel up to heaven END of the EIGHTH BOOK. 645 650 ARGU Satan having compassed the earth, with meditated guild returns as a mift by night into Paradife, and enters into the ferpent fleeping. Adam and Eve in the morning® go forth to their labours; which Eve proposes to divide in feveral places, each labouring apart: Adam confents not, alleging the danger, left that enemy, of whom they were forwarned, fhould attempt her, found alone : « Eve, loath to be thought not circumfpe& or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather defirous to make trial of her ftrength: Adam at laf yields. The ferpent finds her alone; his fubtle approach, firft gazing, then Speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above all' other creatures. Eve, wondering to hear the ferpent" Speak, asks how be attained to human speech and such understanding not till now; the ferpent answers, that by tafting of a certain tree in the garden be attained 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 ferpent now1 grown bolder, with many wiles and arguments induces her at length to eat; fhe, pleased with the tafte, deliberates a while whether to impart thereof to Adam or not; at laft brings him of the fruit, relates what perfuaded her to eat thereof: Adam at first amazed but perceiving her loft, resolves through vehemence of love to perish with her; and extenuating the trespass, eats alfo of the fruit: the effects thereof in them both; they' feek to cover their nakedness; then fall to variance, and accufation of one another. PARADISE PARADISE LOST. BOOK IX. Rural repast, permitting him the while N O more of talk where God or angel guest With man, as with his friend, familiar us'd' To fit indulgent, and with him partake Venial difcourfe unblam'd: I now must change 5 Those notes to tragic; foul distruft, and breach And difobedience; on the part of heaven Now alienated, diftance and diftafte, Anger and juft rebuke, and judgment giv'n 10 That brought into this world a world of woe, 15 20' Of my celestial patronefs, who deigns Her nightly vifitation unimplor'd, And dictates to me flumb'ring, or infpires Eafy my unpremeditated verse : Since first this fubject for heroic fong Pleas'd me, long chufing, and beginning late; Wars, hitherto the only argument With long and tedious havock fabled knights Nor that which juftly gives heroic name That name, unless an age too late, or cold The fun was funk, and after him the star 'Twixt day and night, and now from end to end 25 30 35 45 50 55 On man's destruction, maugre what might hap From compaffing the earth, cautious of day, |