But paft who can recall, or done undoe ?
Not God Omnipotent, nor fate, yet fo
Perhaps thou shalt not die, perhaps the fact
Is not fo hainous now, foretafted fruit,
Profan'd first by the ferpent, by him first
Made common and unhallow'd ere our taste ;
Nor yet on him found deadly, he yet lives,
Lives, as thou faidft, and gaines to live as man
Higher degree of life, inducement strong
To us, as likely tafting to attain
Proportional afcent, which cannot be
But to be gods, or angels demi-gods.
Nor can I think that God, creator wife,
Though threatning, will in earnest so destroy
Us his prime creatures, dignifi'd fo high,
Set over all his works, which in our fall,
For us created, needs with us must faile.
Dependent made; fo God fhall uncreate,
Be fruftrate, do, undo, and labour lofe,

Not well conceav'd of God, who though his Power Creation could repeate, yet would be loath

Us to abolish, least the adversary

Triumph and fay; Fickle their state whom God
Moft favours, who can please him long? me first
He ruin'd, now mankind; whom will he next?
Matter of fcorn, not to be given the foe,
However I with thee have fixt my lot,
Certain to undergoe like doom, if death
Confort with thee, death is to me as life;
So forcible within my heart I feel

The bond of nature draw me to my own,

My own in thee, for what thou art is mine;
Our state cannot be fever'd, we are one,
One flesh; to lofe thee were to lose myself.
So Adam, and thus Eve to him repli'd.
O glorious trial of exceeding love,
Illuftrious evidence, example high !
Ingaging me to emulate, but fhort
Of thy perfection, how fhall I attaine,
Adam, from whose dear fide I boaft me sprung,
And gladly of our union hear thee fpeak,
One heart, one foul in both; whereof good proof
This day affords, declaring thee refolv'd,
Rather than death or aught than death more dread
Shall separate us, linkt in love so dear,

To undergoe with me one guilt, one crime,

If any be, of tasting this fair fruit,

Whofe vertue, for of good still, good proceeds,
Direct, or by occafion hath, prefented
This happie trial of thy love, which ele
So eminently never had been known...............
Were it I thought death menac't would enfue
This my attempt, I would sustain alone
The work, and not perfuade thee, rather die
Deserted, than oblige thee with a fact
Pernicious to thy peace, chiefly affur'd
Remarkably fo late of thy fo true,

So faithful love unequal'd; but I feel
Far otherwife th'event, not death; but life
Augmented, op'n'd eyes, new hopes, new joyes,
Tafte fo divine, that what of sweet before

Hath toucht my fenfe, flat feems to this, and harsh.

On my experience, Adam, freely taste,
And fear of death deliver to the winds.

So faying, the embrac'd him, and for joy.
Tenderly wept, much won that he his love
Had fo ennobl'd, as of choice to incur
Divine difpleafure for her fake, or death.
In recompence (for fuch compliance bade,
Such recompence best merits) from the bough
She gave him of that fair enticing fruit
With liberal hand: he fcrupl'd not to eat
Against his better knowledge, not deceav'd,
But fondly overcome with femal charm.
Earth trembl'd from her entrails, as again
In pangs, and nature gave a fecond groan,
Skie lowr'd, and muttering thunder, some sad drops
Wept at compleating of the mortal fin
Original; while Adam took no thought,
Eating his fill, nor Eve to iterate

Her former trefpafs fear'd, the more to footh
Him with her lov'd focietie, that now

As with new wine intoxicated both

They swim in mirth, and fanifie that they feel

Divinitie within them breeding wings

Wherewith to scorn the earth: but that falle fruit

Far other operation first difplai'd,

Carnal defire enflaming, he on Eve
Began to caft lafcivious eyes, the him
As wantonly repai'd; in luft they burn:
Till Adam thus 'gan Eve to dalliance move.
Eve, now I see thou art exact of taste,

And elegant, of fapience no small part,

Since to each meaning favour we apply,

And palate call'd judicious; I the praise

Yield thee, fo well this day thou hast purvey'd.
Much pleasure we have loft, while we abstain'd
From this delightful fruit, nor known till now
True relish, tasting; if such pleasure be
In things to us forbidden, it might be wish'd,
For this one tree had been forbidden ten.
But come, fo well refresh't, now let us play,
As meet is, after such delicious fare ;.
For never did thy beautie fince the day
I saw thee first and wedded thee, adorn'd
With all perfections, fo enflame my sense
With ardor to enjoy thee, fairer now
Than ever, bountie of this vertuous tree,

So faid he, and forbore not glance or toy
Of amorous intent, well understood
Of Eve, whofe eye darted contagious, fire.
Her hand he feis'd, and to a fhadie bank,
Thick overhead with verdant roof imbowr'd
He led her nothing loath; flours were the couch,.,
Panfies, and violets, and asphodel,

And hyacinths, earth's freshest softest lap.
There they their fill of love and loves disport
Took largely, of their mutual guilt the feale,
The folace of their fin, till dewie sleep
Opprefs'd them, wearied with their amorous play.
Soon as the force of that fallacious fruit,
That with exhilerating vapour bland

About their spirits had plaid, and inmost powers.

Made err, was now exhal'd, and groffer sleep.

Bred of unkindly fumes, with conscious dreams ><
Encumber'd, now had left them, up they rose
As from unreft, and each the other viewing,
Soon found their eyes now op'n'd, and their minds
How dark'n'd; innocence, that as a veile
Had fhadow'd them from knowing ill, was gone,
Juft confidence, and native righteousnefs,
And honour from about them, naked left
To guiltie fhame he cover'd, but his robe
Uncover'd more. So rofe the Danite strong
Herculean Samfon' from the harlot lap
Of Philiftean Dalilah, and wak'd

Shorn of his ftrength, they destitute and bare
Of all their vertue : filent, and in face
Confounded long they fate, as ftruck'n mute,
Till Adam, though not lefs than Eve abafht,
At length gave utterance to these words conftrain'd.
O Eve, in evil hour thou didst give ear
To that falfe worm, of whomsoever taught
To counterfeit man's voice, true in our fall,
Falfe in our promis'd rifing; fince our eyes
Op'n'd we find indeed, and find we know
Both good and evil, good loft, and evil got,
Bad fruit of knowledge, if this be to know,
Which leaves us naked thus, of honour void,
Of innocence, of faith, of puritie,

Our wonted ornaments now foil'd and stain'd,
And in our faces evident the figns

Of foul concupifcence; whence evil store;
Even fhame, the last of evils; of the first
Be sure then. How fhall I behold the face