To be to others caufe of mifery,
Our own begotten, and of our loins to bring
Into this curfed world a woful race,
That after wretched life must be at last
Food for fo foul a monster; in thy power
It lies, yet ere conception to prevent
The race unbleft, to be'ing yet unbegot.
Childlefs thou art, childlefs remain: fo Death
Shall be deceiv'd his glut, and with us two
Be forc'd to fatisfy his ravenous maw.
But if thou judge it hard and difficult,
Converfing, looking, loving, to abstain
From love's due rites, nuptial embraces fweet,
And with defire to languifh without hope,
Before the prefent object languishing
With like defire, which would be mifery
And torment less than none of what we dread;
Then both ourselves and seed at once to free
From what we fear from both, let us make fhort, 1000 Let us seek Death, or, he not found, fupply
With our own hands his office on ourselves:
Why stand we longer shivering under fears,
That show no end but death, and have the power,
Of many ways to die the shortest choosing,
Destruction with destruction to destroy?
She ended here, or vehement despair
Broke off the reft; fo much of death her thoughts
Had entertain'd, as dy'd her cheeks with pale.
But Adam with such counsel nothing sway'd
To better hopes his more attentive mind
Lab'ring had rais'd, and thus to Eve reply'd.
Eve, thy contempt of life and pleasure seems
To argue in thee fomething more fublime
And excellent than what thy mind contemns ;
But self-deftruction therefore fought, refutes
That excellence thought in thee, and implies,
Not thy contempt, but anguish and regret
For lofs of life and pleasure overlov'd.
Or if thou covet death, as utmost end
Of mifery, fo thinking to evade
The penalty pronounc'd, doubt not but God
Hath wifelier arm'd his vengeful ire than fo
To be foreftall'd; much more I fear left death
So fnatch'd will not exempt us from the pain
We are by doom to pay; rather fuch acts
Of contumacy will provoke the Highest
To make death in us live: Then let us feek
Some fafer refolution, which methinks
I have in view, calling to mind with heed
Part of our fentence, that thy feed shall bruise
The Serpent's head; piteous amends, unless
Be meant, whom I conjecture, our grand foe
Satan, who in the ferpent hath contriv'd
Against us this deceit: to crufh his head
Would be revenge indeed; which will be lost
By death brought on ourselves, or childless days
Refolv'd as thou propofeft; fo our foe
Shall fcape his punishment ordain'd, and we
Inftead fhall double ours upon our heads.
No more be mention'd then of violence
Against ourselves, and wilful barrenness,
That cuts us off from hope, and favors only
Rancor and pride, impatience and despite,
Reluctance against God and his just yoke
Laid on our necks. Remember with what mild
And gracious temper he both heard and judg'd
Without wrath or reviling; we expected
Immediate diffolution, which we thought
Was meant by death that day, when lo, to thee 1050
Pains only in child-bearing were foretold,
And bringing forth, foon recompens'd with joy,
Fruit of thy womb: on me the curse aflope
Glanc'd on the ground; with labor I must earn
My bread; what harm? Idleness had been worse; 1055
My labor will fuftain me; and left cold
Or heat should injure us, his timely care
Hath unbefought provided, and his hands
Cloth'd us unworthy, pitying while he judg'd;
How much more, if we pray him, will his ear 1060
Be open, and his heart to pity' incline,
And teach us further by what means to fhun
Th' inclement feafons, rain, ice, hail, and fnow?
Which now the sky with various face begins
To fhow us in this mountain, while the winds 1065
Blow moist and keen, fhattering the graceful locks
Of those fair spreading trees; which bids us feek
Some better shroud, fome better warmth to cherish
Our limbs benumm'd, ere this diurnal ftar
Leave cold the night, how we his gather'd beams 1070
Reflected, may with matter fere foment
Or by collifion of two bodies grind
The air attrite to fire, as late the clouds
Juftling or pufh'd with winds rude in their fhock
Tine the flant lightning, whofe thwart flame driv'n down
Kindles the gummy bark of fir or pine,
And fends a comfortable heat from far,
Which might fupply the fun: fuch fire to use,
And what may elfe be remedy or cure
To evils which our own mifdeeds have wrought, 1080
He will inftruct us praying, and of grace
Befeeching him, fo as we need not fear"
To pafs commodioufly this life, fuftain'd
By him with many comforts, till we end
In duft, our final reft and native home.
What better can we do, than to the place
Repairing where he judg'd us, proftrate fall
Before him reverent, and there confefs
Humbly our faults, and pardon beg, with tears
Watering the ground, and with our fighs the air
Frequenting, fent from hearts contrite, in fign
Of forrow' unfeign'd, and humiliation meek?
Undoubtedly he will relent and turn
From his displeasure; in whofe look ferene,
When angry most he seem'd and most severe,
What else but favor, grace, and mercy fhone?
So fpake our father penitent, nor Eve
Felt lefs remorfe: they forthwith to the place
Repairing where he judg'd them, proftrate fell
Before him reverent, and both confefs'd
Humbly their faults, and pardon begg'd, with tears
Watering the ground, and with their fighs the air
Frequenting, fent from hearts contrite, in fign
Of forrow' unfeign'd, and humiliation meek.
THE END OF THE TENTH BOOK.
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