Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

Of his adorers: he to be aveng'd,

And to repair his numbers thus impair'd,
Whether fuch virtue spent of old now fail'd
More Angels to create, if they at least
Are his created, or to fpite us more,
Determin'd to advance into our room

145

A creature form'd of earth, and him endow,
Exalted from so base original,

150

With heav'nly spoils, our spoils: What he decreed

He' effected; Man he made, and for him built
Magnificent this world, and earth his seat,
Him lord pronounc'd, and, O indignity!
Subjected to his fervice Angel wings,.
And flaming minifters to watch and tend
Their earthly charge: Of these the vigilance
I dread, and to elude, thus wrapt in mist
Of midnight vapor glide obfcure, and pry
In
every
bush and brake, where hap may find
The ferpent sleeping, in whofe mazy folds
To hide me, and the dark intent I bring.

155

160

O foul descent! that I who erft contended

With Gods to fit the high'eft, am now constrain'd

Into a beast, and mix'd with bestial slime,

165

[blocks in formation]

To baseft things. Revenge, at first though sweet,
Bitter ere long back on itself recoils;

Let

Let it; I reck not, so it light well aim'd,
Since higher I fall fhort, on him who next
Provokes my envy, this new favorite
Of Heav'n, this man of clay, fon of despite,
Whom us the more to spite his Maker rais'd
From duft: fpite then with spite is best repaid.

So faying, through each thicket dank or dry,
Like a black mist low creeping, he held on
His midnight search, where soonest he might find
The serpent: him fast fleeping foon he found
In labyrinth of many a round self-roll'd,

His head the midft, well ftor'd with fubtle wiles :
Not yet in horrid shade or dismal den,

Nor nocent yet, but on the graffy herb
Fearless unfear'd he slept in at his mouth
The Devil enter'd, and his brutal fenfe,
In heart or head, poffeffing foon infpir'd
With act intelligential; but his fleep

Disturb'd not, waiting close th' approach of morn.
Now when as facred light began to dawn

In Eden on the humid flow'rs, that breath'd

375

180

185

190

Their morning incenfe, when all things that breathe,'
From th' earth's great altar fend up filent praise
To the Creator, and his noftrils fill

195

With grateful smell, forth came the human pair,
And join'd their vocal worship to the quire
Of creatures wanting voice; that done, partake
The seafon, prime for sweetest scents and airs :
Then commune how that day they best may ply
Their growing work: for much their work outgrew

200

The

The hands difpatch of two gard'ning fo wide.
And Eve first to her husband thus began.

Adam, well may we labor ftill to dress

205

210

This garden, ftill to tend plant, herb, and flower,
Our pleasant task injoin'd, but till more hands
Aid us, the work under our labor grows,
Luxurious by restraint; what we by day
Lop overgrown, or prune, or prop, or bind,
One night or two with wanton growth derides
Tending to wild. Thou therefore now advise,
Or bear what to my mind first thoughts prefent;
Let us divide our labors, thou where choice
Leads thee, or where most needs, whether to wind 215
The woodbine round this arbor, or direct
The clasping ivy where to climb, while I
In yonder fpring of rofes intermix'd
With myrtle, find what to redress till noon :
For while fo near each other thus all day
Our talk we choose, what wonder if fo near
Looks intervene and fmiles, or object new
Cafual difcourfe draw on, which intermits

Our day's work brought to little, though begun
Early, and th' hour of fupper comes unearn'd.
To whom mild anfwer Adam thus return'd.
Sole Eve, affociate fole, to me beyond

Compare above all living creatures dear,

220

225

Well haft thou motion'd, well thy thoughts employ'd

How we might beft fulfil the work which here
God hath allign'd us, nor of me fhalt pass
Unprais'd; for nothing lovelier can be found

230

In woman,

than to ftudy houshold good,
And good works in her husband to promote.
Yet not so strictly hath our Lord impos'd
Labor, as to debar us when we need

Refreshment, whether food, or talk between,
Food of the mind, or this fweet intercourfe

Of looks and fmiles, for fmiles from reafon flow,
To brute deny'd, and are of love the food,

Love not the lowest end of human life.

235

240

For not to irksome toil, but to delight

He made us, and delight to reason join'd.

These paths and bow'rs doubt not but our joint hands Will keep from wilderness with ease, as wide

245

As we need walk, till younger hands ere long

Affift us: but if much converse perhaps

Thee fatiate, to short absence I could yield:
For folitude fometimes is best fociety,

And short retirement urges fweet return.

250

But other doubt poffeffes me, left harm

Befall thee fever'd from me; for thou know'st
What hath been warn'd us, what malicious foe
Envying our happiness, and of his own
Despairing, seeks to work us woe and shame
By fly affault; and somewhere nigh at hand
Watches, no doubt, with greedy hope to find
His with and best advantage, us afunder,
Hopeless to circumvent us join'd, where each
To other speedy aid might lend at need ;
Whether his first design be to withdraw
Our feälty from God, or to disturb

255

260

Conjugal

Conjugal love, than which perhaps no bliss
Enjoy'd by us excites his envy more;

Or this, or worfe, leave not the faithful fide

265

That gave thee be'ing, ftill fhades thee and protects.
The wife, where danger or dishonor lurks,
Safeft and feemliest by her husband stays,

Who guards her, or with her the worst indures.
To whom the virgin majesty of Eve,

As one who loves, and fome unkindness meets,
With fweet auftere compofure thus reply'd.

270

Offspring of Heav'n and Earth, and all Earth's Lord, That fuch an enemy we have, who seeks Our ruin, both by thee inform'd I learn, And from the parting Angel over-heard, As in a fhady nook I stood behind,

275

Just then return'd at shut of evening flowers.

But that thou shouldst my firmness therefore doubt
To God or thee, because we have a foe

280

May tempt it, I expected not to hear.

His violence thou fear'ft not, being fuch
As we, not capable of death or pain,

Can either not receive, or can repel.

His fraud is then thy fear, which plain infers
Thy equal fear that my firm faith and love

285

Can by his fraud be shaken or feduc'd;

Thoughts, which how found they harbour in thy breast, Adam, mis-thought of her to thee fo dear?

To whom with healing words Adam reply'd.

Daughter of God and Man, immortal Eve,
For fuch thou art, from fin and blame entire:

290

Not

« VorigeDoorgaan »