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 state of mind; calm region once
And full of peace; now toft and turbulent!
For underftanding rul'd not, and the will
Heard not her lore; but in fubjection now
To fenfual appetite, who from beneath
Ufurping, over fov'reign reafon claim'd
Superior fway: from thus diftemper'd breaft
Adam eftrang'd in look and alter'd Ayle,
Speech intermitted thus to Eve renew'd.
Would thou hadst hearken'd to my words, and stay'd With me, as I befought thee, when that strange 1135 Defire of wandring this unhappy morn,
I know not whence poffefs'd thee! We had then
Remain'd still happy; not, as now, despoil'd
Of all our good, fham'd, naked, miferable.
Let none henceforth feek needless cause t' approve
The faith they owe; when earnestly they seek
Such proof, conclude, they then begin to fail.
To whom, fonn mov'd with touch of blame, thus Eve: What words have pafs'd thy lips, Adam fevere! Imput'st thou that to my default, or will
Of wand'ring, as thou call'ft it, which who knows
But might as ill have happen'd thou being by;
Or to thyfelf perhaps: hadst thou been there,
Or here th' attempt, thou could'st not have difcern'd
Fraud in the serpent, speaking as he fpake;
No ground of enmity between us known,
Why he should mean me ill, or feek to harm.
Was I to have never parted from thy fide?
As good have grown there still a lifelefs rib.
Being as I am, why didft not thou, the Head,
Command me abfolutely not to go,
Going into fuch danger, as thou faid't?-
Too facil then, thou didst not much gainsay,
Nay didft permit, approve, and fair difmifs.
Hadft thou been firm, and fix'd in thy diffent,
Neither had I tranfgrefs'd, nor thou with me.
To whom then first 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;
Who might have liv'd, and joy'd immortal bliss:
Yet willingly chofe rather death with thee.
And am I now upbraided, as the caufe
Of thy tranfgreffing? Not enough fevere,
It feems, in my restraint! What could I more? 1170
1 warn'd thee, I admonish'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; fecure
Either to meet no danger, or to find
Matter of glorious trial: and perhaps
I alfo err'd, in overmuch admiring
What feem'd in thee fo perfect, that I thought
No evil durft attempt thee: but I rue d
That error now, which is become my crime;
And thou th' accufer! Thus it fhall befall
Him, who to worth in woman overtrufting,
Lets her will rule; restraint fhe 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.
The End of the Ninth Book.
Mean while the hainous and defpiteful act
Of Satan, done in Paradife, and how
He, in the ferpent had perverted Eve,
Her husband fhe, to taste the fatal fruit,
Was known in Heav'n for what can 'fcape the eye 5
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 strength entire, and free-will arm'ď ·
Complete to have difcover'd' and repuls'd
Whatever whiles of foe or feeming friend:
For ftill they knew, and ought t have ftill remember'd,
The high injunction, not to taste that fruit,
Whoever tempted: which they not obeying,
Incurr'd, what could they lefs? the penalty,
And manifold in fin, deferv'd to fall.
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 frol'n
Entrance unféen. Soon as th' unwelcome news
From earth arriv'd at Heaven gate, difpleas'd
All were who heard: dim sadness did not spare
That time celeftial visages; yet mix'd
With pity, violated not their blifs.
About the new-arriv'd, in multitudes
Th' ethereal people ran, to hear and know
How all befel: they towards the Throne fupreme
Accountable made hafte to make appear
With righteous plea their utmost vigilance;
And easily approv'd: when the Most High
Eternal Father, from his fecret cloud
Amidft, in ́thunder utter'd thus his voice.
Affembled Angels, and ye Pow'rs return'd
From unfuccefsful charge! be not difiray'd,
Nor troubl'd at thefe tidings from the earth,
Which your fincereft care could not prevent,
Foretold fo lately what would come to pass,
When first this tempter crofs'd the gulf from Hell.
I told you then he should prevail, and speed
On his bad errand; Man fhould be feduc'd,
@ 3
And flatter'd out of all, believing lies
Againft his Maker: no decree of mine
Concurring to neceffitate his fall,
Or touch with lightest moment of impulfe
His free will, to her own inclining left
In even fcale. But fall'n he is: and now
What refts, but that the mortal Sentence pafs
On his tranfgreffion, death denounc'd that day;
Which he prefumes already vain and void,
Because not yet inflicted, as he fear'd,
By fome immediate stroke: but foon fhall find
Forbearance no acquittance e're day end.
Juftice fhall not return, as bounty, fcorn'd.
But whom fend I to judge them? whom, but thee 55 Vicegerent Son? To thee I have transferr'd
All judgment, whether in Heav'n, or Earth, or Hell, Eafy it may be feen that I intend
Mercy collegue with juftice, fending thee,
Man's friend, his mediator, his defign'd
Both ranfon and redeemer voluntary;
And destin❜d man himself, to judge man fall'n.
So fpake the Father, and unfolding bright
Tow'rd the right hand his Glory, on the Son
Blaz'd forth unclouded Deity: He full
Refplendent all his Father manifest
Exprefs'd, and thus divinely anfwer'd mild.
Father Eternal! Thine is to decree;
Mine both in Heav'n and Earth to do thy will
Supreme; that thou in me thy Son belov'd
Mayft ever rest well pleas'd. I go to judge
On earth these thy tranfgreffors; but thou know'ft,
Whoever judg'd, the worst on me must light,
When time shall be; for so I undertook
Before thee; and not repenting, this obtain
Of right, that I may mitigate their doom
On me deriv'd: yet I fhall temper fo
Justice with Mercy, as may illuftrate most
Them fully fatisfy'd, and thee appease.
Attendance none shall need, nor train, where none 80
Are to behold the judgment, but the judg'd,
Thofe two: the third best abfent is condemn'd;
Convict by flight, and rebel to all law;
Conviction to the ferpent none belongs.
Thus faying, from his radiant feat he rafe
Of high collateral glory: Him Thrones, and Pow'rs,
Princedoms, and Dominations miniftrant,
Accompanied to Heaven-gate; from whence
Eden, and all the coaft in prospect lay.
Down he defcended straight: the speed of Gods
Time counts not, tho' with swiftéft minutes wing'd.
Now was the Sun in western cadence low
From noon; and gentle airs, due at their hour,
To fan the earth now wak'd, and ulher in
The ev'ning cool; when he, from wrath more cool, 95
Came, the mild Judge, and Interceffor both,
To fentence man: the voice of God they heard,
Now walking in the garden, by foft winds
Brought to their ears, while day declin'd: they heard,
And from his prefence hid themselves, among
The thickest trees, both man and wife: till God
Approaching, thus to Adam call'd aloud.
Where art thou Adam, wont with joy to meet My coming feen far off? I mifs thee here, Not pleas'd; thus entertain'd with folitude, Where obvious duty e're-while appear'd unfought Or come I lefs confpicuous? Or what change Abfents thee? Or what change detains? Come forth: He caine, and with him Eve, more loth, tho' first To offend; discountenanc'd both, and difcompos'd: 110 Love was not in their looks, either to God Or to each other; but apparent guilt, And fhame, and perturbation, and defpair, Anger, and obstinacy, and hate, and guile: Whence Adam, fault'ring long, thus anfwer'd brief 115 I heard thee in the garden, and of thy voice Afraid, being naked, hid myfelf. To whom
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