"Of wisdom: hope no higher, though all the stars
"Thou knewst by name, and all the ethereal Powers,
"All secrets of the deep, all Nature's works,
"Or works of God in heaven, air, earth, or sea,
"And all the riches of this world enjoyedst,
"And all the rule, one empire: only add
"Deeds to thy knowledge answerable; add faith,
"Add virtue, patience, temperance; add love,
"By name to come called charity, the soul
"Of all the rest: then wilt thou not be loth
"To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess
"A paradise within thee, happier far!
"Let us descend now therefore from this top
"Of speculation; for the hour precise

"Exacts our parting hence; and, see! the guards,

By me encamped on yonder hill, expect

"Their motion; at whose front a flaming sword,
"In signal of remove, waves fiercely round.
"We may no longer stay; go, waken Eve;
"Her also I with gentle dreams have claimed

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Portending good, and all her spirits composed "To meek submission: thou, at season fit, "Let her with thee partake what thou hast heard; "Chiefly, what may concern her faith to know, "The great deliverance by her seed to come

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6 (For by the Woman's seed') on all mankind; "That ye may live, which will be many days,

"Both in one faith unanimous, though sad

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(With cause!) for evils past; yet much more cheered "With meditation on the happy end."

He ended; and they both descend the hill :

Descended, Adam to the bower, where Eve

Lay sleeping, ran before; but found her waked;

And thus with words not sad she him received:

580

590

бос

"Whence thou returnst, and whether wentst, I know; 61c

"For God is also in sleep; and dreams advise,

"Which he hath sent propitious, some great good

'Presaging, since with sorrow and heart's distress

"Wearied I fell asleep but now lead on;

"In me is no delay; with thee to go,

"Is to stay here; without thee here to stay,
"Is to go hence unwilling: thou to me
"Art all things under Heaven, all places thou,
"Who for my wilful crime art banished hence.
"This farther consolation yet secure

"I carry hence; though all by me is lost,
"(Such favour I unworthy am vouchsafed) —
By me the promised seed shall all restore."
So spake our mother Eve, and Adam heard
Well pleased, but answered not: for now, too nigh
The Archangel stood; and from the other hill
To their fixed station, all in bright array,
The Cherubim descended; on the ground
Gliding meteorous, as evening mist
Risen from a river o'er the marish glides,
And gathers ground fast at the labourer's heel
Homeward returning. High in front advanced,
The brandished sword of God before them blazed,
Fierce as a comet; which with torrid heat,
And vapour as the Libyan air adust,
Began to parch that temperate clime: whereat
In either hand the hastening Angel caught
Our lingering parents, and to the eastern gate
Led them direct, and down the cliff as fast
To the subjected plain; then disappeared
They, looking back, all the eastern side beheld
Of Paradise, so late their happy seat,
Waved over by that flaming brand; the gate
With dreadful faces thronged, and fiery arms.

Some natural tears they dropt, but wiped them soon :
The world was all before them, where to choose
Their place of rest, and Providence their guide.
They, hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow,
Through Eden took their solitary way.

62c

630

64c