If fuch affront I labor to avert
From thee alone, which on us both at once
The enemy, though bold, will hardly dare;
Or daring, first on me th'assault shall light.
Nor thou his malice and false guile contemn;
Subtle he needs must be, who could feduce
Angels; nor think superfluous others aid.
I from the influence of thy looks receive
Access in every virtue, in thy fight
More wise, more watchful, stronger, if need were
Of outward ftrength; while fhame, thou looking on,
Shame to be overcome, or over-reach'd,
Would utmost vigor raise, and rais'd unite.
Why shouldft not thou like sense within thee feel 315 When I am present, and thy trial choose
With me, best witness of thy virtue try’d.
So spake domestic Adam in his care
And matrimonial love; but Eve, who thought
Lefs attributed to her faith fincere,
Thus her reply, with accent fweet, renew'd.
If this be our condition, thus to dwell
In narrow circuit, ftraiten'd by a foe,
Subtle or violent, we not indued
Single with like defense, wherever met,
How are we happy, still in fear of harm?
But harm precedes not fin: only our foe
Tempting affronts us with his foul esteem
Of our integrity: his foul esteem
Sticks no difhonor on our front, but turns
Foul on himself; then wherefore fhunn'd or fear'd
By us? who rather double honor gain
From his furmise prov'd false, find peace within,
Favor from Heav'n, our witness from th' event.
And what is faith, love, virtue,unassay'd,
Alone, without exterior help sustain’d?
Let us not then fufpect our happy state
Left so imperfect by the Maker wise,
As not secure to single or combin’d.
Frail is our happiness, if this be so;
And Eden were no Eden thus expos'd.
To whom thus Adam fervently reply'd.
O Woman, best are all things as the will
Of God ordain'd them; his creating hand
Nothing imperfect or deficient left
Of all that he created, much less Man,
Or ought that might his happy flate secure;
Secure from outward force, within himself
The danger lies; yet lies within his power:
Against his will he can receive no harm.
But God left free the will, for what obeys
Reason, is free, and reafon he made right,
But bid her well be ware, and ftill erect;
Left by fome fair appearing good furpris'd,
She dictate false, and misinform the will
To do what God exprefly hath forbid.
Not then miftruft, but tender love injoins,
That I fhould mind thee oft, and mind thou me.
Firm we fubfift, yet poffible to fwerve;
Since reason, not impoffibly, may meet
Some fpecious object, by the foe fuborn'd,
And fall into deception unaware;
Not keeping strictest watch, as she was warn'd.
Seek not temptation then, which to avoid
Were better; and most likely if from me
Thou fever not: trial will come unfought.
Wouldst thou approve thy conftancy, approve
First thy obedience; th' other who can know,
Not feeing thee attempted, who attest?
But if thou think, trial unfought may find
Us both fecurer than thus warn'd thou.feem'st,
Go; for thy stay, not free, absents thee more;
Go in thy native innocence, rely
On what thou haft of virtue, fummon all,
For God towards thee hath done his part, do thine.
So spake the patriarch of mankind; but Eve 376
Perfifted, yet fubmifs, though last, reply'd.
With thy permiffion then, and thus forewarn'd,
Chiefly by what thy own laft reasoning words
Touch'd only, that our trial, when least sought, 380
May find us both perhaps far less prepar'd,
The willinger I go; nor much expect
A foe fo proud will firft the weaker seek;
So bent, the more shall shame him his repulse.
Thus faying, from her husband's hand her hand 385
Soft she withdrew, and like a Wood-Nymph light
Oread or Dryad, or of Delia's train,
Betook her to the groves; But Delia's felf
In gate surpass'd, and Goddess-like deport;
Though not as fhe,with bow and quiver arm'd, 390
But with such gard'ning tools, as art, yet rude,
Guiltless of fire, had form'd, or Angels brought.
To Pales, or Pomona, thus adorn'd,
Likeft fhe feem'd, Pomona when she fled
Vertumnus, or to Ceres in her prime,
Yet virgin of Proferpina from Jove.
Her long, with ardent look,his eye pursu'd
Delighted; but defiring more her stay.
Oft he to her his charge of quick return
Repeated, the to him as oft engag'd
'To be return'd by noon amid the bower,
And all things in beft order to invite
Noontide repast, or afternoon's repose.
O much deceiv'd, much failing, hapless Eve,
Of thy prefum'd return! event perverse!
Thou never from that hour in Paradife
Found'ft either sweet repaft, or sound repose;
Such ambush hid among sweet flow'rs and shades
Waited, with hellish rancor imminent,
To intercept thy way; or send thee back
Defpoil'd of innocence, of faith, of bliss.
For now, and fince first break of dawn, the Fiend,
Mere serpent in appearance, forth was come,
And on his quest, where likelieft he might find
The only two of mankind, but in them
The whole included race, his purpos'd prey.
In bow'r and field he fought, where any tuft
Of grove or garden-plot more pleasant lay,
Their tendence or plantation for delight.
By fountain,or by shady rivulet,
He fought them both; but wifh'd his hap might find
Eve feparate; he wish'd, but not with hope
Of what so seldom chanc'd, when,to his wish,
Beyond his hope, Eve separate he spies,
Veil'd in a cloud of fragrance, where she stood, 425
Half spy'd, fo thick the roses bushing round
About her glow'd; oft ftooping to fupport
Each flow'r of tender stalk, whose head though gay
Carnation, purple, azure, or speck'd with gold,
Hung drooping, unfuslain'd; them fhe upstays 430
Gently with myrtle band, mindless the while
Herself, though fairest unfupported flower,
From her beft prop so far, and ftorm so nigh.
Nearer he drew, and many a walk travérs'd
Of statelieft covert, cedar, pine, or palm;
Then voluble and bold, now hid, now seen
Among thick-woven arborets and flowers,
Imborder'd on each bank, the hand of Eve:
Spot more delicious than those gardens feign'd,
Or of reviv'd Adonis, or renown'd
Alcinous, hoft of old Laertes fon;
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