Ganges and Indus. Thus the orb he roam'd With narrow search; and with inspection deep Consider'd every creature, which of all
Most opportune might serve his wiles, and found The serpent subtlest beast of all the field. Him after long debate, irresolute
Of thoughts revolv'd, his final sentence chose Fit vessel, fittest imp of fraud, in whom
To enter, and his dark suggestions hide From sharpest sight: for in the wily snake Whatever sleights none would suspicious mark, As from his wit and native subtlety Proceeding, which in other beasts observ'd Doubt might beget of diabolic pow'r, Active within beyond the sense of brute. Thus he resolv'd; but first from inward grief His bursting passion into plaints thus pour'd:
'O Earth! how like to Heav'n, if not preferr'd More justly, seat worthier of gods, as built With second thoughts, reforming what was old! For what God after better worse would build? Terrestrial Heav'n, danc't round by other Heav'ns That shine, yet bear their bright officious lamps, Light above light, for thee alone, as seems, In thee concentring all their precious beams Of sacred influence: as God in Heav'n Is centre, yet extends to all, so thou
Centring receiv'st from all those orbs; in thee, Not in themselves, all their known virtue appears Productive in herb, plant, and nobler birth Of creatures animate with gradual life
Of growth, sense, reason, all summ'd up in Man. With what delight could I have walk't thee round, If I could joy in aught, sweet interchange Of hill, and valley, rivers, woods and plains, Now land, now sea, and shores with forest crown'd, Rocks, dens, and caves; but I in none of these Find place or refuge; and the more I see
Pleasures about me, so much more I feel
Torment within me, as from the hateful siege
Of contraries; all good to me becomes
Bane, and in Heav'n much worse would be my state. But neither here seek I, no nor in Heav'n
To dwell, unless by mastring Heav'ns Supreme;
Nor hope to be myself less miserable
By what I seek, but others to make such
As I, though thereby worse to me redound; For only in destroying I find ease
To my relentless thoughts; and him destroy'd, Or won to what may work his utter loss,
For whom all this was made, all this will soon Follow, as to him linkt in weal or woe,
In woe then; that destruction wide may range : To me shall be the glory sole among
The infernal Powers, in one day to have marr'd, What he Almighty styl'd, six nights and days Continu'd making, and who knows how long Before had been contriving, though perhaps Not longer than since I in one night freed From servitude inglorious well nigh half Th' angelic name, and thinner left the throng Of his adorers: he to be aveng'd,
And to repair his numbers thus impair'd,
Whether such virtue spent of old now fail'd More angels to create, if they at least Are his created, or to spite us more, Determin'd to advance into our room
A creature form'd of earth, and him endow,
Exalted from so base original
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 service angel wings, And flaming ministers to watch and tend
Their earthy charge of these the vigilance
I dread, and to elude, thus wrapt in mist Of midnight vapour glide obscure, and pry In every bush and brake, where hap may find The serpent sleeping, in whose mazy folds To hide me, and the dark intent I bring.
O foul descent! that I who erst contended
With gods to sit the highest, am now constrain'd
Into a beast, and mixt with bestial slime,
This essence to incarnate and imbrute,
That to the height of deity aspir'd;
But what will not ambition and revenge
Descend to? who aspires, must down as low
As high he soar'd, obnoxious first or last
To basest things. Revenge, at first though sweet, Bitter ere long back on itself recoils;
Let it; I reck not, so it light well aim'd,
Since higher I fall short, on him who next Provokes my envy, this new favourite Of Heav'n, this Man of clay, son of despite, Whom us the more to spite his Maker rais'd From dust spite then with spite is best repaid.' So saying, 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 sleeping soon he found In labyrinth of many a round self-roll'd,
His head the midst, well stor'd with subtle wiles;
Not yet in horrid shade or dismal den,
Nor nocent yet, but on the grassy herb
Fearless unfear'd he slept. In at his mouth The Devil enter'd, and his brutal sense,
In heart or head, possessing soon inspir'd
With act intelligential; but his sleep
Disturb'd not, waiting close th' approach of morn. Now when as sacred light began to dawn In Eden on the humid flow'rs, that breath'd Their morning incense, when all things that breathe From th' Earth's great altar send up silent praise
To the Creator, and his nostrils fill
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 season, prime for sweetest scents and airs: Then commune how that day they best may ply Their growing work: for much their work outgrew The hands despatch of two gardning so wide. And Eve first to her husband thus began. 'Adam, well may we labour still to dress This garden, still to tend plant, herb and flow'r, Our pleasant task enjoin'd, but till more hands Aid us, the work under our labour 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 hear what to my mind first thoughts present. Let us divide our labours, thou where choice Leads thee, or where most needs, whether to wind The woodbine round this arbour, or direct The clasping ivy where to climb, while I In yonder spring of roses intermixt With myrtle, find what to redress till noon; For while so near each other thus all day Our task we choose, what wonder if so near Looks intervene and smiles, or object new Casual discourse draw on? which intermits Our day's work brought to little, though begun Early, and th' hour of supper comes unearn'd.'
To whom mild answer Adam thus return'd. 'Sole Eve, associate sole, to me beyond Compare above all living creatures dear,
Well hast thou motion'd, well thy thoughts employ'd How we might best fulfil the work which here God hath assign'd us, nor of me shalt pass Unprais'd: for nothing lovelier can be found In woman, than to study household good,
And good works in her husband to promote. Yet not so strictly hath our Lord impos'd Labour, as to debar us when we need
Refreshment, whether food, or talk between, Food of the mind, or this sweet intercourse
Of looks and smiles, for smiles from Reason flow, To brute deni'd, and are of Love the food,
Love not the lowest end of human life.
For not to irksome toil, but to delight
He made us, and delight to Reason join'd.
The paths and bowers doubt not but our joint hands
Will keep from wilderness with ease, as wide
As we need walk, till younger hands ere long Assist us: but if much converse perhaps
Thee satiate, to short absence I could yield.
For solitude sometimes is best society, And short retirement urges sweet return. But other doubt possesses me, lest harm Befal thee sever'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 sly assault; and somewhere nigh at hand Watches no doubt, with greedy hope to find His wish and best advantage, us asunder, Hopeless to circumvent us join'd, where each To other speedy aid might lend at need; Whether his first design be to withdraw Our fealty from God, or to disturb Conjugal love, than which perhaps no bliss
Enjoy'd by us excites his envy more;
Or this, or worse; leave not the faithful side
That gave thee being, still shades thee and protects.
The wife, where danger or dishonour lurks,
Safest and seemliest by her husband stays,
Who guards her, or with her the worst endures.' To whom the virgin majesty of Eve,
As one who loves, and some unkindness meets,
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