The character of that dominion given As one intended firft, not after made Occafionally; and, to confummate all, Greatnefs of mind, and noblenefs, their feat To whom the angel with contracted brow : Lefs excellent, as thou thy felf perceiv'ft. For what admir'ft thou, what tranfports thee fo? So awful, that with honour thou may'ft love Thy mate, who fees when thou art feen leaft wife. 545. 550 555 560 565 57Q 575 580 Beyond all other, think the fame vouchfaf'd To whom thus half abafh'd Adam reply'd: 5.85 590 595 600 L. 591.and is judicious.] To be judicious, means here to choose proper qualities in Eve for the object of love; to love her. only for what is truly amiable: not for the fenfe of touch whereby mankind is propagated, 1. 579, &c. but for what Adam found higher in her fociety, human, and rational, 1. 586, &c, Pearce. L. 598. Though higher of the genial bed by far.] The genial bed, fo Horace, Epift. 1. I. 87. lectus genialis. And with mysterious reverence I deem. He had applied this epithet to marriage before, in B. iv. 1. 743. He means by it fomething that was not proper to be divulged, but ought to be kept in religious filence, and revered like the mysteries. Newton, Union of mind, or in us both one foul; More grateful than harmonious found to th' ear. Approve the best, and follow what I approve. To love thou blam'ft me not; for love, thou fay'st, 605 δια Love not the heav'nly fpi'rits, and how their love 615 To whom the angel, with a smile that glow'd Anfwer'd: Let it fuffice thee that thou know'ft Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclusive bars; Be ftrong, live happy, and love but first of all, 620 625 630 His great command: take heed left paffion fway 635 Thy judgment to do ought, which elfe free-will And all the blefs'd. Stand faft! to ftand, or fall, 640 So faying, he arofe; whom Adam thus Thy condefcenfion, and shall be' honour'd ever 645 650 End of BooK EIGHTH. The ARGUMENT of Book IX. SATAN, having compaffed the earth, with meditated guile returns as a mift by night into Paradife, and enters into the ferpent fleeping. Adam and Eve in the morning go forth to their labours; which Eve proposes. to divide in feveral places, each labouring apart: Adam confents not, alleging the danger, left that enemy, of whom they were forewarned, should attempt her found alone: Eve, loath to be thought not circumfpect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather defirous to make trial of her ftrength; Adam at laft yields. The ferpent finds her alone; his fubtle approach, first gazing, then speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above all other creatures. Eve, wondering to hear the ferpent fpeak, afks how he attained to human speech, and fuch understanding, not till now; the ferpent anfwers, that by tafting of a certain tree in the garden he attained both to Speech and reafon, till then void of both: Eve requires him to bring her to that tree, and finds it to be the Tree of Knowledge forbidden: the ferpent now grown bolder, with many wiles and arguments induces her at length to eat; fhe, pleafed with the tafte, delibe·rates a while whether to impart thereof to Adam or not ; at laft brings him of the fruit, relates what perfuaded her to eat thereof: Adam, at firft amazed, but perceiving her loft, refolves through vehemence of love to perish with her; and, extenuating the trefpafs, eats alfo of the fruit: the effects thereof in them both; they feek to cover their nakedness; then fall to variance, and accufation of one another. |