Satan's dire dread, and in his hand the Adam bow'd low, he kingly from his state Inclin'd not, but his coming thus declar'd.
Adam, heav'n's high behest no preface needs: Sufficient that thy prayers are heard, and death, Then due by sentence when thou didst transgress, Defeated of his seisure many days
Giv'n thee of grace, wherein thou may'st repent, And one bad act with many deeds well done May'st cover: well may then thy Lord appeas'd Redeem thee quite from death's rapacious claim; But longer in this paradise to dwell
Permits not to remove thee I am come,
And send thee from the garden forth to till The ground whence thou wast taken, fitter soil. He added not, for Adam at the news Heart-struck with chilling gripe of sorrow stood, That all his senses bound; Eve, who unseen Yet all had heard, with audible lament Discover'd soon the place of her retire.
O unexpected stroke, worse than of death! Must I thus leave thee, paradise? thus leave Thee, native soil, these happy walks and shades, Fit haunt of Gods? where I had hope to spend, Quiet though sad, the respite of that day
250 Inclin'd] See Spens. F. Qu. V. ix. 34.
'To whom she eke inclyning her withall.'
and Fairfax's Tasso, ix. 60.
264 gripe] Browne's Brit. Pas. B. i. s. iii.
'Free from the gripes of sorrow every one.' Todd.
That must be mortal to us both.
That never will in other climate grow,
My early visitation, and my last
At ev'n, which I bred up with tender hand From the first op'ning bud, and gave ye names, Who now shall rear ye to the sun, or rank Your tribes, and water from th' ambrosial fount? Thee lastly, nuptial bow'r, by me adorn'd With what to sight or smell was sweet; from thee How shall I part, and whither wander down Into a lower world, to this obscure
And wild? how shall we breathe in other air Less pure, accustom'd to immortal fruits?
Whom thus the angel interrupted mild. Lament not, Eve, but patiently resign What justly thou hast lost; nor set thy heart, Thus over-fond, on that which is not thine: Thy going is not lonely, with thee goes Thy husband, him to follow thou art bound; Where he abides, think there thy native soil. Adam, by this from the cold sudden damp Recovering, and his scatter'd spirits return'd, To Michael thus his humble words address'd.
273 O flow'rs] See Ovidii Metam. V. 399, of Proserpine. 'Collecti flores tunicis cecidere remissis: Tantaque simplicitas puerilibus adfuit annis, Hæc quoque virgineum movit jactura dolorem.'
280 nuptial] Compare Euripidis Alcestis, v. 247.
Γαῖα τε, καὶ μελάθρων στέγαι
Νυμφίδιαι τε κοιται
Πατρίας Ιωλκου.
Celestial, whether among the thrones, or nam'd Of them the highest, for such of shape may seem Prince above princes, gently hast thou told Thy message, which might else in telling wound, And in performing end us; what besides Of sorrow, and dejection, and despair, Our frailty can sustain, thy tidings bring, Departure from this happy place, our sweet Recess, and only consolation left Familiar to our eyes, all places else Inhospitable appear and desolate,
Nor knowing us nor known; and if by prayer Incessant I could hope to change the will Of him who all things can, I would not cease To weary him with my assiduous cries. But prayer against his absolute decree
No more avails than breath against the wind, Blown stifling back on him that breathes it forth: Therefore to his great bidding I submit.
This most afflicts me, that departing hence As from his face I shall be hid, depriv'd His blessed count'nance; here I could frequent, With worship, place by place, where he vouchsaf'd Presence divine, and to my sons relate,
On this mount he appear'd, under this tree Stood visible, among these pines his voice
I heard, here with him at this fountain talk'd: So many grateful altars I would rear
Of grassy turf, and pile up every stone
310 weary] So Hor. Od. i. ii. 26. 'Prece qua fatigent.' Todd.
Of lustre from the brook, in memory,
Or monument to ages, and thereon Offer sweet smelling gums, and fruits, and flow'rs: In yonder nether world where shall I seek His bright appearances, or footstep trace? For though I fled him angry, yet, recall'd To life prolong'd and promis'd race, I now Gladly behold though but his utmost skirts Of glory, and far off his steps adore.
To whom thus Michael with regard benign. Adam, thou know'st heav'n his, and all the earth, 335 Not this rock only; his omnipresence fills
Land, sea, and air, and every kind that lives, Fomented by his virtual power and warm'd: All th' earth he gave thee to possess and rule, No despicable gift; surmise not then His presence to these narrow bounds confin'd Of paradise or Eden: this had been
Perhaps thy capital seat, from whence had spread All generations, and had hither come
From all the ends of th' earth, to celebrate And reverence thee their great progenitor. But this preeminence thou hast lost, brought down To dwell on even ground now with thy sons: Yet doubt not but in valley and in plain
God is as here, and will be found alike
325 memory] So Beaum. and Fletch. D. Marriage, act ii. sc. i. 'The memory and monuments of good men
344 hither] So the first ed. read,-thither most of the later.
Present, and of his presence many a sign Still following thee, still compassing thee round With goodness and paternal love, his face Express, and of his steps the track divine. Which that thou mayst believe, and be confirm'd Ere thou from hence depart, know, I am sent To show thee what shall come in future days To thee and to thy offspring; good with bad Expect to hear, supernal grace contending With sinfulness of men; thereby to learn True patience, and to temper joy with fear And pious sorrow, equally inur'd
By moderation either state to bear, Prosperous or adverse: so shalt thou lead Safest thy life, and best prepar'd endure Thy mortal passage when it comes.
This hill, let Eve, (for I have drench'd her eyes,) Here sleep below, while thou to foresight wak'st, As once thou slept'st, while she to life was form'd. To whom thus Adam gratefully reply'd. Ascend, I follow thee, safe guide, the path
Thou lead'st me, and to the hand of heav'n submit, However chast❜ning, to the evil turn
My obvious breast, arming to overcome
By suffering, and earn rest from labour won,
If so I may attain. So both ascend
In the visions of God. It was a hill
374 arming] Aiming. Bentl. MS.
375 suffering] Virg. Æn. V. 710.
'Quidquid erit, superanda omnis fortuna ferendo est.' Hume.
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