"And gladly of our union hear thee speak, "One heart, one soul in both; whereof good proof "This day affords, declaring thee resolv'd "Rather than death, or aught than death more dread, 970Shall separate us, link'd in love so dear, 975 980 "To undergo with me one guilt, one crime, "Whose virtue (for of good still good proceeds, "This happy trial of thy love, which else "Were it I thought death menac'd would ensue 66 "The worst, and not persuade thee,-rather die 66 "So faithful, love unequall'd: but I feel "Far otherwise the event; not death, but life 985 "Augmented-open'd eyes-new hopes-new joys"Taste so divine, that what of sweet before 990 "Hath touch'd my sense, flat seems to this, and harsh. "On my experience, Adam, freely taste, "And fear of death deliver to the winds." So saying, she embrac'd him, and for joy 1000 Earth trembled from her entrails, as again Original! while Adam took no thought, 1005 Eating his fill; nor Eve to iterate Her former trespass fear'd, the more to soothe As with new wine intoxicated both, They swim in mirth, and fancy that they feel 1010 Divinity within them, breeding wings Wherewith to scorn the earth. But that false fruit Far other operation first display'd, Carnal desire inflaming: he on Eve Began to cast lascivious eyes; she him 1015 As wantonly repaid: in lust they burn: Till Adam thus 'gan Eve to dalliance move: "Eve! now I see thou art exact of taste, "And elegant; of sapience no small part, "(Since to each meaning savour we apply, 1020 "And palate call judicious :) I the praise "Yield thee, so well this day thou hast purvey'd. "Much pleasure we have lost, while we abstain'd "From this delightful fruit, nor know till now "True relish, tasting: if such pleasure be 1025 "In things to us forbidden, it might be wish'd "For this one tree had been forbidden ten. "But come, so well refresh'd, now let us play, "As meet is, after such delicious fare; "For never did thy beauty, since the day "I saw thee first and wedded thee, adorn'd "With all perfections, so inflame my sense "With ardour to enjoy thee, fairer now "Than ever; bounty of this virtuous tree!" 1030 So said he, and forbore not glance or toy 1035 of amorous intent, well understood Of Eve, whose eye darted contagious fire. 1040 Pansies, and violets, and asphodel, And hyacinths-earth's freshest, softest lap. There they their fill of love and love's disport 1045 Oppress'd them, wearied with their amorous play. That with exhilarating vapour bland About their spirits had play'd, and inmost powers Made err, was now exhal'd; and grosser sleep, 1050 Bred of unkindly fumes, with conscious dreams Encumber'd, now had left them, up they rose As from unrest; and, each the other viewing, Soon found their eyes how open'd, and their minds How darken'd! Innocence, that, as a veil, 1055 Had shadow'd them from knowing ill, was gone; And honour, from about them naked left 1060 Herculean Samson, from the harlot-lap Of Philistéan Dalilah, and wak'd Shorn of his strength; they, destitute and bare Of all their virtue. Silent, and in face Confounded, long they sat, as strucken mute; 1065 Till Adam, though not less than Eve abash'd, At length gave utterance to these words constrain'd: "O Eve! in evil hour thou didst give ear "To that false worm, of whomsoever taught "To counterfeit man's voice; true in our fall, 1070" False in our promis'd rising; since our eyes Open'd we find indeed, and find we know 66 "Both good and evil-good lost, and evil got! "Bad fruit of knowledge, if this be to know, "Which leaves us naked thus, of honour void, 1075" Of innocence, of faith, of purity "Our wonted ornaments now soil'd and stain'd; "Of foul concupiscence; whence evil store- 1080 Be sure then. How shall I behold the face 1085 "Henceforth of God, or angel, erst with joy "And rapture so oft beheld? Those heavenly shapes "Will dazzle now this earthly with their blaze, 66 Insufferably bright. O! might I here "In solitude live savage; in some glade "Obscur'd, where highest woods, impenetrable 66 1090 Hide me, where I may never see them more! "What best may for the present serve to hide 1095" Some tree, whose broad smooth leaves together sew'd, 1100 Into the thickest wood: there soon they chose Branching so broad and long, that in the ground 1105 The bended twigs take root, and daughters grow About the mother-tree, a pillar'd shade High over-arch'd, and echoing walks between; There oft the Indian herdsman, shunning heat, Shelters in cool, and tends his pasturing herds, 1110 At loop-holes cut through thickest shade: those leaves They gather'd, broad as Amazonian targe; And, with what skill they had, together sew'd, To gird their waist; vain covering, if to hide Their guilt and dreaded shame! O, how unlike 1115 To that first naked glory! (Such of late Columbus found the American, so girt With feather'd cincture; naked else, and wild Among the trees, on isles and woody shores.) Thus fenc'd, and, as they thought, their shame in part 1120 Cover'd, but not at rest or ease of mind, They sat them down to weep. Not only tears "Would thou hadst hearken'd to my words, and staid 1135" With me, as I besought thee, when that strange "Desire of wand'ring, this unhappy morn, "I know not whence, possess'd thee! we had then "Remain'd still happy; not, as now, despoil'd "Of all our good-sham'd, naked, miserable! 1140" Let none henceforth seek needless cause to approve "The faith they owe: when earnestly they seek "Such proof, conclude they then begin to fail." To whom, soon mov'd with touch of blame, thus Eve: "What words have pass'd thy lips, Adam severe ! 1145"Imput'st thou that to my default, or will "Of wand'ring, as thou call'st it, which who knows "But might as ill have happen'd, thou being by, "Or to thyself, perhaps? Hadst thou been there, "Or here the attempt, thou couldst not have discern'd 1150"Fraud in the serpent, speaking as he spake ; "No ground of enmity between us known, Why he should mean me ill, or seek to harm. "Was I to have never parted from thy side? "As good have grown there still a lifeless rib. 1155"Being as I am, why didst not thou, the head, |