815 “On my defenceless head : both death and I “ Are found eternal, and incorporate both : Posterity stands curs’d: fair patrimony “That I must leave ye, sons! O, were I able 820 “ To waste it all myself, and leave ye none ! “So disinherited, how would ye bless “If guiltless? But from me what can proceed, 825 “But all corrupt; both mind and will depraved, “Not to do only, but to will the same “Forc'd I absolve: all my evasions vain, 830 “ And reas'nings, though through mazes, lead me still “ But to my own conviction: first and last “ So might the wrath! Fond wish! couldst thou support 835 “That burden, heavier than the earth to bear “ Than all the world much heavier; though divided “Of refuge, and concludes thee miserable 810 Beyond all past example and future “ To Satan only like, both crime and doom. Thus Adam to himself lamented loud Which to his evil conscience represented Outstretch'd he lay-on the cold ground; and oft 845 Of tardy execution, since denounc'd The day of his offence. Why comes not death," 855 Said he," with one thrice acceptable stroke “ To end me? Shall Truth fail to keep her word? “ Mends not her slowest pace for prayers, or cries. 860 “ O woods, O fountains, hillocks, dales, and bowers, “ With other echo late I taught your shades Whom, thus afflicted, when sad Eve beheld Desolate where she sat, approaching nigh, 865 Soft words to his fierce passion she assay'd; But her with stern regard he thus repellid : “Out of my sight, thou serpent! That name best “ Befits thee, with him leagued; thyself as false “ And hateful! nothing wants, but that thy shape, 870 “ Like his, and colour serpentine, may show Thy inward fraud; to warn all creatures from thee “I had persisted happy : had not thy pride 875 “ And wand'ring vanity, when least was safe, Rejected my forewarning, and disdain'd “ To over-reach ; but, with the serpent meeting, 880 “ Fool'd and beguild: by him thou, I by thee, “ To trust thee from my side; imagin'd wise, “Rather than solid virtue ; all but a rib “More to the part sinister, from me drawn; “ Creator wise, that peopled highest heaven 890 “With spirits masculine, create at last “ This novelty on earth, this fair defect “ Or find some other way to generate "And more that shall befal-innumerable “ He never shall find out fit mate, but such 900 “ As some misfortune brings him, or mistake; Or, whom he wishes most shall seldom gain “ Through her perverseness, but shall see her gain'd “ By a far worse; or, if she love, withheld By parents ; or, his happiest choice too late 905 “Shall meet, already link'd and wedlock-bound “To a fell adversary, his hate, or shame : He added not, and from her turn'd: but Eve, 910 Not so repuls'd, with tears that ceas'd not flowing, And tresses all disorder'd, at his feet “Forsake me not thus, Adam! Witness heaven 915 “ What love sincere, and reverence, in my heart “I bear thee! and unweeting have offended, Unhappily deceiv'd! Thy suppliant (Whereon I live !) thy gentle looks, thy aid, 920 “ Thy counsel, in this uttermost distress; “My only strength, and stay! Forlorn of thee, “ Between us two let there be peace—both joining, 925 “ As join'd in injuries—one enmity Against a foe by doom express assign'd us, “ That cruel serpent! On me exercise not Thy hatred for this misery befall’n 935 “On me already lost-me than thyself 930 “More miserable! Both have sinn'd; but thou Against God only, I against God and thee : She ended, weeping; and her lowly plight, Acknowledg’d and deplor'd, in Adam wrought 940 Commiseration : soon his heart relented Towards her, his life so late, and sole delight, His counsel whom she had displeas'd-his aid ! 945 As one disarm'd his anger all he lost, And thus with peaceful words uprais'd her soon : “ Unwary, and too desirous (as before, “ So now) of what thou know'st not, who desir'st “The punishment all on thyself! Alas ! “ Bear thine own first, ill able to sustain “ His full wrath, whose thou feel'st as yet least part; “ And my displeasure bear'st so ill. If prayers “ Could alter high decrees, I to that place “ Would speed before thee, and be louder heard 955 “ That on my head all might be visited ; “Thy frailty and infirmer sex forgiv'n, “Each other, blam'd enough elsewhere; but strive 960 “In offices of love, how we may lighten “ Each other's burden in our share of woe; “A long day's dying to augment our pain; 965 “ And to our seed (O hapless seed !) deriv'd." To whom thus Eve, recovering heart, replied : 950 “ Adam! by sad experiment I know “ Found so erroneous; thence by just event 970 “ Found so unfortunate; nevertheless, “Restor'd by thee, vile as I am, to place Thy love, the sole contentment of my heart “Living or dying, from thee I will not hide 975 “What thoughts in my unquiet breast are ris'n, As in our evils, and of easier choice. “ If care of our descent perplex us most, “By death at last; (and miserable it is, “ Into this cursed world a woful race, “ Food for so foul a monster ;) in thy power “ Childless thou art, childless remain: so Death 990 “ Shall be deceiv'd his glut, and with us two “Be forc'd to satisfy his rav'nous maw. Conversing-looking-loving, to abstain “From love's due rites—nuptial embraces sweet, 995 “And with desire to languish without hope, “Before the present object languishing Then, both ourselves and seed at once to free 1000 " From what we fear for both, let us make short “ Let us seek Death; or, he not found, supply |