Waiting desirous her return, had wove Of choicest flow'rs a garland to adorn Her tresses, and her rural labours crown, As reapers oft are wont their harvest queen. Great joy he promis'd to his thoughts, and new Solace in her return, so long delay'd; Yet oft his heart, divine of something ill, Misgave him; he the falt'ring measure felt; And forth to meet her went, the way she took That morn when first they parted; by the tree Of knowledge he must pass, there he her met Scarce from the tree returning; in her hand A bough of fairest fruit, that downy smil'd New gather'd, and ambrosial smell diffus'd. To him she hasted; in her face excuse Came prologue, and apology too prompt,
Which with bland words at will she thus address'd : Hast thou not wonder'd, Adam, at my stay? Thee I have miss'd, and thought it long depriv'd Thy presence, agony of love till now
Not felt, nor shall be twice, for never more Mean I to try, what rash untry'd I sought, The pain of absence from thy sight. But strange Hath been the cause, and wonderful to hear; This tree is not as we are told, a tree Of danger tasted, nor to evil unknown Opening the way, but of divine effect
To open eyes, and make them gods who taste; And hath been tasted such; the serpent wise, Or not restrain'd as we, or not obeying, Hath eaten of the fruit, and is become, Not dead, as we are threaten'd, but thenceforth Endued with voice and human sense, Reasoning to admiration, and with me Persuasively hath so prevail'd, that I Have also tasted, and have also found Th' effects to correspond, opener mine eyes, Dim erst, dilated spirits, ampler heart, And growing up to godhead; which for thee
Chiefly I sought, without thee can despise. For bliss, as thou hast part, to me is bliss, Tedious unshar'd with thee, and odious soon. Thou therefore also taste, that equal lot May join us, equal joy, as equal love; Lest thou not tasting, different degree Disjoin us, and I then too late renounce Deity for thee, when fate will not permit. Thus Eve with count'nance blithe her story told; But in her cheek distemper flushing glow'd. On th' other side, Adam, soon as he heard The fatal trespass done by Eve, amaz’d, Astonied stood and blank, while horror chill Ran through his veins, and all his joints relax'd; From his slack hand the garland wreath'd for Eve Down dropt, and all the faded roses shed: Speechless he stood and pale, till thus at length First to himself he inward silence broke :
O fairest of creation, last and best
Of all God's works, creature in whom excell'd Whatever can to sight or thought be form'd, Holy, divine, good, amiable, or sweet! How art thou lost, how on a sudden lost, Defac'd, deflower'd, and now to death devote? Rather how hast thou yielded to transgress The strict forbiddance, how to violate
The sacred fruit forbidden? some cursed fraud Of enemy hath beguil'd thee, yet unknown, And me with thee hath ruin'd, for with thee Certain my resolution is to die;
How can I live without thee, how forego Thy sweet converse and love so dearly join'd, To live again in these wild woods forlorn? Should God create another Eve, and I Another rib afford, yet loss of thee Would never from my heart; no no, I feel The link of nature draw me: flesh of flesh, Bone of my bone thou art, and from thy state Mine never shall be parted, bliss or wo.
So having said, as one from sad dismay Recomforted, and after thoughts disturb'd Submitting to what seem'd remediless,
Thus in calm mood his words to Eve he turn'd: Bold deed thou hast presum'd, advent'rous Eve, And peril great provok'd, who thus hast dar'd, Had it been only coveting to eye
That sacred fruit, sacred to abstinence, Much more to taste it under ban to touch. But past who can recal, or done undo? Not God omnipotent, nor Fate; yet so Perhaps thou shalt not die, perhaps the fact Is not so heinous now, foretasted fruit, Profan'd first by the serpent, by him first Made common and unhallow'd ere our taste; Nor yet on him found deadly, he yet lives, Lives, as thou saidst, and gains to live as man Higher degree of life, inducement strong To us, as likely tasting to attain Proportional ascent, which cannot be But to be gods, or angels, demi-gods. Nor can I think that God, Creator wise, Though threat'ning, will in earnest so destroy Us his prime creatures, dignify'd so high, Set over all his works, which in our fall, For us created, needs with us must fail, Dependent made; so God shall uncreate, Be frustrate, do, undo, and labour lose, Not well conceiv'd of God, who, though his power Creation could repeat, yet would be loath Us to abolish, lest the adversary
Triumph and say; Fickle their state whom God Most favours; who can please him long? Me first He ruin'd, now mankind; whom will he next? Matter of scorn, not to be given the foe. However I with thee have fix'd my lot, Certain to undergo like doom; if death Consort with thee, death is to me as life; So forcible within my heart I feel
The bond of nature draw me to my own, My own in thee, for what thou art is mine; Our state cannot be sever'd, we are one, One flesh; to lose thee were to lose myself. So Adam, and thus Eve to him reply'd: O glorious trial of exceeding love, Illustrious evidence, example high! Engaging me to emulate, but short Of thy perfection, how shall I attain, Adam ? from whose dear side I boast me sprung, 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 Shall separate us, link'd in love so dear, To undergo with me one guilt, one crime, If any be, of tasting this fair fruit,
Whose virtue (for of good still good proceeds, Direct, or by occasion) hath presented This happy trial of thy love, which else So eminently never had been known.
Were it I thought death menac'd would ensue This my attempt, I would sustain alone The worst, and not persuade thee, rather die Deserted, than oblige thee with a fact Pernicious to thy peace, chiefly assur'd Remarkably so late, of thy so true, So faithful love unequal'd; but I feel Far otherwise th' event, not death, but life Augmented, open'd eyes, new hopes, new joys, Taste so divine, that what of sweet before
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. Tenderly wept, much won that he his love Had so ennobled, as of choice to incur Divine displeasure for her sake, or death. In recompense (for such compliance bad
Such recompense best merits) from the bough She gave him of that fair enticing fruit With liberal hand: he scrupled not to eat Against his better knowledge, not deceiv'd, But fondly overcome with female charm. Earth trembled from her entrails, as again In pangs, and Nature gave a second groan, Sky lour'd, and muttering thunder, some sad drops Wept at completing of the mortal sin Original; while Adam took no thought,
Eating his fill, nor Eve to iterate
Her former trespass fear'd, the more to soothe Him with her lov'd society that now
As with new wine intoxicated both,
They swim in mirth, and fancy that they feel
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 eye, she him 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, 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 known till now True relish, tasting; if such pleasure be In things to us forbidd'n, 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.
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