Dismiss not her, when most thou needst her nigh. By attributing overmuch to things
Less excellent, as thou thyself perceiv'st. For what admir'st thou, what transports thee so, An outside? fair no doubt, and worthy well Thy cherishing, thy honouring, and thy 'ove, Not thy subjection; weigh with her thyself; Then value oft-times nothing profits more Than self-esteem, grounded on just and right Well manag'd; of that skill the more thou know'st The more she will acknowledge thee her head, And to realities yield all her shows:
Made so adorn for thy delight the more, So awful, that with honour thou mayst love Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen least wise. But if the sense of touch whereby mankind Is propagated seem such dear delight. Beyond all other, think the same vouchsaf'd To cattle, and each beast; which would not be To them made common and divulg'd, if ought Therein enjoy'd were worthy to subdue The soul of man, or passion in him move. What higher in her society thou find'st Attractive, human, rational, love still; In loving thou dost well, in passion not Wherein true love consists not; love refines The thoughts, and heart enlarges, hath his seat In reason, and is judicious, is the scale By which to heav'nly love thou may'st ascend Not sunk in carnal pleasure, for which cause Among the beasts no mate for thee was found
To whom thus half abash'd Adam, reply'd · Neither her outside form'd so fair, nor aught In procreation common to all kinds (Though higher of the genial bed by far, And with mysterious reverence I deem,) So much delights me, as those graceful acts, Those thousand decencies that daily flow From all her words and actions, mix'd with love
And sweet compliance, which declare unfeign'd Union of mind, or in us both one soul; Harmony to behold in wedded pair
More grateful than harmonious sound to th' ear. Yet these subject not; I to thee disclose What inward thence I feel, not therefore foil'd, Who meet with various objects, from the sense Variously representing; yet still free
Approve the best, and follow what I approve. To love thou blam'st me not, for love thou say'st Leads up to heav'n, is both the way and guide: Bear with me then, if lawful what I ask; Love not the heav'nly spirits, and how their love Express they? by looks only, or do they mix Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?
To whom the angel with a smile that glow'd Celestial rosy red, love's proper hue, Answer'd: Let it suffice thee that thou know'st Us happy, and without love no happiness. Whatever pure thou in the body enjoy'st (And pure thou wert created) we enjoy In eminence, and obstacle find none, Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclusive bars; Easier than air with air, if spirits embrace, Total they mix, union of pure with pure Desiring; nor restrain'd conveyance need As flesh to mix with flesh, or soul with soul. But I can now no more; the parting sun Beyond the earth's green Cape and verdant isles Hesperian sets, my signal to depart.
Be strong, live happy, and love, but first of all Him whom to love is to obey, and keep
His great command; take heed lest passion sway Thy judgment to do aught which else free will Would not admit; thine and of all thy sons The weal or wo in thee is plac'd; beware. I in thy persevering shall rejoice,
And all the blest: stand fast; to stand or fall Free in thine own arbitrement it lies
Perfect within, no outward aid require; And all temptation to transgress repel. So saying, he arose; whom Adam thus Follow'd with benediction. Since to part, Go heav'nly guest, ethereal messenger, Sent from whose sov'reign goodness I adore. Gentle to me and affable hath been
Thy condescension, and shall be honour'd ever With grateful memory: thou to mankind Be good and friendly still, and oft return. So parted they, the Angel up to heav'n From the thick shade, and Adam to his bower
S/TAN having compassed the Earth, with meditated guile returns as a mist by night into Paradise, enters into the serpent sleeping. Adam and Eve in the morning go forth to their labours, which Eve proposes to divide in several places, each labouring apart : Adam consents not, alleging the danger, least that enemy, of whom they were forewarned, should attempt her, found alone: Eve loath to be found not circumspect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather desirous to make trial of her strength; Adam at last yields: the serpent finds her alone; his subtle approach, first gazing, then speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above all other creatures. Eve wondering to hear the serpent speak, asks how he attained to human speech, and such understanding not till now; the serpent answers, that by tasting of a certain tree in the garden, he attained both to speech and reason, 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 serpent now grown bolder, with many wiles and arguments induces her at length to eat; she pleased with the taste, deliberates awhile whether to impart thereof to Adam or not, at last brings him of the fruit, relates what persuaded her to eat thereof: Adam at first amazed, but perceiving her lost, resolves through vehemence of love to perish with her; and extenuating the trespass, eats also of the fruit; the effects thereof in them both; they seek to cover their nakedness; then fall to variance and accusation of one another.
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