To first of women Eve thus moving speech, Turn'd him all ear to hear new utterance flow. Sole partner and sole part of all these joys, Dearer thy self than all, needs must the Power That made us, and for us this ample world, Be infinitely good, and of his good As liberal and free as infinite, That rais'd us from the dust and plac'd us here In all this happiness, who at his hand Have nothing merited, nor can perform Aught whereof he hath need, he who requires From us no other service than to keep This one, this easy charge, of all the trees In paradise that bear delicious fruit So various, not to taste that only Tree Of Knowledge, planted by the Tree of Life ; So near grows death to life; whate'er death is, Some dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou know'st God hath pronounc'd it death to taste that tree, The only sign of our obedience left Among so many signs of power and rule Conferr'd upon us, and dominion giv'n Over all other creatures that possess Earth, air, and sea. Then let us not think hard One easy prohibition, who enjoy Free leave so large to all things else, and choice Unlimited of manifold delights: But let us ever praise him and extol His bounty, following our delightful task [ers; To prune these growing plants, and tend these flowWhich were it toilsome, yet with thee were sweet. 445 450 To whom thus Eve reply'd. O thou, for whom And from whom I was form'd flesh of thy flesh, And without whom am to no end, my guide And head, what thou hast said is just and right: For we to him indeed all praises owe, And daily thanks; I chiefly, who enjoy So far the happier lot, enjoying thee Preeminent by so much odds, while thou Like consort to thy self canst no where find. That day I oft remember, when from sleep I first awak'd, and found my self repos'd Under a shade on flow'rs, much wond'ring where And what I was, whence thither brought, and how. Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound Of waters issu'd from a cave, and spread Into a liquid plain, then stood unmov'd, Pure as th' expanse of heav'n; I thither went With unexperienc'd thought, and laid me down On the green bank, to look into the clear Smooth lake, that to me seem'd another sky. As I bent down to look, just opposite A shape within the wat'ry gleam appear'd Bending to look on me: I started back, 455 460 451 on] The second ed. reads of flowers,' but Tickell, Fenton, Bentley, and Newton, read after the first edition. 459 lake] Compare Ov. Met. iii. 457. Newton. 461 A shape] Compare the Sarcotis of Masenius, lib. iii. p. 130, ed. Barbou, describing Sarcothea : 'stetit obvia fonti Virgo, novasque freto miratur crescere siivas. Ipsa etiam propriæ spectans ab imagine fornæ It started back; but pleas'd I soon return'd, 465 475 Mine eyes till now, and pin'd with vain desire, Had not a voice thus warn'd me, What thou seest, What there thou seest, fair creature, is thyself; With thee it came and goes: but follow me, And I will bring thee where no shadow stays 470 Thy coming, and thy soft embraces; he Whose image thou art, him thou shalt enjoy Inseparably thine, to him shalt bear Multitudes like thyself, and thence be call'd Mother of human race. What could I do, But follow straight, invisibly thus led? Till I espy'd thee, fair indeed and tall, Under a platane; yet, methought, less fair, Less winning soft, less amiably mild, Than that smooth wat'ry image; back I turn'd, Thou following cry'dst aloud, Return, fair Eve, Whom fly'st thou? whom thou fly'st, of him thou art, His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent Out of my side to thee, nearest my heart, Substantial life, to have thee by my side Henceforth an individual solace dear: Part of my soul, I seek thee, and thee claim, My other half. With that thy gentle hand Seiz'd mine; I yielded, and from that time see 478 Under a platane] See Grotii Adamus Exsul. p. 36. Adamus, platani suppositus comæ.' Tickell and Fenton read a plantan.' 479 485 How beauty is excell'd by manly grace, So spake our general mother, and, with eyes Of conjugal attraction unreprov'd And meek surrender, half embracing lean'd 490 495 On Juno smiles, when he impregns the clouds 500 That shed May flowers, and press'd her matron lip With kisses pure: aside the devil turn'd For envy, yet with jealous leer malign Ey'd them askance, and to himself thus plain'd. The happier Eden, shall enjoy their fill 500 impregns] See Dante Il Purgat. c. xxiv. 501 matron] Meeting. Bentl. MS. 504 Ey'd them askance] See Dante Inferno, c. vi. Gli diritti occhi torse allora in biechi.' 506 510 69 Where] Bentley would read, Where's' for 'Where is,' but Pearce observes that Milton often leaves out 'is,' as 1. viii. 621. Yet let me not forget what I have gain'd From their own mouths: all is not theirs it seems. One fatal tree there stands of Knowledge call'd Forbidden them to taste: knowledge forbidden. Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord Envy them that? can it be sin to know? Can it be death? and do they only stand By ignorance? is that their happy state, The proof of their obedience and their faith? 520 O fair foundation laid whereon to build Their ruin! hence I will excite their minds With more desire to know, and to reject Envious commands, invented with design To keep them low, whom knowledge might exalt Equal with Gods; aspiring to be such, They taste and die; what likelier can ensue? But first with narrow search I must walk round This garden, and no corner leave unspy'd; A chance but chance may lead where I may meet 530 Some wand'ring spirit of heav'n, by fountain side, Or in thick shade retir'd, from him to draw What further would be learn'd. Live while ye may, Yet happy pair; enjoy, till I return, Short pleasures, for long woes are to succeed. 535 So saying, his proud step he scornful turn'd, But with sly circumspection, and began Through wood, through waste, o'er hill, o'er dale, his roam. 630 A chance] This line, I think, should be thus read: A chance—but chance may lead where I may meet. |