Chains and these torments? better these than worfe
By my advice; fince fate inevitable
Subdues us, and omnipotent decree,
The victor's will. To fuffer, as to do,
Our strength is equal, nor the law unjust
That fo ordains: this was at first resolv❜d,
If we were wife, against fo great a foe
Contending, and fo doubtful what might fall.
I laugh, when those who at the fpear are bold
And vent'rous, if that fail them, fhrink and fear
What yet they know muft follow, to endure
Exile, or ignominy, or bonds, or pain,
The fentence of their conqueror: this is now
Our doom; which if we can fustain and bear,
Our fupreme foe in time may much remit
His anger, and perhaps thus far remov'd
Not mind us not offending, fatisfied
With what is punish'd; whence these raging fires
Will flack'n, if his breath ftir not their flames.
Our purer effence then will overcome
Their noxious vapour, or enur'd not feel,
Or chang'd at length, and to the place conform'd
In temper and in nature, will receive
Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain;
This horror will grow mild, this darkness light,
Befides what hope the never-ending flight,
Of future days may bring, what chance, what change
Worth waiting, fince our prefent lot appears
For happy though but ill, for ill not worst,
If we procure not to ourselves more woe.
SATAN tempting EVE.
See Milton's Parad. Loft, B. ix. 532
ONDER not, fov'ran mistress, if perhaps
Thou canft, who art fole wonder, much less arm
Thy looks, the heav'n of mildness, with disdain,
Difpleas'd that I approach thee thus, and gaze
Infatiate, I thus fingle, nor have fear'd
Thy awful brow, more awful thus retir'd..
Fairest resemblance of thy Maker fair,
Thee all things living gaze on, all things thine-
By gift, and thy celestial beauty adore
With ravishment beheld, there beft beheld
Where univerfally admir'd; but here
In this enclosure wild, these beafts among,
Beholders rude, and fhallow to difcern
Half what in thee is fair, one man except,
Who fees thee? (and what is one?) who shouldst
be seen
A goddess among gods, ador'd and ferv'd
By angels numberless, thy daily train.
Empress of this fair world, refplendent Eve,
Easy to me it is to tell thee all
What thou command'st, and right thou shouldst be obey'd:
I was at first as other beafts that gaze
The trodden herb, of abject thoughts and low,
As was my food, nor aught but food difcern'd
Or fex, and apprehending nothing high:
Till on a day roving the field I chanc'd
A goodly tree far distant to behold
Loaden with fruit of fairest colours mixt,
Ruddy and gold: I nearer drew to gaze;
When from the boughs a favory odour blown,
Grateful to appetite more pleas'd my sense
Than fmell of fweetest fennel, or the teats
Of ewe, or goat dropping with milk at even,
Unfuck't of lamb or kid, that tend their play.
To fatisfy the fharp defire I had
Of tasting those fair apples, I refolv'd
Not to defer; hunger and thurft at once,
Powerful perfuaders, quick'n'd at the scent
Of that alluring fruit, urg'd me so keen,
About the moffy trunk I wound me foon,
For high from ground the branches would require
Thy utmoft reach or Adam's: round the tree
All other beasts that faw, with like defire
Longing and envying ftood, but could not reach.
Amid the tree now got, where plenty hung
Tempting fo nigh, to pluck and eat my fill
I fpar'd not, for such pleasure till that hour,
At feed or fountain never had I found.
Seated at length, ere long I might perceive
Strange alteration in me, to degree
Of reafon to my inward powers and speech,
Wanted not long, though to this fhape retain'd.
Thenceforth to fpeculations high or deep
I turn'd my thoughts, and with capacious mind
Confider'd all things vifible in heav'n,•
Or earth, or middle, all things fair and good;
But all that fair and good in thy divine
Semblance, and in thy beauty's heav'nly ray
United I beheld; no fair to thine
Equivalent or fecond, which compell'd
Me thus, though importune perhaps, to come
And gaze, and worship thee of right declar'd
Sov'ran of creatures, univerfal dame.
O SACRED, Wife, and wifdom-giving plant,
Mother of fcience, now I feel thy power
Within me clear, not only to discern
Things in their caufes, but to trace the ways
Of highest agents, deem'd however wife.
Queen of this universe, do not believe
Thofe rigid threats of death; ye fhall not die:
How fhould ye? by the fruit? it gives you life
To knowledge? by the threatner look on me,
Me who have touch'd and tafted, yet both live,
And life more perfect have attain'd than fate
Meant me, by vent'ring higher than my lot.
Shall that be shut to man, which to the beaft
Is open? or will God incenfe his ire
For fuch a petty trefpafs, and not praise
Rather your dauntlefs virtue, whom the pain
Of death denounc'd, whatever thing death be,
Deter'd not from atchieving what might lead
To happier life, knowledge of good and evil;
Of good how juft? of evil, if what is evil
Be real, why not known, fince easier fhunn'd;
God therefore cannot hurt ye, and be juft;
Not juft, not God; nor fear'd then, nor obey'd:
Your fear of death then removes the fear.
Why then was this forbid? why but to awe,
Why but to keep you low and ignorant,
His worshippers; he knows that in the day
Ye eat thereof, your eyes that feem fo clear,
Yet are but dim, fhall perfectly be then
Open'd and clear'd, and ye fhall be as gods,
Knowing both good and evil as they know.
That ye fhould be as gods, fince I as man,
Internal man, is but proportion meet,
I of brute human, ye of human Gods.
So ye fhall die perhaps, by putting off
Human, to put on gods, death to be wifh'd,
Though threaten'd, which no worse than this can
bring.
And what are gods that man may not become
As they, participating god-like food?
The gods are firft, and that advantage use
On our belief, that all from them proceeds;
I question it, for this fair earth I fee,
Warm'd by the fun, producing every kind,
Them nothing: If they all things, who enclos'd
Knowledge of good and evil in this tree,
That whofo eats hereof, forthwith attains
Wisdom without their leave: And wherein lies
Th' offence, that man should thus attain to know?
What can your knowledge hurt him, or this tree
Impart against his will if all be his?
Or is it envy, and can envy dwell
In heav'nly breasts? thefe, and many more
Causes import your need of this fair fruit.
Goddess humane, reach then, and freely taste.
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