And if, sometimes, each others eyes we meet,
Those little vacancies from toil are sweet.
But you, by absence, would refresh your joys,
Because perhaps my conversation cloys.

Yet this, would prudence grant, I could permit.
Eve. What reason makes my small request unfit?
Adam. The fallen archangel, envious of our state,
Pursues our beings with immortal hate;
And, hopeless to prevail by open force,
Seeks hid advantage to betray us worse;
Which when asunder will not prove so hard;
For both together are each other's guard.

Eve. Since he, by force, is hopeless to prevail,
He can by fraud alone our minds assail :
And to believe his wiles my truth can move,
Is to misdoubt my reason, or my love.

Adam. Call it my care, and not mistrust of thee; Yet thou art weak, and full of art is he; Else how could he that host seduce to sin, Whose fall has left the heavenly nation thin? Eve. I grant him armed with subtilty and hate; But why should we suspect our happy state? Is our perfection of so frail a make, As every plot can undermine or shake? Think better both of heaven, thyself, and me: Who always fears, at ease can never be.

Poor state of bliss, where so much care is shown, As not to dare to trust ourselves alone!

Adam. Such is our state, as not exempt from fall; Yet firm, if reason to our aid we call:

And that, in both, is stronger than in one;
I would not, why would'st thou, then, be alone?
Eve. Because, thus warned, I know myself secure,
And long my little trial to endure,

To approve my faith, thy needless fears remove,
Gain thy esteem, and so deserve thy love.
If all this shake not thy obdurate will,
Know that, even present, I am absent still:

And then what pleasure hop'st thou in my stay,
When I'm constrained, and wish myself away?
Adam. Constraint does ill with love and beauty
suit;

I would persuade, but not be absolute.
Better be much remiss, than too severe;
If pleased in absence thou wilt still be here.
Go; in thy native innocence proceed,
And summon all thy reason at thy need.

Ece. My soul, my eyes delight! in this I find
Thou lov'st; because to love is to be kind.

[Embracing him. Seeking my trial, I am still on guard: Trials, less sought, would find us less prepared. Our foe's too proud the weaker to assail, Or doubles his dishonour if he fail.

[Exit.

Adam. In love, what use of prudence can there be? More perfect I, and yet more powerful she. Blame me not, heaven; if thou love's

tried,

power hast

What could be so unjust to be denied?
One look of hers my resolution breaks;
Reason itself turns folly when she speaks :
And awed by her, whom it was made to sway,
Flatters her power, and does its own betray. [Exit.
The middle part of the Garden is represented, where
four Rivers meet: On the right side of the Scene
is placed the Tree of Life; on the left, the Tree of
Knowledge.

Enter LUCIFer.

Lucif. Methinks the beauties of this place should

mourn;

The immortal fruits and flowers, at my return, Should hang their withered heads; for sure my breath Is now more poisonous, and has gathered death Enough, to blast the whole creation's frame.

Swoln with despite, with sorrow, and with shame,

Thrice have I beat the wing, and rode with night
About the world, behind the globe of light,
To shun the watch of heaven; such care I use:
(What pains will malice, raised like mine, refuse?
Not the most abject form of brutes to take.)
Hid in the spiry volumes of the snake,
I lurked within the covert of a brake,
Not yet descried. But see, the woman here
Alone! beyond my hopes! no guardian near.
Good omen that: I must retire unseen,

And, with my borrowed shape, the work begin.
[Retires.

Enter EVE.

Ece. Thus far, at least, with leave; nor can it be A sin to look on this celestial tree :

I would not more; to touch, a crime may prove :
Touching is a remoter taste in love.

Death may be there, or poison in the smell,
(If death in any thing so fair can dwell :)
But heaven forbids: I could be satisfied,
Were every tree but this, but this denied.

A Serpent enters on the Stage, and makes directly to the Tree of Knowledge, on which winding himself, he plucks an Apple; then descends, and carries it arcay.

Strange sight! did then our great Creator grant
That privilege, which we, their masters, want,
To these inferior beings? Or was it chance?
And was he blest with bolder ignorance?
I saw his curling crest the trunk enfold:
The ruddy fruit, distinguished o'er with gold,
And smiling in its native wealth, was torn
From the rich bough, and then in triumph borne:
The venturous victor marched unpunished hence,
And seemed to boast his fortunate offence.

To her LUCIFER, in a human Shape.

Lucif. Hail, sovereign of this orb! formed to pos

The world, and, with one look, all nature bless.
Nature is thine; thou, empress, dost bestow
On fruits, to blossom; and on flowers, to blow.
They happy, yet insensible to boast

Their bliss: More happy they who know thee most.
Then happiest I, to human reason raised,

And voice, with whose first accents thou art praised. Eve. What art thou, or from whence? For on this ground,

Beside my lord's, ne'er heard I human sound.
Art thou some other Adam, formed from earth,
And comest to claim an equal share, by birth,
In this fair field? Or sprung of heavenly race?

Lucif. An humble native of this happy place,
Thy vassal born, and late of lowest kind,
Whom heaven neglecting made, and scarce designed,
But threw me in, for number, to the rest,
Below the mounting bird and grazing beast;
By chance, not prudence, now superior grown.
Eve. To make thee such, what miracle was shown?
Lucif. Who would not tell what thou vouchsaf'st
to hear?

Sawest thou not late a speckled serpent rear
His gilded spires to climb on yon' fair tree?
Before this happy minute I was he.

Eve. Thou speak'st of wonders: Make thy story plain.

Lucif. Not wishing then, and thoughtless to obtain So great a bliss, but led by sense of good, Inborn to all, I sought my needful food: Then, on that heavenly tree my sight I cast; The colour urged my eye, the scent my taste.

Not to detain thee long,-I took, did eat:
Scarce had my palate touched the immortal meat,
But, on a sudden, turned to what I am,
God-like, and, next to thee, I fair became ;

Thought, spake, and reasoned; and, by reason found
Thee, nature's queen, with all her graces crowned,
Eve. Happy thy lot; but far unlike is mine:
Forbid to eat, not daring to repine.

"Twas heaven's command; and should we disobey, What raised thy being, ours must take away.

Lucif. Sure you mistake the precept, or the tree :
Heaven cannot envious of his blessings be.
Some chance-born plant he might forbid your use,
As wild, or guilty of a deadly juice;

Not this, whose colour, scent divine, and taste,
Proclaim the thoughtful Maker not in haste.

Ece. By all these signs, too well I know the fruit, And dread a Power severe and absolute.

Lucif. Severe, indeed; even to injustice hard; If death, for knowing more, be your reward: Knowledge of good, is good, and therefore fit; And to know ill, is good, for shunning it.

Eve. What, but our good, could he design in this, Who gave us all, and placed in perfect bliss? Lucif. Excuse my zeal, fair sovereign, in your

cause,

Which dares to tax his arbitrary laws.

flow:

"Tis all his aim to keep you blindly low,
That servile fear from ignorance may
We scorn to worship whom too well we know.
He knows, that, eating, you shall godlike be;
As wise, as fit to be adored, as he.

For his own interest he this law has given;
Such beauty may raise factions in his heaven.
By awing you he does possession keep,
And is too wise to hazard partnership.