Each other, blam'd enough elfewhere; but strive
In offices of love, how we may lighten
Each other's burden, in our share of wo;
Since this day's death denounc'd, if ought 1 fee,
Will prove no fudden, but a flow-pac'd evil,
A long day's dying, to augment our pain,
And to our feed (O hapless feed!) deriv'd.
To whom thus Eve, recov'ring heart, reply'd:
Adam, by fad experiment I know
How little weight my words with thee can find,
Found fo erroneous, thence by just event
Found fo unfortunate: nevertheless,
Reftor'd by thee, vile as I am, to place
Of new acceptance, hopeful to regain
Thy love, the fole contentment of my heart,
Living or dying, from thee I will not hide.
What thoughts in my unquiet breast are rifen,
Tending to fome relief of our extremes,
Or end, though sharp and fad, yet tolerable,
As in our evils, and of eafier choice.
If care of our defcent perplex us moft,
Which must be born to. certain. wo, devour'd
By Death at laft; and miferable it is
To be to others cause of mifery,
Our own begott'en, and of our loins to bring
Into this curfed world a woful race,
That after wretched life must be at laft
Food for fo foul a monster; in thy pow'r
It lies, yet ere conception, to prevent
The race unblefs'd, to be'ing yet unbegot.
Childless thou art, childless remain ; fo Death
Shall be deceiv'd his glut, and with us two
Be forc'd to fatisfy his ravenous maw.
But if thou judge it hard and difficult,
Converfing, looking, loving, to abftain
From love's due rites, nuptial embraces fweet,
And with defire to languifh without hope,
Before the present object languishing
With like defire, which would be misery
And torment less than none of what we dread;
Then both ourfelves and feed at once to free
From what we fear for both, let us make short,
Let us feek Death; or he not found, fupply
With our own hands his office on ourfelves :
Why ftand we longer fhiv'ring under fears,
That show no end but death, and have the pow'r,
Of many ways to die the fhorteft choofing,
Deftruction with deftruction to destroy?
She ended here, or vehement despair
Broke off the reft; fo much of death her thoughts
Had entertain'd, as dy'd her cheeks with pale.
But Adam, with fuch counsel nothing fway'd,
To better hopes his more attentive mind
Lab'ring had rais'd, and thus to Eve reply'd:
Eve, thy contempt of life and pleasure feems
To argue in thee fomething more fublime
And excellent than what thy mind contemns ;
But felf-deftruction therefore fought, refutes
That excellence thought in thee, and implies,
Not thy contempt, but anguish and regret
For lofs of life and pleasure overlov'd.
Or if thou covet death, as utmost end
Of mifery, fo thinking to evade
The penalty pronounc'd, doubt not but God
Hath wifelier arm'd his vengeful ire than fo
To be foreftall'd; much more I fear left death
So fnatch'd will not exempt us from the pain
We are by doom to pay; rather fuch acts
Of contumacy will provoke the Highest
To make death in us live: then let us feek
Some fafer refolution, which methinks
I have in view, calling to mind with heed
Part of our fentence, that thy feed shall bruise
The ferpent's head; piteous amends, unless
Be meant, whom I conjecture, our grand foe
Satan, who in the ferpent hath contriv'd
Against us this deceit : to crush his head
Would be revenge indeed; which will be loft
By death brought on ourselves, or childless days
Refolv'd, as thou propofeft; fo our foe
Shall 'fcape his punishment ordain'd, and we
Inftead shall double ours upon our heads.
No more be mention'd then of violence.
Against ourselves, and wilful barrennefs,
That cuts us off from hope, and favours only
Rancour and pride, impatience and despite,
Reluctance against God and his juft yoke
Laid on our necks. Remember with what mild
And gracious temper he both heard and judg'd,
Without wrath or reviling: we expected
Immediate diffolution, which we thought
Was meant by death that day; when lo, to thee 1050· Pains only in child-bearing were foretold,
And bringing forth, foon recompens'd with joy,
Fruit of thy womb on me the curse aflope
Glanc'd on the ground; with labour 1 muß earn
My bread; what harm? Idleness had been worfe; 1055,
My labour will fuftain me and left cold
Or heat should injure us, his timely care
Hath unbefought provided, and his hands.
Cloth'd us unworthy, pitying while he judg'd:
How much more, if we pray him, will his ear 1060.
Be open, and his heart to pity' incline,
And teach us farther, by what means to fhun
Th' inclement feafons, rain, ice, hail, and fnow?.
Which now the fky with various face begins
To fhow us in this mountain, while the winds
Blow moift and keen, fhattering the graceful locks
Of thefe fair spreading trees; which bids us feek
Some better shroud, fome better warmth to cherish
Our limbs benumb'd, ere this diurnal ftar
Leave cold the night, how we his gather'd beams 1070
Reflected, may with matter fere foment,
Or by collifion of two bodies grind
The air attrite to fire, as late the clouds
Justling or pufh'd with winds, rude in their shock
Tine the flant lightning, whofe thwart flame driv'n down,
Kindles the gummy bark of fir or pine,
And fends a comfortable heat from far,
Which might fupply the fun: fuch fire to use,
And what may else be remedy or cure
To evils which our own misdeeds have wrought, 1080
He will inftruct us praying, and of grace
Befeeching him, fo as we need not fear
To país commodiously this life, fuftain'd
By him with many comforts, till we end
In duft, our final reft and native home.
What better can we do, than to the place
Repairing where he judg'd us, proftrate fall
Before him reverent, and there confefs
Humbly our faults, and pardon beg, with tears
Watering the ground, and with our fighs the air 1090
Frequenting, fent from hearts contrite, in fign
Of forr'ow unfeign'd, and humiliation meek;
Undoubtedly he will relent, and turn
From his difpleasure ; in whose look serene,
When angry moft he seem'd, and most severe,
What elfe but favour, grace, and mercy fhone?
So fpake our father penitent; nor Eve
Felt lefs remorfe: they forthwith to the place
Repairing where he judg'd them, proftrate fell
Before him reverent, and both confefs'd
Humbly their faults, and pardon begg'd, with tears
Watering the ground, and with their fighs the air.
Frequenting, fent from hearts contrite, in fign
Of forr'ow unfeign'd, and humiliation meek.,
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