At first, as one who fought access, but fear'd
To interrupt, fide-long he works his way.
As when a fhip by skilful steersman wrought
Nigh river's mouth or foreland, where the wind
Veers oft, as oft so steers, and shifts her fail :
So varied he, and of his tortuous train
Curl'd many a wanton wreath in fight of Eve,
To lure her eye. She bufied, heard the found
Of rustling leaves; but minded not, as us'd
To fuch difport before her through the field,
From every beaft, more duteous at her call,
Than at Circean call the herd disguis'd.
He bolder now, uncall'd before her stood,
But as in gaze admiring: oft he bow'd
His turret creft, and fleek enamell'd neck,
Fawning, and lick'd the ground whereon fhe trod.
His gentle dumb expreffion turn'd at length'
The eye of Eve to mark his play; he glad
Of her attention gain'd, with ferpent tongue
Organick, or impulfe of vocal air,
His fraudulent temptation thus began:
Wonder not, fov'reign miftrefs, if perhaps
Ibid. Rome.] Heb. i. e. high; being built on feven hills; or Gr. i. e. ftrength and power. The chief city of Italy upon both fides of the Tyber, ten miles from the fea, and 840 miles from London; the feat of the Roman empire, and, for a long time, the miftrefs of the world; having had the greatest part of Europe, Afia, and Africa under her.
L. 531. His fraudulent temptation thus began.] We fee, by this first speech of Satan, what our author thought the most probable, the most natural, and the moft fuccessful way of beginning a temptation upon a woman, namely, flattery, extravagant admiration of her perfon, and fulfome commendations of her merit and beauty; and, by these means, engaging her attention, and fo deluding her to her ruin. This fpeech is much of the fame ftrain and fpirit with that which Satan had made to her before in her dream, B. v. 1, 37. &c.; and it had a fatal effect; for,
Into the heart of Eve his words made way.
To cry her up as a goddefs, was the readiest way to make her a mere mortal. Newton.
Thou canft, who art fole wonder; much lefs arm
Thy looks, the heav'n of mildnefs, with difdain,
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.
Faireft refemblance of thy Maker fair ;
Thee all things living gaze on, all things thine
By gift, and thy celeftial beauty' adore,
With ravishment beheld, there best beheld-
Where univerfally admir'd: but here
In this inclosure wild, thefe beasts among,
Beholders rude, and fhallow to discern
Half what in thee is fair, one man except,
Who fees thee'? (and what is one?) who shouldst be seen A goddefs among gods, ador'd and ferv'd
By angels numberlefs, thy daily train.
So gloz'd the tempter, and his proem tun'd; Into the heart of Eve his words made way,
Though at the voice much marvelling; at length
Not unamaz'd fhe thus in anfwer spake :
What may this mean? language of man pronounc'd
By tongue of brute, and human fenfe express'd?
The first at least of these I thought deny'd
To beafts, whom God on their creation-day
Created mute to all articulate found:
The latter I demur; for in their looks
Much reas'on, and in their actions, oft appears.
Thee, ferpent, fubtleft beaft of all the field
I knew, but not with human voice endu'd;
Redouble then this miracle, and say,
How cam'ft thou speakable of mute, and how
To me fo friendly grown above the rest
Of brutal kind, that daily are in fight:
Say, for fuch wonder claims attention due.
To whom the guileful tempter thus reply'd:
Eafy it is to me to tell thee all
Emprefs of this fair world, refplendent Eve,
What thou command'ft, and right thou fhouldst be**
I was at firft as other beafts that graze
The trodden herb, of abject thoughts and low,
As was my food; nor ought but food discern'd,
Or fex, and apprehended nothing high :
Till on a day roving the field, I chanc'd
A goodly tree far diftant to behold,
Loaden with fruit of fairest colours mix'd,.
Ruddy and gold: I nearer drew to gaze;
When from the boughs a favoury odour blown,
Grateful to appetite, more pleas'd my fenfe
Than fmell of fweeteft fennel, or the teats
Of ewe or goat, dropping with milk at ev'n,
Unfuck'd of lamb or kid that tend their play.
To fatisfy the fharp defire I had
Of afting thofe fair apples, I refolv'd'
Not to defer; hunger and thirst at once,
Pow'rful perfuaders, quicken'd at the fcent
Of that alluring fruit, urg'd me fo keen.
About the moffy trunk I wound me foon;
For high from ground the branches would require 590
Thy utmost reach, or Adam's: round the tree
All other beafts that faw, with like defire
Longing and envying food, 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 fuch pleasure till that hour
At feed or fountain never had I found.
Sated at length, ere long I might perceive
Strange alteration in me, to degree
Of reafon in my inward pow'rs, and fpeech
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 visible 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'reign of creatures, univerfal dame.
So talk'd the fpirited fly fnake; and Eve
Yet more amaz'd, unwary thus reply'd :
Serpent, thy overpraifing leaves in doubt
The virtue of that fruit, in thee first prov'd.
But fay, where grows the tree, from hence how far?
For many are the trees of God that
grow
In Paradife, and various, yet unknown
To us; in fuch abundance lies our choice,
As leaves a greater store of fruit untouch'd,
Still hanging incorruptible, till men
Grow up to their provifion, and more hands
Help to difburden Nature of her birth.
To whom the wily adder, blithe and glad:
Empress, the way is ready, and not long;
Beyond a row of myrtles, on a flat,
Faft by a fountain, one small thicket paft.
Of blowing myrrh and balm : if thou accept
My conduct, I can bring thee thither foon.
Lead then, faid Eve. He leading swiftly roll'd
In tangles, and made intricate feem ftrait,
To mifchief fwift. Hope elevates, and joy
Brightens his creft; as when a wand'ring fire,
Compact of unctuous vapour, which the night
Coadenfes, and the cold environs round,
Kindled through agitation to a flame,
Which oft, they fay, fome evil spirit attends,
Hovering, and blazing with delufive light,
Misleads th' amaz'd night-wand'rer from his way, 640
To bogs and mires, and oft through pond or pool,
There fwallow'd up and loft, from fuccour far.
So glifter'd the dire fnake, and into fraud
Led Eve, our credulous mother, to the tree
Of prohibition, root of all our wo;
Which when fhe faw, thus to her guide fhe fpake :
Serpent, we might have fpar'd our coming hither,
Fruitless to me, though fruit be here to' excess ;
The credit of whofe virtue reft with thee,
Wondrous indeed, if cause of fuch effects.
But of this tree we may not tafte nor touch;
God fo commanded, and left that command
Sole daughter of his voice; the reft, we live
Law to ourselves, our reason is our law.
To whom the tempter guilefully reply'd:
Indeed? hath God then faid that of the fruit
Of all these garden trees ye fhall not eat,
Yet lords declar'd of all in earth or air?
To whom thus Eve yet finless: Of the fruit
Of each tree in the garden, we may eat;
But of the fruit of this fair tree amidft
The garden, God hath faid, Ye shall not eat
Thereof, nor fhall ye touch it, left ye die.
She scarce had faid, though brief, when now more bold
The tempter, but with fhow of zeal and love
To man, and indignation at his wrong,
New part puts on; and as to paffion mov'd,
Fluctuates difturb'd, yet comely, and in act
Rais'd, as of fome great matter to begin.
As when of old fome orator renown'd
L. 640. Ignis fatuus.] i. e. a filly fire; and we call it Jack in the lantern, and Will with the wifp; because it refembles thofe things, It is a compounded clofe united body of oily and fulphureous matter, and fired with vapours exhaled from the earth.
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