Imatges de pàgina
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Childless thou art, childless remain: so Death

Shall be deceiv'd his glut, and with us two
Be forc'd to satisfy his ravenous maw.
But if thou judge it hard and difficult,
Conversing, looking, loving, to abstain
From Lov's due rites, nuptial embraces sweet,
And with desire to languish without hope,
Before the present object languishing
With like desire, which would be misery
And torment less than none of what we dread;

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Then both ourselves and seed at once to free
From what we fear for both, let us make short, 1000
Let us seek Death, or he not found, supply
With our own hands his office on ourselves:
Why stand we longer shivering under fears,
That show no end but death, and have the power,
Of many ways to die the shortest choosing,
Destruction with destruction to destroy?
She ended here, or vehement despair

Broke off the rest; so much of death her thoughts
Had entertain'd, as dy'd her cheeks with pale.
But Adam with such counsel nothing sway'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 seems
To argue in thee something more sublime
And excellent than what thy mind contemns;
But self-destruction therefore sought, refutes
That excellence thought in thee, and implies,
Not thy contempt, but anguish and regret
Volume 11.

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For loss of life and pleasure overlov'd.

Or if thou covet death, as utmost end
Of misery, so thinking to evade

The penalty pronounc'd, doubt not but God
Hath wiselier arm'd his vengeful ire than so
To be forestall'd; much more I fear lest death
So snatch'd will not exempt us from the pain
We are by doom to pay; rather such acts
Of contumacy will provoke the Highest
To make death in us live: then let us seek
Some safer resolution, which methinks
I have in view, calling to mind with heed
Part of our sentence, that thy seed shall bruise
The serpent's head; piteous amends, unless
Be meant, whom I conjecture, our grand foe
Satan, who in the serpent hath contriv'd
Against us this deceit: to crush his head
Would be revenge indeed; which will be lost
By death brought on ourselves, or childless days
Resolv'd as thou proposest; so our foe
Shall 'scape his punishment ordain'd, and we
Instead shall double ours upon our heads.
No more be mention'd then of violence
Against ourselves, and wilful barrenness,
That cuts us off from hope, and savours only
Rancour and pride, impatience and despite,
Reluctance against God and his just yoke.
Laid on our necks. Remember with what mild
And gracious temper he both heard and judg’d
Without wrath or reviling; we expected:

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Immediate dissolution, which we thought

Was meant by death that day, when lo, to thee 1050
Pains only in child-bearing were foretold,
And bringing forth, soon recompens'd with joy,
Fruit of thy womb: on me the curse aslope
Glanc'd on the ground; with labour I must earn
My bread; what harm? Idleness had been worse;
My labour will sustain me; and lest cold
Or heat should injure us, his timely care.
Hath unbesought provided, and his hands
Cloth'd us unworthy, pitying while he judg'd;
How much more, if we pray him, will his ear
Be open, and his heart to pity' incline,
And teach us further by what means to shun
Th' inclement seasons, rain, ice, hail, and snow?
Which now the sky with various face begins
To show us in this mountain, while the winds
Blow moist and keen, shattering the graceful locks.
Of these fair spreading trees; which bids us seek
Some better shroud, some better warmth to cherish
Our lips benumb'd, ere this diurnal star

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Leave cold the night, how we his gather'd beams 1070 Reflected, may with matter sere foment,

Or by collision of two bodies grind

The air attrite to fire, as late the clouds

Justling or push'd with winds rude in their shock Tine the slant lightning, whose thwart flame driv'n Kindles the gummy bark of fir or pine,

And sends a comfortable heat from far,

Which might supply the sun: such fire to use,

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And what may else be remedy or cure

To evils which our own misdeeds have wrought 1080
He will instruct us praying, and of grace
Beseeching him, so as we need not fear
To pass commodiously this life sustain'd
By him with many comforts, till we end
In dust, our final rest and native home.
What better can we do, than to the place
Repairing where he judg'd us, prostrate fall
Before him reverent, and there confess

Humbly our faults, and pardon beg, with tears
Watering the ground, and with our sighs the air sc90
Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign
Of sorrow, unfeign'd, and humiliation meek?
Undoubtedly he will relent and turn-

From his displeasure; in whose look serene,
When angry most he seem'd and most severe,
What else but favour, grace, and mercy shone?
Sa spake our Father penitent, nor Eve ...
Felt less remorse: they forthwith to the place
Repairing where he judg'd them, prostrate fell
Before him reverent, and both confess'd
Humbly their faults, and pardon begg'd, with tears
Watering the ground, and with their sighs the air
Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign
Of sorrow' unfeign'd, and humiliation meek.

THE END OF THE TENTH BOOK.

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PARADISE LOST.

BOOK XI.

*h The Argument.

The Son of God presents to his Father the prayers of our First Parents now repenting, and intercedes for them: God accepts them, but declares that they must no longer abide in Paradise; sends Michael with a band of Cherubim to dispossess them; but first to reveal to Adain future things: Michael's coming down. Adam shows to Eve certain ominous signs; he discerns Michael's approach, goes out to meet him; the Angel denounces their departure. Eve's lamentation. Adam pleads, but submits: the An gel leads him up to a high hill, sets before him in vision what shall hap pen till the flood.

THUS they in lowliest plight repentant stood
Praying, for from the mercy-seat above!*
Prevenient face descending had remov'd
The stony from their hearts, and made new flesh
Regenerate grow instead, that sighs now breath'd
Unutterable, which the spirit of prayer

Inspir'd, and wing'd for Heav'n with speedier flight
Than loudest oratory: yet their port

Not of mean suitors, nor important less

Seem'd their petition, than when th' ancient pair 10 In fables old, less ancient yet than these,

Deucalion and chaste Pyrrha, to restore

The race of mankind drown'd, before the shrine Of Themis stood devout. To Heav'n their pray'rs

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