815 "On my defenceless head: both death and I "That I must leave "So disinherited, how would ye bless "Me, now your curse! Ah, why should all mankind, "For one man's fault, thus guiltless be condemn'd, "If guiltless? But from me what can proceed, 825" But all corrupt; both mind and will depraved, "Not to do only, but to will the same 830 "With me? How can they then acquitted stand "And reas'nings, though through mazes, lead me still "On me-me only, as the source and spring "Of all corruption, all the blame lights due: "So might the wrath! Fond wish! couldst thou support 835"That burden, heavier than the earth to bear "Than all the world much heavier; though divided "With that bad woman? Thus, what thou desir'st, "And what thou fear'st, alike destroys all hope "Of refuge, and concludes thee miserable 840"Beyond all past example and future"To Satan only like, both crime and doom. "O conscience! into what abyss of fears "And horrors hast thou driven me, out of which "I find no way; from deep to deeper plung'd!" Thus Adam to himself lamented loud 845 Through the still night; not now, as ere man fell, 850 All things with double terror. On the ground Outstretch'd he lay-on the cold ground; and oft Of tardy execution, since denounc'd The day of his offence. 'Why comes not death," 855 Said he, "with one thrice acceptable stroke "To end me? Shall Truth fail to keep her word? "Justice divine not hasten to be just? "But death comes not at call; Justice divine "Mends not her slowest pace for prayers, or cries. 860" woods, O fountains, hillocks, dales, and bowers, "With other echo late I taught your shades "To answer, and resound far other song!" Whom, thus afflicted, when sad Eve beheld "Out of my sight, thou serpent! That name best "Befits thee, with him leagued; thyself as false "And hateful! nothing wants, but that thy shape, 870"Like his, and colour serpentine, may show 66 Thy inward fraud; to warn all creatures from thee "Henceforth; lest that too heavenly form, pretended, "To hellish falsehood snare them! But for thee "I had persisted happy: had not thy pride 875"And wand'ring vanity, when least was safe, Rejected my forewarning, and disdain'd 66 "Not to be trusted-longing to be seen, 66 Though by the devil himself, him overweening "To over-reach; but, with the serpent meeting, 880" Fool'd and beguil'd: by him thou, I by thee, "To trust thee from my side; imagin'd wise, "Constant, mature, proof against all assaults; "And understood not all was but a show, "Rather than solid virtue; all but a rib 885 Crooked by nature; bent (as now appears) "More to the part sinister, from me drawn ; "Well if thrown out, as supernumerary 890 "To my just number found! O! why did God, "This novelty on earth, this fair defect "Of nature?-and not fill the world at once "Or find some other way to generate 895 "Mankind? This mischief had not then befall'n, 66 66 Through her perverseness, but shall see her gain'd 'By a far worse; or, if she love, withheld By parents; or, his happiest choice too late 905 "Shall meet, already link'd and wedlock-bound "To human life, and household peace confound." He added not, and from her turn'd: but Eve, 910 Not so repuls'd, with tears that ceas'd not flowing, And tresses all disorder'd, at his feet Fell humble; and, embracing them, besought "Forsake me not thus, Adam! Witness heaven 66 Unhappily deceiv'd! Thy suppliant "I beg, and clasp thy knees: bereave me not 66 66 (Whereon I live!) thy gentle looks, thy aid, 920 Thy counsel, in this uttermost distress; 925 "My only strength, and stay! Forlorn of thee, "While yet we live,-scarce one short hour perhaps,- "Against a foe by doom express assign'd us, "Thy hatred for this misery befall'n— "On me already lost-me than thyself 66 930 More miserable! Both have sinn'd; but thou 935 "There with my cries impórtune Heaven; that all She ended, weeping; and her lowly plight, 950 And thus with peaceful words uprais'd her soon: "So now) of what thou know'st not, who desir'st "The punishment all on thyself! Alas! "Bear thine own first, ill able to sustain "His full wrath, whose thou feel'st as yet least part; 955 "That on my head all might be visited; 66 Thy frailty and infirmer sex forgiv'n, "To me committed, and by me expos'd. "But rise: let us no more contend, nor blame "Each other, blam'd enough elsewhere; but strive 960"In offices of love, how we may lighten "Each other's burden in our share of woe; "Since this day's death denounc'd, if aught I see, "Will prove no sudden, but a slow-pac'd evil; "A long day's dying to augment our pain; 965" And to our seed (O hapless seed!) deriv'd." To whom thus Eve, recovering heart, replied: "Adam! by sad experiment I know "How little weight my words with thee can find, "Found so erroneous; thence by just event 970"Found so unfortunate; nevertheless, "Restor'd by thee, vile as I am, to place 66 975"What thoughts in my unquiet breast are ris'n, "Our own begotten; and of our loins to bring 985 "That after wretched life must be at last "From love's due rites-nuptial embraces sweet, 995 "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; "Then, both ourselves and seed at once to free 1000" From what we fear for both, let us make short"Let us seek Death; or, he not found, supply "With our own hands his office on ourselves. "Why stand we longer shiv'ring under fears |