No More Learning

Would thou hadst heark'nd to my words, & stai'd
With me, as I besought thee, when that strange
Desire of wandring this unhappie Morn,
I know not whence possessd thee; we had then
Remaind still happie, not as now, despoild
Of all our good, sham'd, naked, miserable.
Let none henceforth seek needless cause to approve 1140
The Faith they owe; when earnestly they seek
Such proof, conclude, they then begin to faile.
To whom soon mov'd with touch of blame thus Eve.
What words have past thy Lips, Adam severe,
Imput'st thou that to my default, or will
Of wandering, as thou call'st it, which who knows
But might as ill have happ'nd thou being by,
Or to thy self perhaps: hadst thou bin there,
Or here th' attempt, thou couldst not have discernd
Fraud in the Serpent, speaking as he spake; 1150
No ground of enmitie between us known,
Why hee should mean me ill, or seek to harme.
Was I to have never parted from thy side?
As good have grown there still a liveless Rib.
Being as I am, why didst not thou the Head
Command me absolutely not to go,
Going into such danger as thou saidst?
Too facil then thou didst not much gainsay,
Nay, didst permit, approve, and fair dismiss.
Hadst thou bin firm and fixt in thy dissent, 1160
Neither had I transgress'd, nor thou with mee.
To whom then first incenst Adam repli'd.
Is this the Love, is the recompence
Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve, exprest
Immutable when thou wert lost, not I,
Who might have liv'd and joyd immortal bliss,
Yet willingly chose rather Death with thee:
And am I now upbraided, as the cause
Of thy transgressing? not enough severe,
It seems, in thy restraint: what could I more? 1170
I warn'd thee, I admonish'd thee, foretold
The danger, and the lurking Enemie
That lay in wait; beyond this had bin force,
And force upon free Will hath here no place.
But confidence then bore thee on, secure
Either to meet no danger, or to finde
Matter of glorious trial; and perhaps
I also err'd in overmuch admiring
What seemd in thee so perfet, that I thought
No evil durst attempt thee, but I rue 1180
That errour now, which is become my crime,
And thou th' accuser. Thus it shall befall
Him who to worth in Women overtrusting
Lets her Will rule; restraint she will not brook,
And left to her self, if evil thence ensue,
Shee first his weak indulgence will accuse.
Thus they in mutual accusation spent
The fruitless hours, but neither self-condemning
And of thir vain contest appeer'd no end.

Notes:
186 not] nor 1674.
213 hear] bear 1674.
394 Likest] likeliest 1674.
922 hast] hath 1674.

The End Of The Ninth Book.




BOOK X.


THE ARGUMENT.

Mans transgression known, the Guardian Angels forsake Paradise, and
return up to Heaven to approve thir vigilance, and are approv'd, God
declaring that The entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He
sends his Son to judge the Transgressors, who descends and gives
Sentence accordingly; then in pity cloaths them both, and reascends. Sin
and Death sitting till then at the Gates of Hell by wondrous sympathie
feeling the success of Satan in this new World, and the sin by Man there
committed, resolve to sit no longer confin'd in Hell, but to follow
Satan thir Sire up to the place of Man: To make the way easier from
Hell to this World to and fro, they pave a broad Highway or Bridge over
Chaos, according to the Track that Satan first made; then preparing for
Earth, they meet him proud of his success returning to Hell; thir mutual
gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium, in full assembly relates with
boasting his success against Man; instead of applause is entertained
with a general hiss by all his audience, transform'd with himself also
suddenly into Serpents, according to his doom giv'n in Paradise; then
deluded with a shew of the forbidden Tree springing up before them, they
greedily reaching to take of the Fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes. The
proceedings of Sin and Death; God foretels the final Victory of his Son
over them, and the renewing of all things; but for the present commands
his Angels to make several alterations in the Heavens and Elements. Adam
more and more perceiving his fall'n condition heavily bewailes, rejects
the condolement of Eve; she persists and at length appeases him: then to
evade the Curse likely to fall on thir Ofspring, proposes to Adam
violent wayes, which he approves not, but conceiving better hope, puts
her in mind of the late Promise made them, that her Seed should be
reveng'd on the Serpent, and exhorts her with him to seek Peace of the
offended Deity, by repentance and supplication.

Meanwhile the hainous and despightfull act
Of Satan done in Paradise, and how
Hee in the Serpent had perverted Eve,
Her Husband shee, to taste the fatall fruit,
Was known in Heav'n; for what can scape the Eye
Of God All-seeing, or deceave his Heart
Omniscient, who in all things wise and just,
Hinder'd not Satan to attempt the minde
Of Man, with strength entire, and free Will arm'd,
Complete to have discover'd and repulst 10
Whatever wiles of Foe or seeming Friend.
For still they knew, and ought to have still remember'd
The high Injunction not to taste that Fruit,
Whoever tempted; which they not obeying,
Incurr'd, what could they less, the penaltie,
And manifold in sin, deserv'd to fall.