And full of peace, now tost and turbulent:
For understanding rul'd not, and the will
Heard not her lore, both in subjection now
To sensual appetite, who from beneath
Usurping over sovran reason claim'd

Superior sway from thus distemper'd breast,
Adam, estrang'd in look and alter'd stile,
Speech intermitted thus to Eve renew'd.

1130

Would thou hadst hearken'd to my words, and stay'd With me, as I besought thee, when that strange Desire of wand'ring this unhappy morn,

1135

I know not whence possess'd thee; we had then
Remain'd still happy, not as now, despoil'd
Of all our good, sham'd, naked, miserable.
Let none henceforth seek needless cause to' approve
The faith they owe; when earnestly they seek
Such proof, conclude, they then begin to fail.

1141

1145

To whom soon mov'd with touch of blame thus Eve. What words have pass'd thy lips, Adam severe ! Imput'st thou that to my default, or will Of wand'ring, as thou call'st it, which who knows But might as ill have happen'd thou being by, Or to thyself perhaps? hadst thou been there, Or here th' attempt, thou could'st not have discern'd Fraud in the Serpent, speaking as he spake ;

1140. Let none henceforth seek

needless cause to approve The faith they owe;] As Eve had done when she said, ver. 335.

And what is faith, love, virtue, unessay'd, &c.

1150

1144. What words have pass'd thy lips, Adam severe !] In imitation of Homer, Iliad. xiv. 83. Ατρείδη ποιον σε επος φυγεν έρκος οδον

των ;

Thyer.

No ground of enmity between us known,
Why he should mean me ill, or seek to harm.
Was I to' have never parted from thy side?
As good have grown there still a lifeless rib.
Being as I am, why didst not thou the head
Command me absolutely not to go,
Going into such danger as thou said'st?
Too facile then thou didst not much gainsay,
Nay didst permit, approve, and fair dismiss.
Hadst thou been firm and fix'd in thy dissent,
Neither had I transgress'd, nor thou with me.
To whom then first incens'd Adam replied.
Is this the love, is this the recompense
Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve, express'd
Immutable when thou wert lost, not I,

1155

1160

1165

Who might have liv'd and joy'd 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?
I warn'd thee, I admonish'd thee, foretold
The danger, and the lurking enemy

1170

That lay in wait; beyond this had been force,
And force upon free will hath here no place.
But confidence then bore thee on, secure
Either to meet no danger, or to find

1162. To whom then first incens'd Adam replied.] As Adam is now first angry, his speech is abrupt and his sentences broken. Is this the love, Dr. Bentley reads Is this thy love, is this the recompense of mine to thee, of my

1175

love to thee, which was expressed immutable when thou wert lost?

1170. in thy restraint:] This is the reading in all the first editions; but several of the later ones have my restraint.

Matter of glorious trial; and perhaps

I also err'd in overmuch admiring

What seem'd in thee so perfect, that I thought
No evil durst attempt thee, but I rue

That error 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' herself, if evil thence ensue,

She first his weak indulgence will accuse.

Thus they in mutual accusation spent

The fruitless hours, but neither self-condemning,
And of their vain contest appear'd no end.

1183. -in women overtrust

ing] Dr. Bentley reads woman, and I should rather prefer it on account of what follows, her will, she will not brook, left to herself &c. though women may be justified, such a transition from the plural to the singular number being not uncommon in the best authors, as in Terence, Eun. ii. i. 10.

1180

1185

Dii boni, quid hoc morbi est? adeon' homines immutarier

Ex amore, ut non cognoscas cundem esse?

1185. if evil thence ensue, &c.] Juvenal, Sat. vi. 283.

-Nihil est audacius illis Deprensis; iram atque animos a crimine sumunt.

Hume.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK X.