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Show 6 ihe State of Innocence, dnd fFdive below his Wrath, hate the Deep, E»* <&»* And wafte that Empire which I cannot keep. Raphael and Gabriel rf<.y^v/^. _>bee/. As much of Grief as Happinefs admits, In Heav'n, on each Coeleftial forehead fits: Kindnefs for Man, and Pity for his Fate, Mav mix with Blifs, and yet not violate. Their Heavenly Harps a lower Strain began, And in foft Mufick mourn'd the Fall of Man. Gabriel, I faw th' Angelic Guards from Earth afcend, (Griev'd they muft now no longer Man attend:) fhe Beams about their Temples dimly fhone, One would have thought the Crime had been their own. The Etherial People flock'd for News in hafte, W h o m they, with down-caff Looks, and fcarce faluting paft: While each' did, in his penfive Breaft, prepare A fad Account of their fuccellefs Care. Raphel. Th'Eternal yet, in Majefty fevere, And ftridteft Juftice, did mild Pity bear: Their Death's deferr'd, and Banilhment (their DoomJ In Penitence forefeen, leaves Mercy room. Gabriel. That Meffage is thy Charge 3 mineleadsmienence, Plac'd at the Garden's Gate for its Defence; Left Man returning, the beft Place pollute, And Tcape from Death, by Life's immortal Fruit, • [Another Clap of Thunder. [Exeunt feverally. Enter Adam and Eve, Affrighted. Adam. In what dark Cavern fliall I hide m y Head? Where feek retreat, now Innocence is fled: Safe in that Guard, I durft ev'n Hell defie; Without it, tremble now, when Heav'n is nigh. Eve. What fhall we do, or where direct our flight ? 7 Eaftuard as far as I could caft my Sight, C From op'ning Heavens, I faw defending Light: \ Its glittering through the Trees I ftill behold 3 Ihe Cedar-tops feem all to burn with Gold. Adam. Some Shape Divine, whofe Beams I cannot bear' W ould I were hid where Light could not appear Deep into fome thick Covert would I run, Impenetrable to the Stars, or Sun: And fene'd from Day, by Nights Eternal Skrcen- Unknown to Heav'n, and to my felf unfeen Eve. In vain ; what hope to Ihun his pierdng Sight W h o from dark Chaos, (truck the Sparks of Light? Yo^d^ ™?°Wi_h wdS °f y°Ur own wilful ^'nd : Guilt walks before us, Death purfues behind Moft Confidence has ftill molt caufe to doubt Eve Such might have been thy Hap aloneafEiT? And fo together, might we both havefolT 5 ^ r s dVaflalage of all my future Knd Midoliz'd, till Love's hot Fire be o'er* Then Slaves to thofe who courted Us before Adam. \ counfefd vou to ftav. L n >l By your own lawlcf?Win , yky o,u r P r , d e refu^ : And, SovwJ °! H dt*™!>; m toft. Counfel was not eadiih M r S H have croft- Ad.'-' • • • • • ! FALL of MAN. 6u -#- Adam. Ev'n fuch Returns do they deferve to find W h e n force is lawfull, w h o are fondly kind. Unlike m y Love : for when thy Guilt I knew, I fhar'd the Curfe which did that Crime purfue. Hard fate of Love! which Rigour did forbear, And n o w 'tis tax'd, becaufe 'twas not fevere.' Eve. You have, your felf, your Kindnefs over-paid * He ceafes to oblige, w h o can upbraid. ' Adam. O n Woman's Virtue, w h o too much rely, To boundlefs Will give boundlefs Liberty. Reftraint you will not brook; but think it hard Your Prudence is not trufted as your Guard: And to your felves fo left, if 111 enfues, You firft our weak Indulgence will accufe. Curft be that Hour . W h e n fated with m y fingle Happinefs, I chofe a Partner to controul m y Blifs 3 W h o wants that Reafon which her Will fhould fway, A n d knows but juft enough to difobey. Eve. Better with Brutes m y humble Lot had gone j Of Reafon void, accountable for none: Th'unhappieft of Creation is a Wife, Made loweft, in the higheft Rank of Life : Her Fellow's Slave; to know, and not to chufe: Curft with that Reafon fhe muft never ufe. Adam. Add, that She's proud, fantaftick, apt to change; Ufelefs at home, and ever prone to range: W i t h Shows delighted, and fo vain is She, She'll meet the Devil, rather than not fee. Our wife Creator, for his Choires Divine, Peopled his Heav'n with Souls all Mafculine. n A h ! w h y muft M a n from W o m a n take his Birth? W h y was this Sin of Nature made on Earth ? This fair Defect, this helplefs Aid, call'd Wife; The bending Crutch of a decrepit Life. Pofterity no Pairs from you fhall find, But fuch as by miftake of Love are joyn'd : The worthieft M e n their Wifhes ne'er fhall gain; But fee the Slaves they fcorn their Loves obtain. Blind Appetite fhall your Wild Fancies Rule; Falfe to defert, and faithful to a Fool. [Turns in anger from hr, and is going off. Eve k»eeling.~] Unkind ! wilt thou forfake m e in diftrefs, For that which n o w is paft m e to redrefs? I have mifdone; and I endure the fmart: Loth to acknowledge, but more loth to part. The blame be mine; you warn'd, and I refus'd. What would you more? I have m y felf accus'd. W a s plighted Faith fo weakly feal'd above, That, for one Error, I muft lofe your Love? . Had you fo err'd, I Ihould have been more kind, Than to add pain to an afflicTed Mind. Adam. Y'are grown much humbler than you were before I pardon you ; but fee m y Face no more. Eve. Vain Pardon, which includes a greater 111: Be ftill difpleas'd; but let m e fee you-ftill. Without your much-loVd Sight, I cannot live: You more than kill mc, if you fo forgive. The Beafts, fince w e are falfn, their Lords defpile; And, paffing, look at m e with glaring Eyes; Muft I then wander helplefs and alone? You'll pity m e too late when I arn gone. Adam. Your Penitence does m y Companion move; As you deferve it, I m a y give m y Love. Eve v.. |