I never from thy side henceforth to stray, 180 185 So spake, so wish'd much-humbled Eve; but fate Subscrib'd not; nature first gave signs, impress'd On bird, beast, air, air suddenly eclips'd After short blush of morn: nigh in her sight The bird of Jove, stoop'd from his aery tow'r, Two birds of gayest plume before him drove : Down from a hill the beast that reigns in woods, First hunter then, pursu'd a gentle brace, Goodliest of all the forest, hart and hind; Direct to th' eastern gate was bent their flight. 190 Adam observ'd, and, with his eye the chase Pursuing, not unmov'd to Eve thus spake. 195 O Eve, some further change awaits us nigh, Some days; how long, and what till then our life, 182 Subscrib'd] Shakespeare's Meas. for Meas. act ii. sc. 4. 200 205 One way the selfsame hour? Why in the east And carnal fear that day dimm'd Adam's eye. The field pavilion'd with his guardians bright; Against the Syrian king, who to surprise In their bright stand there left his powers to seise 210 215 220 204 morning light] So in the Adamus Exsul of Grotius, p. 73. Eve says, 'Quis subitus ardor iste? quæ lux emicat? Fugiamus æstus! ista divinæ manus Sunt opera, quæ nos ire in exsilium jubet.' 205 draws] So D. Heinsius; 'Rubore cœlum prævio Aurora imbuit, Primamque puræ purpuram nubes trahunt.' Herodes, p. 220. 215 pavilion'd] Shakesp. Henry V. act i. sc. 2. 'And lie pavilion'd in the fields of France.' Bowle. Possession of the garden; he alone, To find where Adam shelter'd, took his way, While the great visitant approach'd, thus spake. 225 New laws to be observ'd; for I descry From yonder blazing cloud that veils the hill He ended; and th' archangel soon drew nigh, Not in his shape celestial, but as man A military vest of purple flow'd, Livelier than Meliboan, or the grain Of Sarra, worn by kings and heroes old 232 Or] Lord of the Thrones above. Bentl. MS. 242 Melibaan] Virg. Æn. V. 251. Purpura mæandro duplici Melibea cucurrit.' and Georg. ii. 506. 'Sarrano indormiat ostro.' Hume. 230 235 240 245 Satan's dire dread, and in his hand the spear. 250 Adam, heav'n's high behest no preface needs: Sufficient that thy prayers are heard, and death, Then due by sentence when thou didst transgress, Defeated of his seisure many days Giv'n thee of grace, wherein thou may'st repent, And one bad act with many deeds well done May'st cover well may then thy Lord appeas'd Redeem thee quite from death's rapacious claim; But longer in this paradise to dwell Permits not to remove thee I am come, And send thee from the garden forth to till 0 unexpected stroke, worse than of death! Must I thus leave thee, paradise? thus leave Thee, native soil, these happy walks and shades, Fit haunt of Gods? where I had hope to spend, Quiet though sad, the respite of that day 250 Inclin'd] See Spens. F. Qu. V. ix. 34. 'To whom she eke inclyning her withall.' and Fairfax's Tasso, ix. 60. 264 gripe] Browne's Brit. Pas. B. i. s. iii. 'Free from the gripes of sorrow every one.' Todd. 254 260 265 Bowle. 269 That must be mortal to us both. O flow'rs, At ev'n, which I bred up with tender hand 275 280 Your tribes, and water from th' ambrosial fount? And wild? how shall we breathe in other air Whom thus the angel interrupted mild. 273 O flow'rs] See Ovidii Metam. V. 399, of Proserpine. Tantaque simplicitas puerilibus adfuit annis, 280 nuptial] Compare Euripidis Alcestis, v. 247. Γαῖα τε, καὶ μελάθρων στέγαι Νυμφίδιαι τε κοιται Πατρίας Ιωλκου. Todd. 285 290 295 |