Which that false fruit that promis'd clearer fight
Had bred; then purg'd with euphrasy and rue
The visual nerve, for he had much to fee;
And from the well of life three drops inftill'd.
So deep the power of these ingredients pierc'd,
E'en to th' inmoft feat of mental fight,

That Adam now enforc'd to close his eyes,

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Sunk down, and all his spirits become intranc'd; 420 But him the gentle Angel by the hand

Soon rais'd, and his attention thus recall'd.

Adam, now ope thine eyes, and first behold

Th' effects which thy original crime hath wrought
In fome to fpring from thee, who never touch'd
Th' excepted tree, nor with the fnake confpir'd,
Nor finn'd thy fin, yet from that fin derive
Corruption to bring forth more violent deeds.
His eyes he open'd, and beheld a field,

Part arable and tilth, whereon were sheaves

New reap'd, the other part sheep-walks and folds;
I' th' midt an altar as the land-mark stood,
Ruftic, of graffy ford; thither anon

A fweaty reaper from his tillage brought

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First fruits, the green ear, and the yellow fheaf, 435
Uncull'd, as came to hand; a shepherd next

More meek came with the firftlings of his flock
Choiceft and beft; then facrificing, laid

The inwards and their fat, with incenfe ftrow'd,
On the cleft wood, and all due rites perform'd.
His offering foon propitious fire from Heaven
Confum'd with nimble glance, and grateful steam;

H 2

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The

The other's not, for his was not fincere ;
Whereat he inly rag'd, and as they talk'd,
Smote him into the midriff with a ftone
That beat out life; he fell, and deadly pale
Groan'd out his foul with gufhing blood effus'd.
Much at that fight was Adam in his heart
Dismay'd, and thus in hafte to th' Angel cry'd.
O Teacher, fome great mifchief hath befall'n
To that meek man, who well had facrific'd;
Is piety thus and pure devotion paid ?

T' whom Michael thus, he alfo mov'd, reply'd.
Thefe two are brethren, Adam, and to come
Out of thy loins; th' unjust the juft hath flain,
For envy that his brother's offering found
From Heav'n acceptance; but the bloody fact
Will be aveng'd, and th' other's faith approv'd
Lofe no reward, though here thou fee him die,
Rolling in duft and gore. To which our fire.

Alas, both for the deed and for the cause !
But have I now seen Death? Is this the way
I must return to native duft? O fight
Of terror, foul and ugly to behold,

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455

4.60

Horrid to think, how horrible to feel!

465

To whom thus Michaël. Death thou haft feen

In his first fhape on man; but many shapes

Of Death, and many are the ways that lead

To his grim cave, all dismal; yet to sense
More terrible at th' entrance than within.
Some, as thou faw'ft, by violent stroke shall die,
By fire, flood, famin, by intemp'rance more

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In meats and drinks, which on the earth shall bring Difeafes dire, of which a monstrous crew

Before thee shall appear; that thou mayst know

475

What mifery th' inabftinence of Eve

Shall bring on men. Immediately a place
Before his eyes appear'd, fad, noisome, dark,
A lazar-house it feem'd, wherein were laid
Numbers of all difeas'd, all maladies

Of ghaftly fpafm, or racking torture, qualms

480

Of heart-fick agony, all feverous kinds,
Convulfions, epilepfies, fierce catarrhs,
Inteftin ftone and ulcer, colic pangs,
Demoniac phrenzy, moaping melancholy,
And moon-ftruck madness, pining atrophy,
Marafinus, and wide-wasting peftilence,
Dropfies, and afthmas, and joint-racking rheums.
Dire was the toffing, deep the groans; Despair
Tended the fick bufieft from couch to couch;
And over them triumphant Death his dart
Shook, but delay'd to strike, though oft invok'd
With vows, as their chief good, and final hope.
Sight fo deform what heart of rock could long
Dry-ey'd behold? Adam could not, but wept,
Though not of woman born; compaffion quell'd
His beft of man, and gave him up to tears
A space, till firmer thoughts restrain'd excess;
And scarce recovering words his plaint renew'd.
O miferable mankind, to what fall
Degraded, to what wretched state referv'd!
Better end here unborn. Why is life given

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To be thus wrefted from us? rather why
Obtruded on us thus? who if we knew
What we receive, would either not accept
Life offer'd, or foon beg to lay it down,
Glad to be fo difinifs'd in peace. Can thus
Th' image of God in man created once

So goodly and erect, though faulty fince,
To fuch unfightly fufferings be debas'd

Under inhuman pains? Why fhould not man,
Retaining ftill divine fimilitude

In part, from fuch deformities be free,

And for his Maker's image sake exempt?

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Their Maker's image, answer'd Michael, then 515 Forsook them, when themselves they vilify’d To ferve ungovern'd appetite, and took His image whom they ferv'd, a brutish vice, Inductive mainly to the fin of Eve. Therefore so abject is their punishment, Disfiguring not God's likeness, but their own, Or if his likeness, by themselves defac'd, While they pervert pure nature's healthful rules To loathfome fickness, worthily, fince they God's image did not reverence in themselves. I yield it juft, faid Adam, and submit. But is there yet no other way, befides These painful paffages, how we may come To death, and mix with our connatural duft?

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There is, faid Michael, if thou well obferve The rule of not too much, by temp'rance taught, In what thou eat'ft and drink'st, seeking from thence

530

Due

Due nourishment, not gluttonous delight,

Till many years over thy head return :

So may'ft thou live, till like ripe fruit thou drop 535
Into thy mother's lap, or be with ease

Gather'd, not harfhly pluck'd, for death mature:
This is old age; but then thou must outlive

Thy youth, thy ftrength, thy beauty, which will change

To wither'd, weak, and gray; thy fenfes then

Obtufe, all tafte of pleasure must forgo,

540

To weigh thy fpirits down, and last confume
The balm of life. To whom our ancestor.
Henceforth I fly not death, nor would prolong
Life much, bent rather how I may be quit
Fairest and eafieft of this cumbrous charge,
Which I must keep till my appointed day

To what thou haft; and for the air of youth,
Hopeful and chearful, in thy blood will reign
A melancholy damp of cold and dry

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Of rendring up, and patiently attend

My diffolution. Michaël reply'd.

Nor love thy life, nor hate; but what thou liv'st Live well, how long or fhort permit to Heaven: And now prepare thee for another fight.

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He look'd, and faw a fpacious plain, whereon Were tents of various hue; by fome were herds Of cattel grazing; others, whence the sound Of inftruments that made melodious chime Was heard, of harp and organ; and who mov'd 560 Their ftops and chords was feen; his volant touch Instinct through all proportions low and high