"Thee I adore." Lucifer. Go on! Adam. Say then "thee I adore." Lucifer. Go on! for such a memory have I, That by a single effort I will repeat thy words. Adam. I am contented; Yet thou observe my words! thee I adore, Thus with my knees to earth, and streaming eyes Great sov❜reign of the heav'ns ! and only God! And still dost thou delay? Lucifer. I meditate thy speech, Which to me seems so long, I doubt my power to speak it. Adam. Shall I again pronounce it? But find a great defect In this imploring speech. Adam. Pray tell me what! Lucifer. No humble worshipper, not the adorer, But the ador'd, tis just that I should be. Alas! I can no longer Such outrages endure: No! who I am, I must at length reveal. The Flesh. Alas! the same thing even I must do. Adam. Alas! what do I see? What horrid form, amidst the clustring trees, Does this false denizen of heav'n assume? And his immodest partner? Alas! their winged feet The false ones move to me; And from their pomp, and gold, Breathe forth infuriate flame: Succour me! help! O God, Take pity on my failing! Lucifer. Fly, as thou canst, from these my rapid wings, Thy flying must be vain. Alas! to my great grief, this day I see Who has the prize of conquest; Who soonest yields, and from his rival flies. So that I well can say To the eternal gulph, That in this hard, and perilous contention, Can this my foot be turn'd again to hell?. The Flesh. Ah! sad, and dire event! ah strife! ah death! Lucifer. Yes, yes, tis just, that my infernal rage Should all now turn on me, Since I have vainly tried To work the condemnation of this man. But can this be? (ah! hard is my belief) Exalted providence ! Cherubim. Thou canst not mount, fierce monster! By this high brandish'd dart of penal fire. I spread my rapid wings. Cherubim. And I these happier wings, lucid, and light Will exercise around For man's protection, and in scorn of hell. SCENE THE FOURTH. The World. How fine I now appear! no more I seem A monster now of horror, But of a lofty spot The blissful habitant, and call'd The World. That so adorn'd, and splendid, Amidst thy prime delights, Laughter, and songs, and amorous affections, My snares of silver, and my nets of Gold That he may slide, and fall, to rise no more ; And try in vain to heav'n Again to rise upon the wings of zeal. And should he seem for ever Bent to survey the lovely azure heav'n, I will delude him so With other lovely skies, that from the first I will, that my fair heav'n Shall be of living saphire; there shall shine And if amidst this lightning it may thunder, My thunder sounding silver! With thunderbolts of gold! and storms of pearl! As a proud sov'reign of so rich a heav'n, The world shall still exult, And this new man shall bend to me in worship; And thus of these, my pomps! My luxuries! and joys! The numerous sons of man, become enamour'd, Shall never know repose; But with destructive force Each shall endeavour of his wretched brother To gain the envied finery, and wealth. Man I behold already for this gold, In horrid mansion, full of smoke, and fire, Now at the anvil, see! How striking frequent with his iron mace, Cold iron into fire, Tapers, and twists it round; And now an hatchet forms; now see him eager To level trees, and woods; And now, with numerous planks, Behold him raise a work Fit to sustain the fury of the sea! Others I see toiling to pass o'er alps, To pass o'er mountains, and the riven rock: Leeches that prey on ore! And from earths bosom suck great veins of gold ! Trying the fertile sea, plunge thro' the waves, |