Having to you imparted

Taste of this fruit against his high command.
But tell him, my desire

To make me Lord of this inferior world,
Like man a god in heav'n,

Render'd me mute, while Eve attained the apple. Eve. The gift I owe thee Serpent, well deserves That I should ne'er forget thee.

Serpent. Now in these verdant leaves, I hide myself

Till thou with sounds of joy

Shalt call, and re-assure me.

Eve. Now then conceal thyself, I promise

thee

To be thy shield against the wrath of God.

O what delicious odour ! 'tis so sweet

That I can well believe

That all the lovely flowers

From this derive their fragrance.

These dewy leaves to my conception seem

Moistened with manna, rather than with dew.

Ah, it was surely right

That fruit so exquisite

Should flourish to impart new life to man,

Not waste its sweets upon the wind and sun.
Nothing for

any ill

To man could spring from God's creative hand,
Since he for man assuredly has felt

Such warmth of love unbounded I will taste it:
How sweet it is! how far

Surpassing all the fruits, of every kind,
Assembled in this soil!

But where is Adam now? O, Adam! Adam!
He answers not; then thou with speed depart
To find him; but among these flow'rs and leaves
Conceal this lovely apple, lest the angels

Descrying it, forbid

Adam to taste its sweets,

And so from man be made a mighty God.

Serpent. Extinguish in the waves thy rays O sun! Nor more distribute light!

Thus Lucifer ordains, and thus the apple !

Man, man is now subdued!

Vain Glory. O joyous day! O day

To Hell of triumph, and of shame to Heav'n!

Eve has enjoy'd the apple

And now contrives that man may taste it too.

Now see by direst fate

Life is exchang'd for death.

Now I exulting sing,

And hence depart with pride,

Since man's high boast is crush'd!

And his bright day now turned to hideous night!

END OF THE SECOND ACT,

ACT THE THIRD.

SCENE THE FIRST.

Он

ADAM and EVE.

Oн my belov'd companion!

Oh thou of my existence

The very heart and soul!

Hast thou, with such excess of tender haste,

With ceaseless pilgrimage,

To find again thy Adam

Thus solitary wandered?

Behold him! Speak what are thy gentle orders? Why dost thou pause? what ask of God? what dost

thou?

Eve. Adam my best belov'd!

My guardian, and my guide!

Thou source of all my comfort! all my joy!

Thee, thee alone I wish,

And in these pleasing shades

Thee only have I sought.

Adam. Since thou hast call'd thy Adam

(Most beautiful companion)

The source, and happy fountain of thy joy,

Eve, if to walk with me

It now may please thee, I will shew thee love,

A sight, thou hast not seen :

A sight so lovely, that in wonder thou

Wilt arch thy graceful brow:

Look thou, my gentle bride, towards that path
Of this so intricate and verdant grove,

Where sit the birds embow'red!

Just there, where now, with soft and snowy plumes,
Two social doves have spread their wings for flight,
Just there, thou shalt behold (oh pleasing wonder)
Springing amid the flow'rs

A living stream, that with a winding course
Flies rapidly away;

And as it flies, allures,

And tempts you to exclaim, sweet river stay!

Hence eager in pursuit

You follow, and the stream, as if it had

Desire to sport with you,

Thro' many a florid, many a grassy way,

Well known to him, in soft concealment flies:
But when at length he hears,

You are afflicted to have lost his sight,

He rears his watery locks, and seems to say;
Gay with a gurgling smile,

"Follow! ah follow still my placid course!
If thou art pleas'd with me, with thee I sport."
And thus with sweet deceit he leads you on
To the extremest bound

Of a fair flow'ry meadow; then at once

With quick impediment,

Says, "Stop! Adieu ! for now, yes, now I leave you :"

Then down a rock descends:

There, as no human foot can follow farther,

The eye alone must follow him, and there,
In little space you see a mass of water
Collected in a deep, and fruitful vale,
With laurel crown'd and olive,
With cypress, oranges and lofty pines.
The limpid water in the sun's bright ray
A perfect crystal seems;

Hence in its deep recess,

In the translucent wave,

You see a precious glittering sand of gold,
And bright as moving silver

Innumerable fish;

Here with melodious notes