If I survey my partner,

I share her tears, and echo back her sighs.
Tis torture, and distraction,

To wound her with refusal: my kind heart

Would teach my op'ning hand to seize the apple, But in my doubtful breast

My spirit bids it close.

Adam! thou wretch! how many

Various desires besiege thy trembling heart!

One prompts thee now to sigh;

Another to rejoice; nor canst thou know

Which shall incline thee most,

Or sighs, or joyous favour,

From woman, or from God.

Eve. Yet he reflects, and wishes

That Eve should now forsake

Her hope of being happy

In elevating man,

E'en while I hold the fruit of exaltation.

Adam. Tho mute, yet eloquent

Are all your looks, my love;

Alas! whate'er you ask,

You're certain to obtain;

1

And my heart grants, before your tongue can speak.

Eyes, that to me are suns,

The Heav'n of that sweet face

No more, no more obscure!

Return! alas! return

To scatter radiance o'er that cloudy cheek!

Lift up, O lift thy brow

From that soft mass of gold, that curls around it!

Locks like the solar rays!

Chains to my heart, and light'ning to my eyes!

O let thy lovely tresses

Now light, and unconfin'd,

Sport in the air, and all thy face disclose!

That paradise, that speaks a heart divine!
I yield thee full obedience;

Thy prayers are all commands:

Dry, dry thy streaming eyes, and on thy lips Let tender smiles like harmless lightning play!

Eve. Ah misbelieving Adam,

Be now a kind receiver

Of this delightful fruit!

Hasten, now hasten to extend thy hand
To press this banquet of beatitude!

Adam. Oh my most sweet companion,
Behold thy ardent lover!

Now banish from his heart

The whirlpool of affliction! turn'd to him
His dearest guide, his radiant polar star.
Show me that lovely apple,

Which midst thy flow'rs and fruits,

Ingenious plunderer, thou hid'st from me!

Eve. Adam! behold the apple!

What sayst thou? I have tasted, and yet live;

Ah 'twill insure our lives,

And make us equal to our God in Heav'n.
But first the fruit entire

We must between us eat,

And when we have enjoy'd it,

Then to a radiant throne, a throne of stars,
Exalting Angels will direct our flight.

Adam. Give me the pilfer'd fruit,

Thou courteous pilferer!

Give me the fruit, that charms thee !

And let me yield to her,

Who to make me a God has toil'd and wept !

Alas! what have I done?

How sharp a thorn is piercing in my heart

With instantaneous anguish !

How am I overwhelm'd

In a vast flood of sorrow!

Eve. Alas! what do I see?

Oh bitter knowledge! unexpected sight!
All is prepar❜d for human misery.

Adam. O precious liberty! where art thou fled? Eve. Oh precious liberty! O dire enthralment !

Adam. Is this the fruit so sweet?

The source of so much bitter!

Say why wouldst thou betray me!
Ah why of heav'n deprive me!
Why make me forfeit thus
My state of innocence!

Where cheerful I enjoy a blissful life?
Why make me thus a slave

To the fierce arms of death,

Thou, whom I deem'd my life?
Eve. I have been blind to Good,
Quick-sighted but to evil!
An enemy to Adam,

A rebel to my God,

For daring to exalt me

To the high gates of heav'n,

I fall presumptuous to the depths of hell.

Adam. Alas, what dart divine appears in heav'n Blazing with circling flame?

Eve. What punishment,

Wretch that I am, hangs o'er me? am I naked!

And speaking still to Adam? ·

Adam. Am I too naked? hide me! hence!
Eve. I fly.

SCENE THE SECOND.

Volano. Thou'rt fall'n, at length thou'rt fallen,
O thou presuming

With new support from the resplendent stars

To mount to seats sublime!

Adam at length thou'rt fall'n to the deep
As far, as thy ambition hop'd to soar:

Now see thou hast attain'd

To learn the distance between heav'n and hell.

Now let Avernus echo,

To the hoarse sound, of the funereal trumpet

Joyful arise to light!

And pay your homage to the prince of hell!

SCENE THE THIRD.

Satan, Volano, Chorus of SPIRITS, with their flags flying and infernal instruments.

Volan. Man is subdued, subdued!

Palms of eternal glory!