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 tour, 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. O Eve, some further change awaits us nigh, Which heaven by these mute signs in nature shows Forerunners of his purpose, or to warn Us haply too secure of our discharge Some days; how long, and what till then our life, 182 Subscrib'd] Shakespeare's Meas. for Meas. act ii. sc. 4. 195 200 205 One way the self-same hour? Why in the east The field pavilion'd with his guardians bright; In their bright stand there left his powers to seize 210 215 220 204 morning light] So in the Adamus Exsul of Grotius, p. 73. Eve says, 'Quis subitus ardor iste? quæ lux emicat? 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 From yonder blazing cloud that veils the hill, 230 235 But solemn and sublime, whom not to offend He ended; and th' archangel soon drew nigh, Not in his shape celestial, but as man A military vest of purple flowed, 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 Melibaa cucurrit.' and Georg. ii. 506. 'Sarrano indormiat ostro.' Hume. 240 245 Satan's dire dread, and in his hand the spear. 250 254 Adam, heaven'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 seizure 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 O 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. Bowle. 260 265 269 That must be mortal to us both. O flowers, 275 At ev'n, which I bred up with tender hand And wild? how shall we breathe in other air Less pure, accustom'd to immortal fruits? Whom thus the angel interrupted mild. Adam, by this from the cold sudden damp 273 O flowers] 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. 280 285 290 295 |