pinefs which I enjoy; and I must confefs to find indeed in every Thing else Delight; but fuch as, whether us'd or not, works no great Change, nor yehement Defire in the Mind; I mean thefe Delicacies of Tafte, Sight, and Smell, fuch as Herbs, Fruits, and Flowers, pleasant Walks, and Melody of Birds; but far otherwise in Regard to EVE, on whom I look with Tranfport, and whom I with Transport touch: Here I first felt Paffion, fuperior to all Enjoyments elfe, and am unmov'd, except by this ftrange Commotion; finding myself only weak here, and unable to stand against the powerful Charm of Beauty. Whether Nature fail'd in making me, and left fome Part of me not Proof enough to fuftain fuch an Object; or making of her out of my Side, perhaps took more than enough, and Part of my Strength from me; at leaft, bestow'd upon her too much Ornament, taking great Care to finish her as to the outward Show, but less exact as to her Mind; for I well understand in the firft Defign of Nature, that in the Abilities and Powers of the Mind, which excell all outward Forms, she is the inferior; in her outward Form also lefs re fembling his Image who made both, and lefs expreffing the Character of that Dominion given over other Creatures: Yet when I approach her Lovelinefs, fhe feems fo abfolutely compleat in herself, and fo well to know her own proper Part, that whatever he wills to fay or do, feems moft virtuous, moft difcreet, wifeft and beft; all higher Knowledge lofes its Value in her Prefence, and Wisdom in Difcourfe with her, fhews like Folly Authority and Reason wait upon her, as one defign'd first, and not made occafionally afterwards: And (to fum up all) Greatness of Mind and Nobleness appear lovely in her, and create an Awe about her, as if fhe was guarded by Angels. To whom the Angel, with a contracted Brow, made this Reply:

Do

Do not thou prefume to accufe Nature, fhe hath done her Part; do thou but thine: Be not diffident of Wifdom; Wisdom will not defert thee, if thou dost not difmifs her, when thou haft most Occasion to have her near thee; by attributing too much to Things lefs excellent. For what is it thou admireft fo? What is it fo transports thee? An Outfide? Fair, no Doubt, and very well worthy thy cherishing, honouring, and loving; but not worthy thy Subjection. Confider her with thyself, then value both: Oftentimes nothing is more profitable than Self-esteem, grounded upon a juft and well-manag'd Right: The more of that thou learneft to know, the more fhe will acknowledge thee to be her Head, and yield all her Appearances of Wifdom to Reality: She was made fo beautiful for the Sake of thy Delight; fo awful, that thou mighteft with Honour love her, who, if thou foregoeft thy Wifdom, will fee and perhaps triumph over thy Weakness. But if that Senfe of Touch, whereby MANKIND is propagated, feem to thee fuch a dear Delight beyond all other; think that the fame is vouchfaf'd to Cattle, and every Beaft; which would not be made common to them, if there were any Thing in the Enjoyment of it, to 'fubdue the Soul of a MAN, or move him to Paffion: What thou findest in the Society of EVE above this, that is attractive, human, and rational: Do thou ftill love; for in loving thou doft well, but not in fubjecting thyself to Paffion, wherein true Love does not fubfift. Love refines the Thoughts, and enlarges the Heart, hath his Seat in Reason, and acts by Choice: Love is the Scale by which thou may'ft afcend to Heaven, but not when funk in carnal Pleafure; for which Reason there was no Companion found thee among the Brutes. To whom ADAM, half afham'd, made Answer:

NEITHER

NEITHER her Outfide, which is form'd fo fair, nor any Thing in Procreation, which is common to all Kinds, (though I think of the Marriage-Bed with a higher and more myfterious Reverence) delight me fo much as thofe graceful Actions, thofe many Decencies, that daily refult from all fhe does and fays; mix'd with Love and fweet Compliance, which declare an unfeign'd Union of Mind, or that there is in us both but one Soul; which Harmony in a wedded Pair, is more grateful than Mufick to the Ear. Yet thefe fubject me not; I discover to thee what I feel inwardly from thence, but I am not therefore overcome: I meet with various Objects, varioufly reprefented through the Senfes to the Mind; yet ftill being free, I approve the best, and follow what I approve. Thou blameft me not to love, for thou fay'ft that Love leads up to Heaven, that it is both the Way and the Guide; then bear with me, if what I ask is lawful: Do not the Spirits of Heaven love? How do they exprefs it? Is it only by their Looks? Or do they mix their pure Emanations? Do they touch by Influence, or fenfibly as we do one another?

To whom the Angel, with a Smile that glow'd rofy upon his Face, (the propar Hue of Love) made Answer: Let it fuffice thee, that thou knowest that we are happy, and without Love there is no Happiness. Whatever thou enjoyeft pure in the Body, (and thou wert created pure) we enjoy more eminently; and find no Obftacle, no exclufive Bars of Joint, Membrane, or Limb: If Spirits embrace, they mix totally; easier than Air with Air; Union and Commixture of pure with pure; alike kindled with Defire; nor need any of the restrain'd Conveyances of the Senfes or Paffions, as Flesh does with Flesh, or Soul with Soul. But I can now ftay no longer; for the Sun is fetting in the Weft, which is my Signal to

T

depart.

dǝpart. Be ftrong, live happy, and love! but first of all love him, whom to love rightly is to obey, and keep his great Commandment: Take Heed, left Paffion fhould fway thy Judgment to do any Thing, which elfe Free-will would not admit of. The Happiness or Unhappiness of thee and all thy Pofterity is plac'd in thee: Beware! I, and all the Bleft above, fhall rejoice to fee thee perfevere in Obedience. Stand faft; it lies free in thy own Election, to ftand or fall: Having Power fufficient within, feek no Help elfewhere, and repel every Temptation to tranfgrefs.

SAYING this, he arofe; and ADAM thus follow'd him with Thanks: Since the Time of thy Departure is come, go, heavenly Meffenger, and Guest fent from him whofe fovereign Goodness I adore! Thy Condefcenfion hath been very gentle and affable to me, and fhall ever be honour'd with grateful Remembrance: Continue ftill to be good and friendly to MANKIND, and return hither often.

So they parted; the Angel flying up to Heaven, and ADAM to his Bower, to feek for Ev E.

The End of the EIGHTH BOOK,

THE

THE

ΝΙΝΤΗ ΒΟΟΚ

O F

PARADISE LOST.

S

The ARGUMENT.

ATAN having compass'd the Earth, with meditated Guile returns, as a Mift, by Night into Paradife, and enters into the Serpent fleeping. Adam and Eve in the Morning go forth to their Labours, which Eve propofes to divide in feveral Places, each labouring apart: Adam confents not, alledging the Danger, left that Enemy, of whom they are forewarn'd, Should attempt her alone: Eve loath to be thought not circumfpect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather defircus to make Tryal of her Strength, and Adam at last yields. The Serpent finds Eve alone, approaches and speaks to her, with many Wiles and Arguments; induces her to tafle the Tree of Knowledge forbidden: She refolves to impart thereof to Adam. Eve brings of the Fruit to Adam, he eats also, the Effects thereof on them both.

T2

CHAP.