Affures me that the bitterness of Death

Is paft, and we fhall live. Whence, hail to thee!
EVE rightly call'd, mother of all mankind,
Mother of all things living, fince by thee
Man is to live; and all things live for man!

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To whom thus EvE, with fad demeanor meek: Ill worthy I, fuch title fhould belong To me tranfgreffor, who, for thee ordain'd A help, became thy fnare: to me reproach Rather belongs, diftruft, and all difpraife. But infinite in pardon was my Judge, That I, who firft brought death on all, am grac'd The fource of life: next favourable thou, Who highly thus t'intitle me vouchsaf'ft: Far other name deferving! But the field To labor calls us, now with fweat impos'd, Though after fleepless night: for fee the morn, All unconcern'd with our unreft, begins Her rofy progrefs fmiling: let us forth; I never from thy fide henceforth to ftray, Where-e'er our days work lies; though now enjoin'd Laborious, till day droop; while here we dwell, What can be toilfom in thefe pleasant walks? Here let us live, though in fall'n ftate, content! 180

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So fpake, fo wifh'd much-humbl'd Eve; but Fate Subfcrib'd not: Nature firft gave figns, imprefs'd On bird, beaft, air: air fuddenly eclips'd, After fhort blush of morn: nigh in her fight, The bird of JOVE, ftoop'd from his aery tour, 185 Two birds of gayeft plume before him drove. Down from a hill the beaft that reigns in woods (First hunter then) perfu'd a gentle brace, Goodlieft of all the foreft, hart and hind: Direct to th' caftern gate was bent their flight. ADAM obferv'd, and with his eye the chafe Perfuing, not unmov'd, to Eye thus spake.

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O EVE! fome further change awaits us nigh, Which Heav'n, by these mute figns in nature, fhews Forerunners of his purpose: or to warn Us, haply too fecure, of our discharge From penalty, because from Death releas'd

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Some days: how long, and what till then our life,
Who knows? Or more than this, that we are duft,
And thither muft return and be no more?
Why elfe this double object in our fight,
Of flight perfu'd in th' air, and o'er the ground,
One way the felf-fame hour? Why in the east
Darkness e're day's mid-courfe? And morning-light
More orient in yon western cloud, that draws
O'er the blue firmament a radiant white;
And flow defcends, with fomething heav'nly fraught?

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He err'd not; for by this the heav'nly bands Down from a sky of jafper lighted now In Paradife, and on a hill made halt: A glorious apparition had not doubt And carnal fear that day dimm'd ADAM's eye. Not that more glorious, when the Angels met JACOB, in MAHANAIM, where he faw The field pavilion'd with his guardians bright: 215 Nor that, which on the flaming mount appear'd In DOTHAN, cover'd with a camp of fire, Against the SYRIAN King; who to furprize One man, affaffine like, had levy'd war; War unproclaim'd. The Princely Hierarch In their bright ftand there left his Pow'rs, to feise Poffeffion of the garden: he alone,

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To find where ADAM fhelter'd, took his way;
Not unperceiv'd of ADAM, who to Evs,
While the great vifitant approach'd, thus spake. 225

Eva, now expect great tidings, which perhaps
Of us will foon determine; or impose

New laws to be obferv'd: for I defcry,
R 4

From

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From yonder blazing cloud that veils the hill,
One of the heav'nly hoft, and by his gait
None of the meaneft: fome great Potentate,
Or of the Thrones above; fuch majefty
Invefts him coming! yet not terrible,
That I fhould fear, nor fociably mild,
As RAPHAEL, that I fhould much confide,
But folemn and fublime: whom not t'offend,
With reverence I must meet, and thou retire.

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He ended, and th' Arch-Angel foon drew nigh, Not in his shape cœleftial, but as man

Clad to meet man: over his lucid arms
A military veft of purple flow'd,
Livelier than MELIBOEAN, or the grain
Of SARRA, worn by Kings and Heroes old
In time of truce: IRIS had dipp'd the wooff:
His ftarry helm unbuckl'd, shew'd him prime
In manhood, where youth ended: by his fide
(As in a glift'ring Zodiac) hung the sword,
Satan's dire dread; and in his hand the fpear.
ADAM bow'd low: he, Kingly, from his ftate
Inclin'd not, but his coming thus declar'd,

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ADAM! Heav'n's high beheft no preface needs:
Sufficient that thy pray'rs are heard, and Death,
(Then due by fentence when thou didst tranfgrefs)
Defeated of his feifure, many days

Giv'n thee of grace, wherein thou may'ft repent, 255
And one bad act with many deeds well done
May'ft cover: well may then thy Lord, appeas'd,
Redeem thee quite from Death's rapacious claim,
But longer in this Paradife to dwell
Bermits not to remove thee I am come,
And fend thee from the garden forth, to till
The ground whence thou waft taken, fitter foil!

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