University of Virginia Library

ACT III.

SCENE I.

The GUARDIAN ANGELS.

SCENE II.

ADAM, and EVE.

RECITATIVE.

ADAM.
O Eve! in evil hour thou didst give ear
To that false worm, of whomsoever taught
To counterfeit man's voice, true in our fall,
False in our promis'd rising, since our eyes
Open'd we find indeed, and find we know
Both good and evil, good lost, and evil got,
Bad fruit of knowledge!

RECITATIVE.

Wou'd thou had'st hearken'd to my words, and stay'd
With me, as I besought thee, when that strange
Desire of wand'ring, this unhappy morn,
I know not whence possess'd thee! we had then
Remain'd still happy; not as now despoil'd
Of all our good, shamed, naked, mis'rable!

AIR.

“Let none henceforth seek needless cause t'approve
“The faith they owe; when earnestly they seek
“Such proof, conclude they then begin to fail.”
EVE.
Imput'st thou that to my desire, or will
Of wand'ring, as thou call'st it, which who knows
But might as ill have happen'd thou being by,
Or to thyself perhaps, had'st thou been there?
“Was I t'have never parted from thy side,
“As good have grown there still a lifeless rib.
“Being as I am, why did'st not thou, the head,
“Command me absolutely not to go,
“Going into such danger as thou said'st.”
Too facil then, thou did'st not much gainsay,
Nay, did'st permit, approve, and fair dismiss.
Had'st thou been firm, and fix'd in thy dissent,
Neither had I transgress'd, nor thou with me.

ADAM.

SCENE III.

RECITATIVE.

ADAM.
O mis'rable of happy! Is this the end
Of this new glorious world, and me so late
The glory of that glory? who now become
Accurst of blessed! Hide me from the face
Of God, whom to behold was then my height
Of happiness. Yet well, if here wou'd end
The mis'ry; I deserv'd it, and wou'd bear
My own deservings; but this will not serve.
All that I eat, or drink, or shall beget,
Is propagated curse. O voice once heard
Delightfully, “Increase, and multiply.”
Now death to hear! For what can I increase,
Or multiply but curses on my head,
Heavy! though in their place? O fleeting joys
Of Paradise, dear bought with lasting woe!
“Did I request thee, Maker! from my clay,
“To mould me man? Did I solicit thee
“From darkness to promote me, or to place
“In this delicious garden? As my will
“Concurr'd not to my being, 'twere but right
“And equal to reduce me to my dust,
“Desirous to resign, and render back
“All I receiv'd.”

EVE.
O Adam! can I thus behold thee wretched,
Thus mis'rable thro' my default, nor strive
To sooth thy grief, and soften thy distress?

ADAM.

EVE.
Forsake me not thus, Adam! Witness Heav'n!
What love sincere, and rev'rence in my heart
I bear thee, and unweeting have offended,
Unhappily deceiv'd! Thy supplicant
I beg, and clasp thy knees; “Bereave me not,
“Whereon I live, thy gentle looks—thy aid—
“Thy counsel in this uttermost distress:
“My only strength, and stay! Forlorn of thee,
“Whither shall I betake me, where subsist?”
While yet we live, scarce one short hour perhaps,
Between us two let there be peace, both joining,
As join'd in injuries, one enmity
Against a foe, by doom express assign'd us,
That cruel serpent. On me exercise not
Thy hatred for this misery befall'n,
On me already lost, me than thyself
More miserable: both have sinn'd, but thou
Against God only, I against God, and thee:
And to the place of judgment will return,
There with my cries importune Heav'n, that all
The sentence, from thy head remov'd, may light
On me, sole cause to thee of all this woe,
Me! me! just object only of his ire.

ADAM.
Alas! ill able art thou to sustain
His full wrath, whose thou feel'st as yet least part,
And my displeasure bear'st so ill. If pray'rs
Cou'd alter high decrees, I to that place
Wou'd speed before thee, and be louder heard,
That on my head all might be visited,
Thy frailty, and infirmer sex forgiv'n,
To me committed, and by me expos'd.
But rise—Let us no more contend, and blame
Each other, blam'd enough elsewhere, but strive
In offices of love, how we may lighten
Each other's burthen in our share of woe.
Then to the place repairing, where our Judge
Pronounc'd our doom, there let us both confess
Humbly our faults, and pardon beg, with tears
Wat'ring the ground, and with our sighs the air
Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign
Of sorrow unfeign'd, and humiliation meek.

RECITATIVE ACCOMPANIED.

So spake our Father penitent, nor Eve
Felt less remorse. They forthwith to the place
Repairing, where He judg'd them, prostrate fell
Before Him reverent, and both confess'd
Humbly their faults, and pardon beg'd, with tears
Wat'ring the ground, and with their sighs the air
Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign
Of sorrow unfeign'd, and humiliation meek.

SCENE IV.

RECITATIVE.

EVE.
What tidings bring'st thou, Adam! from this new guest
Angelical, so late arriv'd? Alas!
My trembling heart forebodes some further ill;
For far less mild methought his aspect seem'd,
Than Raphael's, social spirit! who wont so oft
To sit indulgent with us, and partake
Rural repast, permitting us the while
Venial discourse unblam'd. What tidings? say.

ADAM.
Our pray'rs are heard in Heav'n, and Death our due
By sentence then, when first we did transgress,
Is of his prey defeated many days
Giv'n us of grace, wherein we may repent.
So God appeas'd, from his rapacious claim
Will quite redeem us, and to life restore.
But longer in this Paradise to dwell,
As not befitting creatures stain'd with sin,
He suffers not, but sends us forth to till
The ground from whence he took us, fitter soil!

EVE.

ADAM.
Lament not, Eve! but patiently resign
What justly we have lost, nor set thine heart
Thus overfond on that which is not ours.
Thy going is not lonely—I will guard
Thy steps from harm, and all thy wants supply.

EVE.

CHORUS. ALLEGRO.

“The world was all before them, where to chuse
“Their place of rest, and Providence their guide.”