Poems, moral and descriptive By the late Richard Jago ... (Prepared for the press, and improved by the author, before his death.) To which is added, some account of the life and writings of Mr. Jago |
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 | Poems, moral and descriptive |  |
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,
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Open'd we find indeed, and find we know
Both good and evil, good lost, and evil got,
Bad fruit of knowledge!
AIR.
“How shall I behold“Henceforth or God, or angel, erst with joy,
“And rapture oft beheld? O! might I here
“In solitude live savage, in some glade
“Obscur'd, where highest woods, impenetrable
“To star, or sun-light, spread their umbrage broad,
“And brown as evening. Cover me, ye pines,
“Ye cedars, with innumerable boughs
“Hide me, where I may never see them more.”
RECITATIVE.
Wou'd thou had'st hearken'd to my words, and stay'dWith 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
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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.
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AIR.
“Thus it shall befall“Him, who to worth in woman overtrusting,
“Lets her will rule; restraint she will not brook,
“And left t'herself, if evil thence ensue,
“She first his weak indulgence will accuse.”
| Poems, moral and descriptive | |