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 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
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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?
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Out of my sight, thou serpent! that name best
Befits thee, with him leagu'd, thyself as false,
And hateful!—
Befits thee, with him leagu'd, thyself as false,
And hateful!—
—But for thee,
I had continued happy, had not thy pride,
And wand'ring vanity, when least was safe,
Rejected my forewarning, and disdain'd
Not to be trusted; longing to be seen,
Tho' by the Devil himself.
I had continued happy, had not thy pride,
And wand'ring vanity, when least was safe,
Rejected my forewarning, and disdain'd
Not to be trusted; longing to be seen,
Tho' by the Devil himself.
AIR.
“O! why did God,“Creator wise! that peopled highest Heav'n
“With spirits masculine, create at last
“This novelty on earth, this fair defect
“Of Nature! and not fill the world at once
“With men, as angels without feminine?”
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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,
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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
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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 EveFelt 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.
| Poems, moral and descriptive | |