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Him who, to worth in woman overtrusting,

Lets her will rule: restraint she will not brook;

PARADISE LOST.

And left to herself, if evil thence ensue, She first his weak indulgence will accuse.

Thus they in mutual accusation spent

The fruitless hours, but neither self-condemning;

And of their vain contest appeared no end.

But might as ill have happened thou being by,

Or to thyself, perhaps? Hadst thou been there,

Or here the attempt, thou couldst not have discerned

Fraud in the serpent, speaking as he spake;

No ground of enmity between us known,

Why he should mean me ill, or seek to harm.

Was I to have never parted from thy side?

As good have grown there still, a lifeless rib.

Being as I am, why didst not thou, the head,

Command me absolutely not to go,

Going into such danger, as thou saidst?

Too facile, then, thou didst not much gainsay:

Nay, didst permit, approve, and fair dismiss.

Hadst thou been firm and fixed in thy dissent,

Neither had I trangressed, nor thou with me.

To whom, then first incensed, Adam replied: Is this the love, is this the recompense Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve, expressed Immutable when thou wert lost, not I; Who might have lived, and 'joyed immortal bliss, Yet willingly chose rather death with thee? And am I now upbraided as the cause Of thy transgressing? Not enough severe, It seems, in my restraint: what could I more? I warned thee, I admonished thee, foretold The danger, and the lurking Enemy That lay in wait; beyond this had been force, And force upon free-will hath here no place. But confidence then bore thee on; secure Either to meet no danger, or to find Matter of glorious trial; and, perhaps, I also erred in overmuch admiring What seemed in thee so perfect, that I thought No evil durst attempt thee. But I rue That error now, which is become my crime, And thou the accuser. Thus it shall befall