Page 232 of 239

Or works of God in heaven, air, earth, or sea, And all the riches of this world enjoyedst, And all the rule, one empire. Only add Deeds to thy knowledge answerable; add faith, Add virtue, patience, temperance; add love, By name to come called charity, the soul Of all the rest: then wilt thou not be loath To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess A paradise within thee, happier far. Let us descend now, therefore, from this top Of speculation; for the hour precise Exacts our parting hence. And, see! the guards, By me encamped on yonder hill, expect Their motion, at whose front a flaming sword, In signal of remove, waves fiercely round. We may no longer stay: go, waken Eve; Her also I with gentle dreams have calmed, Portending good, and all her spirits composed To meek submission; thou, at season fit, Let her with thee partake what thou hast heard, Chiefly, what may concern her faith to know, The great deliverance by her seed to come-For by the Woman's seed-on all mankind; That ye may live, which will be many days, Both in one faith unanimous, though sad, With cause, for evils past, yet much more cheered With meditation on the happy end.

He ended, and they both descend the hill.

Descended, Adam to the bower, where Eve

Lay sleeping, ran before, but found her waked;

And thus with words not sad she him received:

Whence thou return'st, and whither went'st, I know;

For God is also in sleep; and dreams advise,

Which He hath sent propitious, some great good

Presaging, since, with sorrow and heart's distress

Wearied, I fell asleep. But now lead on,

In me is no delay; with thee to go,

Some natural tears they dropt, but wiped them soon.

Book XII., line 645.