Page:Paradise lost by Milton, John.djvu/378

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 * "Adam, Heaven's high behest no preface needs.

Sufficient that thy prayers are heard, and Death, Then due by sentence when thou didst transgress, Defeated of his seizure, many days Given thee of grace, wherein thou mayest repent, And one bad act with many deeds well done Mayst cover. Well may then thy Lord, appeased, Redeem thee quite from Death's rapacious claim; But longer in this Paradise to dwell Permits not: to remove thee I am come, And send thee from the garden forth, to till The ground whence thou wast taken, fitter soil."
 * He added not; for Adam at the news

Heart-struck with chilling gripe of sorrow stood, That all his senses bound; Eve, who unseen Yet all had heard, with audible lament Discovered soon the place of her retire:
 * "O unexpected stroke, worse than of Death!

Must I thus leave thee, Paradise? thus leave Thee, native soil! these happy walks and shades, Fit haunt of Gods? where I had hope to spend, Quiet though sad, the respite of that day That must be mortal to us both. O flowers, That never will in other climate grow, My early visitation, and my last At even, which I bred up with tender hand From the first opening bud, and gave ye names!