OF THE TWELVE BOOKS.' THE ARGUMENT OF THE SEVENTH BOOK; RAPHAEL at the requeft of Adam relates how and wherefore this world was firft created ; that God, after the expelling of Satan and his Angels out of Heaven, declared his pleafure to create another world and other creatures to dwell therein ; fends his Son with glory and attendance of Angels to perform the work of creation in fix days : the Angels celebrate with hymns the performance thereof, and his reafcen- lion into Heaven. THE ARGUMENT OF THE EIGHTH BOOK. ADAM inquires concerning celeftial motions, is doubtfully anfwer'd, and exhorted to fearch rather things more worthy ofknow- ledge : Adam affents, and. Hill delirous to detain Raphael, relates to him what he remember'd fence his own creation, his placing in Paradife, his talk with God concerning folitude and fit fociety, his firft meeting and nuptials with Eve, his difcourfe with the Angel thereupon ; who after admonitions repeated departs. THE ARGUMENT OF THE NINTH BOOK. SATAN having compafs'd the Earth, with meditated guile returns as a mitt by night into Paradife, enters into the Serpent fleeping. Adam and Eve in the morning go forth to their labors, which Eve propcfes to divide in feveral places, each laboring apart : Adam confents not, alledging the danger, left that enemy, of whom they were forwarn'd, mould attempt her found alone : Eve loath to be thought not circumfpe& or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather defirous to make trial of her ftrength ; Adam at Taft yields : The Serpent finds her alone ; his fubtle approach, firft gazing, then fpeaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above all other creatures. Eve wondering to hear the Serpent fpcak, afks how he attain'd to human fpeech and Inch underflanding not till now ; the Serpent an- fwers, that by tailing of a certain tree in the garden he attain'd both to fpeech and reafon, till then void of both: Eve requires him to bring her to that tree, and finds it to be the tree of knowledge forbidden : The Serpent now grown bolder, with many wiles and arguments in- duces
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