rz 246 PARADISE LOST. BOOK IX. Beyond a row of myrtles, on a flat, Fall by a fountain, one fmall thicket pall Of blowing myrrh, and balm : if thou accept My condut, 1 can bring thee thither loon. 630 Lead then, faid Eve. He leading fwiftly rowl'd In tangles, and made intricate Teem flrait, To mit-chief twift : hope elevates, and joy Brightens his creft: as when a wandring fire, Compad of unctuous vapor, which the night 635 Condenfes, and the cold invirons round, Kindled through agitation to a flame, (Which oft, they fay, fume evil fpirit attends.) Hovering, and blazing with delufive light, Mfleads th' amaz'd night-wanderer from his way 640 Through bogs, and mires, and oft thro' pond or pool, There fwallow'd up and loft, from fuccour far : So glifter'd the dire Make, and into fraud Led Eve, our credulous mother, to the tree Of prohibition, root of all our woe: 645 Which when the law, thus to her guide fhe fpake. Serpent, we might have fpar'd our coming hither, Fruitlefs to me, though fruit be here to excels The credit of whole virtue reti with thee ; Wondrous indeed, if caufe of tuch effeds ! 65o But of this tree we mq not mile, nor touch, God fro commanded ; and left that command Sole daughter of His voice : the reft, we live Law to ourfelves, our reafon is our law. To whom the tempter guilefully reply'd, 653 Indeed ! hath God then laid that of the fruit Of all thefe garden-trees ye (hall not eat, Yet Lords declar'd of all in earth, or air ? To
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