BOOK IX. PARADISE LOST. 251 0 fov'reign, virtuous, precious of all trees 795 In Paradife ! of operation bleft To fapience ! hitherto obfcur'd, infam'd, And thy fair fruit let hang, as to nn end Created : but henceforth my early care, (Not without long, each morning, and due praife)800 Shall tend thee, and the fertile burden eafe Of thy full branches, offer'd free to all : Till dieted by thee, I grow mature In knowledge, as the Gods who all things know; Though others envy what they CaDDOt give ; 805 For had the gift been theirs, it had not here Thus grown. Experience next, to thee I owe, Belt guide ! not following thee, I had remain'd In ignorance, thou open'tt wifdom's way, And giv'ft accefs, though fecret the retire. 810 And I perhaps am fecret; heav'n is high, High, and remote to fee from thence diainEt Each thing on earth ; and other care, perhaps, May have diverted from continual watch Our Great Forbidder, fafe with all his (pies 815 About him.-But, to Adam, in what fort Shall I appear ? fhall Ito him make known As yet my change, and give him to partake Full happinefs with me ? or rather not ; But keep the odds of knowledge in my pow'r, Szo Without co-partner ? fo to add what wants . In female fex, the more to draw his love, And render me more equal, and perhaps, (A thing not undefirable) fometime superior : for inferior, who is free ? 825 This may be well-But, what if God have Peen, And Death enfue ? Then Ifhall be no more ! And Adam wedded to another Eve, Shall live with her injoying, I extind; A
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