Chapter 18 17
O miserable of happy! is this the end [ 720 ]
Of this new glorious World, and mee so late
The Glory of that Glory, who now becom
Accurst of blessed, hide me from the face
Of God, whom to behold was then my highth
Of happiness: yet well, if here would end [ 725 ]
The miserie, I deserve it, and would bear
My own deservings; but this will not serve;
All that I eat or drink, or shall beget,
Is propagated curse. O voice once heard
Delightfully, Increase and multiply, [ 730 ]
Now death to hear! for what can I increase
Or multiply, but curses on my head?
Who of all Ages to succeed, but feeling
The evil on him brought by me, will curse
My Head, Ill fare our Ancestor impure, [ 735 ]
For this we may thank Adam; but his thanks
Shall be the execution;
Mine own that bid upon me, all from mee
Shall with a fierce reflux on mee redound,
On mee as on thir natural center light [ 740 ]
Heavie, though in thir place. O fleeting joyes
Of Paradise, deare bought with lasting woes!
Did I request thee, Maker, from my Clay
To mold me Man, did I sollicitate thee
From darkness to promote me, or here place [ 745 ]
In this delicious Garden? as my Will
Concurd not to my being, it were but right
And equal to reduce me to my dust,
Desirous to resigne, and render back
All I receaved, unable to perform [ 750 ]
Thy terms too hard, by which I was to hold
The good I sought not. To the loss of that,
Sufficient penalty, why hast thou added
The sense of endless woes? inexplicable
Thy Justice seems; yet to say truth, too late, [ 755 ]
I thus contest; then should have been refused
Those terms whatever, when they were proposed:
Thou didst accept them; wilt thou enjoy the good,
Then cave the conditions? and though God
Made thee without thy leave, what if thy Son [ 760 ]
Prove disobedient, and reprovd, retort,
Wherefore didt thou beget me? I sought it not
Wouldst thou admit for his contempt of thee
That proud excuse? yet him not thy election,
But Natural necessity begot. [765]