SCENE 4. ADAM Acknowledges the beneficence of God, and re tires to repofe in the fhade. End of the First Act. ACT THE SECOND. SCENE I. GOD and ADAM. GOD refolves to form a companion for Adam, and does fo while Adam is fleeping-he then awakes Adam, and presenting to him his new affociate, bleffes them both; then leaves them, recommending obedience to his commands. Adam receives Eve as his wife-praises her, and entreats her to join with him in revering and obeying God-fhe promises fubmiffion to his will, and intreats his inftruction-he tells her the prohibition, and enlarges on the beauties of Paradife-on his fpeaking of flocks, fhe defires to see them, and he departs to fhew her the various animals. SCENE 3. LUCIFER, BELIAL, SATAN. Lucifer laments his expulfion from heaven, and meditates revenge against man-the other demons relate relate the cause of their expulfion, and ftimulate Lucifer to the revenge he meditates-he refolves to employ the Serpent. SCENE 4. The SERPENT, EVE, LUCIFEr. The Serpent questions Eve-derides her fear and her obedience-tempts her to tafte the apple-she expreffes her eagerness to do fo-the Serpent exults in the prospect of her perdition-Lucifer (who feems to remain as a separate perfon from the Serpent) expreffes alfo his exultation, and steps afide to listen to a dialogue between Adam and Eve. SCENE 5. Eve declares her refolution to taste the apple, and prefent it to her husband-fhe taftes it, and expreffes univerfal hope and animation-fhe fays the Serpent has not deceived her-fhe feels no fign of death, and prefents the fruit to her husband -he reproves her-she perfifts in preffing him to eat-he complies declares the fruit fweet, but begins to tremble at his own nakednefs-he repents, and expreffes his remorse and terror-Eve proposes to form a covering of leaves-they retire to hide themfelves in foliage. End of the Second Act. ACT ACT THE THIR D. SCENE 1. LUCIFER, BELIAL, SATAN. LUCIFER exults in his fuccefs, and the other demons applaud him. SCENE 2. RAPHAEL, MICHAEL, GABRIEL. These good spirits lament the fall, and retire with awe on the appearance of God. SCENE 3. GOD, EVE, ADAM. God calls on Adam-he appears and laments his nakedness-God interrogates him concerning the tree-he confeffes his offence, and accufes Evefhe blames the Serpent-God pronounces his malediation, and fends them from his prefence. RAPHAEL, EVE, and ADAM. Raphael bids them depart from Paradife-Adam laments his destiny-Raphael perfifts in driving them rather harfhly from the garden-Adam begs that that his innocent children may not fuffer for the fault of their mother-Raphael replies, that not only his children, but all his race, must fuffer, and continues to drive them from the garden-Adam obeys-Eve laments, but foon comforts Adam-he at length departs, animating himself with the idea, that to an intrepid heart every region is a home. SCENE 5. A CHERUB, Moralizing on the creation and fall of Adam, concludes the third and laft act. FINIS. |