COMMEMORATES his creation of the heavens, the earth, and the water-determines to make man gives him vital fpirit, and admonishes him to revere his Maker, and live RAPHAEL, MICHAEL, GABRIEL, and ANGELS. Raphael praises the works of God-the other angels follow his example, particularly in regard to man. SCENE 3. GOD and ADAM. God gives paradise to Adam to hold as a fief-forbids him to touch the apple-Adam promises obedience. 4 SCENE SCENE 4. ADAM. Acknowledges the beneficence of God, and retires to repofe in the shade. 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 prefenting 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-she promifes fubmiffion to his will, and intreats his inftructionhe tells her the prohibition, and enlarges on the beauties of Paradife-on his fpeaking of flocks, fhe defires to fee them, and he departs to fhew her the various animals. ་ ་ SCENE 3. LUCIFER, BELIAL, SATA N. Lucifer laments his expulfion from heaven, and meditates revenge against man-the other demons relate the cause of their expulfion, and ftimulate Lucifer to the revenge he mcditates-he refolves to employ the Serpent. SCENE 4. The SERPENT, EVE, LUCIFER. The Serpent queftions Eve-derides her fear and her obedience-tempts her to taste the apple-he expreffes her eagerness to do fo-the Serpent exults in the prospect of her perdition-Lucifer (who seems 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, ADA M. Eve declares her refolution to taste the apple, and prefent it to her husband-fhe tastes it, and expreffes unusual hope and animation-fhe fays the Serpent has not deceived her— fhe feels no fign of death, and presents the fruit to her husband-he reproves her-fhe perfifts in preffing him to eat-he complies-declares the fruit fweet, but begins to tremble at his own nakedness-he repents, and expreffes his remorfe and terror-Eve propofes to form a covering of leaves-they retire to hide themselves in foliage. End of the Second Act. ACT ACT THE THIRD. SCENE I. LUCIFER, BELIAL, SATAN. LUCIFER exults in his fuccefs, and the other demons applaud him. SCENE 2. RAPHAEL, MICHAEL, GABRIEL. These good fpirits 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 Eve-she blames the Serpent-God pronounces his malediction, and fends them from his prefence. SCENE 4. RAPHAEL, EVE, and ADAM. Raphael bids them depart from Paradife-Adam laments his deftiny-Raphael perfifts in driving them rather harshly from the garden-Adam begs that his innocent children may not not fuffer for the fault of their mother-Raphael replies, that not only his children, but all his race, must suffer, 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 last act. FINI S. |