The Adamus exul of Grotius; or The Prototype of Paradise Lost — page 49: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Eve. Satan. ADAMUS EXUL. Doth he deny it now? Then break you off The terms of the agreement, and forestall At once these promised honours. What stern heaven Denies so niggardly this generous tree Shall instant yield you. Dare but this one act, And share the secret of the Deity. Ay, well he knows, when once this pregnant fruit Shall pass your lips, therewith your souls shall gain Such inaccessible brightness, as shall melt The last faint cloud of error, doubt, and dread. Then shall ye be as gods, knowing yourselves, All things which swell magnificence of power, Beauty, and grace ineffable. For this His dark prohibitory law he makes ; For this he cast o’er your imperial heart This chilling fear of death ; that, conscience-smit With panic terrors at all touch of ill, You might forego the good, lest you become Emancipated demi-gods. Believe For once in honest counsel, and be sure No opportunity of fair revenge Escapes the Thunderer. That which thou designest Do quickly, lest you lose your crown for aye ; Perchance e’en now the pole-sustaining king Meditates revocation of a boon So full of ominous rivalship. He thinks To cheat you of the prize: be not forestalled In this fair fraud. To acquire or maintain Glory and high renown, requires keen wit And dashing strokes of shrewd finessing art. Believe me—well to hoard your former store, And build thereon accumulations fresh Of glorious superstructure, so secured, That your aerial castles never fall By their own weight and crush their dreaming lord— Gain is the best security ‘gainst loss. One single taste will make the apotheosis, And raise you from the woman to the goddess. Reason it seems hath occupied the breast Of more than human kind. This animal Doubtless is but a brute; and yet his tongue ‘ Is dipped in subtlest eloquence ; his words, And my own longing appetite, persuade, Almost invincibly, forthwith to enjoy This mystic stolen delight ; but that the fear To lose those true, those heart-felt ecstasies, Proved, tried, experienced, much deters my hand From venturing on this perilous enterprise. Let no vain superstitions hold thee back From thy own good, nor foolishly rebel looks. corn COL @