Then to what spirit shall I these noates commend, But unto that which doth them best expresse; Who will to them more kind protection lend, Then Hee which did protect me in distresse? _Of Humane Knowledge._ Why did my parents send me to the Schooles, That I with knowledge might enrich my mind? Since the _desire to know_ first made men fools, And did corrupt the root of all mankind: For when God's hand had written in the hearts Of the first Parents, all the rules of good, So that their skill infusde did passe all arts That euer were, before, or since the Flood; And when their reason's eye was sharpe and cleere, And (as an eagle can behold the sunne) Could haue approcht th' Eternall Light as neere, As the intellectuall angels could haue done: Euen then to them the _Spirit of Lyes_ suggests That they were blind, because they saw not ill; And breathes into their incorrupted brests A curious _wish_, which did corrupt their _will_. For that same ill they straight desir'd to know; Which ill, being nought but a defect of good, In[63] all God's works the Diuell could not show While Man their lord in his perfection stood. So that themselues were first to doe the ill, Ere they thereof the knowledge could attaine; Like him that knew not poison's power to kill, Vntill (by tasting it) himselfe was slaine. Euen so by tasting of that fruite forbid, Where they sought _knowledge_, they did _error_ find; Ill they desir'd to know, and ill they did; And to giue _Passion_ eyes, made _Reason_ blind. For then their minds did first in Passion see Those wretched shapes of _Miserie_ and _Woe_, Of _Nakednesse_, of _Shame_, of _Pouertie_, Which then their owne experience made them know. But then grew _Reason_ darke, that _she_ no more, Could the faire formes of _Good[64]_ and _Truth_ discern; _Battes_ they became, that _eagles_ were before: And this they got by their _desire_ to _learne_. But we their wretched of-spring, what doe we? Doe not we still taste of the fruit forbid Whiles with fond[65] fruitlesse curiositie, In bookes prophane we seeke for knowledge hid? What is this _knowledge_ but the sky-stolne fire, For which the _thiefe[66]_ still chain'd in ice doth sit? And which the poore rude _Satyre_ did admire, And needs would kisse but burnt his lips with it.[67] What is it? but the cloud of emptie raine, Which when _Ioue's_ guest imbrac't, hee monsters got?[68] Or the false _payles_[69] which oft being fild with paine[70], Receiv'd the water, but retain'd it not! [Footnote 63: Misprinted 'and' in 1st edition and in 1608. G.] [Footnote 64: 'God' in 1st edition. G.] [Footnote 65: Foolish. G.]