[129] {262}["From the beginning" the woman is ineligible for the priesthood--"He for God only, she for God in him" (_Paradise Lost_, iv. 299). "Let the women keep silence in the churches" (_Corinthians_, i. xiv. 34).] [130] {264}[Compare the following passage from _La Rapresentatione di Abel et di Caino_ (in Firenze l'anno MDLIV.)-- "Abel parla a dio fatto il sacrifitio, Rendendogli laude. Signor per cui di tanti bene abondo Liquali tu sommamente mi concedi Tanto mi piace, et tanto me' giocondo Quanto delle mie greggie che tu vedi El piu grasso el migliore el piu mondo Ti do con lieto core come tu vedi Tu vedi la intentione con lequal vegno," etc.] [ck] {265} _Which must be won with prayers--if he be evil_.--[MS. M.] [131] {266}[See Gessner's _Death of Abel_.] [132] {268}[Compare-- "How wonderful is Death-- Death and his brother Sleep!" _Queen Mab_, i. lines 1, 2.] [133] {271}[Compare-- "And Water shall hear me, And know thee and fly thee; And the Winds shall not touch thee When they pass by thee.... And thou shalt seek Death To release thee in vain." _The Curse of Kehama_, by R. Southey, Canto II.] [134] [The last three lines of this terrible denunciation were not in the original MS. In forwarding them to Murray (September 12, 1821, _Letters_, 1901, v. 361), to be added to Eve's speech, Byron says, "There's as pretty a piece of Imprecation for you, when joined to the lines already sent, as you may wish to meet with in the course of your business. But don't forget the addition of these three lines, which are clinchers to Eve's speech."] [135] [If Byron had read his plays aloud, or been at pains to revise the proofs, he would hardly have allowed "corse" to remain in such close proximity to "curse."] [136] {272}["I have avoided introducing the Deity, as in Scripture (though Milton does, and not very wisely either); but have adopted his angel as sent to Cain instead, on purpose to avoid shocking any feelings on the subject, by falling short of what all uninspired men must fall short in, viz. giving an adequate notion of the effect of the presence of Jehovah. The Old Mysteries introduced him liberally enough, and this is avoided in the New."--Letter to Murray, February 8, 1822, _Letters_, 1901, vi. 13. Byron does not seem to have known that in the older portions of the Bible "Angel of the Lord" is only a name for the Second Person of the Trinity.] [cl] {273} _On thy brow_----.--[MS.] [137] {274}[The "four rivers" which flowed round Eden, and consequently the only waters with which Cain was acquainted upon earth.] HEAVEN AND EARTH; A MYSTERY. FOUNDED ON THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE IN GENESIS, CHAP. VI. 1, 2.