OM THE GARDEN.

And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know
good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the
tree of life, and eat, and live forever: Therefore, the Lord God sent him
forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was
taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden
of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep
the way of the tree of life.--Genesis iii, 22-24

They, looking back, all the eastern side beheld Of Paradise, so late
their happy seat, Waved over by that flaming brand; the gate, With
dreadful forces thronged, and fiery arms Some natural tears they dropped,
but wiped them soon; The world was all before them, where to choose Their
place of rest, and Providence their guide; They, hand in hand, with
wandering steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way.

Paradise Lost, Book XII.

THE MURDER OF ABEL.

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I
have gotten a man from the Lord. And she again bare his brother Abel. And
Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in
process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the
ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the
firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect
unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had
not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the
Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance
fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest
not well, sin lieth at the door, and unto thee shall be his desire, and
thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it
came to pass,--when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against
Abel his brother, and slew him.

And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I
know not Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the
voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art
thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy
brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not
henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt
thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is
greater than I can b