duct seems to me quite natural, as the serpent 

 was the first who spoke to her, and possibly even 

 whispered in her ear! He seems to have ap- 

 peared on the scene before Ithuriel and Zephon, 

 who might otherwise have been preferred with 

 vastly different consequences to the human race. 

 Eve's curiosity, a quality which woman was 

 formerly supposed to possess in a strong de- 

 gree, was no doubt aroused, and she wanted to 

 know what a chat with an erect serpent would 

 be like. He proved, it seems clear, an adept, 

 since he opened the conversation, not like the 

 clever Scotchman with a repartee, but on the 

 subject of the forbidden. This is always a dan- 

 gerous subject, and for that reason an attractive 

 one. Eve fell into temptation, and for my own 

 part I have not yet been able to discern what 

 temptation was made for unless it was to be 

 fallen into. I am aware the view exists that 

 it is placed in our way in order to test and 

 strengthen our character. As a test of character, 

 however, it seems to me to fail. To avoid temp- 

 tation and give it the go-by is pure evidence of 

 weakness and nothing else, and the practise of 

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