Adam was all in tears, and to his guide
Lamenting turn'd full fad; O what are thefe,
Death's minifters, not men, who thus deal death
Inhumanly to men, and multiply
Ten thousandfold the fin of him who flew
His brother! for of whom fuch maffacre "
Make they but of their brethren, men of men?
But who was that just man, whom had not Heav'n
Refcu'd, had in his righteoufnefs been loft?
To whom thus Michael. Thefe are the product
Of those ill-mated marriages thou faw'st;
Where good with bad were match'd, who of themselves
Abhor to join; and by imprudence mix'd,
Produce prodigious births of body' or mind.
Such were thefe giants, men of high renown
For in thofe days might only fhall be admir'd,
And valour and heroic virtue call'd;
To overcome in battle, and fubdue
Nations, and bring home fpoils with infinite
Man-flaughter, fhall be held the highest pitch
Of human glory, and for glory done
Of triumph, to be ftyl❜d great conquerors,
Patrons of mankind, gods, and fons of gods;
Deftroyers rightlier call'd, and plagues of men.
Thus fame fhall be atchiev'd, renown on earth,
And what most merits fame in filence hid.
But he, the fev'nth from thee, whom thou beheld'ft, 700
The only righteous in a world perverfe,
And therefore hated, therefore fo befet
With foes, for daring fingle to be juft,
And utter odious truth, that God would come
To judge them with his faints: him the Most High,
Rapt in a balmy cloud with winged steeds,
Did, as thou faw'ft, receive, to walk with GoD
High in falvation, and the climes of hlifs,
Exempt from death; to fhew thee what reward
Awaits the good, the reft what punishment;
Which now directs thine eyes, and foon behold.
He look'd and faw the face of things quite chang'd:
The brazen throat of war had ceas'd to rear ;
All now was turn'd to jolity and game,
To luxury and riot, feaft and darce,
Marrying or proftituting, as befel
Rape or adultery, where paffing fair
Allur'd them; thence from cups to civil broils.
At length a rev'rend fire among them came,
And of their doings great diflike declar'd,
And teftify'd against their ways; he oft
Frequented their affemblies, wherefo met,
Triumphs or festivals, and to them preach'd
Converfion and repentance, as to fouls
In prifon under judgements imminent :
But all in vain; which when he faw, he ceas'd
Contending, and remov'd his tents far off;
Then from the mountain hewing timber tall,
Began to build a vessel of huge bulk ;
Measur'd by cubit, length, and breadth, and height;
Smear'd round with pitch; and in the fide a door
Contriv'd; and of provifions laid in large
For man and beaft; when lo, a wonder strange!
Of ev'ry beast, and bird, and infect small
Came fev❜ns, and pairs, and enter'd in, as taught 735
Their order: last the fire, and his three fons,
With their four wives; and God made faft the door.
Meanwhile the south-wind rofe, and with black wings
Wide hov'ring, ail the clouds together drove
From under Heav'n; the hills to their fupply
Vapour, and exhalation dusk and moist,
Sent up amain; and now the thicken'd sky
Like a dark ceiling food; down rufh'd the rain
Impetuous, and continu'd, till the earth
No more was feen; the floating veffel swam
Uplifted, and fecure with beaked prow
Rode tilting o'er the waves: all dwelling elfe
Flood overwhelm'd, and them with all their pomp
Deep under water roil'd; fea cover'd fea,
Sea without fhore; and in their palaces
Where luxury late reign'd, fea-montters whelp'd
And ftabl'd; of mankind, so numerous late,
All left in one finall bottom swam imbark'd.
How did't thou grieve then, Adam, to behold
The end of all thy offspring, end fo fad,
Depopulation? thee another flood,
Of tears and forrow' a flood, thee also drown'd,
And funk thee as thy fons; till gently rear'd
By th' Angel, on thy feet thou ftood'ft at laft,
Though comfortless, as when a father mourns
His children, all in view destroy'd at once;
And scarce to th' Angel utter'd thus thy plaint.
O vifions, ill foreseen! better had I
Liv'd ignorant of future, fo had borne
My part of evil only, each day's lot
Enough to bear; thofe now, that were difpens'd
The burden of many ages, on me light
At once, by my foreknowledge gaining birth
Abortive, to torment me ere their being,
With thought that they muft be. Let no man feek 770 Henceforth to be foretold what shall befal
Him or his children; evil he may be fure,
Which neither his foreknowledge can prevent,
And he the future evil fhall no lefs
In apprehenfion than in fubftance feel,
Grievous to bear: but that care now is past,
Man is not whom to warn these few escap'd
Famine and anguish will at last confume,
Wand'ring that wat'ry defert. I had hope,
When violence was ceas'd, and war on earth,
All would have then gone well, peace would have
With length of happy days the race of man: [crown'd
But I was far deceiv'd; for now I fee`
Peace to corrupt no less than war to waste.
How comes it thus? unfold, celestial guide,
And whether here the race of man will end.
To whom thus Michael. Thofe whom last thou faw't
In triumph and luxurious wealth, are they
First feen in acts of prowess eminent,
And great exploits, but of true virtue void,
Who having fpilt much blood, and done much wafte
Subduing nations, and atchiev'd thereby
Fame in the world, high titles, and rich prey,
Shall change their courfe to pleasure, eafe, and floth,
Surfeit, and luft, till wantonnefs and pride ·
Raife out of friendship hoftile deeds in peace.
The conquer'd also, and inflav'd by war,
Shall, with their freedom loft, all virtue lose,
And fear of GOD, from whom their piety feign'd
In fharp conteft of battle found no aid,
Against invaders; therefore cool'd in zeal,
Thenceforth fhall practise how to live secure,
Worldly or diffolute, on what their lords
Shall leave them to enjoy; for th' earth fhall bear
More than enough, that temp'rance may be try'd: 805
So all fhall turn degen'rate, all deprav'd;
Juftice and temp'rance, truth and faith forgot;
One man except, the only fon of light
In a dark age, against example good,
Against alurement, cuftom, and a world
Offended; fearless of reproach and scorn,
Or violence, he of their wicked ways
Shall them admonish, and before them fet
The path of righteousness, how much more fafe,
And full of peace, denouncing wrath to come
On their impenitence; and fhall return
Of them derided, but of GoD observ'd
The one juft man alive; by his command
Shall build a wondrous ark, as thou beheld'st,
To fave himself and household from amidst
A world devote to universal wrack.
No fooner he with them of man and beast
Select for life, fhall in the ark be lodg'd,
"And shelter'd round, but all the cataracts
Of Heav'n fet open on the earth fhall pour
Rain day and night; all fountains of the deep
Broke up, fhall heave th' ocean to ufurp
Beyond all bounds, till inundation rife
Above the highest hills; then fhall this mount
Of Paradife by might of waves be mov'd
Out of his place, pufi'd by the horned flood,
With all his verdure spoil'd, and trees adrift,
Down the great river to th' opening gulph,
And there take root, an island falt and bare,
The haunt of feals, and orcs, and fea mews clang: 835
To teach thee that God attributes to place
No fanctity, if none be thither brought
By men who there frequent, or therein dwell.
And now what further fhall enfue, behold.
He look'd, and faw the ark hull on the flood, 840
Which now abated: for the clouds were fled,
Driv'n by a keen north wind, that blowing dry
Wrinkled the face of deluge, as decay'd;
And the clear fun on his wide wat❜ry glass
Gaz'd hot, and of the fresh wave largely drew,
As after thirft, which made their flowing fhrink
From ftanding lake to tripping ebb, that ftole
With foft. foot tow'ards the deep, which now had stopt
His fluices, as the heav'n his window fhut.
The ark no more now floats, but feems on ground, 850
Fat on the top of fome high mountain fix'd,
And now the tops of hills as rocks appear;
With clamour thence the rapid currents drive
Tow'ards the retreating fea their furious tide.
Forthwith from out the ark a raven flies,
And after him, the furer meffenger,
A dove fent forth once and again to fpy
Green tree or ground whereon his foot may light;
The fecond time returning, in his bill
An olive leaf he brings, pacific fign:
Anon dry ground appears, and from his ark
The ancient fire defcends with all his train;
Then with uplifted hands, and eyes devout,
Grateful to Heav'n, over his head beholds
A dewy cloud, and in the cloud a bow,
Confpicuous, with three lifted colours gay,
Betok'ning peace from God, and cov'nant new.
Whereat the heart of Adam erft fo fad
Greatly rejoic'd, and thus his joy broke forth.
O thou who future things can't represent
As prefent, heav'nly inftructor, 1 revive
At this last fight, affur'd that Man fhall live
With all the creatures, and their feed preferve.
Far lefs I now lament for one whole world
Of wicked fous destroy'd, than I rejoice
For one man found fo perfect and so just,
That GOD vouchfafes to raise another world
From him, and all his anger to forget;
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