Paths indirect, or in the mid-way faint!
But still I see the tenor of Man's woe

Holds on the same, from woman to begin.

FROM Man's effeminate slackness it begins,

Said th' Angel, who should better hold his place

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By wisdom, and superior gifts receiv'd.

But now prepare thee for another scene.

He look'd, and saw wide territory spread Before him, towns, and rural works between, Cities of men with lofty gates and towers,

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Concourse in arms, fierce faces threat'ning war,

Giants of mighty bone, and bold emprise;

Part wield their arms, part curb the foaming steed,
Single or in array of battle rang'd

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Both horse and foot, nor idly must'ring stood;
One way a band select from forage drives
A herd of beeves, fair oxen and fair kine
From a fat meadow ground; or fleecy flock,
Ewes and their bleating lambs over the plain,
Their booty; scarce with life the shepherds fly,
But call in aid, which makes a bloody fray;
With cruel tournament the squadrons join ;
Where cattle pastur'd late, now scatter'd lies
With carcases and arms th' ensanguin'd field
Deserted: Others to a city strong

Lay siege, encamp'd; by battery, scale, and mine,
Assaulting; others from the wall defend

With dart and javelin, stones and sulphurous fire:
On each hand slaughter and gigantic deeds.
In other parts the scepter'd heralds call

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To council in the city gates: anon

Grey-headed men and grave, with warriors mix'd,

Assemble, and harangues are heard, but soon

In factious opposition, till at last

Of middle age one rising, eminent

In wise deport, spake much of right and wrong,
Of justice, of religion, truth and peace,
And judgment from above : hini old and young
Exploded, and had seiz'd with violent hands,

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Had not a cloud descending snatch'd him thence

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Unseen amid the throng: so violence

Proceeded, and oppression, and sword law

Through all the plain, and refuge none was found.
Adam was all in tears, and to his guide

Lamenting, turn'd full sad; O what are these,

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Death's ministers, not men, who thus deal death

Inhumanly to men, and multiply

Ten thousandfold the sin of him who slew

His brother: for of whom such massacre

Make they but of their brethren, men of men?

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But who was that just man, whom had not Heaven
Rescued, had in his righteousness been lost?

To whom thus Michael. These are the product Of those ill-mated marriages thou saw'st;

Where good with bad were match'd, who of themselves

Abhor to join; and by imprudence mix'd,

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Produce prodigious births of body' or mind.

Such were these giants, men of high renown;

For in those days might only shall be' admir'd,
And valour and heroic virtue call'd;

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To overcome in battle, and subdue

Nations, and bring home spoils with infinite
Man-slaughter, shall be held the highest pitch
Of human glory, and for glory done
Of triumph, to be styl❜d great conquerors,
Patrons of mankind, Gods, and sons of Gods,
Destroyers rightlier call'd, and plagues of men.
Thus fame shall be achiev'd, renown on earth,
And what most merits fame in silence hid.
But he the sev'nth from thee, whom thou beheldst
The only righteous in a world perverse,

And therefore hated, therefore so beset
With foes for daring single to be just,

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And utter odious truth, that God would come

To judge them with his Saints: him the most High

Rapt in a balmy cloud with winged steeds

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Did, as thou saw'st, receive, to walk with God

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High in salvation and the climes of bliss,
Exempt from death; to shew thee what reward
Awaits the good, the rest what punishment;
Which now direct thine eyes, and soon behold.
He look'd, and saw the face of things quite chang'd;
The brazen throat of war had ceas'd to roar;

All now was turn'd to jollity and game,

To luxury and riot, feast and dance,
Marrying or prostituting, as befell,

Rape or adultery, where passing fair
Allur'd them; thence from cups to civil broils.
At length a reverend sire among them came,
And of their doings great dislike declar'd,

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And testify'd against their ways; he oft
Frequented their assemblies, whereso met,
Triumphs of festivals, and to them preach'd
Conversion and repentance, as to souls
In prison under judgments imminent :

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But all in vain: which when he saw, 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 side a door 731

Contriv'd, and of provisions laid in large

For man and beast: when lo, a wonder strange!

Of every beast, and bird, and insect small

Came sev'ns, and pairs, and enter'd in, as taught

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Their order: last the sire, and his three sons

With their four wives; and God made fast the door.
Meanwhile the south wind rose, and with black wings
Wide hovering, all the clouds together drove
From under Heav'n; the hills to their supply

Vapour, and exhalation dusk and moist,
Sent up amain; and now the thicken'd sky
Like a dark ceiling stood; down rush'd the rain
Impetuous, and continued till the earth

No more was seen; the floating vessel swum

[ Uplifted, and secure with beaked prow
Rode tilting o'er the waves: all dwellings else
Flood overwhelm'd, and them with all their pomp
Deep under water roll'd; sea cover'd sea,
Sea without shore; and in their palaces

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Where luxury late reign'd, sea-monsters whelp'd
And stabled; of mankind, so numerous late,
All left, in one small bottom swum imbark'd.
How didst thou grieve then, Adam, to behold
The end of all thy offspring, end so sad,
Depopulation? Thee another flood,

Of tears and sorrow' a flood thee also drown'd,
And sunk thee as thy sons; till gently rear'd
By th' Angel, on thy feet thou stood'st at last,
Though comfortless, as when a father mourns
His children, all in view destroy'd at once;
And scarce to th' Angel utter'dst thus thy plaint.

O VISIONS ill foreseen! better had I
Liv'd ignorant of future, so had borne
My part of evil only, each day's lot

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Enough to bear; those now, that were dispens'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 must be. Let no man seek

Henceforth to be foretold what shall befall

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Him or his children; evil he may be sure,

Which neither his foreknowing can prevent,
And he the future evil shall no less

In apprehension than in substance feel

Grievous to bear: but that care now is past,
Man is not whom to warn : those few escap'd
Famine and anguish will at last consume
Wand'ring that wat'ry desert: I had hope
When violence was ceas'd, and war on earth,

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780