This is old age; but then thou must outlive
Thy youth, thy ftrength, thy beauty, which will change
To wither'd, weak, and grey; thy fenfes, then,
Obtrufe, all taste of pleature muft forego
To what thou haft; and for the air of youth, Hopeful and cheerful, in thy blood will reign A melancholy damp of cold and dry To weigh thy fpirits down, and laft confume The balm of life. To whom our ancestor : Henceforth I fly not death, nor would prolong Life much, bent rather how I may be quit Fairest and eafieft of this cumbrous charge, Which I must keep till my appointed day Of rendering up, and patiently attend My diffolution. Michael reply'd:
Nor love thy life, nor hate: but what thou liv'st Live well; how long or fhort permit to heav'n: And now prepare thee for another fight.
He look'd, and faw a fpacious plain, whereon Were tents of various hue: by fome were herds Of cattle grazing; others, whence the found Of inftruments, that made melodious chime, Was heard, of harp and organ; and who mov'd Their ftops and chords was feen; his volant touch Inftinct through all proportion flow and high Fled and purfu'd tranfverfe the refonant fugue. In other part flood one who, at the forge La'bring, two mafly clods of iron and brafs Had melted, (whether found where cafual fire Had wafted woods on mountain or in vale, Down to the veins of earth, thence gliding hot
To fome cave's mouth, or whether wash'd by ftream From underground,) the liquid ore he drain'd Into fit moulds prepar'd; from which he form'd Firit his own tools; then what might elfe be wrought Fufil or grav'n in metal. After thefe, But on the hither fide, a different fort
From the high-neighb'ring hills, which was their feat, Down to the plain defcended: by their guile
Jult men they feem'd, and all their study bent
To worship God aright, and know his works Not hid, nor those things laft which might preferve Freedom and peace to men: they on the plain Long had not walk'd, when from the tents behold A bevy of fair women, richly gay
In gems and wanton drefs; to th' harp they fung Soft amorous ditties, and in dance came on: The men, though grave, ey'd them, and let their eyes Rove without reign, till in the amorous net
Fatt caught, they lik'd, and each his liking chose; And now of love they treat, till th' ev`ning star, Love's harbinger, appear'd; then all in heat They light the nuptial torch, and bid invoke Hymen, then first to marriage rites invok'd: With feaft and mufic all the tents refound, Such happy interview and fair event
Of love and youth not lost, songs, garlands, flowers, And charming fymphonies, attach'd the heart
Of Adam, foon inclin'd to admit delight, The bent of Nature; which he thus exprefs'd:
True opener of mine eyes, prime angel blett, Much better feems this vilion, and more hope Of peaceful days portends, than those two past; Thofe were of hate and death, or pain much worke; Here Nature seems fulfill'd in all her ends.
To whom thus Michael: Judge not what is best By pleasure, though to Nature feeming meet, Created, as thou art, to nobler end
Holy and pure, conformity divine.
Thofe tents thou faw'ft fo pleasant, were the tents Of wickedness, wherein fhall dweil his race Who flew his brother; ftudious they appear Of arts that polifh life, inventors rare, Unmindful of their Maker, though his fpirit Taught them, but they his gifts acknowledg'd none. Yet they a beauteous offspring fhall beget; For that fair female troop thou faw'it, that feem'd Of goddeffes, fo blithe, fo fmooth, so gay, Yet empty of all good, wherein confifts Women's domeftic honour and chief praife;
Bred only and completed to the taste
Of luftful appetite, to fing, to dance,
To drefs, and troll the tongue, and roll the eye.
To these that fober race of men, whofe lives
Religious titled them the fons of God,
Shall yield up all their virtue, all their fame Ignobly, to the trains and to the finiles Of thefe fair atheists, and now fwim in joy, Ere long to fwim at large; and laugh, for which The world ere long a world of tears must weep.
To whom thus Adam, of fhort joy bereft : O pity and fhame, that they who to live well Enter'd fo fair, should turn aside to tread Path's indirect, or in the mid way faint! But ftill I fee the tenor of man's woe
Holds on the fame, from woman to begin.
From man's effeminate flackness it begins,
Said th' angel, who should better hold his place
By wildom and fuperior gifts receiv'd :
But now prepare thee for another scene.
He look'd, and faw wide territory spread
Before him, towns, and rural works between, 1 Cities of men with lofty gates and towers,
Concourfe in arms, fierce faces threat'ning war, Giants of mighty bone and bold emprife;
Part wield their arms, part curb the foaming teed,
Single, or in array of battle, rang'd
Both horse and foot, nor idly must’ring stood;
One way a band felect 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; fcarce with life the shepherds fly, But call in aid, which makes a bloody fray; With cruel tournament the fquadrons join; Where cattle paftur'd late, now scatter'd lies With carcaffes and arms th' infanguin'd field Deferted others to a city strong
Lay fiege, encamp'd; by battery, fcale, and mine, Affaulting; others from the wall defend
With dart and javelin, ftones and fulphurous fire; On each hand flaughter and gigantic deeds. In other parts the fcepter'd heralds call To council in the city gates: anon
Grey-headed men and grave, with warriors mix'd, Affemble, and harangues are heard, but foon In factious oppofition, till at last
Of middle age one rising, eminent
In wife deport, fpake much of right and wrong,
Of justice, of religion, truth, and peace,
And judgment from above, him old and young
Exploded, and had feiz'd with violent hands,
Had not a cloud defcending fnatch'd him thence
Unfeen amid the throng: fo violence
Proceeded, and oppreffion, and fword-law,
Through all the plain, and refuge none was found.
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 thousand fold 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 Rescued, had, in his righteousness, been lost ?
To whom thus Michael: These are the product Of thofe ill-mated marriages thou faw'ft;
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 those days might only shall b' admir'd, And valour and heroic virtue call'd; To overcome in battle, and fubdue Nations, and bring home spoils with infinite Man-flaughter, fhall be held the highest pitch Of human glory, and for glory done Of triumph, to be ftyl'd greater conquerors, Patrons of mankind, gods, and fons of gods, Deltroyers rightlier call'd and plagues of men.
Thus fame shall be achiev'd, renown on earth, And what most merits fame in filence hid.
But he the fev'nth from thee, whom thou beheldft The only righteous in a world perverse, And therefore hated, therefore fo befet With foes for daring fingle to be juít,
And utter odious truth, that God would come
To judge them with his faints: him the Moft 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 blifs, Exempt from death; to show thee what reward Awaits the good, the rest what punishment; Which now direct 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 roar : All now was turn'd to jollity and game,
To luxury and riot, feast and dance, Marrying or proftituting, as befel,
Rape or adultery, where paffing fair
Allur'd them; thence from cups to civil broils. At length a reverend fire among them came, And of their doings great diflike declar'd, And teftify'd againft their ways; he oft Frequented their affemblies, wherefo met, Triumphs of feftivals, and to them preach'd Converfion and repentance, as to souls In prifon under judgments 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 veffel of huge bulk,
Meafur'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 every beat, and bird, and insect small,
Came fev'ns, and pairs, and enter'd in, as taught Their order: laft the fire, and his three fons With their four wives; and God made falt the door.
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