Meanwhile the fouth-wind rofe, and with black wings
Wide hovering, all the clouds together drove From under heav'n; the hills to their supply Vapour, and exhalation dufk 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 feen; the floating veffel fwum
Uplifted, and fecure with beaked prow
Rode tilting o'er the waves; all dwellings elfe
Flood overwhelm'd, and them, with all their pomp,
Deep under water roll'd: fea cover'd sea,
Sea without fhore; and in their palaces,
Where luxury late reign'd, fea-monsters whelp'd And ftabled; of mankind, so numerous late, All left in one fmall bottom fwum embark'd. How didft thou grieve then, Adam, to behold The end of all thy offspring, end so fad, Depopulation? thee another flood,
Of tears and forrow a flood, thee alfo drown'd And funk thee as thy fons; till gently rear'd By the angel, on thy feet thou ftood'ft at last. Though comfortless, as when a Father mourns His children, all in view deftroy'd at once; And scarce to th' angel utter'dft 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; those now, that were dispens'd
The burd'n 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 feek
Henceforth to be foretold what shall befal
Him or his children; evil he may be sure,
Which neither his foreknowing can prevent; And he the future evil fhall no less
In apprehenfion than in substance feel, Grievous to bear: but that care now is past, Man is not whom to warn thofe few ef cap'd,
Famine and anguish will at last confume Wand'ring that watry defert: I had hope, When violence was feiz'd, and war on earth,
All would have then gone well,peace would have crown'd With length of happy days the race of man; But I was far deceiv'd; for now I fee Peace to corrupt no lefs than war to waste. How comes it thus ? unfold, celeftial Guide, And whether here the race of man will end.
To whom thus Michael: Those whom laft thou saw'ft 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 achiev'd thereby
Fame in the world, high titles, and rich prey,
Shall change their courfe to pleasure, ease, and sloth, Surfeit, and luft, till wantonnefs and pride Raife out of friend fhip hoftile deeds in peace. The conquer'd alfo, and enflav'd by war, Shall, with their freedom loft, all virtue lofe
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 practice how to live fecure,
Worldly or diffolute, on what their lords
Shall leave them to enjoy; for th' earth shall bear More than enough, that temp'rance may be try'd : So all fhall turn degenerate, all deprav'd, Justice and temp'rance, truth and faith forgot: One man except, the only Son of Light In a dark age, against example good, Against allurement, 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 paths of righteousness how much more safe 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 beheldft, To fave himself and houthold from amidst A world devote to univerfal wreck.
No fooner he with them of man and beaft Select for life fhall in the ark be lodg'd, And shelter'd round, but all the cataracts Of heav'n fet open, on th' earth shall pour Rain day and night; all fountains of the deep Broke up, fhall heave the 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, pufh'd by the horned flood, With all his verdure fpoil'd, and trees adrift, Down the great river to the opening gulf, And there take root an island falt and bare,
The haunt of feals, and orcs, and fea-mews clang: 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 shall enfue, behold.
He look'd, and faw the ark hull on the flood 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 glais Gaz'd hot, and of the fresh wave largely drew, As after thirst, which made their flowing fhrink From standing lake to tripping ebb, that stole With foft foot towards the deep, who now had stopt His fluices, as the heav'n his windows fhut.
The ark no more now floats, but feems on ground, Faft 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 Towards the retreating fea their furious-tide. Forthwith from out the ark a raven flies, And, after him, the furer m.ffenger, A dove, fent forth once and again to py
Green tree or ground where on his foot may light; The second 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, Betokening peace from God, and covenant new. Whereat the heart of Adamn, erst so fad, Greatly rejoic'd, and thus his joy broke forth: O thou who future things canft represent As prefent, heav'nly Inftructor, I revive At this laft fight, affur'd that man shall live With all the creatures, and their feed preserve. Far lefs I now lament for one whole world Of wicked fons destroy'd, than I rejoice For one man found fo perfect and fo juft, That God vouchfafes to raife another world
From him, and all his anger to forget.
But fay, what mean thofe colour'd ftreaks in heaven, Diftended as the brow of God appeas'd; Or ferve they as a flow'ry verge to bind The fluid fkirts of that fame wat'ry cloud, Left it again diffolve and show'r the earth?
To whom th' arch-angel: Dext'roufly thou aim'ft;
So willingly doth God remit his ire,
Though late repenting him of man deprav'd, Griev'd at his heart, when looking down he faw The whole earth fill'd with violence, and all flesh Corrupting each their way; yet those remov'd, Such grace fhall one juft man find in his fight, That he relents, not to blot out mankind,
And makes a covenant never to destroy
The earth again by flood, nor let the fea
Surpafs his bounds, nor rain to drown the world
With man therein or beaft; but when he brings 895 Over the earth a cloud, will therein fet
His triple-colour'd bow, whereon to look,
And call to mind his covenant: day and night, Seed-time and harveft, heat and hoary froft, Shall hold their courfe, till fire purge all things new, Both heav'n and earth, wherein the just shall dwell.
END OF THE ELEVENTH BOOK.
The angel Michael continues from the Flood to relate what fall fucceed, then, in the mention of Abraham, comes by degrees to explain, who that Seed of the Woman shall be, which was promifed Adam and Eve in the fall; his incarnation, death, refurrection, and afcenfion; the state of the Church till his fecond coming. Adam, greatly fatisfied and recomforted by thefe relations and promites, defcends the hill with Michael; wakens Eve, who all this while had flent, but with gentle dreams compos'd to quietnef or mind and fubmiffion. Michael in either hand leads them out of Paradife, the fiery fword waving behind them, and the cherubim taking their fations to guard the place.
As one who in his journey bates at noon,
Though bent on speed; fo here th' arch-angef paus'd
Betwixt the world destroy'd and world restor❜d, If Adam ought perhaps might interpofe; Then with tranfition Tweet new fpeech refumes.
Thus thou haft feen one world begin and end; And man as from a second stock proceed. Much thou haft yet to fee, but I perceive Thy mortal fight to fail; objects divine Muft needs impair and weary human sense: Henceforth what is to come I will relate; Thou therefore give due audience, and attend. This fecond fource of men, while yet but few, And while the dread of judgment past remains Fresh in their minds, fearing the Deity, With fome regard to what is juft and right Shall lead their lives, and multiply apace, Lab'ring the foil, and reaping plenteous crop,
Corn, wine, and oil; and from the herd or flock Oft facrificing bullock, lamb, or kid,
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