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

740

745

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,

750

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:

755

760

O vifions ill foreseen! better had I

Liv'd ignorant of future, fo had borne

My part of evil only, each day's lot

765

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

771

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,

775

Famine and anguish will at last confume
Wand'ring that watry defert: I had hope,
When violence was feiz'd, and war on earth,

780

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.

785

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;

790

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

795

800

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

806

810

815

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,

820

825

830

The haunt of feals, and orcs, and fea-mews clang:
To teach thee that God attributes to place

836

No fanctity, if none be thither brought

By men who there frequent, or therein dwell.

And now what further shall enfue, behold.

840

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.

845

851

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

855

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.

860

865

870

875

880

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,

885

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,

890

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.

899

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK XII.

The Argument.

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,

20