Unmindful of their Maker, though His SPIRIT For that fair female-troop thou faw'ft, that seem'd 615 Of luftful appetence; to fing, to dance, To drefs, and troule the tongue, and roll the eye. 620 To thefe, that fober race of men (whose lives To whom thus ADAM, of fhort joy bereft. From man's effeminate flackness it begins, 625 630 (Said th' Angel) who fhould better hold his place 635 By wisdom, 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: Cities of men, with lofty gates and tow'rs; Concourfe in Arms; fierce faces threat'ning war 640 Giants of mighty bone, and bold emprife! Part wield their arms; part curb the foming steed : Both horfe and foot; nor idly mustring stood: 645 A herd of beeves, fair oxen, and fair kine, From From a fat meadow ground: or fleecy flock, Lay fiege, incamp'd; by battery, fcale, and mine, With dart, and jav'lin, stones, and fulph'rous fire: Grey-headed men, and grave, with warriors mix'd, 650 655 660 665 In wife deport, fpake much of right and wrong, And judgment from above: him old and young Had not a cloud defcending fnatch'd him thence, 670 Unfeen amid the throng: fo violence Proceeded, and oppreffion, and sword-law, Through all the plain, and refuge none was found. Lamenting turn'd full fad: O! what are these? 675 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 679 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 righteousness been loft? To whom thus MICHAEL. Thefe are the product Of those ill-mated marriages thou faw'st; 684 Where good with bad were match'd; who of themfelves Abhor to joyn: and by impulence mix'd, B b 4 Produce Produce prodigious births, of body or mind. Nations, and bring home fpoils with infinite 690 Of triumph, to be ftyl'd great conquerers, 695 699 But he, the feventh from thee, whom thou beheld'st And therefore hated, therefore so befet To judge them with His Saints: him the Moft High 706 710 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, feaft and dance; 715 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, 720 And of their doings great diflike declar'd, 725 But 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; 729 Meafur'd by cubit, length, and breadth, and height; For man and beaft; when lo, a wonder strange! Came fevens, and pairs, and enter'd in, as taught 735 From under heav'n; the hills to their fupply 740 Vapour, and exhalation dufk and moist, Sent up amain and now, the thicken'd fky Like a dark cieling ftood; down rush'd the rain Impetuous and continu'd till the earth No more was feen: the floating veffel fwom 745 Up-lifted; and fecure with beaked prow Rode tilting o'er the waves: all dwellings elfe Of tears, and forrow a flood, thee alfo drown'd; 750 755 By th' Angel, on thy feet thou stoodit at last, Tho' comfortlefs; as when a father mourns 760 His children, all in view defroy'd at once : And scarce to th' Angel utter'dft thus thy plaint. O vifions ill förefeen! better had I Liv'd ignorant of future! fo had born My My part of evil only, each day's lot 765 Enough to bear; thofe now, that were difpens'd At once, by my foreknowledge; gaining birth Abortive, to torment me ere their Being, With thought that they muft be. Let no man feek 771 Him or his children: evil he may be fure: 775 780 All would have then gone well; peace would have crown'd With length of happy days the race of man. 785 (law'it Thofe whom last thou To whom thus MICHAEL. And great exploits; but of true virtue void ; 790 Who having fpill'd much blood, and done much waste, Shall change their courfe to pleasure, ease, and floth, Fame in the world, high titles, and rich prey; Surfeit and luft; 'till wantonnefs, and price, 795 Raife out of friendship hoftile deeds in peace. The conquer'd also, and enflav'd by war, Shall, with their freedom loft, all virtue lose, And fear of GOD, from Whom their piety feign'd, 800 In fharp conteft of battle found no aid Shall |