Whom thus the fin-born monfter anfwer'd foon: To me, who with eternal famine pine, Alike is Hell, or Paradife, or Heav'n; There beft, where moft with ravin I may meet: Which here, tho' plenteous, all too little feems 600 To ftuff this maw, this vaft un-hide-bound corps.

To whom th' inceftuous mother thus reply'd: Thou therefore on thefe herbs, & fruits, & flow'rs Feed first; on each beaft next, and fish, and fowl; No homely morfels and whatever thing 605 The fcithe of TIME mowes down, devour unfpar'd: Till I in man refiding, through the race, His thoughts, his looks, words, actions all infect; And feafon him thy laft and sweetest prey.

611

This faid, they both betook them feveral ways, Both to deftroy, or un-immortal make All kinds; and for deftruction to mature Sooner or later: which th' Almighty feeing, From his tranfcendent feat the Saints among, To thofe bright Orders utter'd thus his voice.

615

See! with what heat thefe dogs of hell advance, To wafte and havock yonder world, which I So fair and good created; and had still Kept in that ftate, had not the folly of man Let in thefe wafteful Furies; who impute Folly to me: fo doth the Prince of Hell, And his adherents, that with fo much eafe I fuffer them to enter and poflefs

620

A place fo heav'nly, and conniving feem
To gratifie my fcornful enemies,

625

That laugh, as if (tranfported with fome fit
Of paffion) I to them had quitted all,
At random yielded up to their mis-rule:

And know not that I call'd, and drew them thither,
My hell-hounds, to lick up the draff, and filth, 630

Q 2

Which

Which man's polluting fin with taint hath shed
On what was pure: till cramm'd & gorg'd, nigh burst,
With fuck'd and glutted offal, at one fling
Of thy victorious arm, well-pleafing SoN! 634
Both SIN, & DEATH, & yawning GRAVE, at last
Through CHAOs hurl'd, obftruct the mouth of Hell
For ever, and feal up his ravenous jaws.
Then, heav'n and earth renew'd, fhall be made pure
To fanctity, that shall receive no ftain:

Till then, the curfe pronounc'd on both precedes. 640

He ended, and the heav'nly audience loud Sung Hallelujah, as the found of feas,

Through multitude that fung!,, Juft are thy ways, Righteous are thy decrees on all thy works;

"

Who can extenuate Thee? next, to the Son, 645
Deilin'd reftorer of Mankind, by whom

New heav'n and earth fhall to the ages rife ;

Or down from Heav'n defcend.,, Such was their While the Creator calling forth by name

[fong, His mighty Angels, gave them feveral charge, 650 As forted beft with prefent things. The Sun Had first his precept fo to move, so shine, As might affect the earth with cold, and heat, Scarce tollerable; and from the north to call Decrepit Winter; from the fouth to bring Solftitial fummer's heat. To the blanc moon Her office they prescrib'd; to th' other five, Their planetary motions, and aspects, In Sextil, Square, and Trine, and Oppofite, Of noxious efficacy; and when to join

In fynod unbenign: and taught the fix'd

655

660

Their influence malignant when to show'r;
Which of them, rifing with the Sun, or falling,
Should prove tempeftuous. To the winds they fet
Their corners; when with blufter to confound 665
Sea, air, and fhoar: the thunder, when to roll
With terror through the dark aereal hall.

Some