Unmindful of their Maker, though His SPIRIT
Taught them; but they His gifts acknowledg'd none,
Yet they a beauteous off-fpring fhall beget.

For that fair female-troop thou faw'ft, that seem'd
Of Goddeffes, fo blithe, fo fmoothe, fo gay;
Yet, empty of all good, wherein confifts
Woman's domeftic honour, and chief praise :
Bred only and completed, to the taste

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
Religious, titled them the fons of God)
Shall yield up all their virtue, all their fame,
Ignobly! to the trains, and to the fmiles
Of these fair atheists; and now fwim in joy,
(Erelong to fwim at large) and laugh: for which
The world erelong 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, fhould turn afide to tread
Paths 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,

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 :
Single, or in array of battle rang'd,

Both horfe and foot; nor idly mustring stood:
One way, a band select from forage drives

645

A herd of beeves, fair oxen, and fair kine,

From

From a fat meadow ground: or fleecy flock,
Ewes and their bleating lambs, over the plain;
Their booty: fcarce with life the fhepherds fly;
But call in aid; which makes a bloody fray.
With cruel tournament the fquadrons joyn!
Where cattle paftur'd late, now scatter'd lies
With carcafes, and arms, th' infanguin'd field,
Deferted. Others, to a city ftrong

Lay fiege, incamp'd; by battery, fcale, and mine,
Affaulting others, from the wall defend

With dart, and jav'lin, stones, and fulph'rous fire:
On each hand flaughter, and gigantick deeds!
In other part, the fceptred 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 rifing, eminent

650

655

660

665

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,

670

Unfeen amid the throng: fo violence

Proceeded, and oppreffion, and sword-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 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.
Such were these giants; men of high renown!
For in those Days, might only fhall be admir'd;
And valour, and heroic virtue, call'd:
To overcome in battle, and fubdue

Nations, and bring home fpoils with infinite
Man-flaughter, fhall be held the highest pitch
Of human glory; and for glory done

690

Of triumph, to be ftyl'd great conquerers,
Patrons of mankind, Gods, and fons of Gods:
Destroyers rightlier call'd, and plagues of men.
Thus fame fhall be atchiev'd, renown on earth;
And what moft merits fame, in filence hid.

695

699

But he, the feventh from thee, whom thou beheld'st
The only righteous in a world perverse,

And therefore hated, therefore so befet
With foes, for daring fingle to be juft,
And utter odious truth, that GOD will come

To judge them with His Saints: him the Moft High
(Rap'd 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 fhew thee what reward
Awaits the good; the reft, what punishment:
Which now direct thine eyes, and foon behold.

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,
And teftify'd against their ways: he oft
Frequented their Affemblies, wherefo met,
Triumphs, or feftivals; and to them preach'd
Converfion and Repentance; as to fouls
Ia prifon, under judgments imminent:

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;
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 beaft and bird, and infect small

Came fevens, and pairs, and enter'd in, as taught
Their order: last the fire, and his three fons,
With their four fives: and God made faft the door.
Mean-while the fouth-wind rofe, and with black wings
Wide-hov'ring, all the clouds together drove

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
Flood overwhelm'd, and them with all their pomp
Deep under water roll'd; fea cover'd fea :
Sea without fhoar! and in their palaces
Where luxury late reign'd, fea-moniters whelp'd,
And ftabled of mankind (fo numerous late)
All left, in one small bottom fwum embark'd.
How didst thou grieve then, ADAM! to behold
The end of all thy off-fpring, end fo 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

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
The burden of many ages, on me light

At once, by my foreknowledge; gaining birth

Abortive, to torment me ere their Being,

With thought that they muft be. Let no man feek
Henceforth to be foretold, what shall befall

771

Him or his children: evil he may be fure:
Which neither his foreknowing can prevent,
And he the future evil fhall no lefs
In apprehenfion, than in fubftance, feel;
Grievous to bear! but that care now is paft,
Man is not whom to warn: thofe few escap'd,
Famine and anguish willl at last confume,
Wand'ring that wat'ry defert. I had hope,
When violence was ceas'd, and war on earth,

775

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, cœleftial guide!
And whether here the race of man will end.

785

(law'it

Thofe whom last thou

To whom thus MICHAEL.
In triumph and luxurious wealth, are they
First feen in acts of prowefs eminent,

And great exploits; but of true virtue void ;

790

Who having fpill'd much blood, and done much waste,
Subduing nations; and atchiev'd thereby

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
Against invaders; therefore cool'd in zeal,
Thenceforth fhall practife how to live fecure,
Worldly or diffolute; on what their lords
3

Shall