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The The paths of righteousness, how much more safe
one man And full of peace, denouncing wrath to come
righteous
On their impenitence, and shall return
Of them derided, but of God observed
The one just man alive: by his command
Shall build a wondrous ark, as thou beheld'st,
To save himself and household from amidst 820
A world devote to universal wrack.

No sooner he, with them of man and beast
Select for life, shall in the ark be lodged
And sheltered round, but all the cataracts
Of Heaven set open on the Earth shall pour
Rain day and night; all fountains of the deep,
Broke up, shall heave the ocean to usurp
Beyond all bounds, till inundation rise
Above the highest hills. Then shall this Mount
Of Paradise by might of waves be moved 830
Out of his place, pushed by the horned flood,
With all his verdure spoiled, and trees adrift,
Down the great river to the opening Gulf,
And there take root, an island salt and bare,
The haunt of seals, and orcs, and sea-mews'
clang--

To teach thee that God attributes to place
No sanctity, if none be thither brought
By men who there frequent or therein dwell.
And now what further shall ensue behold.'

He looked, and saw the ark hull on the
flood,
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Which now abated; for the clouds were fled,
Driven by a keen North-wind, that, blowing dry,
Wrinkled the face of deluge, as decayed;
And the clear sun on his wide watery glass
Gazed hot, and of the fresh wave largely drew,

As after thirst; which made their flowing shrink The From standing lake to tripping ebb, that stole flood With soft foot towards the deep, who now had

stopt

His sluices, as the heaven his windows shut.
The ark no more now floats, but seems on
ground,
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Fast on the top of some high mountain fixed.
And now the tops of hills as rocks appear;
With clamour thence the rapid currents drive
Towards the retreating sea their furious tide.
Forthwith from out the ark a raven flies,
And, after him, the surer messenger,
A dove, sent forth once and again to spy
Green tree or ground whereon his foot may light;
The second time returning, in his bill
An olive-leaf he brings, pacific sign.
Anon dry ground appears, and from his ark
The ancient sire descends, with all his train;
Then, with uplifted hands, and eyes devout,
Grateful to Heaven, over his head beholds
A dewy cloud, and in the cloud a bow
Conspicuous with three listed colours gay,
Betokening peace from God, and covenant new.
Whereat the heart of Adam, erst so sad,
Greatly rejoiced; and thus his joy broke forth :-

860

"O thou, who future things canst represent 870
As present, Heavenly Instructor, I revive
At this last sight, assured that Man shall live,
With all the creatures, and their seed
preserve.
Far less I now lament for one whole world
Of wicked sons destroyed, than I rejoice
For one man found so perfect, and so just,
That God voutsafes to raise another world

subsides

Nimrod, Thou, therefore, give due audience, and attend. the 'This second source of men, while yet but mighty

hunter

few,

And while the dread of judgement past remains
Fresh in their minds, fearing the Deity,
With some regard to what is just and right
Shall lead their lives, and multiply apace,
Labouring the soil, and reaping plenteous crop,
Corn, wine, and oil; and, from the herd or flock
Oft sacrificing bullock, lamb, or kid,
With large wine-offerings poured, and sacred

feast,

20

Shall spend their days in joy unblamed, and
dwell

Long time in peace, by families and tribes,
Under paternal rule: till one shall rise,
Of proud, ambitious heart, who, not content,
With fair equality, fraternal state,

Will arrogate dominion undeserved

Over his brethren, and quite dispossess

Concord and law of Nature from the Earth-
Hunting (and men, not beasts, shall be his

game

30

With war and hostile snare such as refuse
Subjection to his empire tyrannous.
A mighty hunter thence he shall be styled
Before the Lord, as in despite of Heaven,
Or from Heaven claiming second sovranty,
And from rebellion shall derive his name,
Though of rebellion others he accuse.
He, with a crew, whom like ambition joins
With him or under him to tyrannize,
Marching from Eden towards the west, shall

find

40

The plain, wherein a black bituminous gurge

Babel

Boils out from under ground, the mouth of Hell. Tower
Of brick, and of that stuff, they cast to build

A city and tower, whose top may reach to
Heaven;

And get themselves a name, lest, far dispersed
In foreign lands, their memory be lost-
Regardless whether good or evil fame.
But God, who oft descends to visit men
Unseen, and through their habitations walks,
To mark their doings, them beholding soon, 50
Comes down to see their city, ere the tower
Obstruct Heaven-towers, and in derision sets
Upon their tongues a various spirit, to rase
Quite out their native language, and, instead,
To sow a jangling noise of words unknown.
Forthwith a hideous gabble rises loud
Among the builders; each to other calls,
Not understood-till, hoarse and all in rage,
As mocked they storm. Great laughter was in
Heaven,

And looking down to see the hubbub strange 60
And hear the din. Thus was the building left
Ridiculous, and the work Confusion named.'
Whereto thus Adam, fatherly displeased :-
• O execrable son, so to aspire

Above his brethren, to himself assuming
Authority usurped, from God not given!
He gave us only over beast, fish, fowl,
Dominion absolute; that right we hold
By his donation: but man over men
He made not lord-such title to himself
Reserving, human left from human free.
But this usurper his encroachment proud

Y

70

reason

True Stays not on Man; to God his tower intends liberty Siege and defiance. Wretched man! what food dwells Will he convey up thither, to sustain with right Himself and his rash army, where thin air Above the clouds will pine his entrails gross, And famish him of breath, if not of breaû?' To whom thus Michael:- Justly thou abhorr❜st

That son, who on the quiet state of men
Such trouble brought, affecting to subdue
Rational liberty; yet know withal,
Since thy original lapse, true liberty

80

Is lost, which always with right reason dwells
Twinned, and from her hath no dividual being.
Reason in Man obscured, or not obeyed,

Immediately inordinate desires

And upstart passions catch the government
From Reason, and to servitude reduce

Man, till then free. Therefore, since he per<

mits
Within himself unworthy powers to reign
Over free reason, God, in judgement just,
Subjects him from without to violent lords,
Who oft as undeservedly enthral
His outward freedom. Tyranny must be,
Though to the tyrant thereby no excuse.
Yet sometimes nations will decline so low
From virtue, which is reason, that no wrong,
But justice and some fatal curse annexed,
Deprives them of their outward liberty,
Their inward lost: witness the irreverent son
Of him who built the ark, who, for the shame
Done to his father, heard this heavy curse,
Servant of servants, on his vicious race.

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