All left, in one small bottom swum imbark'd.
How didst thou grieve then, Adam, to behold
The end of all thy offspring, end so sad,
Depopulation! thee another flood,

Of tears and sorrow a flood, thee also drown'd,
And sunk thee as thy sons; till gently rear'd
By th' angel, on thy feet thou stood'st at last,
Though comfortless, as when a father mourns
His children, all in view destroy'd at once;
And scarce to th' angel utter'dst thus thy plaint.
O visions ill foreseen! better had I

Liv'd ignorant of future, so had borne
My part of evil only, each day's lot

Enough to bear; those now, that were dispens'd
The burden of many ages, on me light

At once, by my foreknowledge gaining birth
Abortive, to torment me ere their being,

755

760

765

With thought that they must be. Let no man seek
Henceforth to be foretold what shall befall

Him or his children; evil he may be sure,
Which neither his foreknowing can prevent,
And he the future evil shall no less
In apprehension than in substance feel,
Grievous to bear: but that care now is past,
Man is not whom to warn ; those few escap'd
Famine and anguish will at last consume
Wand'ring that wat'ry desert. I had hope,

778 Famine] So Ovid Met. i. 311.

'Maximus pars unda rapitur, quibus unda pepercit
Illos longa domant inopi jejunia victu.'

Newton.

771

775

When violence was ceas'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 see

Peace to corrupt, no less than war to waste.
How comes it thus? unfold, celestial guide,
And whether here the race of man will end

785

To whom thus Michael. Those whom last thou

saw'st

In triumph and luxurious wealth, are they

First seen in acts of prowess eminent

And great exploits, but of true virtue void;

790

Who having spill'd much blood, and done much waste, Subduing nations, and achiev'd thereby

Fame in the world, high titles, and rich prey,

Shall change their course to pleasure, ease, and sloth, Surfeit, and lust, till wantonness and pride

Raise out of friendship hostile deeds in peace.

795

The conquer'd also and enslav'd by war

Shall with their freedom lost, all virtue lose
And fear of God, from whom their piety feign'd
In sharp contest of battel found no aid

Against invaders; therefore cool'd in zeal
Thenceforth shall practise how to live secure,
Worldly, or dissolute, on what their lords

Shall leave them to enjoy; for th' earth shall bear
More than enough, that temperance may be try'd:
So all shall turn degenerate, all deprav'd,
Justice and temperance, truth and faith forgot;

800

806

One man except, the only son of light
In a dark age, against example good,
Against allurement, custom, and a world
Offended; fearless of reproach and scorn,
Or violence, he of their wicked ways

Shall them admonish, and before them set
The paths of righteousness, how much more safe
And full of peace, denouncing wrath to come
On their impenitence; and shall return

Of them derided, but of God observ'd
The one just man alive; by his command
Shall build a wondrous ark, as thou beheld'st,
To save himself and household from amidst
A world devote to universal wreck.
No sooner he with them of man and beast
Select for life shall in the ark be lodg'd,
And shelter'd round, but all the cataracts

Of heav'n 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 mov'd
Out of his place, push'd by the horned flood,
With all his verdure spoil'd, and trees adrift,

817 observ'd] Observations honoured. C. J.

831 horned] See Browne's Britan. Past. ii. p. 190.
'And now the horned flood bore to our isle.'

Hor. Od. iv. 14. 25.

'Sic tauriformis volvitur Aufidus.'

and Virg. Geo. iv. 371. Æn. viii. 77.

810

815

820

825

830

Down the great river to the op'ning gulf,

And there take root, an inland salt and bare,

834

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.

840

He look'd, and saw 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 sun on his wide wat❜ry glass Gaz'd hot, and of the fresh wave largely drew, As after thirst, which made their flowing shrink From standing lake to tripping ebb, that stole With soft foot towards the deep, who now had stopp'd

845

835 haunt] Virg. Æn. V. 128. Apricis statio gratissima mergis.' Hom. Hymn. Apoll. 77.

Πουλύποδες δ ̓ ἐν ἐμοὶ θαλάμας φῶκαι τε μελαιναι,
Οικία ποιήσονται ἀκηδέα.

835 clang] Hom. Il. iii. 3. Stat. Theb. v. 15, xii. 515.

Grues Aquilone fugatæ

Cum videre Pharon; tunc æthera latius implent

Tunc hilari clangore sonant.'

840 hull] v. Donne's Poems, p. 316. xxxi. 'A great ship overset, or without saile hulling.' Queen Elizabeth's Tear, by C. Lever, 1607, 4to. F. 2. Hulling upon the river where she lay.' Sandy's 'The ship hulls, as the billows flow.'

Psalms, p. 181.

847 tripping] Drayton applies this word to the flow of rivers: Polyolb. Song xiii. 'The Avon trips along.' xv. 'The Isis from her source comes tripping with delight;' and xxvi. Darwin from her fount comes tripping down towards Trent.' Todd.

848 soft foot] See Drakenborch's Note on Sil. Italicus, vi. 140. p.

His sluices, as the heav'n his windows shut.
The ark no more now floats, but seems on ground
Fast on the top of some high mountain fix'd.
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 heav'n, over his head beholds
A dewy cloud, and in the cloud a bow
Conspicuous with three listed colours gay,
Betok'ning peace from God, and cov'nant new.
Whereat the heart of Adam erst so sad
Greatly rejoic'd, and thus his joy broke forth.

O thou, who future things canst represent
As present, heav'nly instructor, I revive
At this last sight, assur'd that man shall live
With all the creatures, and their seed preserve.
Far less I now lament for one whole world

852

855

860

865

870

Of wicked sons destroy'd, than I rejoice

875

298. Lucret. v. 274. Liquido pede,' with Wakefield's Note, and Jer. Taylor's Sermon on Lady Carbery, fol. p. 169.

852 tops] Backs. vii. 206. Bentl. MS.