To whom thus Michael.

"These are the product

Of those ill-mated marriages thou saw'st;

Where good with bad were match'd, who of themselves 685

Abhor to join; and, by imprudence mix'd,
Produce prodigious births of body' or mind.
Such were these giants, men of high renown;

For in those days might only shall be' admir'd,
And valour and heroic virtue call'd;

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To overcome in battle, and subdue
Nations, and bring home spoils with infinite
Man-slaughter, shall be held the highest pitch
Of human glory; and for glory doné
Of triumph, to be styl'd great conquerors,
Patrons of mankind, gods, and sons of gods;
Destroyers rightlier call'd, and plagues of men.
Thus fame shall be achiev'd, renown on earth;
And what most merits fame, in silence hid.

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But he, the sev'nth from thee, whom thou beheldst

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The only righteous in a world perverse,

And therefore hated, therefore so beset
With foes, for daring single to be just,

And utter odious truth, that God would come

To judge them with his saints: him the Most High,

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Rapt in a balmy cloud with winged steeds

Did, as thou saw'st, receive, to walk with God

High in salvation and the climes of bliss,
Exempt from death; to show thee what reward
Awaits the good, the rest what punishment;

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Which now direct thine eyes, and soon behold.”

He look'd, and saw 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, feast and dance;

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Marrying or prostituting, as befel,
Rape or adultery, where passing fair
Allur'd them; thence from cups to civil broils.
At length a reverend sire among them came,
And of their doings great dislike declar'd,
And testify'd against their ways; he oft
Frequented their assemblies, whereso met,
Triumphs or festivals; and to them preach'd
Conversion and repentance, as to souls

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In prison, under judgments imminent:

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But all in vain: which when he saw, he ceas'd

Contending, and remov'd his tents far off;

Then from the mountain hewing timber tall,

Began to build a vessel of huge bulk,

Measur'd by cubit, length, and breadth, and height;

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Smear'd round with pitch; and in the side a door
Contriv'd; and of provisions laid in large,
For man and beast: when lo, a wonder strange!
Of every beast, and bird, and insect small,
Came sev'ns, and pairs, and enter'd in as taught
Their order: last the sire and his three sons,

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With their four wives; and God made fast the door.

Meanwhile the south wind rose, and, with black wings
Wide hovering, all the clouds together drove

From under Heav'n; the hills to their supply

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Vapour, and exhalation dusk and moist,

Sent up amain; and now the thicken'd sky

Like a dark ceiling stood; down rush'd the rain

Impetuous, and continued till the earth

No more was seen; the floating vessel swun

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Uplifted, and secure with beaked prow

Rode tilting o'er the waves; all dwellings else
Flood overwhelm'd, and them with all their pomp,
VOL. II.

Deep under water roll'd; sea cover'd sea,

Sea without shore; and in their palaces,

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Where luxury late reign'd, sea monster's whelp'd
And stabled; of mankind, so numerous late,
All left, in one small bottom swum embark'd.
How didst thou grieve then, Adam, to behold
The end of all thy offspring, end so sad,
Depopulation! thee another flood,

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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

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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,

With thought that they must be. Let no man seek

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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,

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Grievous to bear; but that care now is past,
Man is not whom to waru: those few escap'd
Famine and anguish will at last consume,

Wand'ring that watry desert: I had hope,

When violence was ceas'd, and war on earth,

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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,

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And whether here the race of man will end."

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;

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Who, having spilt 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
Rase out of friendship hostile deeds in peace.

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The conquer'd also, and enslav'd by w ar,
Shall, with their freedom lost, all virtue lose

And fear of God, from whom their piety feign'd

In sharp contést of battle found no aid

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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 temp'rance may be try'd:

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So all shall turn degenerate, all deprav'd,
Justice and temp'rance, truth and faith, forgot;
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,

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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 beheldst,
To save himself, and household, from amidst
A world devote to universal wrack.
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,
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 attribútes 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 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;

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And the clear sun on his wide wat❜ry glass

Gaz'd hot, and of the fresh wave largely drew,

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As after thirst; which made their flowing shrink
From standing lake to tripping ebb, that stole