Of arts that polish life, inventors rare,

610

Unmindful of their Maker, though his Spirit Taught them; but they his gifts acknowledg'd none. Yet they a beauteous ofspring shall beget;

gay,

615

For that fair female troop thou faw'ft, that seem'd
Of Goddeffes, fo blithe, fo fmooth, fo
Yet empty of all good wherein consists
Woman's domestic honor and chief praise;
Bred only and completed to the taste

Of luftful appetence, to fing, to dance,

625

To dress, and troll the tongue, and roll the eye. 620
To these 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 smiles
Of these fair atheists, and now swim in joy,
Erelong to swim at large; and laugh, for which
The world erelong a world of tears must weep.
To whom thus Adam,of short joy bereft.
O pity and shame, that they who to live well
Enter'd fo fair, fhould turn aside 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,

630

Said th' Angel, who should better hold his place 635 By wisdom, and fuperior gifts receiv'd.

But now prepare thee for another scene.

He

640

He look'd, and faw wide territory spread
Before him, towns, and rural works between,
Cities of men,with lofty gates and towers,
Concourse in arms, fierce faces, threatning war,
Giants of mighty bone, and bold emprise;
Part wield their arms, part curb the foaming steed,
Single,or in array of battel rang'd,
Both horfe and foot, nor idly muft'ring ftood; 645
One way,a band select from forage drives
A herd of beeves, fair oxen and fair kine,
From a fat meadow ground; or fleecy flock,
Ewes,and their bleating lambs,over the plain,
Their booty; fcarce with life the fhepherds fly, 650
But call in aid, which makes a bloody fray;
With cruel torneament the squadrons join;

Where cattel paftur'd late, now scatter'd lies
With carcaffes and arms th'insanguin'd field,
Deserted: Others to a city ftrong

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

With dart and javelin, stones and fulphurous fire;

On each hand flaughter and gigantic deeds.
In other part,the scepter'd heralds call

To council in the city gates: anon

65.

66

Gray-headed men and grave, with warriors mix'd, Assemble, and harangues are heard; but soon

In factious opposition, till at last

Of middle age one rifing, eminent

6

In wife deport, spake much of right and wrong,
Of justice, of religion, truth and peace,

And judgment from above: him old and young
Exploded, and had feis'd with violent hands,

Had not a cloud descending snatch'd him thence 670
Unseen 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,

Death's minifters, not men, who thus deal death
Inhumanly to men, and multiply

Ten thousandfold the fin of him who flew
His brother: for of whom fuch massacre

675

Make they but of their brethren, men of men? 680 But who was that just man, whom had not Heaven Rescued, had in his righteousness been loft?

To whom thus Michael. These are the product Of thofe ill mated marriages thou saw'ft;

Where good with bad were match'd, who ofthemselves

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

686

For in those days might only fhall be` admir'd,
And valor and heroic virtue call'd;
To overcome in battel, and subdue

690

Nations, and bring home spoils with infinite
Man-slaughter, shall be held the highest pitch
Cc c

Of

69

Of human glory; and for glory done
Of triumph, to be ftil'd great conquerors,
Patrons of mankind, Gods, and fons of Gods;
Destroyers rightlier call'd,and plagues of men.
Thus fame fhall be achiev'd, renown on earth,
And what most merits fame in filence hid.
But he the fev'nth from thee, whom thou beheldft 70
The only righteous in a world perverse,

And therefore hated, therefore so beset

With foes,for daring fingle to be just,

70

And utter odious truth, that God would come
To judge them with his Saints: him the most High
Rapt 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 fhow thee what reward
Awaits the good, the rest what punishment;
Which now direct thine eyes and foon behold.

He look'd, and faw the face of things quite chang
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,
Marrying or prostituting, as befel,

Rape or adultry, where passing fair

Allur'd them; thence from cups to civil broils.
At length a reverend fire among them came,
And of their doings great dislike declar'd,
And testify'd against their ways; he oft

7

Frequen

Frequented their assemblies, whereso met,
Triumphs or festivals; and to them preach'd
Conversion and repentance, as to fouls

In prison under judgments imminent:

725

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 highth,
Smear'd round with pitch, and in the fide a door
Contriv'd, and of provifions laid in large
For man and beast: when lo'a wonder strange!
Of every beaft, and bird, and infect fmall,
Came fev'ns, and pairs, and enter'd in, as taught 735
Their order: laft the fire, and his three fons,

740

With their four wives; and God made faft the door.
Mean while the fouthwind rofe, and with black wings,
Wide hovering, all the clouds together drove
From under Heav'n; the hills to their supply
Vapor, and exhalation dusk and moist,
Sent up amain; and now the thicken'd sky
Like a dark cieling stood; down rush'd the rain
Impetuous, and continued till the earth

No more was feen; the floting vessel swum

745

Uplifted, 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 sea,