ARGUMENT of BooK XII.

The angel Michael continues from the flood to relate what fhall fucceed; then, in the mention of Abraham, comes by degrees to explain who that feed of the woman shall be, which was promised Adam and Eve in the fall; his incarnation, death, refurrection, and afcenfion; the State of the Church till his fecond coming. Adam greatly fatisfied and recomforted by thefe relations and promifes, defcends the hill with Michael; wakens Eve, who all this while had flept, but with gentle dreams compofed to quietness of mind and fubmiffion. Michael in either hand leads them out of Paradife, the fiery fword waving behind them, and the Cherubim taking their flations to guard the place.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK XII.

S one who in his journey baits at noon,

[paus'd

Though bent on fpeed; fo here th' archangel

Betwixt the world destroy'd and world reftor'd,
If Adam aught perhaps might interpofe;
Then with transition sweet new fpeech refumes.

Thus thou haft feen one world begin and end;

And man as from a fecond stock proceed. Much thou haft yet to fee; but I perceive Thy mortal fight to fail; objects divine Must needs impair and weary human fenfe: Henceforth what is to come I will relate, Thou therefore give due audience, and attend. This fecond fource of men, while yet but few, And while the dread of judgement past remains Fresh in their minds, fearing the Deity, With fome regard to what is juft and right Shall lead their lives, and multiply apace; Lab'ring the foil, and reaping plenteous crop, Corn, wine, and oil; and from the herd or flock, Oft facrificing bullock, lamb, or kid, With large wine-offerings pour'd, and facred feast, Shall spend their days in joy unblam'd, and dwell Long time in peace, by families and tribes, Under paternal rule: till one fhall rife

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Of proud ambitious heart, who, not content

With fair equality, fraternal ftate,

Will arrogate dominion undeferv'd
Over his brethren, and quite difpoffefs

Concord and law of nature from the earth,

Hunting (and men, not beafts, fhall be his game) 30
With war and hoftile fnare fuch as refuse
Subjection to his empire tyrannous :
A mighty hunter thence he shall be styl'd
Before the Lord, as in defpite of heaven,
Or from heaven claiming second sov’reignty ;
And from rebellion fhall derive his name,
Though of rebellion others he accuse.
He with a crew, whom like ambition joins
With him, or under him to tyrannize,

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Marching from Eden tow'ards the weft, fhall find 40
The plain, wherein a black bituminous gurge
Boils out from under ground, the mouth of hell:
Of brick, and of that ftuff, they caft to build

A city' and tower, whofe top may reach to heaven;
And get themselves a name; left far difpers'd
In foreign lands, their memory be lost,
Regardless whether good or evil fame.
But God, who oft defcends to vifit men
Unfeen, and through their habitations walks
To mark their doings, them beholding foon,
Comes down to fee their city, ere the tower
Obftruct heaven-towers, and in derifion fets
Upon their tongues a various fpi'rit, to cafe
Quite out their native language, and inftead
To fow a jangling noife of words unknown.
Forthwith a hideous gabble rifes loud

Among the builders; each to other calls

Not understood, till hoarfe, and all in rage,

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As mock'd they form; great laughter was in heaven

And looking down, to fee the hubbub ftrange,
And hear the din; thus was the building left
Ridiculous, and the work confufion nam'd.

Whereto thus Adam fatherly difpleas'd.
O execrable fon so to afpire

Above his brethren, to himself affuming
Authority ufurp'd, from God not given:
He gave us only over beaft, fith, fowl
Dominion abfolute; that right we hold
By his donation: but man over men
He made not lord; fuch title to himself
Referving, human left from human free...
But this ufurper his incroachment proud
Stays not on man; to God his tower intends
Siege and defiance. Wretched man! what food
Will he convey up thither to fuftain

Himself and his rafh army, where thin air

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Above the clouds will pine his intrails grofs,

And famish him of breath, if not of bread?

To whom thus Michael. Juftly thou abhorr't

That fon, who on the quiet ftate of men

Such trouble brought, affecting to fubdue
Rational liberty; yet know withal,
Since thy original lapfe, true liberty

Is loft, which always with right reafon dwells
Twinn'd, and from her hath no dividual being: 95
Reason in man obfcur'd, or not obey'd,

Immediately inordinate defires

And upftart paffions catch the government

From Reason, and to fervitude reduce

Man till then free. Therefore, fince he permits
Within himfelf unworthy powers to reign
Over free reafon, God, in judgement juit,
Subjects him from without to violent lords;
Who oft as undefervedly inthral

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His outward freedom: tyranny must be,
Though to the tyrant thereby no excufe.
Yet fometimes nations will decline fo low
From virtue, which is reason, that no wrong,
But juftice, and fome fatal curfe annex'd,
Deprives them of their outward liberty,
Their inward loft: witnefs th' irreverent fon
Of him who built the ark, who, for the shame
Done to his father, heard this heavy curfe,
Servant of fervants, on his vicious race.
Thus will this latter, as the former world,
Still tend from bad to worfe, till God at laft,
Wearied with their iniquities, withdraw
His prefence from among them, and avert
His holy eyes; refolving from thenceforth
To leave them to their own polluted ways;
And one peculiar nation to felect

From all the reft, of whom to be invok'd,
A nation from one faithful man to spring:
Him on this fide Euphrates yet refiding,
Bred up in idol-worship; O that men

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(Canft thou believe?) fhould be so stupid grown, While yet the patriarch liv'd, who fcap'd the flood, As to forfake the living God, and fall

To worship their own work in wood and stone

For gods yet him God the Moft High vouchfafes.
To call by vifion from his father's houfe,

His kindred, and falfe gods, into a land-
Which he will fhow him, and from him will raife.
A mighty nation, and upon him fhower
His benediction fo, that in his feed

All nations fhall be blefs'd; he frait obeys,
Not knowing to what land, yet firm believes..
I fee him, but thou canst not, with what faith
He leaves his gods, his friends, and native foil

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