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The 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 fhall be, which was promised Adam and Eve in the fall; his incarnation, death, refurrection, and afcenfion; the fate of the church till his fecond coming. Adam, greatly fatisfied and recomforted by these relations and promises, defcends the hill with Michael; wakens Eve, who all this while had flept, but with gentle dreams compos'd 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 ftations to guard the place.

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BZI

PARADISE LOST.

воок XII.

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S one who in his journey baits at noon, Tho' bent on fpeed; fo here th' archangel paus'd Betwixt the world destroy'd and world restor'd, If Adam ought perhaps might interpofe; Then with transition sweet new speech resumes. 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 fense: Henceforth what is to come 1 will relate, Thou therefore give due audience, and attend. This fecond fource of men, while yet but few, And while the dread of judgment past remains

L. 1. As one, &c.] In the first edition, before the last book was divided into two, the narration went on without any interruption; but upon that division in the fecond edition, thefe first five lines were inferted. This addition begins the book very gracefully, and is indeed (to apply the author's own words) a fweet tranfition.Newton.

L. II. Henceforth what is to come I will relate.] Mr. Addifon obferves, that if Milton's poem flags any where, it is in this "narration:" And to be fure, if we have an eye only to poetick decoration, his remark is juft: But, if we view it in another light, and confider in how fhort a compafs he has comprised, and with what ftrength and clearness he has expreffed the various actings of God towards mankind, and the most fublime and deep truths, both of the Jewish and Christian theology, it must excite no lefs admiration in the mind of an attentive reader, than the more fpritely fcenes of love and innocence in Eden, or the more turbulent ones of angelick war in heaven.

Fresh in their minds, fearing the Deity,
With fome regard to what is just 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,

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Under paternal rule: till one fhall rife

Of proud ambitious heart, who, not content

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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 beasts, shall 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 heav'n,
Or from heav'n claiming fecond fov'reignty;
And from rebellion fhall derive his name,
Though of rebellion others he accuse.

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L. 24. One, viz. Nimrod, or Belus; Noah's great grandson, the father of Ninus, who firft ufurped over the patriarchs, and first took up arms against the wild beafts, which were then very numerous, powerful, and mifchievous; then he made himself the head of his companions, then the king over all the reft, about A. M. 1720. Nimrod, Heb. i. e. a rebel; for he rebelled against God, in building the tower of Babel, and against men, in ufurping monarchial government, and overturning the patriarchal. He is Belus among the heathens, the founder of the Affyrian monarchy, the first inAtance of idolatry, and was the Bel or Baal (Heb. i. e. lord) of the Affyrians, Babylonians, and all the world.

L. 37. Though of rebellion others he accufe.] This was added by' our author, probably not without a view to his own time, when himself, and thofe of his party, were ftigmatized as the worst of rebels. Newton.