Adam by this from the cold fudden damp
Recovering, and his fcatter'd spi'rits return'd,
To Michael thus his humble words addrefs'd.
Celestial, whether among the Thrones, or nam'd
Of them the high'eft, for fuch of shape may seem
Prince above princes, gently haft thou told
Thy meffage, which might elfe in telling wound,
And in performing end us; what besides
Of forrow and dejection and defpair
Our frailty can fuftain, thy tidings bring,
Departure from this happy place, our fweet
Recefs, and only confolation left
Familiar to our eyes, all places else
Inhofpitable' appear and defolate,
Nor knowing us nor known: and if by prayer
Inceffant I could hope to change the will
Of him who all things can, I would not cease
To weary him with my affiduous cries:
But pray'r against his abfolute decree
No more avails than breath against the wind,
Blown ftifling back on him that breathes it forth :
Therefore to his great bidding I submit.
This moft afflicts me, that departing hence,
As from his face I shall be hid, depriv'd
His bleffed count'nance; here I could frequent
With worthip place by place where he vouchfaf'd
Prefence divine, and to my fons relate,
On this mount he appear'd, under this tree
Stood vifible, among these pines his voice
I heard, here with him at this fountain talk'd:
So many grateful altars I would rear
Of graffy turf, and pile up every stone
Of luftre from the brook, in memory,
Or monument to ages, and thereon
Offer sweet-smelling gums and fruits and flowers :
In yonder nether world where shall I feek
His bright appearances, or foot-step trace?
For though I fled him angry, yet, recall'd
To life prolong'd and promis'd race, I now
Gladly behold though but his utmost skirts
Of glory, and far off his steps adore.
To whom thus Michael with regard benign.
Adam, thou know'ft Heav'n his, and all the Earth,
Not this rock only'; his omnipresence fills
Land, fea, and air, and every kind that lives,
Fomented by his virtual power and warm'd:
All th' earth he gave thee to poffefs and rule,
No defpicable gift; furmife not then
His prefence to these narrow bounds confin'd
Of Paradife or Eden: this had been
Perhaps thy capital seat, from whence had spread
All generations, and had hither come
From all the ends of th' earth, to celebrate
And reverence thee their great progenitor.
But this præeminence thou' haft loft, brought down To dwell on even ground now with thy fons:
Yet doubt not but in valley and in plain
God is as here, and will be found alike
Prefent, and of his presence many a fign
Still following thee, ftill compaffing thee round
With goodness and paternal love, his face
Exprefs, and of his steps the track divine.
Which that thou may'st believe, and be confirm'd 355
Ere thou from hence depart, know I am fent
To show thee what shall come in future days
To thee and to thy offspring; good with bad
Expect to hear, fupernal grace contending
With finfulness of men; thereby to learn
True patience, and to temper joy with fear
And pious forrow, equally inur'd
By moderation either ftate to bear,
Profperous or adverse: so shalt thou lead
Safeft thy life, and beft prepar'd indure
Thy mortal paffage when it comes.
This hill; let Eve (for I have drench'd her eyes)
Here fleep below, while thou to forefight wak'ft;
As once thou flept'ft, while she to life was form'd,
To whom thus Adam gratefully reply'd.
Afcend, I follow thee, fafe Guide, the path
Thou lead'ft me', and to the hand of Heav'n fubmit,
However chaft'ning, to the evil turn
My obvious breast, arming to overcome
By fuffering, and earn reft from labor won,
If fo I may attain. So both afcend
In the vifions of God: It was a hill
Of Paradise the highest, from whose top
The hemifphere of earth in clearest ken
Stretch'd out to th' ampleft reach of prospect lay. 380
Not high'er that hill nor wider looking round,
Whereon for different caufe the Tempter fet
H
Our fecond Adam in the wilderness,
To shew him all earth's kingdoms and their glory.
His eye might there command wherever stood
City of old or modern fame, the feat
Of mightieft empire, from the deftin'd walls
Of Cambalu, feat of Cathaian Can,
And Samarchand by Oxus, Temir's throne,
To Paquin of Sinaan kings, and thence
To Agra and Lahor of great Mogul
Down to the golden Cherfonese, or where
The Perfian in Ecbatan fat, or fince
In Hifpahan, or where the Ruffian Kfar
In Mofco, or the Sultan in Bizance,
Turcheftan-born; nor could his eye not ken
Th' empire of Negus to his utmost port
Ercoco, and the lefs maritim kings
Mombaza, and Quiloa, and Melind,
And Sofala thought Ophir, to the realm
Of Congo, and Angola fartheft fouth;
Or thence from Niger flood to Atlas mount
The kingdoms of Almanfor, Fez and Suz,
Marocco and Algiers, and Tremisen ;
On Europe thence, and where Rome was to fway 405 The world in fpi'rit perhaps he also faw
Rich Mexico the feat of Montezume,
Which that falfe fruit that promis'd clearer fight
Had bred; then purg'd with euphrafy and rue
The visual nerve, for he had much to fee;
And from the well of life three drops instill'd.
So deep the power of these ingredients pierc'd,
E'en to th' inmost seat of mental fight,
That Adam now enforc'd to close his eyes,
Sunk down, and all his fpirits become intranc'd; 420 But him the gentle Angel by the hand
Soon rais'd, and his attention thus recall'd.
Adam, now ope thine eyes, and first behold
Th' effects which thy original crime hath wrought
In fome to spring from thee, who never touch'd 425
Th' excepted tree, nor with the fnake confpir'd,
Nor finn'd thy fin, yet from that fin derive
Corruption to bring forth more violent deeds.
His eyes he open'd, and beheld a field,
Part arable and tilth, whereon were sheaves
New reap'd, the other part sheep-walks and folds;
I' th' midst an altar as the land-mark stood,
Ruftic, of graffy ford; thither anon
A fweaty reaper from his tillage brought
Firft fruits, the green ear, and the yellow fheaf, 435
Uncull'd, as came to hand; a fhepherd next
More meek came with the firstlings of his flock
Choicest and best; then facrificing, laid
The inwards and their fat, with incense ftrow'd,
On the cleft wood, and all due rites perform'd.
His offering foon propitious fire from Heaven
Confum'd with nimble glance, and grateful steam;
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