ARGUMENT. THE angel Michael continues, from the Flood, to relate what shall succeed; then, in the mention of Abraham, comes by degrees to explain who that seed of the woman shall be which was promised Adam and Eve in the Fall; his incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension; the state of the church till his second coming. Adam, greatly satisfied and recomforted by these relations and promises, descends the hill with Michael; wakens Eve, who all this while had slept, but with gentle dreams composed to quietness of mind and submission. Michael in either hand leads them out of Paradise; the fiery sword waving behind them, and the cherubim taking their stations to guard the place. As one who on his journey bates at noon, Though bent on speed; so here the archangel paused Thus thou hast seen one world begin, and end; This second source of men, while yet but few, With large wine-offerings pour'd, and sacred feast, Of proud ambitious heart; who not content Will arrogate dominion undeserved Over his brethren, and quite dispossess a With some regard. 5 10 15 20 25 This answers to the silver age of the poets: the paradisiacal state is the golden one: that of iron begins soon, v. 24.-RICHARDSON. It is generally agreed that the first governments in the world were patriarchal, "by families and tribes;" and that Nimrod was the first who laid the foundation of kingly government among mankind. Milton, therefore, (who was no friend to kingly government at the best,) represents him in a very bad light, as a most wicked and insolent tyrant; but he has great authorities, both Jewish and Christian, to justify him for so doing. NEWTON. Concord and law of nature from the earth; As mock'd they storm: great laughter was in heaven, And hear the din: thus was the building left O execrable son! so to aspire Though of rebellion. 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 This was added by our author, probably not without a view to his own time; when himself and those of his own party were stigmatised as the worst of rebels.-NEWTON. e Marching from Eden. See Gen. xi. 2, &c.: "And it came to pass as they journeyed in the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth."-NEWTON. f See their city. See Gen. xi. 5, &c. The Scripture speaks after the manner of men: so the heathen gods are often represented as coming down to observe human actions, as in the stories of Lycaon, Baucis and Philemon, &c. 8 Confusion named. Babel in Hebrew signifies confusion.-NEWTON. Above his brethren; to himself assuming To whom thus Michael: Justly thou abhorr'st Is lost, which always with right reason dwells Immediately inordinate desires And upstart passions catch the government Man, till then free. Therefore, since he permits ; His outward freedom: tyranny must be Thus will this latter, as the former world, h From human free. Left mankind in full and free possession of their liberty.-HUME. His presence from among them, and avert From all the rest, of whom to be invoked, (Canst thou believe ?) should be so stupid grown, While yet the patriarch lived who 'scaped the flood, To worship their own work in wood and stone For gods! Yet him God the Most High vouchsafes Which he will show him; and from him will raise All nations shall be blest: he straight obeys1; Bred up in idol-worship. 110 115 120 125 130 We read in Josh. xxiv. 2: "Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods." Now as Terah, Abraham's father, was an idolator, I think we may be certain that Abraham was bred up in the religion of his father, though he renounced it afterwards, and in all probability converted his father likewise; for Terah removed with Abraham to Haran, and there died. See Gen. xi. 31, 32.-NEWTON. While yet the patriarch lived. It appears from the computations given by Moses, Gen. xi. that Terah, the father of Abraham, was born two hundred and twenty-two years after the flood, but Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years, Gen. ix. 28; and we have proved from Joshua, that Terah, and the ancestors of Abraham, "served other gods;" and from the Jewish traditions we learn farther, that Terah, and Nachor his father, and Serug his grandfather, were statuaries and carvers of idols: and therefore idolatry was set up in the world, while yet the patriarch lived who 'scaped the flood.-NEWTON. Milton, sensible that this long historical description might grow irksome, has varied the manner of representing it as much as possible; beginning first with supposing Adam to have a prospect of it before his eyes; next, by making the angel the relater of it; and, lastly, by uniting the two former methods, and making Michael see it as in vision, and give a rapturous enlivened account of it to Adam. This gives great ease to the languishing attention of the reader. THYER. n Ur of Chaldæa. See Gen. xi. 31. Chaldæa, a province of Asia, lying east of the Euphrates, and west of the Tigris: Ur, a city of Chaldæa, the country of Abraham and Terah. -NEWTON. • A cumbrous train. The poet here has an opportunity of introducing the picturesque description of Abraham, Of herds and flocks, and numerous servitude; Pitch'd about Sechem, and the neighbouring plain From Hamath northward to the desert south; The grandchild, with twelve sons increased, departs See where it flows, disgorging at seven mouths Raise him to be the second in that realm 135 140 145 150 155 160 In time of dearth; a son, whose worthy deeds Of Pharaoh there he dies, and leaves his race Suspected to a sequent king, who seeks 165 Too numerous; whence of guests he makes them slaves Till by two brethren (these two brethren call Moses and Aaron) sent from God to claim 170 With glory and spoil, back to their promised land. 175 with his long train of flocks, herds, family, and servants, passing in procession the river, which description I consider as a fortunate application of the account given of Jacob's returning from Mesopotamia into Canaan, Gen. xxxii. 13, 16, 22, 23.-DUNSTER. |