Thus over-fond on that, which is not thine. Thy going is not lonely: with thee goes 290 Thy husband; him to follow thou art bound: Where he abides, think there thy native foil. Adam, by this from the cold fudden damp Recovering, and his fcatter'd fpirits return'd, To Michael thus his humble words ad drefs'd. £95 Celestial, whether among the Thrones, or nam'd Of them the higheft; for fuch of shape may seem *Prince above Princes! gently haft thou told Thy meflage, which might elfe in telling wound, And in performing end us, what befides 300 Of forrow, and dejection, and despair, Our frailty can fuftain, thy tidings bring, pray'r 305 And if by Inceffant, I could hope to change the will 310 Of him, who all things can, I would not cease Blown ftifling back on him, that breathes it forth: Therefore to his great bidding I submit. His bléffed count'nance! Here I could fre quent With worship place by place, where he vouchfaf'd Prefence divine; and to my fons relate: ,,On this mount he appear'd; under this „Stood visible; among these pines his voice ,,I heard; here with him at this fountain talk'd." 325 So many grateful altars I would rear I yonder nether world where fhall I feek To whom thus Michael with regard Adam! thou know'ft Heav'n his, and all the Not this rock only. His omnipresence fills Land, fea, and air, and every kind that lives, Fomented by his virtual pow'r, and warm'd. All th' earth he gave thee to possess, and rule: No defpiciable gift! furmife not then 340 His prefence to these narrow bounds confin'd Of Paradife or Eden: this had been Perhaps thy capital feat, from whence had fpread All generations; and had hither come From all the ends of th' earth, to cele And reverence thee their great progenitor, down To dwell on even ground now with thy fons. 350 Yet doubt not but in vallay and in plain With goodness, and paternal love, his face Ere thou from hence depart, know, I am fent By moderation either state to bear, eyes, Here fleep below, while thou to forefight wak'ft, As once thou flept'ft, whilft she to life was form'd. To whom thus Adam gratefully reply'd: 370 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 attain. may won: So both afcend, It fo I 375 Stretch'd out to th'amplect reach of profpect lay. 380 Not higher that hill nor wider looking round, Whereon for different cause the tempter fet Our fecond Adam, in the wilderness; To fhew him earth's kingdoms and their glory. His eye might there command, ftood wherever 385 City of old or modern fame, the feat Down to the golden Cherfonefe; or where Or thence, from Niger flood to Atlas mount *) Ethiopia. |