What we receive, would either not accept

505

Life offer'd, or foon beg to lay it down,

Glad to be fo difmis'd in peace. Can thus
Th' Image of God in man created once

So goodly and erect, though faulty since,
To fuch unfightly fufferings be debas'd

Under inhuman pains? Why should not Man,
Retaining ftill Divine fimilitude

In part, from fuch deformities be free,
And for his Maker's Image fake exempt ?

Their Maker's Image, answer'd Michael, then
Forfook them, when themselves they vilifi'd
To ferve ungovern'd appetite, and took
His Image whom they serv'd, a brutish vice,
Inductive mainly to the fin of Eve.
Therefore fo abject is their punishment,
Disfiguring not God's likeness, but their own,
Or if his likeness, by themselves defac'd
While they pervert pure nature's healthful rules
To loathsome sickness; worthily, fince they
God's Image did not reverence in themselves.

I yield it juft, faid Adam, and fubmit. But is there yet no other way, befides

These painful paffages, how we may come

To Death, and mix with our connatural duft?

530

There is, faid Michael, if thou well obferve
The rule of not too much, by temperance taught
In what thou eat'ft and drink'st, seeking from thence
Due Nourishment, no gluttonous delight,

Till many years over thy head return:

So may'st thou live, till like ripe Fruit thou drop

535

Into thy Mother's lap, or be with ease

Gather'd, not harfhly pluck'd, for Death mature:
This is Old Age; but then thou must outlive

Thy youth, thy ftrength, thy beauty, which will change

ΤΟ

To wither'd, weak and gray; thy Senses then
Obtufe, all taste of pleasure must forgo,
To what thou haft, and for the Air of youth
Hopeful and chearful, in thy blood will reign
A melancholy damp of cold and dry
To weigh thy Spirits down, and laft confume
The Balm of Life. To whom our Anceftor.

Henceforth I fly not Death, nor would prolong
Life much, bent rather how I may be quit
Faireft and cafieft of this cumbrous charge,

Which I must keep till my appointed day

540

545

550

Of rendring up, and patiently attend
My diffolution. Michael reply'd.

Nor love thy Life, nor hate; but what thou liv'ft
Livewell, how long or short permit to Heav'n:
And now prepare thee for another fight.

555

He look'd and faw a fpacious Plain, whereon Were Tents of various hue; by fome were herds Of Cattle grazing; others, whence the found Of Inftruments that made melodious chime Was heard, of Harp and Organ; and who mov'd 560 Their ftops and chords was feen: his volant touch Inftinct though all Proportions low and high Fled and purfu'd tranfverfe the refonant fugue. In other part ftood one who at the Forge Labouring, two maffie clods of Iron and Brass Had melted (whether found where cafual fire Had wafted Woods on Mountain or in Vale, Down to the Veins of Earth, thence gliding hot To fome Cave's mouth, or whether wash'd by ftream From under ground) the liquid Ore he drein'd Into fit moulds prepar'd; from which he form'd First his own Tools; then, what might else be wrought Fufil or grav'n in metal. After these,

565

570

But

But on the Hither fide a different fort

From their high neigh'bring Hills, which was their Seat,
Down to the Plain defcended: by their guise
Juft Men they seem'd, and all their study bent

576

To worship God aright, and know his works

Not hid, nor those things laft which might preferve
Freedom and Peace to Men: they on the Plain
Long had not walk'd, when from the Tents behold

580

A Beavy of fair Women, richly gay

In Gems and wanton dress; to the harp they fung
Soft amorous Dieties, and in dance came on:

The Men tho' grave ey'd them, and let their eyes 585
Rove without rein, till in the amorous Net

Firft caught, they lik'd, and each his liking chofe ;
And now of Love they treat till th' Evening Star
Love's Harbinger appear'd; then all in heat
They light the Nuptial Torch, and bid invoke
Hymen, then firft to marriage-rites invok'd:
With Feaft and Mufick all the Tents refound.
Such happy interview and fair event

590

595

Of love and youth not loft, Songs, Garlands, Flow'rs,
And charming Symphonies attach'd the heart
Of Adam, foon inclin❜d t' admit delight,
The bent of Nature; which he thus expreft.

True opener of mine eyes, prime Angel bleft,
Much better feems this Vision, and more hope
Of peaceful days portends, than those two paft;
Those were of hate and death, or pain much worse,
Here Nature feems fulfill'd in all her ends.

To whom thus Michael. Judge not what is best By pleasure, though to Nature seeming meet, Created, as thou art, to nobler end

Holy and pure, conformity divine.

Those Tents thou faw'ft so pleasant, were the Tents
Of Wickedness, wherein fhall dwell his Race

600

605

Who

Who flew his Brother; ftudious they appear

Of Arts that polish Life, Inventers rare,
Unmindful of their Maker, though his Spirit
Taught them, but they his gifts acknowledg'd none.
Yet they a Beauteous Off-fpring fhall beget;
For that fair Female Troop thou faw'ft, that seem'd
Of Goddeffes, fo blithe, fo fmooth, fo gay,

Yet empty of all Good wherein confifts
Woman's domestick honour and chief praise ;
Bred only and completed to the tafte

Of luftful appetence, to fing, to dance,

To drefs, and troule the tongue, and roll the Eye,
To these that fober Race of Men, whofe lives
Religious titl'd them the Sons of God,
Shall yield up all their virtue, all their fame
Ignobly, to the trains and to the smiles
Of these fair Atheists, and now swim in joy,
(E're long to swim at large) and laugh; for which
The world e're long a world of tears must

weep.

To whom thus Adam of fhort joy bereft.
O pity and fhame, that they who to live well
Enter'd fo fair, fhould turn afide to tread
Paths indirect, or in the mid way faint!
But ftill I fee the tenour of Man's woe
Hold on the fame, from Woman to begin.

610

615

620

625

630

From Man's effeminate flackness it begins,

Said th' Angel, who should better hold his place
By wisdom, and fuperior gifts receiv'd.

635

But now prepare thee for another Scene.
He look'd and faw wide Territory fpread

Before him, Towns, and Rural works between,

Cities of Men with lofty Gates and Tow'rs,

640

Concourse in Arms, fierce Faces threatning war,

Giants of mighty Bone, and bold emprise;

Part

Part weild their Arms, part curb the foaming Steed,
Single or in Array of Battle rang'd

Both Horse and Foot, noridely mustering stood;
One way a Band select from forage drives

A Herd of Beeves, fair Oxen and fair Kine
From a fat Meadow ground; or fleecy Flock,
Ewes and their bleating Lambs over the Plain
Their Booty; fcarce with Life the Shepherds fly,
But call in aid, which makes a bloody Fray;
With cruel Tournament the Squadrons join ;
Where Cattle paftur'd late, now scatter'd lyes
With Carcaffes and Arms th' enfanguin'd Field
Deserted: Others to a City ftrong

:645

Lay Siege, encamp'd; by Battery, Scale, and Mine,
Affaulting; others from the wall defend

With Dart and Jav'lin, Stones and fulph'rous Fire;
On each hand flaughter and gigantic deeds.

In other part the fcepter'd Heralds call
To Council in the City Gates: anon

655

660

Grey-headed Men and grave, with Warriours mix'd, Affemble, and Harangues are heard, but foon

In factious opposition, till at laft

Of middle Age one rifing, eminent

In wife deport, fpake much of Right and Wrong,
Of Juftice, of Religion, Truth and Peace,
And Judgment from above: him old and young
Exploded and had seiz'd with violent hands,

665

Had not a Cloud descending snatch'd him thence 670 Unseen amid the Throng; fo Violence

Proceeded, and Oppreffion, and Sword-Law

Through all the Plain, and refuge none was found.

Adam was all in tears, and to his Guide

Lamenting turn'd full fad ; O what are these,

675

Death's Minifters, not Men, who thus deal Death

Inhumanly to Men, and multiply

Ten thousandfold the fin of him who flew

His