640

He look'd, and faw wide territory spread Before him, towns, and rural works between, Cities of men,with lofty gates and towers, Concourfe in arms, fierce faces, threatning war, Giants of mighty bone, and bold emprise; Part wield their arms, part curb the foaming steed, Single,or in array of battel rang'd,

Both horse and foot, nor idly muft'ring ftood; 645
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 fhepherds fly, 650
But call in aid, which makes a bloody fray;
With cruel torneament the fquadrons join;

Where cattel paftur'd late, now scatter'd lies
With carcaffes and arms th'infanguin'd field,
Deserted: Others to a city strong

Lay fiege, incamp'd; by battery, fcale, and mine,
Affaulting; others from the wall defend
With dart and javelin, ftones and fulphurous fire;
On each hand slaughter and gigantic deeds.
In other part,the scepter'd heralds call

To council in the city gates: anon

655

* 660

Gray-headed men and grave, with warriors mix'd, Affemble, and harangues are heard; but foon

In factious opposition, till at last

Of middle age one rifing, eminent

665

In

835

So might the wrath. Fond wish! couldst thou support
That burden heavier than the earth to bear,
Than all the world much heavier, though divided
With that bad Woman? Thus what thou defir'st
And what thou fear'st, alike destroys all hope
Of refuge, and concludes thee miserable
Beyond all past example and futúre,

To Satan only like both crime and doom.
O Conscience, into what abyss of fears

840

845

And horrors haft thou driv'n me; out of which
I find no way, from deep to deeper plung'd!
Thus Adam to himself lamented loud
Through the still night; not now, as ere Man fell,
Wholesome and cool, and mild, but with black air
Accompanied, with damps and dreadful gloom,
Which to his evil confcience represented

All things with double terror: on the ground 850
Outftretch'd he lay, on the cold ground, and oft
Curs'd his creation, death as oft accus'd
Of tardy execution, fince denounc'd

The day of his offence. Why comes not death,
Said he, with one thrice acceptable ftroke
To end me? fhall truth fail to keep her word,
Juftice divine not haften to be just?

But death comes not at call, justice divine
Mends not her flowest pace for pray'rs or cries.

855.

O woods, O fountains, hillocs, dales and bowers, 860 With other echo late I taught your shades

To

Of human glory; and for glory done
Of triumph, to be ftil'd great conquerors,
Patrons of mankind, Gods, and fons of Gods;
Destroyers rightlier call'd,and plagues of men.
Thus fame shall be achiev'd, renown on earth,
And what most merits fame in filence hid.

695

But he the fev❜nth from thee, whom thou beheldst 700 The only righteous in a world perverse,

And therefore hated, therefore so beset

With foes,for daring single to be just,

And utter odious truth, that God would come

To judge them with his Saints: him the most High

Rapt in a balmy cloud,with winged steeds,

706

Did, as thou faw'ft, receive, to walk with God
High in falvation and the climes of blifs,
Exempt from death; to fhow thee what reward
Awaits the good, the reft what punishment;
Which now direct thine eyes and foon behold.
He look'd, and saw the face of things quite chang'd;
The brazen throat of war had ceas'd to roar;

710

All now was turn'd to jollity and game,

715

To luxury and riot, feast and dance,
Marrying or profstituting, as befel,
Rape or adultry, where paffing fair

Allur'd them; thence from cups to civil broils.
At length a reverend fire among them came,
And of their doings great dislike declar'd,
And testify'd against their ways; he oft

720

Frequented

With Spirits mafculine, create at last

890

This novelty on earth, this fair defect

Of nature, and not fill the world at once
With Men,as Angels, without feminine,

Or find fome other way to generate

Mankind? this mischief had not then befall'n, 895
And more that fhall befall, innumerable
Disturbances on earth through female snares,
And ftrait conjunction with this fex: for either
He never fhall find out fit mate, but fuch
As fome misfortune brings him, or mistake;
Or whom he wishes most shall seldom gain
Through her perverfenefs, but shall see her gain'd
By a far worse; or if she love, withheld

By parents; or his happiest choice too late

Shall meet, already link'd and wedlock-bound 905
To a fell adversary, his hate or shame:
Which infinite calamity fhall caufe

To human life, and houfhold peace confound.
He added not, and from her turn'd; but Eve
Not fo repuls'd, with tears that ceas'd not flowing, 910
And treffes all disorder'd, at his feet
Fell humble, and embracing them, besought
His peace, and thus proceeded in her plaint.

Forfake me not thus, Adam, witnefs Heaven
What love fincere, and reverence in my heart
I bear thee, and unweeting have offended,
Unhappily deceiv'd; thy fuppliant

915

I beg, and clasp thy knees; bereave me not,

Whereon I live, thy gentle

looks, thy aid,

Thy counsel in this uttermoft distress,

My only strength and flay: forlorn of thee,
Whither fhall I betake me, where subsist?

92

While yet we live, scarce one short hour perhaps,
Between us two let there be peace, both joining,
As join'd in injuries, one enmity

Against a foe by doom express affign'd us,
That cruel Serpent: On me exercise not
Thy hatred for this misery befall'n,
On me already loft, me than thyself

More miferable; both have finn'd, but thou
Against God only, I against God and thee,
And to the place of judgment will return,
There with my cries importune Heav'n, that all
The fentence from thy head remov'd may light
On me, fole cause to thee of all this woe,
Me, me only, just object of his ire.

She ended, weeping; and her lowly plight,
Immoveable till peace obtain'd from fault
Acknowledg'd and deplor'd, in Adam wrought
Commiferation; foon his heart relented
Towards her, his life fo late, and fole delight,
Now at his feet submissive in distress;
Creature fo fair his reconcilement seeking,
His counsel, whom she had difpleas'd, his aid;
As one difarm'd, his anger all he loft,

9

9