Familiar to our eyes, all places elfe
Inhofpitable appeer 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 wearie him with my affiduous cries:
But prayer against his abfolute decree
No more avails than breath against the wind,
Blown ftifling back on him that breaths it forth :
Therefore to his great bidding I submit.
This most afflicts me, that departing hence,
As from his face I fhall be hid, depriv'd
His bleffed count'nance; here I could frequent,
With worship, place by place where he voutfaf’d'
Prefence divine, and to my fons relate;
On this mount he appeer'd, under this tree
Stood visible, among thefe pines his voice
I heard, here with him at this fountain talk'd:
So many grateful altars I would reare
Of graffie terfe, and pile up every stone
Of luftre from the brook, in memorie,
Or monument to ages, and thereon
Offer sweet smelling gumms and fruits and flours:
In yonder nether world where shall I feek
His bright appearances, or footstep trace ?
For though I fled him angrie, 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 benigne.
Adam, thou know'ft heav'n his, and all the earthy
ot this rock only; his omnipresence fills and, sea, and air, and every kind that lives, omented by his virtual power and warm'd : All th'earth he gave thee to poffefs and rule, Jo despicable gift; furmise not then
lis presence to these narrow bounds confin'd
Of Paradise or Eden: this had been
Perhaps thy capital seat, from whence had spred
All generations, and had hither come
From all the ends of the earth, to celebrate
And reverence thee their great progenitor.
But this præeminence thou hast lost, brought down
To dwell on eeven ground now with thy fons:
Yet doubt not but in vallie 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
Express, and of his steps the track divine.
Which that thou mayst believe, and be confirm'd
Ere thou from hence depart, know I am fent
To fhew 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 enur'd
By moderation either state to bear,
Profperous or adverse: fo fhalt thou lead
Safeft thy life, and best prepar'd endure
Thy mortal paffage when it comes. Afcend
This hill; let Eve (for I have drencht her eyes)
Here fleep below while thou to forefight wak'ft,
As once thou flepft, while fhe to life was form'd.
To whom thus Adam gratefully repli'd.
Afcend, I follow thee, fafe guide, the path
Thou leadft me, and to the hand of Heav'n submit, However chastning, to the evil turn
My obvious breast, arming to overcome
By fuffering, and earn reft from labour won,
If fo I may attain. So both afcend
In the vifions of God: it was a hill
Of Paradife the higheû, from whose top
The hemifphere of earth in cleerest ken
Strecht out to the amplest reach of prospect lay.
Not higher that hill nor wider looking round,
Whereon for different cause the tempter fet
Our fecond Adam in the wilderness,
To fhew him all earth's kingdoms and their glory.
His eye might there command wherever stood
City of old or modern fame, the feat
Of mightiest empire, from the deftin'd walls
Of Cambalu, feat of Cathaian Can
And Samarchand by Oxus, Temir's throne,
To Paquin of Sinæan kings, and thence
To Agra and Lahor of great Mogul
Down to the golden Cherfonese, or where
The Perfian in Ecbatan fate, or fince
In Hifpahan, or where the Ruffian Kfar
In Mofco, or the Sultan in Bizance,
Turchestan born; nor could his eye not ken
Th'empire of Negus to his utmost port
Ercoco and the less Maritime kings
Mombaza, and Quiloa, and Melind,
And Sofala thought Ophir, to the realm
Of Congo, and Angola fardest south;
Or thence from Niger flood to Atlas mount
The kingdoms of Almanzor, Fez and Sus,
Morocco and Algiers, and Tremifen;
On Europe thence, and where Rome was to fway
The world in spirit perhaps he also saw
Rich Mexico the feat of Montezume,
And Cusco in Peru, the richer feat
Of Atabalipa, and yet unfpoil'd
Guiana, whofe great city Geryon's fons
Call El Dorado: but to nobler fights
Michael from Adam's eyes the filme remov'd
Which that falfe fruit that promis'd clearer fight
Had bred; then purged with euphrafie and rue
The visual nerve, for he had much to fee;
And from the well of life three drops inftill'd.
So deep the power of thefe ingredients pierc'd,
Ev'n to the inmost seat of mental fight,
That Adam now enforc't to close his eyes,
Sunk down and all his fpirits became intrans't:
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 some to spring from thee, who never touch'd Th'excepted tree, nor with the snake conspir'd, Nor finn'd thy fin, yet from that derive Corruption to bring forth more violent deeds,
His eyes he op'nd, and beheld a field,
Part arable and tilth, whereon were fheaves
New reapt, the other part sheep-walks and foulds;
I'th'midft an altar as the land-mark ftood
A sweatie reaper from his tillage brought
Firft fruits, the green eare, and the yellow fheaf,
Uncull'd, as came to hand; a shepherd next
More meek came with the firstlings of his flock
Choicest and best; then sacrificing, laid
The inwards and their fat, with incense strew'd,
On the cleft wood, and all due rites perform'd,
His offering foon propitious fire from heav'n
Confum'd with nimble glance, and grateful steame ;
The others not, for his was not fincere ;
Whereat he inlie rag'd, and as they talk'd,
Smote him into the midriff with a stone
That beat out life; he fell, and deadly pale
Groan'd out his foul with gushing blood effus'd.
Much at that fight was Adam in his heart
Difmai'd, and thus in haste to th'angel cri'd.
O Teacher, fome great mischief hath befall'n
To that meek man, who well had sacrific'd;
Is pietie thus and pure devotion paid?
T'whom Michael thus, he also mov'd, repli’d.'. Thefe two are brethren, Adam, and to come Out of thy loins; th’unjust the just hath flain, For envy that his brother's offering found From heav'n acceptance; but the bloodie fact Will be aveng'd, and th'others faith approvid Lofe no reward, though here thou see him die,
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