The ARGUMENT of Book XI.

THE Son of God presents to his Father the prayers of our firft parents now repenting, and intercedes for them: God accepts them, but declares that they must no longer abide in Paradife; fends Michael with a band of Cherubim to difpoffefs them; but first to reveal to Adam future things: Michael's coming down. Adam fhows to Eve certain ominous figns; he difcerns Michael's approach, goes out to meet him: the angel denounces their departure. Eve's lamentation. Adam pleads, but fubmits: the angel leads him up to a high hill; fets before him in vifion what shall happen till the flood.

B.XI

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK XI.

HUS they in lowlieft plight repentant stood
Praying; for from the mercy-feat above
Prevenient grace defcending had remov'd

The ftony from their hearts, and made new flesh
Regenerate grow inftead, that fighs now breath'd
Unutterable, which the spi'rit of pray'r

Infpir'd, and wing'd for heav'n with speedier flight
Than loudeft oratory: yet their port

Not of mean fuitors, nor important less
Seem'd their petition, than when th' ancient pair
In fables old, lefs ancient yet than thefe,
Deucalion and chafte Pyrrha, to reftore-
The race of mankind drown'd, before the shrine
Of Themis ftood devout.

To heav'n their pray'rs

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ΙΟ

L'. 2. Mercy feat.] It was a covering of pure folid gold, made exactly to fit the dimensions of the ark, to which the two cherubims of gold were fixed, and spread their wings over it; placed in the tabernacle, and in Solomon's temple, under the two cherubims. was two cubits and an half in length, and a cubit and an half in breadth. See Exod. xxv. 17, 18, 21.

It

L. 12. Deucalion.] Lat. Gr. i. e. calling upon God. An ancient king of Theffaly, the fon of Prometheus, contemporary with Cecrops king of Athens, about A. M. 2437, in whofe reign a great inundation happened in Greece. He with his wife only were faved in a little boat upon mount Parnaffus, till the waters abated.

Ibid. Pyrrha.] Lat. Gr. i. e. fire; because of her fingular piety, zeal for the gods, and chastity. She was the wife of Deucalion. Thefe names were very fuitable to the character given to Noah and his wife.

L. 14. Themis.] Lat. Gr. i. e. just, or right; because she taught men to petition the gods for thofe things that were right and fit: or Heb. from Tham, or Thummim, i. c. perfect, upright. "A goddess,

Flew up, nor miss'd the way, by envious winds
Blown vagabond or fruftrate: in they pass'd
Dimenfionless through heav'nly doors; then clad
With incenfe, where the golden altar fum'd
By their great Interceffor, came in fight
Before the Father's throne: them the glad Son
Prefenting, thus to intercede began:

See, Father, what firft-fruits on earth are fprung
From thy implanted grace in man, these fighs
And pray'rs, which in this golden cenfer, mix'd
With incenfe, I thy Prieft before thee bring;
Fruits of more pleafing favour from thy feed
Sown with contrition in his heart, than thofe
Which his own hand manuring all the trees
Of Paradife could have produc'd, ere fall'n
From innocence. Now therefore bend thine ear
To fupplication; hear his fighs though mute:
Unfkilful with what words to pray, let me
Interpret for him, me his advocate

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And propitiation; all his works on me,

Good or not good, ingraft; my merit those

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Shall perfect; and for these my death shall pay.

Accept me, and in me from these receive

The smell of peace toward mankind; let him live
Before thee reconcil'd, at leaft his days

Number'd, though fad, till death, his doom, (which I 40
To mitigate thus plead, not to reverse),
To better life fhall yield him, where with me
All my redeem'd may dwell in joy and blifs,
Made one with me, as I with thee am one.

To whom the Father, without cloud, ferene:

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All thy request for man, accepted Son,
Obtain; all thy requeft was my decree.

that had an oracle upon mount Parnaffus; thither those two addreffed themselves for counfel, how the loft race of mankind might be restored.