And after him, the surer messenger, A dove sent forth once and again to spy Green tree or ground, whereon his foot The second time returning, in his bill An olive-leaf he brings, pacific sign. Anon dry ground appears, and from his ark The ancient sire descends, with all his train: Then with uplifted hands, and eyes devout, Grateful to Heaven, over his head beholds A dewy cloud, and in the cloud a bow Conspicuous with three listed colours gay, Betokening peace from God, and covenant new. Whereat the heart of Adam, erst so sad, Greatly rejoiced; and thus his joy broke forth: "O thou, who future things canst represent As present, heavenly Instructor! I revive At this last sight; assured that man shall live, With all the creatures, and their seed preserve. Far less I now lament for one whole world Of wicked sons destroy'd, than I rejoice For one man found so perfect, and so just, That God vouchsafes to raise another world From him, and all his anger to forget.
But say, what mean those color'd streaks in heaven Distended, as the brow of God appeased? Or serve they, as a flowery verge, to bind The fluid skirts of that same watery cloud, Lest it again dissolve, and shower the earth?" To whom the' archangel. Dextrously thou So willingly doth God remit his ire, [aim'st; Though late repenting him of man depraved; Grieved at his heart, when looking down he saw The whole earth fill'd with violence, and all flesh Corrupting each their way; yet, those removed,
Such grace shall one just man find in his sight, That he relents, not to blot out mankind; And makes a covenant never to destroy The earth again by flood; nor let the sea Surpass his bounds; nor rain to drown the world, With man therein or beast; but, when he brings Over the earth a cloud, will therein set His triple-color'd bow, whereon to look, And call to mind his covenant. Day and night, Seed-time and harvest, heat and hoary frost, Shall hold their course; till fire purge all things
Both heaven and earth, wherein the just shall dwell."
The angel Michael continues, from the flood, to relate what shall succeed then, in the mention of Abraham, comes by degrees to explain who that seed of the woman shall be, which was promised Adam and Eve in the fall: his incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension: the state of the church till his second coming. Adam, greatly satisfied and recomforted by these relations and promises, descends the hill with Michael; wakens Eve, who all this while had slept, but with gentle dreams composed to quietness of mind and submission. Michael in either hand leads them out of Paradise, the fiery sword waving behind them, and the Cherubim taking their stations to guard the place.
As one who in his journey bates at noon, Though bent on speed; so here the' archangel paused
Betwixt the world destroy'd and world restored, If Adam aught perhaps might interpose; Then, with transition sweet, new speech resumes: "Thus thou hast seen one world begin, and end; And man, as from a second stock, proceed. Much thou hast yet to see: but I perceive Thy mortal sight to fail: objects divine Must needs impair and weary human sense: Henceforth what is to come I will relate ; Thou therefore give due audience, and attend. "This second source of men, while yet but few, And while the dread of judgment past remains Fresh in their minds, fearing the Deity,
Express, and of his steps the track divine. Which that thou may'st believe, and be confirm'd Ere thou from hence depart; know, I am sent To show thee what shall come in future days To thee, and to thy offspring: good with bad Expect to hear: supernal grace contending With sinfulness of men; thereby to learn True patience, and to temper joy with fear And pious sorrow; equally inured By moderation either state to bear, Prosperous or adverse: so shalt thou lead Safest thy life, and best prepared endure Thy mortal passage when it comes.-Ascend This hill; let Eve (for I have drench'd her eyes) Here sleep below; while thou to foresight wakest; As once thou slept'st, while she to life was form'd." To whom thus Adam gratefully replied: "Ascend; I follow thee, safe Guide! the path Thou lead'st me; and to the hand of Heaven submit, However chastening: to the evil turn
My obvious breast; arming to overcome By suffering, and earn rest from labor won, If so I may attain."--So both ascend In the visions of God. It was a hill, Of Paradise the highest; from whose top The hemisphere of earth, in clearest ken, Stretch'd out to the' amplest reach of prospect lay. Not higher that hill, nor wider looking round, Whereon, for different cause, the Tempter set Our second Adam, in the wilderness;
To show him all earth's kingdoms, and their glory. His eye might there command wherever stood City of old or modern fame, the seat
Of mightiest empire, from the destined wall
Of Cambalu, seat 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 Chersonese; or where The Persian in Ecbatan sat, or since In Hispahan; or where the Russian Ksar In Mosco; or the Sultan in Bizance, Turchestan-born: nor could his eye not ken The 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 furthest south; Or thence, from Niger flood to Atlas mount, The kingdoms of Almansor, Fez and Sus, Morocco, and Algiers, and Tremisen:
On Europe thence, and where Rome was to sway The world. In spirit perhaps he also saw Rich Mexico, the seat of Montezume; And Cusco in Peru, the richer seat Of Atabalipa; and yet unspoil'd Guiana, whose great city Geryon's sons Call El Dorado. But to nobler sights Michael from Adam's eyes the film removed, Which that false fruit, that promised clearer sight, Had bred: then purged with euphrasy and rue The visual nerve, for he had much to see; And from the well of life three drops instill'd. So deep the power of these ingredients pierced, Even to the inmost seat of mental sight, That Adam, now enforced to close his eyes, Sunk down, and all his spirits became entranced; But him the gentle angel by the hand
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