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, With some regard to what is just and right Shall lead their lives, and multiply apace, Labouring the soil, and reaping plenteous crop, Corn, wine, and oil; and from the herd, or flock, Oft sacrificing bullock, lamb, or kid, With large wine-offerings pour'd, and sacred feast, Shall spend their days in joy unblam'd, and dwell Long time in peace by families and tribes
Under paternal rule; till one shall rise
Of proud ambitious heart, who not content
With fair equality, fraternal state,
Will arrogate dominion undeserv'd Over his brethren, and quite dispossess
Concord and law of nature from the earth;
Hunting, (and men not beasts shall be his game,) 30 With war and hostile snare such as refuse
Subjection to his empire tyrannous. A mighty hunter thence he shall be styl'd Before the Lord, as in despite of heaven, Or from heav'n claiming second sov'reignty; And from rebellion shall derive his name, Though of rebellion others he accuse. He with a crew, whom like ambition joins With him or under him to tyrannize,
Marching from Eden towards the west, shall find 40 The plain, wherein a black bituminous gurge Boils out from under ground, the mouth of hell: Of brick and of that stuff they cast to build
A city and tower, whose top may reach to heaven, And get themselves a name, lest far disperst In foreign lands, their memory be lost, Regardless whether good or evil fame. But God, who oft descends to visit men Unseen, and through their habitations walks To mark their doings, them beholding soon, Comes down to see their city, ere the tower Obstruct heaven-towers, and in derision sets Upon their tongues a various spirit, to rase Quite out their native language, and instead To sow a jangling noise of words unknown. Forthwith a hideous gabble rises loud Among the builders, each to other calls
Not understood, till hoarse, and all in rage,
As mock'd they storm; great laughter was in heav'n, And looking down, to see the hubbub strange And hear the din; thus was the building left Ridiculous, and the work Confusion nam'd.
42 mouth] Type. i. 405. Bentl. MS. In this twelfth book, Bentley says, the editor has seldom mixed his pebbles among the author's diamonds.
42 mouth of hell] Virg. Georg. iv. 467.
'Tænarias etiam fauces, alta ostia Ditis.' Newton.
52 Obstruct] Approach the clouds. Bentl. MS.
60 hubbub] v. F. Queen. iii. x. 43.
' And shrieking hubbubs them approaching nere.' Bowle.
Whereto thus Adam fatherly displeas'd. O execrable son! so to aspire Above his brethren, to himself assuming Authority usurp'd, from God not given. He gave us only over beast, fish, fowl, Dominion absolute; that right we hold By his donation; but man over men He made not lord; such title to himself Reserving, human left from human free. But this usurper his encroachment proud Stays not on man; to God his tower intends Siege and defiance. Wretched man! what food Will he convey up thither to sustain Himself and his rash army, where thin air Above the clouds will pine his entrails gross, And famish him of breath, if not of bread?
To whom thus Michael. Justly thou abhorr'st That son, who on the quiet state of men Such trouble brought, affecting to subdue Rational liberty; yet know withal, Since thy original lapse, true liberty
Is lost, which always with right reason dwells Twinn'd, and from her hath no dividual being: Reason in man obscur'd, or not obey'd,
Immediately inordinate desires
And upstart passions catch the government
82 Rational] National. Bentl. MS.
83 thy] So in Milton's own edition. In Fenton's, Bentley's, and others, it is Since by original lapse.' Newton.
85 Twinn'd] Some editions read 'Twin'd.' Newton.
From reason, and to servitude reduce
Man, till then free. Therefore, since he permits 90 Within himself unworthy powers to reign Over free reason, God in judgment just Subjects him from without to violent lords, Who oft as undeservedly enthral
His outward freedom. Tyranny must be, Though to the tyrant thereby no excuse. Yet sometimes nations will decline so low From virtue, which is reason, that no wrong, But justice, and some fatal curse annex'd, Deprives them of their outward liberty, Their inward lost: witness th' irreverent son Of him who built the ark, who for the shame Done to his father, heard this heavy curse, Servant of servants, on his vicious race. Thus will this latter, as the former world, Still tend from bad to worse, till God at last, Wearied with their iniquities, withdraw His presence from among them, and avert His holy eyes; resolving from thenceforth To leave them to their own polluted ways; And one peculiar nation to select From all the rest, of whom to be invok'd, A nation from one faithful man to spring: Him on this side Euphrates yet residing Bred up in idol-worship; O that men,
103 this] So in Milton's own ed.; but in others, 'his heavy curse.' The corruption first occurs in Tonson's ed. 1711, and is followed by Tickell, Fenton, and Bentley.
Canst thou believe? should be so stupid grown, While yet the patriarch liv'd, who scap'd the flood, As to forsake the living God, and fall
To worship their own work in wood and stone
For Gods! yet him God the most high vouchsafes To call by vision from his father's house,
His kindred, and false Gods, into a land Which he will show him, and from him will raise A mighty nation, and upon him shower His benediction so, that in his seed
All nations shall be bless'd; he straight obeys, Not knowing to what land, yet firm believes. I see him, but thou canst not, with what faith He leaves his Gods, his friends, and native soil Ur of Chaldæa, passing now the ford To Haran, after him a cumbrous train
Of herds, and flocks, and numerous servitude; Not wand'ring poor, but trusting all his wealth. With God, who call'd him, in a land unknown. Canaan he now attains; I see his tents Pitch'd about Sechem, and the neighbouring plain Of Moreh; there by promise he receives
Gift to his progeny of all that land;
From Hamath northward to the desert south,
(Things by their names I call, though yet unnam'd,) From Hermon east to the great western sea, Mount Hermon, yonder sea, each place behold In prospect, as I point them; on the shore Mount Carmel; here the double-founted stream Jordan, true limit eastward; but his sons
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