THE

E LEVENTH BOOK

O F

PARADISE LOST.

THE ARGUMEN T.

The Son of God prefents to his Father the prayers of our first 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 shows 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.

Sea, air, and shore; the thunder when to roll
With terror through the dark aereal hall.
Some say he bid his Angels turn ascanse
The poles of earth,twice ten degrees and more
From the fun's axle; they with labor push'd
Oblique the centric globe: Some, say the sun,
Was bid turn reins from th'equinoctial road
Like distant breadth to Taurus,with the feven
Atlantic Sifters, and the Spartan Twins,
Up to the Tropic Crab; thence down amain
By Leo and the Virgin and the Scales,
As deep as Capricorn, to bring in change
Of seasons to each clime; else had the spring
Perpetual smil'd on earth, with vernant flowers,
Equal in days and nights, except to those
Beyond the polar circles; to them day
Had unbenighted fhone; while the low fun,
To recompense his distance, in their fight
Had rounded ftill th'horizon, and not known

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Or east or weft; which had forbid the fnow
From cold Eftotiland, and fouth as far
Beneath Magellan. At that tafted fruit

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The fun, as from Thyéftean banquet, turn'd

His course intended; elfe how had the world

Inhabited, though finless, more than now,

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Avoided pinching cold andscorching heat?

These changes in the Heav'ns, though flow, produc'd Like change on fea and land, fideral blast,

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See, Father, what first fruits on earth are sprung From thy implanted grace in Man, these sighs And pray'rs, which in this golden censer, mix'd With incenfe, I,thy prieft, before thee bring; Fruits of more pleasing favor from thy feed Sown with contrition in his heart, than those, Which, his own hand manuring,all the trees Of Paradise could have produc'd, ere fall'n From innocence. Now therefore bend thine ear 30 To fupplication, hear his fighs though mute; Unfkilful with what words to pray, let me Interpret for him, me his advocate And propitiation; all his works on me, Good or not good,ingraft, my merit those Shall perfect, and for these death fhall pay.

my

Accept me, and in me from these receive

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

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Number'd, though fad; till death, his doom, (which I 40
To mitigate thus plead, not to reverse)
To better life shall yield him; where with me
All my redeem'd may dwell in joy and bliss,

Made one with me as I with thee am one.

To whom the Father, without cloud, ferene. 45 All thy request for Man, accepted Son, Obtain; all thy requeft was my decree: But longer in that Paradise to dwell, The law I gave to nature him forbids:

Those

The glory of that glory, who,now become
Accurs'd of bleffed, hide me from the face
Of God, whom to behold was then my highth
Of happiness! yet well, if here would end
The misery; I deferv'd it, and would bear
My own defervings; but this will not ferve;
All that I eat or drink, or shall beget,

Is propagated curse. O voice once heard
Delightfully, Increase and multiply,

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Now death to hear! for what can I increase
Or multiply, but curses on my head?
Who, of all ages to fucceed, but feeling
The evil on him brought by me, will curse
My head? Ill fare our ancestor impure,
For this we may thank Adam; but his thanks
Shall be the execration; fo befides

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Mine own that bide upon me, all from me,
Shall with a fierce reflux on me redound;
On me, as on their natural center light,
Heavy, though in their place. O fleeting joys
Of Paradise, dear bought with lasting woes!
Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay
To mold me Man, did I folicit thee

From darkness to promote me, or here place
In this delicious garden? as my will
Concurr'd not to my being, it were but right
And equal to reduce me to my dust,
Defirous to resign and render back

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