Due nourishment, not gluttonous delight, Till many years over thy head return: So may'st thou live, till like ripe fruit thou drop 535 Gather'd, not harshly pluck'd, for death mature: Thy youth, thy ftrength, thy beauty, which will change To wither'd, weak, and gray; thy fenfes then 540 Obtufe, all tafte of pleasure must forgo, To what thou haft; and for the air of youth, To weigh thy fpirits down, and last confume My diffolution. Michaël reply'd. Nor love thy life, nor hate; but what thou liv'st Live well, how long or fhort permit to Heaven: And now prepare thee for another fight. 545 550 555 He look'd, and faw a spacious plain, whereon Were tents of various hue; by some were herds Of cattel grazing; others, whence the found Of inftruments that made melodious chime Was heard, of harp and organ; and who mov'd 560 Their ftops and chords was feen; his volant touch Inftinct through all proportions low and high 565 Fled and purfu'd transverse the resonant fugue. But on the hither fide, a different fort 570 From the high neighb'ring hills, which was their seat, Just men they feem'd, and all their study bent In gems and wanton drefs; to th' harp they fung Soft amorous ditties, and in dance came on: The men, though grave, ey'd them, and let their eyes Rove without rein, till in the amorous net Faft caught, they lik'd, and each his liking chose; And now of love they treat, till th' evening star, Love's harbinger, appear'd; then all in heat They light the nuptial torch, and bid invoke Hymen, then first to marriage rites invok'd: With feaft and mufic all the tents refound. 590 Such Such happy interview and fair event 595 Of love and youth not loft, fongs, garlands, flowers, Of peaceful days portends, than those two paft; 600 To whom thus Michael. Judge not what is best By pleasure, though to nature feeming meet, Created, as thou art, to nobler end Holy and pure, conformity divine. 605 610 Those tents thou faw'ft so pleasant, were the tents For that fair female troop thou faw'ft, that feem'd Yet empty of all good wherein confists Bred only and completed to the taste Of luftful appetite, to fing, to dance, 615 To drefs, and troll the tongue, and roll the eye. 620 To these that fober race of men, whofe lives Religious titled them the fons of God, Shall Shall yield up all their virtue, all their fame O pity' and fhame, that they who to live well 625 630 Holds on the fame, from Woman to begin. From Man's effeminate flackness it begins, Said th' Angel, who should better hold his place 635 By wisdom and fuperior gifts receiv'd. But now prepare thee for another scene. He look'd, and faw wide territory spread Before him, towns, and rural works between, Cities of men with lofty gates and towers, Concourfe in armis, fierce faces threatning war, Giants of mighty bone, and bold emprife; 640 Part wield their arms, part curb the foaming steed, Both horfe and foot, nor idly must'ring stood; 645 A herd of beeves, fair oxen and fair kine 650 Where Where cattel paftur'd late, now scatter'd lies With carcaffes and arms th' infanguin'd field Deferted: Others to a city strong 655 Lay fiege, incamp'd; by battery, fcale, and mine, With dart and javelin, stones and sulphurous fire; Grey-headed men and grave, with warriors mix'd, Of middle age one rifing, eminent In wife deport, fpake much of right and wrong, 660 665 Had not a cloud defcending fnatch'd him thence 670 Unseen amid the throng: fo violence Proceeded, and oppreffion, and fword-law Through all the plain, and refuge none was found. Adam was all in tears, and to his guide Lamenting turn'd full fad; O what are thefe, 675 Death's minifters, not men, who thus deal death Inhumanly to men, and multiply Ten thousand fold the fin of him who flew His brother: for of whom fuch maffacre Make they but of their brethren, men of men? 680 But who was that just man, whom had not Heaven Rescued, had in his righteousness been loft? Το |