551

In glory of the Father, to dissolve
Satan with his perverted World; then raise
From the conflagrant mass, purged and refined,
New Heavens, new Earth, Ages of endless date
Founded in righteousness and peace
and love,
To bring forth fruits, joy and eternal bliss.'
He ended; and thus Adam last replied
'How soon hath thy prediction, Seer blest,
Measured this transient World, the race of Time,
Till Time stand fixed! Beyond is all abyss-
Eternity, whose end no eye can reach.
Greatly instructed I shall hence depart,
Greatly in peace of thought, and have my fill
Of knowledge, what this vessel can contain;
Beyond which was my folly to aspire.
Henceforth I learn that to obey is best,
And love with fear the only God, to walk
As in his presence, ever to observe
His providence, and on him sole depend,
Merciful over all his works, with good
Still overcoming evil, and by small
Accomplishing great things-by things deemed

weak

560

570

Subverting worldly-strong, and worldly-wise
By simply meek; that suffering for Truth's sake
Is fortitude to highest victory,
And to the faithful death the gate of life—
Taught this by his example whom I now
Acknowledge my Redeemer ever blest.'

To whom thus also the Angel last replied
"This having learned, thou hast attained the sum
Of wisdom; hope no higher, though all the star
Thou knew'st by name, and all the etherea
powers,

The

sum of Wisdom

591

A All secrets of the Deep, all Nature's works, Paradise Or works of God in heaven, air, earth, or sea. within And all the riches of this world enjoy'dst, 580 And all the rule, one empire. Only add Deeds to thy knowledge answerable; add faith; Add virtue, patience, temperance; add love, By name to come called Charity, the soul Of all the rest: then wilt thou not be loth To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess A Paradise within thee, happier far. Let us descend now, therefore, from this top Of speculation; for the hour precise Exacts our parting hence; and, see! the guards, By me encamped on yonder hill, expect Their motion, at whose front a flaming sword, In signal of remove, waves fiercely round. We may no longer stay. Go, waken Eve; Her also I with gentle dreams have calmed, Portending good, and all her spirits composed To meek submission: thou, at season fit, Let her with thee partake what thou hast heard— Chiefly what may concern her faith to know, The great deliverance by her seed to come (For by the Woman's Seed) on all mankind— That ye may live, which will be many days, Both in one faith unanimous; though sad With cause for evils past, yet much more cheered With meditation on the happy end.'

600

He ended, and they both descend the hill. Descended, Adam to the bower where Eve Lay sleeping ran before, but found her waked; And thus with words not sad she him received:Whence thou return'st and whither went'st I know;

610

Paradise

For God is also in sleep, and dreams advise, Last
Which he hath sent propitious, some great good look on
Presaging, since, with sorrow and heart's distress
Wearied, I fell asleep. But now lead on;
In me is no delay; with thee to go
Is to stay here; without thee here to stay
Is to go hence unwilling; thou to me
Art all things under Heaven, all places thou,
Who for my wilful crime art banished hence.
This further consolation yet secure

620

I carry hence though all by me is lost,
Such favour I unworthy am voutsafed,
By me the Promised Seed shall all restore.'

So spake our mother Eve; and Adam heard
Well pleased, but answered not; for now too nigh
The Archangel stood, and from the other hill
To their fixed station, all in bright array,
The Cherubim descended, on the ground
Gliding meteorous, as evening mist
Risen from a river o'er the marish glides, 630
And gathers ground fast at the labourer's heel
Homeward returning. High in front advanced,
The brandished sword of God before them
blazed,

Fierce as a comet; which with torrid heat,
And vapour as the Libyan air adust,
Began to parch that temperate clime; whereat
In either hand the hastening Angel caught
Our lingering parents, and to the eastern gate
Led them direct, and down the cliff as fast
To the subjected plain-then disappeared. 640
They, looking back, all the eastern side beheld
Of Paradise, so late their happy seat,
Waved over by that flaming brand; the gate

Paradise With dreadful faces thronged and fiery arms. is lost Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped

them soon;

The world was all before them, where to choose
Their place of rest, and Providence their guide.
They, hand in hand, with wandering steps and

slow,
Through Eden took their solitary way.

THE END OF THE TWELFTH BOOK

GLOSSARY

|

Abarim, a mountain range
in Moab, of which Nebo
was the highest peak.
Abassin, Abyssinian.
Abbana, a river flowing
through Damascus.
abide, pay for, iv. 87.
abortive, full of abortive or