With him or under him to tyrannize, Marching from Eden tow'rds the weft, fhall Of brick, and of that ftuff they caft to build A city and tow'r, whose top may reach to Heav'n; And get themselves a name: fpers'd left far di 45 In foreign lands their memory be lost; Comes down to fee foon, Obftruct Heav'n-to heir 50 city, ere the tow'r and in derision sets Upon their tongues a varions fpirit, to rafe Quite our their native language: and instead To fow a jangling nofe of words unknown. 55 Forthwith a hideous gabble rises loud Among the builders: each to other calls And looking down, to see the hubbub ftrage, 60 And hear the din: thus was the building left Ridiculous; and the work Confufion nam'd., Whereto thus Adam, fatherly difpleas'd. O execrable fon! so to aspire 65 Above his brethren; to himself assuming 70 75 Will he convey up thither to sustain 1 To whom thus Michael. Juftly thou ab- That fon, who on the quiet state of men 80 Is loft, which always with right reason dwells Twin'd, and from her hath no dividual being: Reason in man obfcur'd, or, not obey'd, 85 And upftart paffions cateh the government Within himself unworthy pow'rs to reign His outward freedom. Tyranny muft be; 95 wrong, 100 But juftice, and fome fatal curfe annex'd, Done to his father, heard his heavy curfe. Το leave them to their own polluted ways: 110 And one peculiar nation to felect grown, While yet the patriarch liv'd, who fcap'd the stood, As to forfake the living God, and fall To worship their own work in wood and ftone For Gods! yet him God the most High vouch To caft by vifion from his father's house, His kindred and falfe Gods, into at land, Which he will fhew him: and from him will raife 125 A mighty nation! and upon him show'r I fee him, but thou canst not, with what faith He leaves his Gods, his friends, and native 130 Ur of Chaldaea, paffing now the ford With God, who cali'd him, in a land unknown. Canaan he now attains; I fee his tents 135 Pitch'd about Sichem, and the neighb'ring plain Of Moreh. There by promife he receives 140 nam'd, From Hermon eaft, to the great western sea; Mount Hermon, yonder fea, each place behold In profpect, as I point them, on the shore Mount Carmel; here the double founted ftream, Jordan, true limit eastward: but his fons 145 The ferpent's head; whereof to the anon 150 |