236
��PARADISE LOST
��With all his verdure spoiled, and trees
adrift,
Down the great River to the opening Gulf, And there take root, an island salt and
bare, The haunt of seals, and ores, and sea-mews'
clang
To teach thee that God attributes to place No sanctity, if none be thither brought By men who there frequent or therein
dwell.
And now what f urder shall ensue behold." He looked, and saw the Ark hull on the
flood, 8 4 o
Which now abated; for the clouds were
fled,
Driven by a keen North-wind, that, blow- ing dry,
Wrinkled the face of Deluge, as decayed; And the clear sun on his wide watery glass Gazed hot, and of the fresh wave largely
drew, As after thirst; which made their flowing
shrink From standing lake to tripping ebb, that
stole With soft foot towards the deep, who now
had stopt His sluices, as the heaven his windows
shut. The Ark no more now floats, but seems on
ground, 850
Fast on the top of some high mountain
fixed.
And now the tops of hills as rocks appear; With clamour thence the rapid currents
drive Towards the retreating sea their furious
tide.
Forthwith from out the ark a Raven flies, And, after him, the surer messenger, A Dove, sent forth once and again to spy Green tree or ground whereon his foot may
light;
The second time returning, in his bill An olive-leaf he brings, pacific sign. 860 Anon dry ground appears, and from his
ark The ancient sire descends, with all his
train;
Then, with uplifted hands and eyes devout, Grateful to Heaven, over his head beholds A dewy cloud, and in the cloud a Bow Conspicuous with three listed colours gay,
��Betokening peace from God, and covenant
new.
Whereat the heart of Adam, erst so sad, Greatly rejoiced; and thus his joy broke
forth:
" O thou, who future things canst repre- sent 870 As present, Heavenly Instructor, I revive At this last sight, assured that Man shall
live,
With all the creatures, and their seed pre- serve.
Far less I now lament for one whole world Of wicked sons destroyed than I rejoice For one man found so perfet and so just That God voutsafes to raise another world From him, and all his anger to forget. But say what mean those coloured streaks in Heaven: 879
Distended as the brow of God appeased ? Or serve they as a flowery verge to bind The fluid skirts of that same watery cloud, Lest it again dissolve and shower the
Earth ? " To whom the Archangel: " Dextrously
thou aim'st.
So willingly doth God remit his ire: Though late repenting him of Man de- praved, Grieved at his heart, when, looking down,
he saw The whole Earth filled with violence, and
all flesh
Corrupting each their way; yet, those re- moved,
Such grace shall one just man find in his sight 890
That he relents, not to blot out mankind, And makes a covenant never to destroy The Earth again by flood, nor let the sea Surpass his bounds, nor rain to drown the
world With man therein or beast; but, when he
brings
Over the Earth a cloud, will therein set His triple-coloured bow, whereon to look And call to mind his Covenant. Day and
night, Seed - time and harvest, heat and hoary
frost,
Shall hold their course, till fire purge all things new, 900
Both Heaven and Earth, whorein the just shall dwell."
�� �
