O Eve! some further change awaits us nigh,
Which Heav'n, by these mute figas in nature, fhews
Forerunners of his purpose : or to warn 195
Us, haply too secure , of our discharge
From penalty, because from Death releas'd
Some days: how long, and what till then our life,
Who knows? Or more than this, that we are duft,
And thither must return and be no more? 200
Why else this double object in our fight,
Of flight persu'd in th'air, and o'er the ground,
One way the self-fame hour? Why in the east
Darkness e're day's mid-course? And morning-light
More orient in yon western cloud, that draws 205
O'er the blue firmament a radiant white;
And flow descends, with fomething heav'nly fraught?

He err'd not; for by this the heavonly bands
Down from a sky of jasper lighted now
In Paradise, and on a hill made halt:

210
A glorious apparition! had not doubt
And carnal fear that day dimm’d ADAM's eye.
Not that more glorious, when the Angels met
JACOB, in MAHANAIM, where he saw
The field pavilion'd with his guardians bright: 215
Nor that, 'which on the flaming mount appear'd
In DOTHAN, cover'd with a camp of fire,
Against the SYRIAN King; who to surprize
One man, assassine like, had levy'd war;
War unproclaim'd. The Princely Hierarch 220
In their bright stand there left his Pow'rs, to seiso
Possession of the garden: he alone,
To find where Adam Thelter'd, took his way;
Not unperceiv'd of ADAM, who to Evs,
While the great visitant approach'd, thus fpake. 225

Eve, now expect great tidings, which perhaps
Of us will soon determine; or impose
New laws to be observ'd: for I descry,

From

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From yonder blazing cloud that veils the hill,
One of the heav'nly hoft, and by his gait 239
None of the meanest: some great Potentate ,
Or of the Thrones above; such majesty
Invests him coming! yet not terrible,
That I should fear, nor sociably mild,
As RAPHAEL, that I should much confide ,

235 But solemn and subline: whom not t'offend, With reverence I must meet, and thou retire.

He ended, and th' Arch-Angel soon drew nigh, Not in his shape cælestial, but as man Clad to meet man: over his lucid arms

240 A military veft of purple flow'd, Livelier than MEĻIBO E AN, or the grain Of SARRA, worn by Kings and Heroes old in time of truce: IRIS had dipp'd the wooff: His ftarry helm unbuckld, mew'd him prime

245 In manhood, where youth ended: by his side (As in a glist'ring Zodiac ) hung the sword, Satan's dire dread; and in his hand the spear. ADAM bow'd low: he, Kingly, from his state Inclin'd not, but his coming thus declar'd, 250

ADAM! Heav'n's high beheft no preface needs : Sufficient that thy pray’rs are heard, and Death, (Then due by sentence when thou didst transgress) Defeated of his seisure, many days Giv'n thee of grace, wherein thou may ft repent, 255 And one bad act with many deeds well done May'st cover: well may then thy Lord, appeasid, Redeem thee quite from Death's rapacious claim, But longer in this Paradise to dwell Bermits not: to remove thee I am come, 260 And send thee from the garden forth, to till The ground whence thou waft taken, fitter foil !

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