Page:Paradise lost by Milton, John.djvu/397

Rh Bent up amain; and now the thickened sky Like a dark ceiling stood: down rushed the rain Impetuous, and continued till the earth No more was seen. The floating vessel swum Uplifted, and secure, with beaked prow, Rode tilting o'er the waves; all dwellings else Flood overwhelmed, and them, with all their pomp, Deep underwater rolled; sea covered sea, Sea without shore; and in their palaces, Where luxury late reigned, sea-monsters whelped And stabled: of mankind, so numerous late, All left in one small bottom swum embarked. How didst thou grieve then, Adam, to behold The end of all thy offspring, end so sad, Depopulation! Thee another flood, Of tears and sorrow a flood, thee also drowned, And sunk thee as thy sons; till, gently reared By the Angel, on thy feet thou stoodest at last, Though comfortless; as when a father mourns His children, all in view destroyed at once; And scarce to the Angel utteredst thus thy plaint:
 * "O visions ill foreseen! better had I

Lived ignorant of future, so had borne My part of evil only, each day's lot Enough to bear. Those now, that were dispensed The burden of many ages, on me light At once, by my foreknowledge gaining birth Abortive, to torment me ere their being,