Into thin air diffus'd: for now began

Night with her sullen wings to double-shade

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The desert; fowls in their clay nests were couch'd; And now wild beasts came forth the woods to roam.

The End of the First Book.

PARADISE REGAIN’D.

BOOK II.

MEAN while the new-baptiz'd, who yet remain'd
At Jordan with the Baptist, and had seen
Him whom they heard so late expressly call'd
Jesus Messiah Son of God declar'd,

And on that high authority had believ'd,

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ΤΟ

And with him talk'd, and with him lodg'd, I mean
Andrew and Simon, famous after known,
With others, though in Holy Writ not nam'd,
Now missing him their joy so lately found,
So lately found, and so abruptly gone,
Began to doubt, and doubted many days,
And as the days increas'd, increas'd their doubt :
Sometimes they thought he might be only shown,
And for a time caught up to God, as once
Moses was in the mount, and missing long; 15
And the great Thisbite, who on fiery wheels
Rode up to Heav'n, yet once again to come.
Therefore as those young prophets then with care
Sought lost Elijah, so in each place these
Nigh to Bethabara; in Jericho

The city' of Palms, Ænon, and Salem old,
Machærus, and each town or city wall'd
On this side the broad lake Genezaret,

Volume III.

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Or in Perea; but return'd in vain.

Then on the bank of Jordan, by a creek,

25

Where winds with reeds and osiers whisp'ring play,
Plain fishermen, no greater men them call,
Close in a cottage low together got,

Their unexpected loss and plaints out breath'd.
Alas, from what high hope to what relapse 30
Unlook'd for are we fall'n! our eyes beheld
Messiah certainly now come, so long
Expected of our fathers; we have heard
His words, his wisdom full of grace and truth;
Now, now, for sure, deliverance is at hand,
The kingdom shall to Israel be restor❜d;
Thus we rejoic'd, but soon our joy is turn'd
Into perplexity and new amaze :

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For whither is he gone, what accident

Hath wrapt him from us? will he now retire

40

After appearance, and again prolong

Our expectation? God of Israël,

Send thy Messiah forth, the time is come;

Behold the kings of th' earth how they oppress
Thy chosen, to what highth their power unjust 45
They have exalted, and behind them cast
All fear of thee; arise and vindicate
Thy glory, free thy people from their yoke.
But let us wait; thus far he hath perform'd,
Sent his Anointed, and to us reveal'd him,
By his great Prophet, pointed at and shown
In public, and with him we have convers'd;
Let us be glad of this, and all our fears

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Lay on his Providence; he will not fail,

55

Nor will withdraw him now, nor will recal,
Mock us with his blest sight, then snatch him hence;
Soon we shall see our Hope, our Joy return.

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[pure,

66

70

Thus they out of their plaints new hope resume To find whom at the first they found unsought: But to his mother Mary, when she saw Others return'd from baptism, not her son, Nor left at Jordan tidings of him none, Within her breast, though calm, her breast though Motherly cares and fears got head, and rais'd [clad. Some troubled thoughts, which she in sighs thus O what avails me now that honor high To have conceiv'd of God, or that salute Hail highly favour'd, among women blest! While I to sorrows am no less advanc'd, And fears as eminent, above the lot Of other women, by the birth I bore, In such a season born when scarce a shed Could be obtain'd to shelter him or ine From the bleak air; a stable was our warmth, A manger his; yet soon enforc'd to fly Thence into Egypt, till the murd'rous king Were dead, who sought his life, and missing fill'd With infant blood the streets of Bethlehem ; From Egypt home return'd, in Nazareth Hath been our dwelling many years; his life Private, unactive, calm, contemplative, Little suspicious to any king; but now Full grown to man, acknowledg'd, as I hear,

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Sir, what ill chance hath brought thee to this So far from path or road of men, who pass [place In troop or caravan ? for single none

Durst ever, who return'd, and dropt not here 324
His carcass, pin'd with hunger and with drouth.
I ask the rather, and the more admire,

For that to me thou seem'st the Man whom late
Our new baptizing Prophet at the ford

Of Jordan honor'd so, and call'd thee Son
of God; I saw and heard, for we sometimes 330
Who dwell this wild, constrain'd by want, come
To town or village nigh (nighest is far)

[forth
Where ought we hear, and curious are to hear,
What happens new; Fame also finds us out.
To whom the Son of God. Who brought me hither,
Will bring me hence; no other guide I seek. 336
By miracle he may, reply'd the swain,

340

What other way I see not, for we here
Live on tough roots and stubs, to thirst inur'd
More than the camel, and to drink go far,
Men to much misery and hardship born;
But if thou be the Son of God, command
That out of these hard stones be made thee bread,
So shalt thou save thyself and us relieve
With food, whereof we wretched seldom taste. 345

He ended, and the Son of God reply'd :

Think'st thou such force in bread? Is it not written
(For I discern thee other than thou seem'st)
Man lives not by bread only, but each word
Proceeding from the mouth of God, who fed

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