and Eve, as part of his panoramic description of future times,
that a mighty hunter shall arise, claiming dominion over his fellows,
and gather under him a band of adherents. This is clearly Nimrod. Milton
separates him and his subjects from the rest of mankind, and represents
them as the people who settled on "the plain in the land of Shinar."

According to our great poet, therefore, the confusion of tongues applied
only to them, and the other inhabitants of the earth retained the
primeval language in all its original purity. This detachment, says
Michael--

Marching from Eden towards the west, shall find
The plain, wherein a black bituminous gurge,
Boils out from underground, the mouth of Hell:
Of brick, and of that stuff they cast to build
A city and a tower, whose top may reach to Heaven;
And get themselves a name, lest, far dispersed
In foreign lands, their memory be lost,
Regardless whether good or evil fame.
But God, who oft descends to visit men
Unseen, and through their habitations walks
To mark their doings, them beholding soon,
Comes down to see their city, ere the tower
Obstruct Heav'n-tow'rs, and in derision sets
Upon their tongue a various spirit to rase
Quite out their native language, and instead
To sow a jangling noise of words unknown.
Forthwith a hideous gabble rises loud
Among the builders; each to other calls
Not understood, till hoarse, and all in rage,
As mock'd, they storm: great laughter was in Heaven,
And looking down, to see the hubbub strange
And hear the din; thus was the building left
Ridiculous, and the work Confusion named.

If the Tower of Babel was built over the mouth of Hell it would be wise
to explore its site and make proper excavations, so as to settle the
geography and physical character of the bottomless-pit. The Churches
are sadly in want of a little information about hell, and here is an
opportunity for them to acquire it, We hope the explorers will all be
selected for their extreme piety, so that they may be as fire-proof as
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and happily escape cremation.

Because the Lord "did there confound their language" the place was
"called Babel." The Hebrew root, _balal_ to confound, is not, however,
that from which the word "Babel" is derived, It is a compound of "Bel,"
and may mean the "House of Bel," "Court of Bel," or "Gate of