Our fupreme foe, in time, may much remit His anger: and perhaps thus far remov'd, Not mind us not offending, fatisfy'd With what is punish'd: whence these raging fires Will flacken, if his breath ftir not their flames. Our purer effence then will overcome
Their noxious vapor; or enur'd, not feel;
Or chang'd at length, and to the place conform'd In temper, and in nature, will receive
Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain. This horror will grow mild, this darkness, light: Besides what hope the never-ending flight
Of future days may bring, what chance, what change Worth waiting, fince our prefent lot appears For happy, though but ill; for ill, not worst; If we procure not to our felves more woe. Thus Belial with words cloath'd in reason's garb Counsel'd ignoble eafe, and peaceful floth, Not peace and after him thus Mammon spake.
Either to difinthrone the King of heav'n
We war, if war be beft, or to regain Our own right loft: Him to unthrone we then May hope, when everlasting Fate shall yield To fickle Chance, and Chacs judge the ftrife: The former vain to hope, argues as vain The latter for what place can be for us Within heav'n's bound, unless heav'n's Lord fupreme We over-power? Suppofe He should relent And publish grace to all, on promise made Of new subjection: with what eyes could we
Stand in His presence humble, and receive Strict laws impos'd, to celebrate His throne With warbled hymns, and to his Godhead fing Forc'd Hallelujahs? while He lordly fits Our envy'd Sov'reign, and His altar breathes Ambrofial odors, and Ambrofial flow'rs, Our fervile offerings! This must be our task In heav'n, this our delight; how wearifome Eternity so spent, in worship paid
To whom we hate! Let us not then pursue By force impoffible, by leave obtain'd Unacceptable, though in heav'n, our state
Of splendid vaffalage: but rather feek
Our own good from ourselves, and from our own Live to ourselves; though in this vast recess, Free, and to none accountable; preferring
Hard liberty before the eafie yoke
Of fervile pomp. Our greatness will appear Then moft confpicuous, when great things of small, Useful of hurtful, profperous of adverse
We can create; and in what place foe'er Thrive under evil, and work eafe out of pain,
Through labor and indurance. This deep world Of darkness do we dread? how oft amidst Thick clouds and dark, doth heav'n's all-ruling Sire Chufe to refide, His glory unobscur'd?
And with the majesty of darkness round
Covers His throne; from whence deep thunders roar Muft'ring their rage, and heav'n resembles hell? As He our darkness, cannot we His light
Imitate when we pleafe? This defert foil Wants not her hidden luftre, gems, and gold: Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise Magnificence; and what can heav'n fhew more? Our torments alfo may in length of time Become our elements; these piercing fires As foft as now fevere, our temper chang'd Into their temper; which must needs remove The fenfible of pain. All things invite To peaceful counfels, and the fettled state Of order, how in fafety best we may Compose our prefent evils, with regard Of what we are, and were; difmiffing quite All thoughts of war.---Ye have what I advise.
He scarce had finish'd, when fuch murmur fill'd Th' affembly, as when hollow rocks retain 285 The found of blust'ring winds, which all night long Had rouz'd the fea, now with hoarfe cadence lull Sea-faring men o'erwatch'd, whose bark by chance, Or pinnace, anchors in a craggy bay
After the tempeft: such applause was heard As Mammon ended, and his fentence pleas'd, Advising peace. For, fuch another field They dreaded worfe than hell: fo much the fear Of thunder, and the sword of Michael,
Wrought still within them; and no lefs defire 295 To found this nether empire, which might rise, By policy, and long process of time,
In emulation opposite to heav'n.
Which when Beelzebub perceiv'd (than whom,
Satan except, none higher fat) with grave Afpect he rofe, and in his rifing feem'd
A pillar of state: deep on his front engraven, Deliberation fat, and public care;
And princely counsel in his face yet shone, Majestic though in ruin! fage he stood, With Atlantean fhoulders fit to bear
The weight of mightiest monarchies; his look Drew audience, and attention still as night, Or fummer's noon-tide air; while thus he fpake. Thrones, and Imperial Pow'rs, offspring of heav'n, Ethereal virtues! or thefe titles now 311 Muft we renounce, and changing style, be call'd ́ Princes of Hell? For, fo the popular vote Inclines, here to continue, and build up here
A growing empire: doubtlefs! while we dream, 315 And know not that the King of heav'n hath doom'd This place our dungeon; not our fafe retreat Beyond his potent arm, to live exempt From heav'n's high jurisdiction, in new league Banded against His throne: but to remain In ftrictest bondage, though thus far remov'd, Under th' inevitable curb, referv'd
His captive multitude: for He, be fure,
In height, or depth, still first and last will reign Sole King, and of His kingdom lofe no part 325 By our revolt; but over hell extend
His empire, and with iron fceptre rule
Us here, as with his golden those in heav'n. What fit we then projecting peace and war?
War hath determin'd us, and foil'd with lofs Irreparable; terms of peace yet none
Vouchfaf'd, or fought: for what peace will be giv'n To us enflay'd, but cuftody fevere,
And stripes, and arbitrary punishment
Inflicted? and what peace can we return? But, to our pow'r, hostility, and hate, Untam'd reluctance, and revenge; though flow, Yet ever plotting how the conqueror least May reap His conqueft; and may least rejoice In doing; what we most in suffering feel? Nor will occafion want, nor fhall we need With dangerous expedition, to invade Heav'n, whose high walls fear no affault or fiege, Or ambush from the Deep: what if we find Some eafier enterprize? There is a place, (If ancient and prophetic fame in heav'n Err not) another world, the happy feat
Of some new race call'd Man; about this time To be created like to us, though less In pow'r and excellence, but favor'd more Of Him who rules above: fo was His will Pronounc'd among the Gods, and by an oath, That shook heav'n's whole circumference, confirm'd Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn What creatures there inhabit, of what mold, 355 Or fubftance, how endu'd, and what their pow'r, And where their weakness, how attempted beft, By force, or fubtilty. Though heav'n be shut, And heav'n's high arbitrator fit fecure
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