Our doom; which if we can sustain and bear, 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 stir not their flames. Our purer effence then will overcome
Their noxious vapor, or inur'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, 220 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 ourselves more woe.
Thus Belial with words cloth'd in Reason's garb Counsel'd ignoble ease, and peaceful sloth, Not peace and after him thus Mammon spake. Either to disinthrone the King of Heaven
We war, if war be best, or to regain
Our own right loft: him to unthrone we then May hope, when everlasting Fate shall yield To fickle Chance, and Chaos judge the strife: 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 fuprems
We overpow'r? Suppofe he should relent, And publish grace to all, on promise made Of new fubjection; 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 halleluiahs; while he lordly fits Our envied Sovran, and his altar breathes Ambrofial odors and ambrofial flowers, Our fervile offerings? This must be our task In Heav'n, this our delight; how wearisome Eternity fo spent in worship paid
To whom we hate! Let us not then purfue By force impoffible, by leave obtain'd Unacceptable, though in Heav'n, our state Of fplendid 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 eafy yoke
Of fervile pomp. Our greatness will appear
Then most confpicuous, when great things of small, Useful of hurtful, profp'rous of adverse
We can create, and in what place foe'er Thrive under ev'il, and work ease out of pain
Through labor and endurance. 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 please? This desert 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 fhow more? Our torments also 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 settled ftate Of order, how in safety best we may Compose our present evils, with regard
Of what we are and where, dismissing quite All thoughts of war: ye have what I advise.
He fearce had finish'd, when such murmur fill'd Th' affembly, as when hollow rocks retain
The found of bluft'ring winds, which all night long Had rous'd the fea, now with hoarfe cadence lull Sea-faring men o'er-watch'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 such another field
They dreaded worse than Hell: fo much the fear Of thunder and the fword of Michaël Wrought ftill within them; and no lefs defire
To found this nether empire, which might rise By policy, and long procéfs of time,
In emulation oppofit to Heav'n.
Which when Beelzebub perceiv'd, than whom, Satan except, none higher fat, with grave Afpéct he rose, and in his rifing feem'd
A pill'ar of state; deep on his front ingraven 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 ftill as night. Or fummer's noon-tide air, while thus he spake. Thrones and Imperial Pow'rs, offspring of Heav'n, Ethereal Virtues; or these titles now
Must we renounce, and changing stile 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 safe 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 strictest bondage, though thus far remov'd Under th' inevitable curb, referv'd
His captive multitude: for he, be sure,
In highth or depth, still first and last will reign Sole King, and of his kingdom lose no part By our revolt, but over Hell extend
His empire, and with iron scepter 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 given
To us inflav'd, but cuftody fevere,
And stripes, and arbitrary punishment Inflicted? and what peace can we return But to our power hostility and hate, Untam'd reluctance, and revenge though flow, Yet ever plotting how the Conqu'ror least May reap his conqueft, and may leaft 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 siege, Or ambush from the deep. What if we find Some easier enterprife? There is a place, (If ancient and prophetic fame in Heaven Err not) another world, the happy feat
Of fome new race call'd Man, about this time
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