And princely counfel in his face yet fhone,
Majeftick 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 fpake.
Thrones, and Imperial Pow'rs, offspring of Heav'n,
Ethereal Virtues! or thefe titles now
Muft we renounce, and changing ftyle 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 jurifdiction, in new league
Banded against his throne: but to remain
In ftricteft bondage, though thus far remov'd,
Under th' inevitable curb, referv'd
His captive multitude: For he, be fure,
In height or depth, ftill firft and last will reign
Sole King, and of his kingdom lofe no part
By our revolt; but over Hell extend
His empire, and with iron fceptre rule
Us here, as with his golden thofe 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 enflav'd, but cuftody fevere,
And ftripes, and arbitrary punishment
Inflicted? and what peace can we return?
But, to our power, hoftility, and hate,
Untam'd reluctance, and revenge, though flow,
Yet ever plotting how the conqueror leaft
May reap his conqueft, and may least rejoice
In doing what we moft in fuffering feel?
C
Nor will occafion want, nor fhall we need
With dangerous expedition to invade
Heav'n, whofe 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 fome 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,
Or fubftance, how endu'd, and what their pow'r,
And where their weakness, how attempted beft,
By force or fubtlety. Though Heav'n be shut,
And Heav'n's high arbitrator fit fecure
In his own ftrength, this place may lye expos'd 360
The utmoft border of his kingdom, left
To their defence who hold it: here perhaps
Some advantagious act may be atchiev'd
By fudden onfet, either with hell fire
To wafte his whole creation, or poffefs
All as our own, and drive (as we are driv'n)
The puny habitants; or if not drive,
Seduce them to our party, that their GoD
May prove their foe, and with repenting hand
Abolish his own works. This would furpass
Common revenge, and interrupt his joy
In our confufion, and our joy upraise
In his difturbance; when his darling fons,
Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, shall curfe
Their frail original, and faded blifs,
Faded fo foon. Advise if this be worth
Attempting, or to fit in darkness here
Hatching vain empires.
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