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Not more almighty to refift our might,

Than wife to fruftrate all our plots and wiles.

Shall we then live thus vile, the race of heav'n
Thus trampled, thus expell'd, to suffer here

Chains and these torments? Better these than worse,
By my advice; fince fate inevitable
Subdues us, and omnipotent decree;
The victor's will. To fuffer, as to do,
Our ftrength is equal, nor the law unjust
That fo ordains: this was at first refolv'd
If we were wife, against so great a foe
Contending, and fo doubtful what might fall.
I laugh, when those who at the fpear are bold
And vent'rous, if that fail them, fhrink and fear
What yet they know muft follow, to endure
Exile, or ignominy, or bonds, or pain,
The fentence of their conqu'ror: This is now
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 ftir not their flames.
Our purer effence then will overcome

Their noxious vapour; 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:
Befides 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 reafon's garb
Counsel'd ignoble ease, and peaceful floth,
Not peace and after him thus MAMMON fpake.

Either to difinthrone the King of heav'n

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We war, if war be best, or to regain

Our own right loft: Him to unthrone we then
May hope, when everlasting Fate fhall yield
To fickle Chance, and CHAOS judge the ftrife:
The former vain to hope, argues as vain
The latter: for what place can be for us

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Within heav'n's bound, unless heav'n's Lord fupreme
We over-power? Suppofe He fhould relent
And publish grace to all, on promise made
Of new fubjection: with what eyes
could we

Stand in His prefence 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

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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 fo fpent, in worship paid

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To whom we hate! Let us not then pursue,

By force impoffible, by leave obtain'd

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Unacceptable, though in heav'n, our ftate

Of fplendid vaffalage: but rather feek

Our own good from ourselves, and from our own

Live to ourselves; though in this vaft recefs,

Free, and to none accountable; preferring

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Hard liberty before the eafy yoke

Of fervile pomp. Our greatnefs will appear

Then moft confpicuous, when great things of small,
Ufeful of hurtful, profperous of adverse

We can create; and in what place foe'er

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Thrive under-evil, and work eafe out of pain,

Through labour, 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 unobfcur'd ?
And with the majefty 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

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Imitate

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 muft needs remove
The fenfible of pain, All things invite
To peaceful counfels, and the fettled ftate.
Of order,, how in safety best we may
Compose our prefent evils, with regard
Of what we are, and where; dismiffing quite
All thoughts of war.— -Ye have what I advife;

He scarce had finish'd, when fuch murmür fill'd
Th' affembly, as when hollow rocks retain
The found of bluft'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

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After the tempeft: fuch applause was heard

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As MAMMON ended, and his fentence pleas'd,

Advifing peace. For, fuch another field

They dreaded worse than hell; so much the fear

Of thunder, and the fword of MICHAEL,

Wrought ftill within them; and no lefs defire

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To found this nether empire, which might rife,.
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

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Afpect he rofe, and in his rifing feem'd

A pillar of ftate: deep on his front engraven
Deliberation fat, and publick care;
And princely counfel in his face yet fhone,
Majestic though in ruin! fage he stood,
With ATLANTEAN fhoulders fit to bear
The weight of mightieft monarchies; his look
Drew audience, and attention ftill as night,

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Or fummer's noon-tide air; while thus he fpake.

Thrones,

Thrones, and Imperial Pow'rs, offspring of heav'n, Ethereal Virtues! or thefe titles now

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Must 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,

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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 jurifdiction, in new league

Banded against His throne: but to remain

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In ftricteft bondage, though thus far remov'd,
Under th' inevitable curb, referv'd

His captive multitude: for He, be fure,

In heighth or depth, ftill first and last will reign

Sole King, and of His Kingdom lofe no part

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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

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Irreparable, terins 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?

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But, to our pow'r, hoftility, and hate,

Untam'd reluctance, and revenge; though flow,

Yet ever plotting how the conqueror leaft

May reap His conqueft; and may leaft rejoice.

In doing what we moft in fuffering feel;

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Ncr 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 e fier enterprize? There is a place,

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(If antient and prophetic fame in heav'n

Err not) another world, the happy feat

Of fome new race call'd MAN: about this time

To

To be created like to us, though less

In pow'r and excellence, but favour'd more ·

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Of Him who rules above: fo was his will

Pronounc'd among the Gods, and by an oath,

That fhook 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 fubtilty. Though heav'n be fhut,
And heav'n's high arbitrator fit secure

In His own ftrength, this place may lie expos'd,
The utmost border of His Kingdom, left

To their defence who hold it: here perhaps
Some advantagious act may be atchiev'd
By fudden onset, 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 furpafs
Common revenge, and interrupt His joy
In our confufion, and our joy upraise

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In His difturbance; when His darling Sons,

Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, fhall curfe
Their frail original, and faded bliss:

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Faded fo foon! Advise if this be worth

Attempting, or to fit in darkness here

Hatching vain empires-Thus BEELZEBUB
Pleaded his devilish counsel, first devis'd

By SATAN, and in part propos'd: from whence,

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But from the author of all ill, could spring

So deep a malice, to confound the race
Of mankind in one root, and earth with hell
To mingle and involve, done all to spite
The great Creator? But their spite still ferves
His glory to augment. The bold defign
Pleas'd highly those infernal States, and joy.
Sparkled in all their eyes; with full affent

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They

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