The latter: for what place can be for us
Within heav'n's bound, unless heav'n's Lord fupreme
We overpow'r ? Suppose he should relent,
And publish grace to all, on promife 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 hallelujah's; while he lordly fits
Our envy'd Sov'reign, and his altar breathes.
Ambrofial odours and ambrofial flow'rs,
Our fervile off'rings? 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 fplendid vassalage; but rather seek.
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 easy yoke
Of fervile pomp. Our greatness will appear
Then most confpicuous, when great things of small,
Useful of hurtful, prefp'rous of adverse
We can create; and in what place foe'er
Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain,
Thro' 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
Chuse 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 defert foil
Wants not her hidden luftre, gems and gold:
Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raife
Magnificence; and what can heav'n show 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 counsels, and the fettled state
Of order, how in safety best we may
Compose our present evils, with regard
Of what we are, and where; dismising quite
All thoughts of war. Ye have what I advise.
He scarce had finith'd, when fuch murmur fill'd Th' assembly, as when hollow rocks retain The found of bluft'ring winds, which all night long Had rous'd the sea, now with hoarse cadence lull Seafaring men o'erwatch'd, whose bark by chance, Or pinnace, anchors in a craggy bay After the tempeft: fuch applause was heard As Mammon ended, and his fentence pleas'd, Advising peace: for fuch another field They dreaded worse than hell: fo much the fear Of thunder and the fword of Michaël
Wrought till within them; and no less desire 295
To found this nether empire, which might rise,
By policy, and long process of time,
In emulation oppofite to heaven.
Which when Beelzebub perceiv'd, than whom,
Satan except, none higher Tat, with grave
Afpéct he rose, and in his rifing seem'd.
A pillar 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 shoulders 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 spake.
Thrones and imperial powers, offspring of heaven, Ethereal virtues; or these titles now Muft we renounce, and, changing style, be call'd Princes of hell? for so the popular vote Inclines, here to continue', and build up here A growing empire; doubtless, 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 Heaven's high jurisdiction, in new league Banded against his throne; but to remain In tristest bondage, though thus far remov'd,
Under th' inevitable curb, referv'd
His captive multitude: for he, be fure,
In heighth or depth, still first and last will reign
Sole king, and of his kingdom lose no part
Us here, as with his golden those in heaven.
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 ftripes, 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 leaft
May reap his conquest, and may least rejoice
In doing, what we must in suffering feel?
Nor will occafion want, nor shall we need
With dang'rous expedition to invade
Heav'n, whose high walls fear no affault or fiege,
Or ambush from the deep. What if we find
Some eafier enterprise? 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
To be created like to us, though less
In power and excellence, but favour'd more
Of him who rules above; so was his will
Pronounc'd among the gods, and by an oath,
That shook heaven's whole circumference, confirm'd.
Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn
What creatures there inhabit, of what mould 355
Or fubstance, how endu'd, and what their power,
And where their weakness, how attempted best,
By force or fubtlety. Though heav'n be shut,.
And heaven's high Arbitrator fit fecure
In his own strength, this place may lie expos'd, 360
The utmost border of his kingdom, left
To their defence who hold it: Here perhaps
Some advantageous act may be achiev'd
By sudden onset, either with hell-fire
To waste his whole creation; or poffefs
All as our own, and drive, as we were driven,
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
In his disturbance; when his darling sous,
Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, shall curfe
Their frail original, and faded bliss,
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: for whence, 380
But from the author of all ill, could fpring
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 serves 385
His glory to augment. The bold defign
Pleas'd highly those infernal states, and joy
Sparkled in all their eyes; with full assent
They vote: whereat his speech he thus renews.
Well have ye judg'd, well ended long debate, 390
Synod of gods, and, like to what ye are,
Great things refolv'd, which from the lowest deep
Will once more lift us up, in spite of fate,
Nearer our ancient seat; perhaps in view
Of those bright confines, whence, with neighb'ring
And opportune excursion, we may chance
Re-enter heav'n; or elfe in some mild zone
Dwell not unvifited of heaven's fair light
Secure, and at the bright'ning orient beam
Purge off this gloom; the foft delicious air,
To heal the fear of those corrofive fires,
Shall breathe her balm. But first whom shall we fend In search of this new world? whom shall we find
Sufficient? Who shall tempt with wand'ring feet
The dark unbottom'd infinite abyss,
And through the palpable obfcure find out
His uncouth way, or spread his aery flight
Upborn with indefatigable wings
Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive
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