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 Chaos 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 fu-
preme

We over-power? Suppofe He should relent
And publish grace to all, on promise made.
Of new fubjection: with what eyes oould 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 fo 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 vaft recefs,
Free, and to none accountable ; preferring

Hard

Hard liberty before the easie yoke

Of fervile pomp. Our greatnefs will appear
Then moft confpicuous, when great things of fmall,
Useful of hurtful, profperous of adverse
We can create; and in what place foe'er
Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain,
Through labor and indurance. This deep world
Of darkness do we dread how oft amidft
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 refembles hell?
As He our darkness, cannot we His light
Imitate whe we please? 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 beft we may
Compose our prefent evils, with regard
Of what we are, and were; difmiffing quite
All thoughts of war... Ye have what I advife.·

He scarce had finish'd, when fuch murmur fill'd
Th' affembly, as when hollow rocks retain

Tome I.

D

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, whofe bark by chance,
Or pinnace, anchors in a craggy bay

After the tempeft: fuch applaufe 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 Michael,

Wrought fill within them; and no less defire
To found this nether empire, which might rife,
By policy, and long procefs of time,
In emulation oppofite 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 ftate: deep on his front engraven,
Deliberation fat, and public care;

And princely counfel 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 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

Mult 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: doubtless! while we dream,

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 laft 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 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?
Nor will occafion want, nor shall 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 easier 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

firm'd.

con

Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn
What creatures there inhabit, of what mold,
Or substance, 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

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 a& 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 were 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 surpass
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