Thick clouds and dark doth Heav'n's all-ruling Sire Choose to refide, his glory unobfcur'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 darknefs, 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 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 muft needs remove
The fenfible of pain. All things invite
To peaceful counfels, and the settled state
Of order, how in fafety beft we may
Compofe our prefent evils, with regard
Of what we are and where, difmiffing quite
All thoughts of war: ye have what I advise.
He scarce 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-fearing men o'er-watch'd, whofe 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 fuch another field
They dreaded worfe than Hell: fo much the fear
Of thunder and the fword of Michaël
Wrought still within them; and no less desire
To found this nether empire, which might rife
By policy, and long procéfs of time,
In emulation opposite to Heaven.
Which when Beelzebub perceiv'd, than whom,
Satan except, none higher fat, with grave
Afpéct he rofe, and in his rifing feem'd
A pillar of state; deep on his front ingraven
Deliberation fat and public care;
And princely counfel in his face yet fhone,
Majestic though in ruin: fage he stood
With Atlantéan fhoulders 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 Pow'rs, Offspring of Heaven, Ethereal Virtues; or thefe 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 lofe no part
By our revolt, but over Hell extend
His empire, and with iron fcepter rule
Us here, as with his golden thofe 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 stripes, and arbitrary punishment
Inflicted? and what peace can we return,
But to our pow'r hoftility and hate,
Untam'd reluctance, and revenge though slow,
Yet ever plotting how the conqu'ror least
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 dang'rous expedition to invade
Heav'n, whofe high walls fear no assault 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
To be created like to us, though lefs
In pow'r and excellence, but favour'd more
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 indued, and what their power,
And where their weakness, how attempted beft,
By force or fubtlety. Though Heav'n be shut,
And Heaven's high arbitrator fit fecure
In his own ftrength, this place may lie expos'd,
The utmost border of his kingdom, left
To their defense who hold it: here perhaps
Some advantageous act may be achiev’d
By fudden 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
Hatching vain empires. Thus Beelzebub
Pleaded his devilish counsel, first devis'd
By Satan, and in part propos'd: for whence,
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
They vote: whereat his fpeech he thus renews.
Well have ye judg'd, well ended long debate,
Synod of Gods, and like to what ye are,
Great things refolv'd, which from the loweft d
Will once more lift us up, in fpite of fate,
Nearer our ancient seat; perhaps in view
Of those bright confines, whence with neighb`ri
And opportune excurfion we may chance
Re-enter Heav'n; or else in some mild zone
Dwell not unvifited of Heav'n's fair light
Secure, and at the brightning orient beam
Purge off this gloom; the foft delicious air,
To heal the fear of these corrofive fires,
Shall breathe her balm. But first whom fhall
In fearch of this new world? whom fhall we f
Sufficient? who fhall tempt with wand'ring fe
The dark unbottom'd infinite abyfs,
And through the palpable obfcure find out
His uncouth way, or spread his aery flight
Upborne with indefatigable wings
Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive
The happy ile? what strength, what art can th Suffice, or what evasion bear him safe
Through the strict fenteries and stations thick Of Angels watching round? Here he had need
|