Page images
PDF
EPUB

We

may

with more fuccessful Hope refolve

To wage by Force or Guile Eternal War

Irreconcileable, to our grand Foe,

Who now triumphs, and in th' excess of Joy
Sole reigning holds the Tyranny of Heav'n.

120

So fpake th' Apoftate Angel, though in Pain, 125 Vaunting aloud, but rack'd with deep Despair: And him thus answer'd foon his bold Compeer. O Prince, O Chief of many Throned Powers, That led th' imbattell'd Seraphim to Warr Under thy Conduct, and in dreadful Deeds Fearless, endanger'd Heav'n's perpetual King, And put to Proof his high Supremacy,

130

Whether upheld by Strength, or Chance, or Fate,
Too well I fee and rue the dire Event,

That with fad Overthrow and foul Defeat
Hath loft us Heav'n, and all this mighty Hoft
In horrible Destruction laid thus low,

As far as Gods and Heav'nly Effences
Can perish: For the Mind and Spirit remains
Invincible, and Vigour foon returns,
Though all our Glory extinct, and happy State
Here swallow'd up in endless Misery.
But what if he our Conqu'ror (whom I now
Of force believe Almighty, fince no less

135

140

144

Than fuch could have o'er-power'd fuch Force as curs)
Have left us this our Spirit and Strength entire
Strongly to fuffer and support our Pains,
That we may fo fuffice his vengeful Ire,

Or do him mightier Service as his thrals

150

By Right of War, whate'er his Business be
Here in the Heart of Hell to work in Fire,

Or do his Errands in the gloomy: Deep:
What can it then avail, though yet we feel
Strength undiminish'd, or Eternal Being
To undergo Eternal Punishment?

755

Whereto with speedy Words th’Arch-Fiend reply'd.
Fall'n Cherub, to be weak is miferable

Doing or Suffering: But of this be sure,
To do ought good never will be our task,
But ever to do ill our sole delight,

As being the contrary to his high will
Whom we refift. If then his Providence
Qut of our evil feek to bring forth good,
Our labour must be to pervert that end,

160

And out of good ftill to find Means of evil;

165

Which oft times may fucceed, so as perhaps
Shall grieve him, if I fail not, and disturb
His inmoft Counfels from their destin'd aim.
But fee the angry Victor hath recall'd

His Minifters of vengeance and pursuit

170

Back to the Gates of Heav'n: The fulphurous Hail
Shot after us in Storm, o'er-blown hath laid
The fiery Surge, that from the Precipice

Of Heav'n receiv'd us falling, and the Thunder,
Wing'd with red Lightning and impetuous rage, 175
Perhaps hath spent his fhafts, and ceases now
To bellow through the vast and boundless Deep.
Let us not flip th' occafion, whether scorn,
Or fatiate fury yield it from our Foe,

Seeft thou yon dreary Plain, forlorn and wild,
The Seat of defolation, void of light,
Save what the glimmering of these livid flames
Cafts pale and dreadful? Thither let us tend
From off the toffing of these fiery Waves,

130

There reft, if any Reft can harbour there,

1st

And re-affembling our afflicted Powers,

Confult how we may henceforth most offend
Our Enemy, our own Lofs how repair,

How overcome this dire Calamity,

What reinforcement we may gain from Hope, 190 If not what refolution from defpare.

Thus Satan talking to his nearest Mate
With Head up-lift above the wave, and Eyes
That fparkiing blaz'd, his other Parts besides
Prone on the Floud, extended long and large, 195
Lay floating many a rood, in bulk as huge
As whom the Fables name of monft'rous size,
Titanian, or Earth-born, that warr'd on Jove,
Briarens or Typhon, whom the Den

By ancient Tarfus held, or that Sea-beaft
Leviathan, which God of all his works,
Created hugeft that fwim th' Ocean ftream:
Him haply flumb'ring on the Norway foam,
The Pilot of fome small night-founder'd Skiff,
Deeming fome Ifland, oft, as Sea-men tell,
With fixed Anchor in his skaly rind,

Moors by his Side under the Lee, while Night
Invests the Sea, and wished Morn delays:

200

205

So ftreach't out huge in length the Arch-fiend lay,

B S

Chain'd on the burning Lake, nor ever thence 210
Had ris'n or heav'd his head, but that the will
And high permiffion of all-ruling Heaven
Left him at large to his own dark designs,
That with reiterated crimes he might

Heap on himself damnation, while he fought 215
Evil to others, and enrag'd might fee

How all his malice ferv'd but to bring forth
Infinite goodness, grace and mercy fhewn
On Man by him feduc'd, but on himself
Treble confufion, wrath and vengeance pour'd. 220
Forthwith upright he rears from off the Pool
His mighty Stature; on each hand the Flames
Driv'n backward flope their pointing Spires, and
In Billows, leave i'th'midft a horrid Vale. [rowl'd
Then with expanded Wings he fteers his flight 225
Aloft, incumbent on the dusky Air

That felt unusual Weight, 'till on dry Land
He lights, if it were Land that ever burn'd
With folid, as the Lake with liquid fire;
And fuch appear'd in hue, as when the force
Of fubterranean Wind transports a Hill
Torn from Pelorus, or the fhatter'd fide
Of thund'ring Etna, whofe combustible
And fuel'd entrails thence conceiving Fire,
Sublim'd with Mineral fury, aid the Winds,
And leave a finged bottom all involv'd

230

235

With ftench and fmoak: Such Refting found the Soal Of enblefs't feet. Him follow'd his next Mate, Both glorying to have 'fcap'd the Stygian Aloud,

As Gods, and by their own recover'd strength, 240 Not by the Sufferance of supernal Power.

Is this the Region, this the Soil, the Clime, Said then the loft Arch-Angel, this the Seat [gloom That we must change for Heav'n, this mournful For that Celestial Light ? Be it so, since he Who now is Sov'rain can dispose and bid

245

What fhall be right: fardeft from him is best
Whom Reafon hath equall'd, Force hath made fu-
Above his equals. Farewel happy Fields, (pream
Where Joy for ever dwells: Hail Horrours, hail 250
Infernal world, and thou profoundest Hell
Receive thy new Poffeffour: One who brings
A mind not to be chang'd by Place or Time.
The mind is its own place, and in it self
Can make a Heav'n of Hell, a Hell of Heav'n, 255
What matter where, if I be ftill the fame,
And what I should be, all but less than he
Whom Thunder hath made greater? Here at least
We shall be free; th' Almighty hath not buiit
Here for his envy, will not drive us hence:
Here we may reign secure, and in my Choice
To reign is worth ambition tho' in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell, than ferve in Heav'n.
But wherefore let we then our faithful Friends,
Th' affociates and copartners of our lofs,
Lye thus aftonish'd on th' oblivious Pool,

And call them not to share with us their part

In this unhappy Mansion, or once more
With rallied Arms to try what may be yea

260

265

« PreviousContinue »