And where their weakness, how attempted beft, By force or fubtlety. Though Heav'n be shut And Heav'n's high arbitrator fit secure

In his own ftrength, this place may lye ex

pos'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 onfet, either with hell fire:
To wafte his whole creation, or possess

360

365

All as our own, and drive, as we are driv'n
The puny habitans; 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 furpass 370
Comon revenge, and interrupt his joy
In our, confufion. and our joy upraise
In his disturbance, when his darling fons,
Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, fhall curfe
Their frail original, and faded blifs

Faded fo foon. Advise if this be worth
Attempting, or to fit in darkness here

375

Hatching vain empires. Thus Beelzebub
Pleaded his devilifh counfel, firft devis'd
By Satan, and in part propos'd: for whence 380
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 serves 385 His glory to augment. The bold design Pleas'd highly those infernal States, and joy Sparkl'd in all their eyes; with full allent They vote: whereat his speech he thus renews. Well have ye judg'd, well ended long de

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 spight of fate,
Nearer our ancient feat; perhaps in view 394
Of those bright confines, whence with neigh-
bouring arms,

And opportune excurfion, we may chance
Re-enter Heav'n: or else in some mild Zoone
Dwell not unvifited of Heav'n's fair light
Secure, and at the brightning orient beam
Purge off this gloom: the soft delicious air, 400
To heal the fear of these corrofive fires

Shall breathe her balm.

But first whom shall

we fend

In fearch of this new world! whom fhall we

find

Sufficient? who fhall tempt with wandring feet
The dark unbottom'd infinite abyfs, 405
And through the palbable obfcure find out
His uncouth way, or spread his aery flight
Upborn with indefatigable wings

Över the vast abrupt, e'er he arrive

The happy ifle ? What strength, what art

can then

410

Suffice, or what evafion bear him fafe Through the strict senteries, and stations thick Of Angels wathching round? here he had need All circumfpection; and we now no less Choice in our fuffrage; for on whom we fend,

415

The weight of all and our last hope relies,
This faid, he fat; and expectation held
His look fufpenfe, awaiting who appear'd
To fecond, or oppofe, or undertake
The perilous attempt: But all fat mute, 420
Pondering the danger with deep thoughts;

and each

In others count'nance read his own dismay Astonish'd: none, among the choice and prime Of those hea'n-warring champions, could be found

So hardy, as to proffer or accept

Alone the dreadful voyage: till ad last

425

Satan, whom now transcendent glory ́rais'd Above his fellow's, with monarchal pride Conscious of highest worth, unmov'd thus spake O Progeny of Heav'n, empyreal Thrones! 430 With reafon hath deep filence and demur Seiz'd us, though undifmay'd: long is the way And hard, that out of Hell leads up to light,

D

Our prison strong, this huge convex of fire.
Outragious to devour, immures us round 435
Ninefold: and gates of burning adamant
Barr'd over us prohibit all egress

These pass'd, if any pass, the void profound
Of unessential night receives him next

Wide gaping, and with utter lofs of being 440
Threatens him, plung'd in that abortive gulf,
If thence he scape into whatever world,
Or unknown region, what remains him less`
Than unknown dangers, and as hard escape?
But I fhould ill become this throne, O Peers, 445
And this imperial fov'reign'ty, adorn'd
With splendor, arm'd with pow'r if ought
propos'd

And judg'd of public moment, in the shape
Of difficulty or danger could deter

Me from attempting. Wherefore do I affume 450
These Royalties, and not refuse to reign,
Refufing to accept as great a share

Of hazard as of honor, due alike

455

To him who reigns, and so much to him due
Of hazard more, as he above the reft
High honor'd fits? Go therefore mighty Pow'rs
Terror of Heav'n, though fall'n; intend at home
While here shall be our home, what best may
ease

The present mifery, and render Hell

More tolerable; if there be cure or charm 460

To refpite or deceive, or flak the pain
Of this ill manfion. Intermit no watch
Against a wakeful foe, while I abroad
Through all the coaft of dark deftruction feek
Deliverance for us all: this enterprize
None shall partake with me.

rofe

465

Thus faying

The Monarch, and prevented all reply;
Prudent, left from his refolution rais'd
Others among the chief might offer now,
Certain to be refus'd, what erft they fear'd; 470
And fo refus'd might in opinion stand

His rivals, winning cheap the high repute
Which he through hazard huge muft earn.
But they

Dreaded not more th'adventure than his voice Forbidding; and at once with him they

rofe:

475

Their rifing all at once was as the found
Of thunder heard remote. Towards him they

bend

With awful reverence prone; and as a God Extol, him equal to the highest in Heav'n: Nor fail'd they to exprefs, how much they prais'd,

That for the general fafety he defpis'd

480

His own for neither do the fpirits damn'd Lose all their virtue; left bad men should boast

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