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Lib. II.

feveral ways, and to several imployments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time 'till Satan return. He paffes on his journey to hell gates, finds them fout, and who fat there to guard them, by whom at length they are open'd, and difcover to him the great gulph between bell and heaven: with what dif ficulty be paffes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the fight of this new world which he fought.

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Houthone the wealth of Ormus, and of Ind;

TIGH on a throne of royal state, which far

Or where the gorgeous east with richest hand
Show'rs on her Kings Barbaric pearl, and gold,
Satan exalted fat, by merit rais'd

To that bad eminence: and from despair
Thus high uplifted beyond hope, afpires
Beyond thus high; infatiate to pursue

Vain war with heav'n; and by fuccefs untaught,
His proud imaginations thus display'd.

Powers, and Dominions, Deities of heav'n!
(For fince no Deep within her gulph can hold
Immortal vigor, though opprefs'd and fall'n,
I give not heav'n for loft: from this descent
Celestial virtues rifing, will appear
More glorious and more dread than from no fall,
And trust themselves to fear no second fate.)
Me though just right, and the fix'd laws of heav'n
Did first create your Leader; next, free choice;
With what befides, in council or in fight,
Hath been atchiev'd of merit: yet this lofs
Thus far at least recover'd, hath much more
Establish'd in a fafe unenvied throne,

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Yielded with full confent. The happier state
In heav'n, which follows dignity, might draw 25
Envy from each inferior: but who here

Will envy whom the highest place exposes
Foremost to stand against the Thunderer's aim,

Your bulwark; and condemns to greatest fhare

Of endless pain? Where there is then no good 30
For which to ftrive, no ftrife can grow up there
From faction: for none fure will claim in hell
Precedence; none, whose portion is so small
Of present pain, that with ambitious mind
Will covet more! With this advantage then
To union, and firm faith, and firm accord,
More than can be in heav'n, we now return
To claim our just inheritance of old,

Surer to profper than profperity

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Could have affur'd us: and by what best way, 40 Whether of open war, or covert guile,

We now debate: who can advise may speak.

He ceas'd; and next him Moloc, fceptred King, Stood up, the strongest and the fierceft spirit That fought in heav'n, now fiercer by despair: 45 His truft was with th' Eternal to be deem'd Equal in ftrength; and rather than be lefs, Car'd not to be at all; with that care loft Went all his fear: of God, or hell, or worse, He reck'd not; and thefe words thereafter spake: 50 My fentence is for open war: of wiles,

More unexpert, I boaft not: them let thofe
Contrive who need; or when they need, not now:
For while they fit contriving, shall the rest,
Millions that stand in arms, and longing wait 55
The fignal to ascend, fit ling'ring here

Heav'n's fugitives, and for their dwelling-place
Accept this dark opprobrious den of shame,
The prison of His tyranny who reigns

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