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Our fupreme foe, in time, may much remit
His anger: and perhaps thus far remov'd,
Not mind us not offending, fatisfy'd
With what is punish'd: whence these raging fires
Will flacken, if his breath ftir not their flames.
Our purer effence then will overcome

Their noxious vapor; or enur'd, not feel;

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Or chang'd at length, and to the place conform'd
In temper, and in nature, will receive

Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain.
This horror will grow mild, this darkness, light:
Besides what hope the never-ending flight

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Of future days may bring, what chance, what change
Worth waiting, fince our prefent lot appears
For happy, though but ill; for ill, not worst;
If we procure not to our felves more woe.
Thus Belial with words cloath'd in reason's garb
Counsel'd ignoble eafe, and peaceful floth,
Not peace and after him thus Mammon spake.

Either to difinthrone the King of heav'n

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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 Chacs 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 fupreme
We over-power? Suppofe He should relent
And publish grace to all, on promise made
Of new subjection: with what eyes could we

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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 so 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

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Of splendid vaffalage: but rather feek

Our own good from ourselves, and from our own
Live to ourselves; though in this vast recess,
Free, and to none accountable; preferring

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Hard liberty before the eafie yoke

Of fervile pomp. Our greatness will appear
Then moft confpicuous, when great things of small,
Useful of hurtful, profperous of adverse

We can create; and in what place foe'er
Thrive under evil, and work eafe out of pain,

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Through labor and indurance. This deep world
Of darkness do we dread? how oft amidst
Thick clouds and dark, doth heav'n's all-ruling Sire
Chufe to refide, His glory unobscur'd?

And with the majesty of darkness round

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Covers His throne; from whence deep thunders roar Muft'ring their rage, and heav'n resembles hell? As He our darkness, cannot we His light

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Imitate when we pleafe? 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 must needs remove
The fenfible of pain. All things invite
To peaceful counfels, and the fettled state
Of order, how in fafety best we may
Compose our prefent evils, with regard
Of what we are, and were; difmiffing quite
All thoughts of war.---Ye have what I advise.

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He scarce had finish'd, when fuch murmur fill'd Th' affembly, as when hollow rocks retain 285 The found of blust'ring winds, which all night long Had rouz'd the fea, now with hoarfe cadence lull Sea-faring men o'erwatch'd, whose bark by chance, Or pinnace, anchors in a craggy bay

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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 sword of Michael,

Wrought still within them; and no lefs defire 295
To found this nether empire, which might rise,
By policy, and long process of time,

In emulation opposite 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 state: deep on his front engraven,
Deliberation fat, and public care;

And princely counsel in his face yet shone,
Majestic though in ruin! fage he stood,
With Atlantean fhoulders fit to bear

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The weight of mightiest monarchies; his look
Drew audience, and attention still 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
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Muft we renounce, and changing style, 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 fafe 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 ftrictest bondage, though thus far remov'd,
Under th' inevitable curb, referv'd

His captive multitude: for He, be fure,

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In height, or depth, still first and last will reign Sole King, and of His kingdom lofe no part 325 By our revolt; but over hell extend

His empire, and with iron fceptre rule

Us here, as with his golden those 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

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Vouchfaf'd, or fought: for what peace will be giv'n To us enflay'd, but cuftody fevere,

And stripes, and arbitrary punishment

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Inflicted? and what peace can we return?
But, to our pow'r, hostility, and hate,
Untam'd reluctance, and revenge; though flow,
Yet ever plotting how the conqueror least
May reap His conqueft; and may least rejoice
In doing; what we most in suffering feel?
Nor will occafion want, nor fhall we need
With dangerous expedition, to invade
Heav'n, whose high walls fear no affault or fiege,
Or ambush from the Deep: what if we find
Some eafier enterprize? There is a place,
(If ancient and prophetic fame in heav'n
Err not) another world, the happy feat

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Of some 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, confirm'd
Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn
What creatures there inhabit, of what mold, 355
Or fubftance, 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

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