Paradise Lost: A Poem in Twelve Books, Volume 1

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R. Bladon, T. Lawes, S. Crowder, C. Ware, and T. Payne, 1784 - 463 pages

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Page 124 - The birds their quire apply ; airs, vernal airs, Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune The trembling leaves, while universal Pan, Knit with the Graces and the Hours in dance, Led on the eternal Spring.
Page 4 - A dungeon horrible, on all sides round, As one great furnace flamed; yet from those flames No light; but rather darkness visible Served only to discover sights of woe, Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace And rest can never dwell, hope never comes That comes to all, but torture without end Still urges, and a fiery deluge, fed With ever-burning sulphur unconsumed.
Page 11 - Here we may reign secure ; and, in my choice, To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell : Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.
Page 83 - Or of the eternal co-eternal beam, May I express thee unblamed ? since God is light, And never but in unapproached light Dwelt from eternity, dwelt then in thee, Bright effluence of bright essence increate.
Page 10 - Aloft, incumbent on the dusky air, That felt unusual weight; till on dry land He lights — if it were land that ever...
Page 141 - So saying, on he led his radiant files, Dazzling the moon: these to the bower direct In search of whom they sought: him there they found Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve, Assaying by his devilish art to reach The organs of her fancy, and with them forge Illusions as he list, phantasms and dreams...
Page 130 - Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound Of waters issued from a cave and spread Into a liquid plain then stood unmoved Pure as the expanse of heaven I thither went With unexperienced thought and laid me down On the green bank to look into the clear Smooth lake that to me seemed another sky.
Page 29 - Obscure some glimpse of joy, to have found their chief Not in despair, to have found themselves not lost In loss itself: which on his countenance cast Like doubtful hue : but he, his wonted pride Soon recollecting, with high words, that bore Semblance of worth, not substance, gently raised Their fainting courage, and dispell'd their fears.
Page 6 - Extort from me. To bow and sue for grace With suppliant knee, and deify his power, Who from the terror of this arm so late Doubted his empire; that were low indeed, That were an ignominy...
Page 17 - With gay religions, full of pomp and gold, And devils to adore for deities : Then were they known to men by various names, And various idols through the heathen world.

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