Sev'ring each kind, and scumur'd the bullion dross:
A third as soon had form'd within the ground A various mould, and from the boiling cells, By strange conveyance, fill'd each hollow nook, As in an organ from one blast of wind To many a row of pipes the sound-board breathes.
Anon, out of the earth a fabric huge Rose like an exhalation, with the sound Of dulcet symphonies and voices sweet, Built like a temple, where pilasters round Were set, and Doric pillars overlaid With golden architrave; nor did they want Cornice or frieze,with bossy sculptures graven; The roof was fretted gold. Not Babylon, Nor great Alcairo such magnificence Equall'd in all their glories, to inshrine Belus or Serapis their gods, or seat Their kings, when Egypt with Assyria strove In wealth and luxury. Th'ascending pile Stood fix'd her stately height, and strait the doors
Opening their brazen folds, discover wide- Within her ample spaces o'er the smooth And level pavement: from the arched roof Pendant by subtle magic, many a row Of starry lamps and blazing cressets, fed' With Naptha and Asphaltus, yielding light As from a sky. The hasty multitude
Admiring enter'd, and the work some praise And some the architect: his hand was known In heav'n by many a towered structure high, Where scepter'd angels held their residence, And sat as princes, whom the supreme King Exalted to such power, and gave to rule, Each in his hierarchy, the orders bright. Nor was his name unheard or unador'd In ancient Greece; and in Ausoniau land Men call'd him Mulciber; and how he fell From heav'n they fabled, thrown by angry Jove
Sheer o'er the crystal battlements: from morn To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve, A summer's day; and with the setting suu Dropt form the zenith, like a falling star, On Leninos th' Egean isle: thus they relate, Ering; for he with his rebellious rout Fell long before; nor ought avail'd him now. To' have built in heav'n high tow'rs; nor did
A solemn council forthwith to be held At Pandemonium, the high capital Of Satan and his peers: their summons call'd From every band and squared regiment By place or choice the worthiest; they anon With hundreds and with thousands trooping
Attended: all access was throng'd, the gates, And porches wide, but chief the spacious
(Though like a cover'd field, where champions bold
Wont ride in arm'd, and at the Soldan's chair Defy'd the best of Panim chivalry
To mortal combat, or career with lance) Thick swarm'd, both on the ground and in the air [bees Brush'd with the hiss of rustling wings. As In spring time, when the sun with Taurus
Pour forth their populous youth about the hive In clusters; they among fresh dews and flowers
Fly to and fro, or on the smoothed plank, The suburb of their straw-built citadel, New rubb'd with balm, expatiate and confer Their state affairs. So thick the airy crowd Swarm'd and were straiten'd; till the signal given,
Behold a wonder! they but now who seem'd In biguess to surpass Earth's giant sons, Now less than smallest dwarfs, in narrow
Throng numberless, like that Pygmean race Beyond the Indian mount, or fairy elves, Whose midnight revels by a forest side Or fountain some belated peasant sees, Or dreams he sees, while over-head the Moon Set arbitress, and ncarer to earth Wheels her pale course, they on their mirth
Intent with jocund music charm his ear; At once with joy and fear his heart re-
Thus incorporated spirits to smallest forms Reduc'd their shape immense, and were at
Though without number still amidst the hall Of the infernal court. But far within, And in their own dimensions like themselves The great seraphic lords and cherubim In close recess and secret conclave sat A thousand demi-gods on golden seats, Frequent and full. After short silence then, And summons read, the great consult began.
THE END OF THE FIRST BOOK.
The consultation began, Satan debates whether another battle be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven: Some advise it, others dissuade: A third proposal is preferred, mentioned before by Satan, to search the truth of that prophecy or tradition in Heaven concerning another world, and another kind of, creature equal or not much inferior to themselves, about this time to be created: Their doubt who shall be sent on this difficult search; Satan their chief undertakes alone the voyage, is honoured and applauded. The council thus ended, the rest betake them several ways, and to several employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till Satan returns. He passes on his journey to Hell gates, finds them shut, and who sate their to guard them, by whom at length they are opened, and discover to him the great gulf between Hell and Heaven; with what difficulty he passes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the sight of this new world which he sought.
HIGH on a throne of royal state, which far Outshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind, Or where the gorgeous east with richest hand Show'rs on her kings barbaric pearl and gold, Satan exalted sat, by merits rais'd
To that bad eminence; and from despair Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires Beyond thus high, insatiate to pursue
Vain war with Heav'n, and by success un
His proud imaginations thus display'd.
Pow'rs and Dominions, Deities of Heav'n, For since no deep within her gulf can hold Immortal vigour, though oppress'd and fall'n, I give not Heav'n for lost. From this descent Celestial virtues rising, 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 Heaven
Did first create your leader, next free choice, With what besides, in council or in fight, Hath been achiev'd of merit, yet this loss Thus far at least recover'd, hath much more Establish'd in a safe unenvied throne, Yielded with full consent. The happier state In Heav'n, which follows dignity, might draw Envy from each inferior: but who here Will envy whom the highest place exposes Foremost to stand against the Thund'rer's aim Your bulwark, and condemus to greatest share Of endless pain? where there is then no good For which to strive, no strife can grow up there
From faction; for none sure 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,
Stood up, the strongest and the fiercest spirit That fought in Heav'n, now fiercer by despair: His trust was with th' Eternal to be deem'd Equal in strength, and rather than be less Car'd not to be at all; with that care lost Went all his fear of God, or Hell, or worse He reck'd not, and these words thereafter spake.
My sentence is for open war: of wiles, More unexpert, I boast not: them let those Contrive who need, or when they need, not
For while they sit contriving, shall the rest, Millions that stand in arms, and longing wait The signal to asceud, sit 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 By our delay? no, let us rather choose, Arm'd with Hell flames and fury, all at once O'er Heav'n's high tow'rs, to force resistless
Turning our tortures into horrid arms Against the torturer; when to meet the noise Of his almighty engine he shall hear Infernal thunder, and for lightning see Black fire and horror shot with equal rage Among his Angels, and his throne itself Mix'd with Tartarean sulphár, and strange fire,
His own invented torments. But perhaps The way seems difficult and steep, to scale With upright wing against a higher foe. Let such bethink them, if the sleepy drench Of that forgetful lake benumb not still, That in our proper motion we ascend C
No. II.-N. S. Continued from the Poetical Part of No. I.
Up to our native seat: descent and fall To us is adverse. Who but felt of late, When the fierce foe hung on our broken rear Insulting, and pursued us through the deep, With what compulsion and laborious flight We sunk thus low? Th' ascent is easy then ; The event is fear'd; should we again provoke Our stronger, some worse way his wrath may find
To our destruction; if there be in Hell
Fear to be worse destroy'd: what can be worse Than to dwell here, driv'n out from bliss, condemin'd
In this abhorr'd deep to utter woe; Where pain of unextinguishable fire Must exercise us without hope of end The vassals of bis anger, when the scourge Inexorably, and the torturing hour Calls us to penauce? More destroy'd than thus
We should be quite abolish'd and expire. What fear we then? what doubt we to incense His utmost ire? which to the height enrag'd, Will either quite consume us, and reduce To nothing this essential, happier far Than miserable to have eternal being: Or if our substance be indeed divine, And cannot cease to be, we are at worst On this side nothing; and by proof we feel Our power sufficient to disturb his Heaven, And with perpetual inroads to alarm, Though inaccessible, his fatal throne: Which, if not victory, is yet revenge.
He ended frowning, and his look denounc'd Desp'rate revenge, and battle dangerous To less than Gods. On th' other side up rose Belial, in act more graceful and humane; A fairer person lost not Heav'n; he seem'd For dignity compos'd and high exploit: But all was false and hollow; though his tongue [pear Dropt manna, and could make the worse ap- The better reason, to perplex and dash Maturest counsels: for his thoughts were low; To vice industrious, but to nobler deeds Timorous and slothful: yet be pleas'd the ear, And with persuasive accent thus began.
I should be much for open war, O Peers! As not behind în bate, if what was urg'd Main reason to persuade immediate war, Did not dissuade me most, and seem to cast Ominous conjecture on the whole success: When he who most excels in fact of arms, In what he counsels and in what excels Mistrustful, grounds his courage on despair And utter dissolution, as the scope Of all his aim, after some dire revenge. First, what revenge? the tow'rs of Heav'n are fill'd
With armed watch, that render all access Impregnable; oft on the bord'ring deep Encamp their legions, or with obscure wing Scout far and wide into the realm of night, Scoruing surprise. Or could we break our
By force, and at our heels all Hell should rise With blackest insurrection, to confound Heav'n's purest light, yet our great enemy All incorruptible would on his throne Sit unpolluted, and th' ethereal mould Incapable of stain would soon expel Her mischief, and purge off the baser fire Victorious. Thus repuls'd, our final hope Is flat despair: we must exasperate Th' Almighty Victor to spend all bis rage, And that must end us, that must be our cure, To be no more; sad cure; for who would lose,
Though full of pain, this intellectual being, Those thoughts that wander through eternity, To perish rather, swallow'd up and lost In the wide womb of uncreated night, Devoid of sense and motion? and who knows, Let this be good, whether our angry foe Can give it, or will ever? how he can Is doubtful; that he never will is sure. Will he, so wise, let loose at once his ire, Belike through impotence, or unaware, To give his enemies their wish, and end Them in his anger, whom his auger saves To panish endless? Wherefore cease we then? Say they who counsel war, we are decreed, Reserv'd, and destin'd to eternal woe; Whatever doing, what can we suffer more, What can we suffer worse? Is this then worst, Thus sitting, thus consulting, thus in arms? What when we fled amain, pursued and struck With Heav'n's afflicting thunder, and be sought
The deep to shelter us? this Hell then seem'd A refuge from those wounds or when we lay Chain'd on the burning lake? that sure was
What if the breath that kindled those grim fires,
Awak'd should blow them into sev❜nfold rage, And plunge us in the flames? or from above Should intermitted vengeance arm again His red right hand to plague us? what if all Her stores were open'd, and this firmament Of Hell should spout her eataracts of fire, Impendent horrors, threat'ning hideous fall One day upon our beads; while we perhaps Designing or exhorting glorious war, Caught in a fiery tempest shall be hurl'd Each on his rock transfix'd, the sport and
Of wracking whirlwinds, and for ever suak
Under you boiling ocean, wrapt in chains; There to converse with everlasting groans, Unrespited, unpitied, unrepriev❜d, Ages of hopeless end! this would be worse. War therefore, open or conceal'd, alike
My voice dissuades; for what can force or guile
With him, or who deceive his mind, whose eye Views all things at one view? he from Heav'n's height
All these our motions vaiu sees and derides; Not more almighty to resist our might,
Than wise to frustrate all our plots and wiles. Shall we then live thus vile, the race of Heaven Thus trampled, thus expell'd to suffer here Chains and these torments? better these than
By my advice; since fate inevitable Subdues us, and omnipotent decree, The victor's will. To suffer, as to do, Our strength is equal, nor the law unjust That so ordains: this was at first resolv'd, If we were wise, against so great a foe Contending, and so doubtful what would fall. I laugh, when those who at the spear are bold Aud vent'rous, if that fail them, shrink and fear
What yet they know must follow, to endure Exile, or ignominy, or bonds, or pain, The sentence of their conqu'ror: this is now Our doom; which if we can sustain and bear, Our supreme foe in time may much remit His anger, and perhaps thus far remov'd Not mind us not offending, satisfy'd With what is punish'd; wheuce these raging fires [flames. Will slacken, if his breath stir not their Our purer essence then will overcome Their noxious vapour, or inur'd not feel, Or chang'd at length, and to the place con- form'd
In temper and in nature, will receive Familiar the tierce heat, and void of pain; This horror will grow mild, this darkness light,|| Besides what hope the never-ending flight Of future days may bring, what chance, what change
Worth waiting, since our present lot appears For happy though but ill, for ill not worst, If we procure not to ourselves more woe. Thus Belial with words cloth'd in reason's garb
Counsel'd ignoble ease, and peaceful sloth, For peace and after him thus Mainmon spake. Either to disinthrone the King of Heaven We war, if war be best, or to regain Our own right lost: him to unthrone we then May hope, when everlasting Fate shall yield To fickle Chance, and Chaos judge the strife:
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 supreme
We overpow'r? Suppose he should relent, And publish grace to all, on promise made Of new subjection; with what eyes could we Stand in his presence humble, and receive Strict laws impos'd, to celebrate his throne With warbl'd hymns, and to his Godhead sing Forc'd Hallelujahs; while he lordly sits Our envied sov'reign, and bis altar breathes Ambrosial odours and ambrosial flowers, Our servile offerings? This must be our task, In Heav'n, this our delight; how wearisome Eternity so spent in worship paid To whom we hate! Let us not then pursue By force impossible, by leave obtain’d Unacceptable, though in Heav'n, our state Of splendid vassalage; but rather seek [own Our own good from ourselves, and from our Live to ourselves, though in this vast recess, Free, and to none accountable, preferring Hard liberty before the easy yoke
Of servile pomp. Our greatness will appear Then most conspicuous, when great things of small,
Useful of hurtful, prosp'rous of adverse We can create, and in what place soe'er Thrive under ev'l, and work ease out of pain Through labour and endurance. This deep world
Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst [Sire Thick clouds and dark doth Heav'n's all-ruling Choose to reside, his glory unobscur'd, And with the majesty of darkness round [roar Covers his throne; from whence deep thunders Must'ring their rage, and Heav'n resembles Hell? As he our darkness, cannot we his light Imitate when we please? This desert soil Wants not her hidden lustre, gems and gold; Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise Magnificence; and what can Heav'n show more? Our torments also may in length of time Become our elements, these piercing fires As soft as now severe, our temper chang'd Into their temper; which must uceds remove The sensible of pain. All things invite To peaceful counsels, and the settled state Of order, how in safety best we may Compose our present evils, with regard Of what we are and where, dismissing quite All thoughts of war: ye have what I advise.
He scarce had finish'd, when such murmur
Sea-faring men o'er-watch'd, whose bark by Nor will occasion want, nor shall we need
Or pinnace anchors in a craggy bay After the tempest: Such applause was heard As Mammon ended, and his sentence pleas'd, Advising peace: for such another field
With dang'rous expedition to invade Heav'n, whose high walls fear no assault or
Or ambush from the deep. What if we find Some easier enterprise? There is a place,
They dreaded worse than Hell: so much the (If ancient and prophetic fame in Heaven
Of thunder and the sword of Michaël Wrought still within them; and no less desire 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 sat, with grave Aspect he rose, and in his rising seem'd A pillar of state; deep on his front engraven Deliberation sat and public care; And princely counsel in his face yet shone, Majestic though in ruin: sage he stood With Atlantean shoulders fit to bear The weight of mightiest monarchies; his look Drew audience and attention still as night Or summer's 'noon-tide air, while thus he spake. [Heav'n, Thrones and Imperial Pow'rs, Offspring of Ethereal Virtues; or these titles now Must we renounce, and changing style be call'd Princes of Hell? for so the popular vote Inclines, here to continue, and build up here A growing empire; doubtless; while we dream, And know not that the King of Heav'n hath doom'd
This place our dungeon, not our safe 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 strictest bondage, though thus far remov'd Under th' inevitable curb, reserv'd His captive multitude: for he, be sure,
In height or depth, still first and last will reign
Sole king; and of his kingdom lose no part By our revolt, but over Hell extend His empire, and with iron sceptre rule Us here, as with his golden those in Heaven. What sit we then projecting peace and war? War hath determin'd us, and foil'd with loss Irreparable; terms of peace yet none
Err not) another world, the happy seat
Of some new race call'd Man, about this time To be created like to 118, though less In pow'r and excellence, but favour'd more Of him who rules above; so was his will Pronounc'd amongst the Gods, and by an oath, That shook Heav'n's whole circumference,
By force or subtlety. Though Heav'n be shut, And Heav'n's high arbitrator sit secure In his own strength, this place may lie expos'd, The utmost border of his kingdom, left To their defence who hold it: here perhaps Some advantageous act may be achiev'd By sudden onset, either with Hell fire To waste his whole creation, or possess All as our own, and drive, as we were driven, The puny habitants, 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 surpass Common revenge, and interrupt his joy In our confusion, and our joy upraise In his disturbance; when his darling sons, Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, shall
Their frail original, and faded bliss, Faded so soon. Advise if this be worth Attempting, or to sit in darkuess here Hatching vain empires. Thus Beelzebub Pleaded his devilish counsel, first devis'd By Satan, and in part propos'd: for whence, 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
Vouchsaf'd or sought; for what peace will be The great Creator? But their spite still serves
To us insalv'd, but custody severe,
And stripes, and arbitrary punishment Inflicted? and what peace can we return, But to our pow'r hostility and hate, Untam'd reluctance, and revenge though slow, Yet ever plotting how the conqu'ror least May reap his conquest, and may least rejoice In doing what we most in suffering feel?
His glory to augment. The bold design Pleas'd highly those infernal States, and joy Sparkled in all their eyes; with full assent They vote whereat his speech he thus re
Well have ye judg'd, well ended long debate, Synod of Gods, and like to what ye are, Great things resolv'd, which from the lowest deep
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