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PARADISE LOST.

BOOK II.

The ARGUMENT.

The Consultation begun, Satar debates whether another Battel be to be bazarded for the recovery of Heaven: fome advise it, others diffuade A third propofal is prefer'd, mention'd 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 fearch: Satan their Chief undertakes alone the Voyage; is honour'd and applauded. The Council thus ended, the reft betake them feveral ways; and to feveral imployments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time 'till Satan reC 2

turn.

turn. He paffes on his Journey to Hell Gates, finds them shut, and who fate there to guard them, by whom at length they are open'd, and difcover to him the great Gulf between Hell 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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IGH on a Throne of Royal State, which far

Outfhone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,

Or where the gorgeous Eaft 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 vigour, 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 truft themselves to fear no fecond fate.

Me though juft Right, and the fix'd Laws of Heav'n
Did firft create your Leader, next free Choice,
With what befides, in Council or in Fight,
Hath been atchiey'd of merit, yet this lofs
Thus far at leaft recover'd, hath much more
Establish'd in a fafe unenvied Throne,
Yielded with full confent. The happier state
In Heav'n, which follows dignity, might draw
Envy from each inferiour; but who here
Will envy whom the highest place exposes
Foremost to stand against the Thunderer's aim
Your bulwark, and condemns to greatest share
Of endless pain? Where there is then no good
For which to ftrive, noftrife can grow up there
From Faction; for none fure will claim in Hell
Precedence; none, whofe portion is fo small
Of present pain, that with ambitious mind
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