Befides what hope the never-ending flight
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 ease, and peaceful floth,
Not peace and after him thus Mammon spake.
Either to difinthrone the King of Heav'n
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 Chaos judge the ftrife:
The former vain to hope argues as vain
The latter for what place can be for us
Within Heav'ns bound, unless Heav'ns Lord fupream
We overpower? Suppose he should relent
And publish Grace to all, on promise made
Of new Subjection; with what eyes could we
Stand in his prefence 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 envied Sov'reign, and his Altar breath's
Ambrofial Odours, and Ambrofial Flowers,
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
Of fplendid vaffalage, but rather feek
Our own good from our felves, and from our own
Live to our felves, though in this vaft recess,
Free, and to none accountable, preferring
Hard liberty before the eafie yoke
of fervile Pomp. Our greatnefs will appear
Then most confpicuous, when great things of small,
Ufeful of hurtful, profperous of adverse
We can create, and in what place fo e'er
Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain
Through labour and indurance. This deep world
Of darkness do we diead? How oft amidst
Thick clouds and dark doth Heav'ns all-ruling Sire
Chufe to refide, his Glory unobfcur'd,
And with the Majefty of darkness round
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
Imitate when we please? This defart foil
Wants not her hidden luftre, Gemms and Gold;
Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise
Magnificence; and what can Heav'n fhew more?
Our torments also 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 Senfible of pain. All things invite
To peaceful Counfels, and the fettled State
Of Order, how in fafety best we may
Compose our present evils, with regard
Of what we are, and where, difmiffing quite
All thoughts of War. Ye have what I advise.
He scarce had finish't, when such murmur fill'd
Th' Affembly, as when hollow Rocks retain
The found of bluftring winds, which all night long
Had rouz'd the Sea, now with hoarfe cadence lull
Sea-faring men o'erwatch'd, whofe Bark by chance
Or Pinnace anchors in a craggy Bay
After the Tempeft. Such applaufe was heard
As Mammon ended, and his Sentence pleas'd,
Advising Peace: For fuch another Field
They dreaded worse than Hell: So much the fear
of Thunder and the Sword of Michael
Wrought ftill within them; and no less defire
To found this nether Empire, which might rise,
By policy, and long process of time,
In emulation oppofite to Heav'n.
Which when Beelzebub perceiv'd, than whom,
Satan except, none higher fat, with grave
Afpe&t he rofe, and in his rifing feem'd
A Pillar of State; deep on his Front engraven
Deliberation fat and public Care;
And Princely counfel in his face yet fhone,
Majeftick though in ruin: fage he stood
With Atlantean fhoulders fit to bear
The weight of mightieft Monarchies; his Look
Drew audience and attention ft ll as night
Or fummer's noon-tide air, while thus he spake.
Thrones and Imperial Powers, off-spring of Heav'n,
Ethereal Virtues; or thefe Titles now
Muft we renounce, and changing ftile be call'd
Princes of Hell for fo 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'ns high jurisdiction, in new league
Banded against his Throne, but to remain
In ftri&teft bondage, though thus far remov❜d,
Under the inevitable curb, referv'd
His captive multitude: For He, be fure,
In heighth or depth, ftill 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 Scepter rule
Us here, as with his Golden thofe 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
Vouchfaf'd or fought; for what Peace will be giv'n
Tous enflav'd, but cuftody fevere,
And stripes, and arbitrary punishment
Inflicted? and what peace can we return?
But to our power hoftility and hate,
Untam'd reluctance, and revenge though flow,
Yet ever plotting how the Conqueror leaft
May reap his Conqueft, and may least rejoice
In doing what we most in fuffering feel?
Nor will occafion want, nor fhall we need
With dangerous expedition to invade
Heav'n, whofe high Walls fear no Affault or Siege,
Or ambush from the Deep. What if we find
Some easier enterprize? There is a place
(If ancient and prophetic fame in Heav'n
Err not) another World, the Happy feat
Of fome new Race call'd Man, about this time
To be created Like to us, though Lefs
In power and excellence, but favour'd more
Of him who rules above: So was his will
Pronounc'd among the Gods, and by an Oath,
That shook Heav'ns whole circumference, confirm'd.
Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn
What creatures there inhabit, of what mould,
Or fubftance, how endu'd, and what their Power,
And where their Weaknefs, how attempted beff,
By force or fubtlety. Though Heav'n be shut,
And Heav'ns high arbitrator sit secure
In his own ftrength, this place may lye expos'd
The utmost border of his Kingdom, left
To their defence who hold it: here perhaps
Some advantagious act may be atchiev'd
By fudden onfet, either with Hell fire
To wafte his whole Creation, or poffefs
All as our own, and drive as we were driven,
The punie 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 confufion, and our joy upraise
In his difturbance; when his darling Sons,
Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, shall curfe
Their fair Original, and faded bliss,
Faded fo foon. Advise if this be worth
Attempting, or to fit in darkness 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
The great Creator? But their spite still ferves
His glory to augment. The bold design
Pleas'd highly those infernal States, and joy
Sparkled in all their eyes; with full affent
They vote: whereat his speech he thus renews.
Well have ye judg'd, well ended long debate,
Synod of Gods, and, like to what ye are,
Great things refolv'd, which from the lowest deep
Will once more lift us up in spite of Fate,
Nearer our ancient Seat ; perhaps in view
Of those bright confines, whence with neighbouring
And opportune excursion we may chance
Re-enter Heav'n; or elfé in some mild Zone
Dwell not unvifited of Heav'ns fair light
Secure, and at the brightning Orient beam
Purge off this gloom; the foft delicious Air,
To heal the fear of these corrofive Fires,
Shall breathe her balm. But firft whom shall we fend
In fearch of this new World, whom shall we find
Sufficient who fhall tempt with wandring feet
The dark unbottom'd infinite Abyss,
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