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John Milton Quotes - Page 26

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The other shape, If shape it might be call'd that shape had none Distinguishable in member, joint, or limb; Or substance might be call'd that shadow seem'd, For each seem'd either,--black it stood as night, Fierce as

The other shape, If shape it might be call'd that shape had none Distinguishable in member, joint, or limb; Or substance might be call'd that shadow seem'd, For each seem'd either,--black it stood as night, Fierce as ten furies, terrible as hell, And shook a dreadful dart; what seem'd his head The likeness of a kingly crown had on. Satan was now at hand.

John Milton
Night, Hands, Black
John Milton (1832). “Milton's Poetical Works: Together with the Life of the Author”, p.56

Then wilt thou not be loath To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess A Paradise within thee, happier far.

John Milton
Happiness, Paradise, Thee
'Paradise Lost' (1667) bk. 12, l. 581

Fame is the spur that the clear spirit doth raise. That last infirmity of noble mind. To scorn delights, and live laborious days.

John Milton
Mind, Noble, Delight
"Lycidas" l. 70 (1638). A 1619 play thought to be written by John Fletcher, Sir John van Olden Barnavelt act 1, sc. 1, refers to "the desire of glory (That last infirmity of noble minds)." That play was lost and not rediscovered until 1883, so Milton's parallel words were coincidental.

Heaven is for thee too high To know what passes there; be lowly wise. Think only what concerns thee and thy being; Dream not of other worlds, what creatures there Live, in what state, condition, or degree, Contented that thus far hath been revealed.

John Milton
Wise, Dream, Thinking
'Paradise Lost' (1667) bk. 8, l. 172

Myself, and all the Angelic Host, that stand in the sight of God enthroned, our happy state hold, as you yours, while our obedience hold. On other surety none: freely we serve, because we freely love.

John Milton
Angel, Sight, Host
John Milton, Alastair Fowler (2007). “Paradise Lost”, p.315, Pearson Education

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.

John Milton
Crazy, Ambition, Mad
'Paradise Lost' (1667) bk. 1, l. 261

Satan; so call him now, his former name Is heard no more in heaven.

John Milton
Names, Heaven, Satan
'Paradise Lost' (1667) bk. 5, l. 658

A short retirement urges a sweet return.

John Milton
Sweet, Retirement, Return
'Paradise Lost' (1667) bk. 9, l. 249

And what is faith, love, virtue unassayed Alone, without exterior help sustained?

John Milton
Faith, Helping, Virtue
John Milton, Edward Young, Thomas Gray, James Beattie, William Collins (1836). “The Poetical Works of Milton, Young, Gray, Beattie, and Collins”, p.65

Thrones, dominions, princedoms, virtues, powers-- If these magnific titles yet remain Not merely titular.

John Milton
Titles, Thrones, Dominion
John Milton (1749). “Poetical works. A new ed. with notes of various authors by Thomas Newton. (With copper-plates.)”, p.249

In Physic, things of melancholic hue and quality are used against melancholy, sour against sour, salt to remove salt humors.

John Milton
Ayurveda, Quality, Hue
Samson Agonistes Preface

Leaves have their time to fall, And flowers to wither at the north - wind's breath, And stars to set; but all, Thou hast all seasons for thine own, O Death!

John Milton
Death, Time, Stars

And, re-assembling our afflicted powers, consult how we may henceforth most offend.

John Milton
Revenge, Power, May
John Milton (1850). “Paradise Lost”, p.23

Oh, shame to men! devil with devil damn'd Firm concord holds, men only disagree Of creatures rational.

John Milton
Men, Devil, Shame
John Milton (1853). “The Paradise lost”, p.79

Thick as autumnal leaves that strow the brooks In Vallombrosa, where th' Etrurian shades High over-arch'd imbower.

John Milton
Arches, Shade, Brooks
John Milton, James BUCHANAN (Grammarian.) (1773). “The First Six Books of Milton's Paradise Lost, Rendered Into Grammatical Construction ... With Notes ... To which are Prefixed Remarks on Ellipsis and Transposition ... By J. Buchanan”, p.45

We read not that Christ ever exercised force but once; and that was to drive profane ones out of his Temple, not to force them in.

John Milton
Temples, Christ, Force
John Milton (1851). “The Prose Works of John Milton: With a Biographical Introduction”, p.142

He who tempts, though in vain, at last asperses The tempted with dishonor foul, supposed Not incorruptible of faith, not proof Against temptation.

John Milton
Temptation, Lasts, Corruption
John Milton (2009). “The Complete Poetry and Essential Prose of John Milton”, p.526, Modern Library

He 's gone, and who knows how he may report Thy words by adding fuel to the flame?

John Milton
Flames, Gone, Fuel
John Milton, Henry John Todd (1852). “The Poetical Works of John Milton: With Notes of Various Authors; and with Some Account of the Life and Writings of Milton, Derived Principally from Original Documents in Her Majesty's State-paper Office”, p.217

Know thy birth! For dost thou art, and shalt to dust return.

John Milton
Art, Dust, Return

God shall be all in all.

John Milton
John Milton, Henry John Todd (1826). “The poetical works of John Milton: With notes of various authors”, p.228

What is dark within me, illumine.

John Milton
Dark

Fame, if not double fac'd, is double mouth'd, And with contrary blast proclaims most deeds; On both his wings, one black, the other white, Bears greatest names in his wild aery flight.

John Milton
Names, Wings, White
John Milton, Elijah Fenton, Samuel Johnson (1825). “The Poetical Works of John Milton”, p.97

Evil into the mind of god or man may come and go, so unapproved, and leave no spot or blame behind.

John Milton
Men, Evil, Mind
John Milton, James BUCHANAN (Grammarian.) (1773). “The First Six Books of Milton's Paradise Lost, Rendered Into Grammatical Construction ... With Notes ... To which are Prefixed Remarks on Ellipsis and Transposition ... By J. Buchanan”, p.321

But all was false and hollow; though his tongue Dropp'd manna, and could make the worse appear The better reason, 4 to perplex and dash Maturest counsels.

John Milton
Tongue, Reason, Hollow
John Milton (1853). “The Poetical Works of John Milton”, p.41

A gulf profound as that Serbonian bog Betwixt Damiata and Mount Casius old, Where armies whole have sunk: the parching air Burns frore, and cold performs th' effect of fire. Thither by harpy-footed Furies hal'd, At certain revolutions all the damn'd Are brought, and feel by turns the bitter change Of fierce extremes,-extremes by change more fierce; From beds of raging fire to starve in ice Their soft ethereal warmth, and there to pine Immovable, infix'd, and frozen round, Periods of time; thence hurried back to fire.

John Milton
Time, Army, Ice
John Milton, “Paradise Lost: Book 02”

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