The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-01-21
CBoite 4oetie Slcft1ons.
Beauties of Paradise Lost--Book II.
NUMBER TWO.


EUMpER TWO.
The second book of Paradise Lost" con-
tains the debate held by the Internal powers
On the means t0 reiustate themselves in the
position which they had lost by the rebeii n
IN Heaven. This discussion results in adopt
ing the views Of Lucifer, Who has heard Of
the creation of man, and urges his followers
to explore the new planet for the purpose of
bcgUiing our first parents. Satan himself,
at his suggestion, becomes the bellish envoy
/ for this purpose, and the close of the book
leaves him lowering on the confines Of our
sphere, after having passed the gates of hell,
which were guarded by two nousters-Sin,
and Eer offspring, Death.
The description of the throne of Satan,
with which this book sets out. is amoLg the
finest
High on throne Of royal state, which far
Outshone the wealth ur Ormes. and Of Tud.
Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand
Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and
( gold,
Satan exalted sat, by merit raised
To that bad cmineuce.
! BeIial replies to Satan, who den9unces
war:
/ Belal, in act more graceful and bumane
( 4 iairer person lost not heaven ha. seemed
{ For dignity composed aud high exploit:
! But all was false and hollow tho lis tongue
Dropt mama, and could make the worse
appear
The better reason. to Ierp',x and dash
I Matuiest cuJIEsgls: for his thUEghts were
low;
To vice industrious. but to nobler deeds
Tim'rous aud s'othful-
In deprecstiug warfare against the heav-
enly hosts, he prefc's punishment TO apnihi
!ation, for lie argue:
We must exasperate
The Almighty victor To spend all his rage,
Z And that must end Us, that must be our cure.
( To bs 40 more; sad cure fur who would lose,
Though full "f pain. this iutallec, ual being,
Those thoughts that wander through eteT-
nifty,
To perish rather, swallowed NJ and lost
In the wide womb of uncreaic0 night
. Devoid Of sense sud motion.
Here is the poets picture Of Bee'zebub:
Than whom.
! Satan except. none higher sat. with grave
. Aspect he rose, and IN his rising seemed
, 4 pillar of state. deep on his front eugraven
I DeiberatiOu sat, and public care;
I Aud priucly counsel in his face Vet shona,
Majestic though in ruin sage he stood,
With Atlanteau shoulders, fit - bear
The weight Of mightiest monarchies.
The concord which prevailed on closing
the debate among the demons induced the
poet to dePrecate human legislation thus:
Oh shame to men! Devil with Devil damned
Firm concord holds, men only disfgrce
llf 1fIgu.l tbRpyh under bC-a
OF heavenly grace and God proclaiuing
peace,
Yet live in hatred. enmity, and strife
Among themselves, and levy cruel wars,
Wasting the earth, each other 70 destroy
A. if. (Which might induce Us to accord
Man haG not enemies enou' besides.
That Gay and night for his destruction wait
The description of Sin aud Death, the
guardians Of the gates of he'll, are full ot
power
The one seemed woman to the waist and fair
But ended foul IN many scsly fold
Fuiumiuous aud vast, serpent armed
With mortal sting about her middle round
; 4 cry Of he'll, hounds never cea,ing barked
With wide Carberean mouths full lJud, and
rrna
a hideous peal; yet when they list, would
creep,
Taught disturbed their noise, into her womb
And Kennel there, yet there still! barked and
; howled
Within, unseen.
The other shape,
II shape IL might be oaiiod, that shape had
none
Distinguishable, in member joint or limb
Or substance might be calledthat shadow
seemed
For each seemed either black it stood as
Night.
Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as hell.
And shook dreadful dart; what seemed
his head
The likeness Of kingly crown had on.
In the encounter between Satan aad
, Death occurs the phrase so much hackneyed
, since Milton's time:
, Grinned horrible ghastly smile
!, The opening OF the gates of hell give 2
; view of the regions beyond
Before their eyes in sudden view appear
The secrets of the hoary lccy, dark
= / llimita5le ocean, without bound
Without dimension, where lcugth, breadtl
and hight,
And time and place are lost where eldes
Night
And Chaos. ancestors of Nature, holI
Eternal anarchy, amidst the noise
OF endless wars, and by confusion stand
We shall close our extracts from the sec
ond book with phrase from the Anarch'.
1 account Of the rout of Lucifer and his hosts
I saw and heard. for such numerous host
/ Fled not in silence through the frighted deeE
With rnin upon ruin. rent on rout,
Confusion toorse confounded
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