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John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.

Page 226

 
 
John Milton. (1608–1674) (continued)
 
2498
    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
Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold,
Satan exalted sat, by merit rais’d
To that bad eminence.
          Paradise Lost. Book ii. Line 1.
2499
    Surer to prosper than prosperity
Could have assur’d us.
          Paradise Lost. Book ii. Line 39.
2500
    The strongest and the fiercest spirit
That fought in heaven, now fiercer by despair.
          Paradise Lost. Book ii. Line 44.
2501
    Rather than be less,
Car’d not to be at all.
          Paradise Lost. Book ii. Line 47.
2502
    My sentence is for open war.
          Paradise Lost. Book ii. Line 51.
2503
    That in our proper motion we ascend
Up to our native seat: descent and fall
To us is adverse.
          Paradise Lost. Book ii. Line 75.
2504
    When the scourge
Inexorable and the torturing hour
Call us to penance.
          Paradise Lost. Book ii. Line 90.
2505
    Which, if not victory, is yet revenge.
          Paradise Lost. Book ii. Line 105.
2506
    But all was false and hollow; though his tongue
Dropp’d manna, and could make the worse appear
The better reason, 1 to perplex and dash
Maturest counsels.
          Paradise Lost. Book ii. Line 112.
2507
    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. 2
          Paradise Lost. Book ii. Line 139.
 
Note 1.
Aristophanes turns Socrates into ridicule…as making the worse appear the better reason.—Diogenes Laertius: Socrates, v. [back]
Note 2.
Our hope is loss, our hope but sad despair.—William Shakespeare: Henry VI. part iii. act ii. sc. 3. [back]