University of Virginia Library

“Not with you to take counsel, Powers of heaven,—
For still that title ours,—in so great haste
Hither have I convoked you,”—thus began
The fallen Archangel,—“for rule absolute
Ye grant me still; both as, of right, mine own,
And for the good of all,—with justice used,
And wisdom,—not your counsel to invite,
I call you; but the speedier to make known
A mighty thing, that shall your spirits lift,
By showing progress on our certain way
Toward state of godhead. When Omnipotence,
Omniscience, shall be ours,—as, in due course
Of the eternal ages, they must be,—
Then shall our thrones lofty as His become;
He but our equal be; nay, haply, less;
For possible so I deem it. Then shall war
Of might 'gainst might, prove who for aye shall reign,
Monarch of heaven: and, haply, he, so long
Our tyrant, may our subject god become:
Or, to some perished orb, like this, retired,
Alone through all eternity may mourn,
His power and glory lost,—as now we mourn,
Though for a season only, our lost power
And glory in heaven. Time's cycles numberless
May seem, ere this can come: but every step
Makes less the journey: every slightest thing
Won from our adversary, him of strength
So far deprives; so far makes us more strong.
Time was, when from Omniscience nought was hid:
Nor act of ours, nor even thought most close,
From Him could we conceal; so far his power
Our power surpassed: and, stood we now, as then,
Inferior to him, powerless still were we
His watch to evade. Great, then, hath been our speed
Toward godhead, when, beneath his very eye,
Even in that Egypt, his own battle-field,
Our growing strength his watchfulness hath foiled.
Of his designs for earth, in ages past,
Oft, truly, have we learned; and, by our wiles,
Opposed them; nay, defeated: but, through all,
From mortal tongue alone the tidings came;
Never from habitant of heaven, by Him
Appointed to his work; for, as the grave
Its dead holds from the sight of living man,
So, in the bosom of his angels, close
God's counsel still was hidden. Not their strength,
Or deeper cunning, overmatching ours;
But strength from him, or keener subtlety,
To them imparted. Where they us o'ercame,
Never with their own power, but his, they wrought:
Else, with us equal merely; or, perchance,
Angel 'gainst angel measured, even far less.
With them comparing subtlety, or strength,
With Him, then, we compare: and, mastering them,
Him overcome. Rejoice then; for a day
Of victory is ours. The all-seeing eye
Dimmer hath waxed; or, seeing as before,
By our still growing potence hath been foiled,—
Striving our darkness to pierce. At last, close hid
From even the eye of God, may we expect
Power,—wheresoe'er we will,—to be, or act:
Whether, for our own purposes, to move
Through earth, and sky,—or, in deep secrecy,
Of his to learn; when, in our darkness wrapped,
We list his angels talking;—unto man
His message bearing,—or among themselves
Discoursing: for the ways of God toward men,
Be sure, is oft their theme,—that wretched race,
Which better were it to annihilate,
Foul as it is, and worthless, than, with strife
'Gainst strength like ours, to uphold awhile; then crush,
By deluge, as before; or, it may be,
By world-quake, pestilence, or fire. But thus
Deemeth not he; still resolute man to purge
From evil; and, to all the human race,
Redemption,—whatsoe'er that be,—to send.