John Milton

They, looking back, all the eastern side beheld Of Paradise, so late their happy seat, Waved over by that flaming brand, the gate With dreadful faces thronged and fiery arms: Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped them soon; The world was all before them, where to choose Their place of rest, and Providence their guide; They, hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way.

The stars, that nature hung in heaven, and filled their lamps with everlasting oil, give due light to the misled and lonely traveller.

Ev'n them who kept thy truth so pure of old, When all our fathers worshipp'd stocks and stones.

Abashed the devil stood and felt how awful goodness is and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely: and pined his loss

The end of all learning is to know God, and out of that knowledge to love and imitate Him.

Apt words have power to suage the tumors of a troubled mind.

Bacchus, that first from out the purple grape_x000D_ _x000D_ Crush'd the sweet poison of misused wine.

For contemplation he and valour formed; / For softness she and sweet attractive grace, / He for God only, she for God in him: / His fair large front and eye sublime declared / Absolute rule.

That space the Evil One abstracted stood From his own evil, and for the time remained Stupidly good, of enmity disarmed, Of guile, of hate, of envy, of revenge .

Or bid the soul of Orpheus sing Such notes as, warbled to the string, Drew iron tears down Pluto's cheek.

I cannot praise a fugitive and cloistered virtue, unexercised and unbreathed, that never sallies out and sees her adversary, but slinks out of the race where that immortal garland is to be run for, not without dust and heat.

Awake, arise or be for ever fall’n.

No man who knows aught, can be so stupid to deny that all men naturally were born free.

To adore the conqueror, who now beholds Cherub and seraph rolling in the flood.

I will not deny but that the best apology against false accusers is silence and sufferance, and honest deeds set against dishonest words.

Ease would recant Vows made in pain, as violent and void.

So farewell hope, and with hope farewell fear,Farewell remorse: all good to me is lost;Evil,be thou my good.

Day and night,_x000D_ _x000D_ Seed-time and harvest, heat and hoary frost_x000D_ _x000D_ Shall hold their course, till fire purge all things new.

Loneliness is the first thing which God's eye named not good.

A thousand fantasies Begin to throng into my memory, Of calling shapes, and beckoning shadows dire, And airy tongues that syllable men's names On sands and shores and desert wildernesses

A crown Golden in show, is but a wreath of thorns, Bring dangers, troubles, cares, and sleepless nights To him who wears the regal diadem