John Milton Quotes

While the cock with lively din
Scatters the rear of darkness thin,
And to the stack, or the barn door,
Stoutly struts his dames before,
Oft list'ning how the hounds and horn
Cheerly rouse the slumb'ring morn.

Mirth, admit me of thy crew,
To live with her, and live with thee,
In unreprovèd pleasures free.

The mountain nymph, sweet Liberty.

Sport, that wrinkled Care derides,
And Laughter, holding both his sides.
Come, and trip it, as you go.
On the light fantastic toe.

Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee
Jest, and youthful jollity,
Quips and cranks and wanton wiles,
Nods and becks and wreathèd smiles.

Hence, loathèd Melancholy,
Of Cerberus and blackest Midnight born,
In Stygian cave forlorn,
'Mongst horrid shapes, and shrieks, and sights unholy.

Peor and Baälim
Forsake their temples dim.

From haunted spring and dale
Edged with poplar pale
The parting genius is with sighing sent.

The oracles are dumb, No voice or hideous hum
Runs through the arched roof in words deceiving. Apollo from his shrine Can no more divine,
With hollow shriek the steep of Delphos leaving.
No nightly trance or breathed spell
Inspires the pale-eyed priest from the prophetic cell.

Swinges the scaly horror of his folded tail.

Time will run back and fetch the Age of Gold.

No war, or battle's sound
Was heard the world around.
The idle spear and shield were high up hung.

It was the winter wild
While the Heav'n-born child
All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies.

This is the month, and this the happy morn,
Wherein the Son of Heav'n's eternal King,
Of wedded maid and virgin mother born,
Our great redemption from above did bring;
For so the holy sages once did sing,
That He our deadly forfeit should release,
And with His Father work us a perpetual peace.

I neither oblige the belief of other person, nor overhastily subscribe mine own. Nor have I stood with others computing or collating years and chronologies, lest I should be vainly curious about the time and circumstance of things, whereof the substance is so much in doubt. By this time, like one who had set out on his way by night, and travelled through a region of smooth or idle dreams, our history now arrives on the confines, where daylight and truth meet us with a clear dawn, representing to our view, though at a far distance, true colours and shapes.