John Milton Quotes

All hell broke loose.

But now at last the sacred influenceOf light appears, and rom the walls of Heav'nShoots far into the bosom of dim NightA glimmering dawn; here Nature first begins her farthest verge, and Chaos to retireAs from her outmost works a broken foeWith tumult less and with less hostile din,

He who reigns within himself and rules his passions desires and fears is more than a king.

Come and trip it as ye go On the light fantastic toe.

Awake, arise or be for ever fall’n.

One sip of this will bathe the drooping spirits in delight, beyond the bliss of dreams.

Since good the more Communicated more abundant grows.

For books are not absolutely dead things, but... do preserve as in a vial the purest efficacy and extraction of that living intellect that bred them. I know they are as lively, and as vigorously productive, as those fabulous Dragon's teeth; and being sown up and down, may chance to spring up armed men. And yet on the other hand unless warriors be used, as good almost kill a Man a good Book; who kills a man kills a reasonable creature, God's image; but he who destroys a good book, kills Reason itself, kills the Image of God, as it were in the eye. Many a man lives a burden to the Earth; but a good Book is the precious life-blood of a master-spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life.John MiltonAreopagitica

Oh goodness infinite, goodness immense!That all this good of evil shall produce,And evil turn to good; more wonderfulThan that which by creation first brought forthLight out of darkness! Full of doubt I stand,Whether I should repent me now of sinBy me done, and occasioned; or rejoiceMuch more, that much more good thereof shall spring;To God more glory, more good-will to menFrom God, and over wrath grace shall abound.

Luck is the residue of design.

All is best, though we oft doubt, what the unsearchable dispose, of highest wisdom brings about.

Be strong, live happy and love, but first of allHim whom to love is to obey, and keepHis great command!

Of four infernal rivers that disgorge/ Into the burning Lake their baleful streams;/Abhorred Styx the flood of deadly hate,/Sad Acheron of sorrow, black and deep;/Cocytus, nam'd of lamentation loud/ Heard on the rueful stream; fierce Phlegethon/ Whose waves of torrent fire inflame with rage./ Far off from these a slow and silent stream,/ Lethe the River of Oblivion rolls/ Her wat'ry Labyrinth whereof who drinks,/ Forthwith his former state and being forgets,/ Forgets both joy and grief, pleasure and pain.

A dungeon horrible, on all sides round, As one great furnace flamed; yet from those flames No light; but rather darkness visible Served only to discover sights of woe

But first whom shall we sendIn search of this new world, whom shall we findSufficient? Who shall tempt, with wand'ring feetThe dark unbottomed infinite abyssAnd through the palpable obscure find outHis uncouth way, or spread his aery flightUpborne with indefatigable wingsOver the vast abrupt, ere he arriveThe happy isle?

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

Deep-versed in books And shallow in himself.

Take heed lest passion sway Thy judgment to do aught which else free will Would not admit.

For neither man nor angel can discern hypocrisy the only evil that walks invisible.

God doth not need Either man's work or his own gifts who best Bear His mild yoke they serve Him best His state Is kingly thousands at His bidding speed And post o'er land and ocean without rest - They also serve who only stand and wait.

Even the demons are encouraged when their chief is "not lost in loss itself.

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.

Here at lastWe shall be free;the Almighty hath not builtHere for his envy, will not drive us hence:Here we may reign secure, and in my choiceTo reign is worth ambition though in Hell:Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven.

The goal of all learning is to repair the ruin of our first parents.

Never can true reconcilement grow where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep...

Where no hope is left is left no fear.

Confidence imparts a wonderful inspiration to its possessor.

Where the bright seraphim in burning rowTheir loud uplifted angel trumpets blow.

Now came still evening on, and twilight grayHad in her sober livery all things clad;Silence accompany'd; for beast and bird,They to their grassy couch, these to their nests,Were slunk, all but the wakeful nightingale;She all night long her amorous descant sung;Silence was pleas'd. Now glow'd the firmamentWith living sapphires; Hesperus, that ledThe starry host, rode brightest, till the moon,Rising in clouded majesty, at lengthApparent queen unveil'd her peerless light,And o'er the dark her silver mantle threw.

The mind is its own place and in itself Can make a heaven of hell a hell of heaven.