It indeed appeared to Reason as if desire was cast out, but the
Devil's account is, that the Messiah fell, and formed a heaven of what
he stole from the abyss.
This is shown in the Gospel, where he prays to the Father to send the
Comforter or desire that Reason may have ideas to build on, the Jehovah
of the Bible being no other than he who dwells in flaming fire. Know
that after Christ's death he became Jehovah.
But in Milton, the Father is Destiny, the Son a ratio of the five
senses, and the Holy Ghost vacuum!
_Note._--The reason Milton wrote in fetters when he wrote of Angels and
God, and at liberty when of Devils and Hell, is because he was a true
poet, and of the Devil's party without knowing it.
A MEMORABLE FANCY
As I was walking among the fires of Hell, delighted with the enjoyments
of Genius, which to Angels look like torment and insanity, I collected
some of their proverbs, thinking that as the sayings used in a nation
mark its character, so the proverbs of Hell show the nature of infernal
wisdom better than any description of buildings or garments.
When I came home, on the abyss of the five senses, where a flat-sided
steep frowns over the present world, I saw a mighty Devil folded in
black clouds hovering on the sides of the rock; with corroding fires
he wrote the following sentence now perceived by the minds of men, and
read by them on earth:--
"How do you know but every bird
that cuts the airy way
Is an immense world of delight,
closed by your senses five?"
PROVERBS OF HELL
In seed-time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.
Drive your cart and your plough over the bones of the dead.
The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.
Prudence is a rich ugly old maid courted by Incapacity.
He who desires, but acts not, breeds pestilence.
The cut worm forgives the plough.
Dip him in the river who loves water.
A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees.
He whose face gives no light shall never become a star.
Eternity is in love with the productions of time.
The busy bee has no time for sorrow.
The hours of folly are measured by the clock, but of wisdom no clock
can measure.
All wholesome food is caught without a net or a trap.
Bring out number, weight, and measure in a year of dearth.
No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings.
A dead body revenges not injuries.
The most sublime act is to set another before you.
If the fool would persist in his folly he would become wise.
Folly is the cloak of knavery.
Shame is Pride's cloak.
Prisons are built with stones of law, brothels with bricks of religion.
The pride of the peacock is the glory of God.
The lust of the goat is the bounty of God.
The wrath of the lion is the wisdom of God.
The nakedness of woman is the work of God.
Excess of sorrow laughs, excess of joy weeps.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account