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Paradise Lost



Greatly instructed I shall hence depart,
Greatly in peace of thought, and
have my fill
Of knowledge, what this vessel can containe;
Beyond which
was my folly to aspire.
Henceforth I learne, that to obey is best,
And
love with feare the onely God, to walk
As in his presence, ever to observe

His providence, and on him sole depend,
Merciful over all his works,
with good
Still overcoming evil, and by small
Accomplishing great
things, by things deemd weak
Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wise

By simply meek; that suffering for Truths sake
Is fortitude to highest
victorie,
And to the faithful Death the Gate of Life;
Taught this by his
example whom I now
Acknowledge my Redeemer ever blest.

To whom thus
also th' Angel last repli'd:
This having learnt, thou hast attaind the summe

Of wisdom; hope no higher, though all the Starrs
Thou knewst by name,
and all th' ethereal Powers,
All secrets of the deep, all Natures works,

Or works of God in Heav'n, Air, Earth, or Sea,
And all the riches of
this World enjoydst,
And all the rule, one Empire; onely add
Deeds to
thy knowledge answerable, add Faith,
Add Vertue, Patience, Temperance, add
Love,
By name to come call'd Charitie, the soul
Of all the rest: then
wilt thou not be loath
To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess
A
Paradise within thee, happier farr.

"Paradise Lost," John Milton (excerpt Book XII)

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