86 REDEMPTION.
Of error's pleasing, flatt'ring, woeful paths. Sees Sin, and Sin's dark shadow, Death, imprint Their baleful mark on all that live and move; On all, save her, who ne'er the imprint knew. Sev'n times the space that measures day and night, As on its axis turns the moving ball, The Devil views his mundane kingdoms pass Beneath his eye. Dilate with pride, now mount His spirits high, as low before they fell. No more the bold usurper fears defeat; Adverse to fate, his guilty bosom swells, And thus grandiloquent vaunts new emprise :
" God of this world am I! earth's emperor; Prince of th' air. What though his power created ? My prowess won ; and, spite of all his gods, Divided empire sheer with him I hold. He rules the heavens. I rule the earth; and all Earth's myriads feal submit to me. On all that live and move my signet's placed, By paction seal'd, my victims here to serve; Hereafter for my sport, when penal fires Shall pour their luctual waves o'er them deceived. His empire is eternal? Be it so; And why not mine? Hath he not tried his best Us to annihilate, and fail'd, enerved? But why not Adam's race eternal too ? Whose procreative power alone depends Upon itself, and may, for aught yet known, With onward aim, cresive improve, until It emulate the gods, and join'd with ours, It may be, innumerable invade The blest abodes, and cast them out, who us
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