John Milton

Sweet bird, that shun the noise of folly, most musical, most melancholy!

Sweet bird, that shun the noise of folly, most musical, most melancholy!

None can love freedom but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license, which never hath more scope than read more

None can love freedom but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license, which never hath more scope than under tyrants.

If this fail,
The pillar'd firmament is rottenness,
And earth's base built on stubble.

If this fail,
The pillar'd firmament is rottenness,
And earth's base built on stubble.

Peace hath her victories, no less renowned than War.

Peace hath her victories, no less renowned than War.

Hail, holy light! offspring of heaven firstborn!
Or of th' eternal co-eternal beam,
May I express thee read more

Hail, holy light! offspring of heaven firstborn!
Or of th' eternal co-eternal beam,
May I express thee unblam'd? since God is light
And never but in unapproached light
Dwelt from eternity, dwelt then in thee,
Bright effluence of bright essence increate!