--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Th' ethereal mould Incapable of stain…" description: "\"Th' ethereal mould Incapable of stain would soon expel Her mischief, and purge off the baser fire, Victorious. Thus repuls'd, our final hope Is flat de..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/john-milton-191_despair_th-ethereal-mould-incapable-of-stain-wou_293060.png" --- # Th' ethereal mould Incapable of stain would soon expel Her… ![“Th' ethereal mould Incapable of stain would soon expel Her mischief, and purge off the baser fire, Victorious. Thus repuls'd, our final hope Is flat despair.” quote by John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/john-milton-191_despair_th-ethereal-mould-incapable-of-stain-wou_293060.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/john-milton-191_despair_th-ethereal-mould-incapable-of-stain-wou_293060.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/john-milton-191_despair_th-ethereal-mould-incapable-of-stain-wou_293060.png) > “Th' ethereal mould Incapable of stain would soon expel Her mischief, and purge off the baser fire, Victorious. Thus repuls'd, our final hope Is flat despair.” [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A pure spirit, unable to be tainted, will drive away mischief and lower passions, leaving only despair when hope is defeated. **In simple terms:** Pure spirit expels mischief, leaving despair when hope fails. Key Takeaway Recognize when purity confronts corruption. Themes purity corruption despair hope spiritual conflict Mood somber reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - ethical dilemmas - spiritual reflection - overcoming temptation Key Concepts dualism moral struggle transcendence Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain purity amid corruption? - Can hope be restored after despair? A Different Perspective Even pure intentions can be overwhelmed by persistent negativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Ethereal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethereal/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Mischief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mischief/) [Paradise lost book 2](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradise-lost-book-2/) ## Related quotes > [A gulf profound as that Serbonian bog Betwixt Damiata and Mount Casius old, Where armies whole have sunk: the parching air Burns frore, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/a-gulf-profound-as-that-serbonian-bog-betwixt-damiata-and-mount/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [The Dallas Mavericks are our final hope. This is it. America's final hope rests on Mark Cuban and a 7 foot German. It's life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-dallas-mavericks-are-our-final-hope-this-is-it-america-s-final/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Poetry -- even bad poetry -- may be our final hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/poetry-even-bad-poetry-may-be-our-final-hope/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Live while ye may, Yet happy pair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/live-while-ye-may-yet-happy-pair/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Meanwhile the Adversary of God and man, Satan with thoughts inflamed of highest design, Puts on swift wings, and towards the gates of hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/meanwhile-the-adversary-of-god-and-man-satan-with-thoughts-inflamed/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Death Grinn'd horrible a ghastly smile, to hear His famine should be fill'd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/death-grinn-d-horrible-a-ghastly-smile-to-hear-his-famine-should-be/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Into this wild abyss, The womb of Nature and perhaps her grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/into-this-wild-abyss-the-womb-of-nature-and-perhaps-her-grave/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [And feel by turns the bitter change Of fierce extremes, extremes by change more fierce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-feel-by-turns-the-bitter-change-of-fierce-extremes-extremes-by/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet, With charm of earliest birds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/sweet-is-the-breath-of-morn-her-rising-sweet-with-charm-of-earliest/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [The spirits perverse with easy intercourse pass to and fro, to tempt or punish mortals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-spirits-perverse-with-easy-intercourse-pass-to-and-fro-to-tempt/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Where eldest Night And Chaos, ancestors of Nature, hold Eternal anarchy amidst the noise Of endless wars, and by confusion stand; For hot, cold,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/where-eldest-night-and-chaos-ancestors-of-nature-hold-eternal-anarchy/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [God is thy law, thou mine: to know no more Is woman's happiest knowledge and her praise. With thee conversing I forget all time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/god-is-thy-law-thou-mine-to-know-no-more-is-woman-s-happiest/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Better to reign in hell than serve in heav'n.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/better-to-reign-in-hell-than-serve-in-heav-n/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [And on the Tree of Life, The middle tree and highest there that grew, Sat like a cormorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-on-the-tree-of-life-the-middle-tree-and-highest-there-that-grew/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Knowledge forbidden? Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord Envy them that? Can it be sin to know, Can it be death? 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And do they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/knowledge-forbidden-suspicious-reasonless-why-should-their-lord-envy/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There is no truth sure enough to justify persecution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/there-is-no-truth-sure-enough-to-justify-persecution/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [New Presbyter is but Old Priest writ Large.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/new-presbyter-is-but-old-priest-writ-large/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [And what is faith, love, virtue unassayed Alone, without exterior help sustained?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-what-is-faith-love-virtue-unassayed-alone-without-exterior-help/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [This is servitude, To serve th'unwise, or him who hath rebelled Against his worthier, as thine now serve thee, Thyself not free, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/this-is-servitude-to-serve-th-unwise-or-him-who-hath-rebelled-against/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Let us seek Death, or he not found, supply With our own hands his office on ourselves; Why stand we longer shivering under fears,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/let-us-seek-death-or-he-not-found-supply-with-our-own-hands-his/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [They are the troublers, they are the dividers of unity, who neglect and don't permit others to unite those dissevered pieces which are yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/they-are-the-troublers-they-are-the-dividers-of-unity-who-neglect-and/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) [Explore all 966 John Milton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) ## More Despair quotes > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“She searched her mind for a single day when it had felt good to be alive. 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It caused me nothing but sorrow. No need for another tomorrow. In your heart, I will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louaiq8/enough-for-this-bow-arrow-it-caused-me-nothing-but-sorrow-no-need-for/) Louaiq8 > [True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. It leads to grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/true-repentance-never-leads-to-despair-its-leads-home-it-leads-to/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Do not consider despair as a thick and high wall standing on your way; it is just a darkness and you can still walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/do-not-consider-despair-as-a-thick-and-high-wall-standing-on-your-way/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Despair is the price one pays for setting oneself an impossible aim. 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