Among these dark Satanic mills

In the acknowledgements of His Dark Materials (I've just finished the first book, The Golden Compass) Pullman claims to be inspired by both Blake and Milton. I can't wait to see how that works out. Blake famously wrote in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell:

"Note. The reason Milton wrote in fetters when he wrote of Angels & God, and at liberty when of Devils & Hell, is because he was a true Poet and of the Devils party without knowing it."

This gets quoted a lot by those reading and teaching Paradise Lost. Of course, in context it isn't quite clear what is going on. It is one of the many aphorisms spoken by "The Voice of the Devil."
Other excerpts from the same page:
"The history of this is written in Paradise Lost, and the Governor or Reason is call'd Messiah.

And the original Archangel, or possessor of the command of the Heavenly Host, is call'd the Devil or Satan, and his children are call'd Sin and Death.

But in the Book of Job, Milton's Messiah is called Satan.

For this history has been adopted by both parties.

It indeed appear'd 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."
And later: "But in Milton, the Father is Destiny, the Son a Ratio of the five senses, and the Holy-ghost Vacuum!"


Has he blown your mind?

I think I need to read Blake's Milton in which, apparently, Milton's spirit possesses Blake's foot.