The idle fpear and shield were high up hung, 55 The hooked chariot stood Unftain'd with hostile blood, The trumpet fpake not to the armed throng, And kings fat ftill with awful eye, As if they furely knew their sov'reign Lord was by. 60 V. But peaceful was the night, Wherein the Prince of light His reign of peace upon the earth began: The winds with wonder whift Smoothly the waters kift, Whisp'ring new joys to the mild ocean, Who now hath quite forgot to rave, 65 While birds of calm fit brooding on the charmed wave. VI. The ftars with deep amaze Stand fix'd in ftedfast gaze, Bending one way their precious influence, And will not take their flight, For all the morning light, Or Lucifer that often warn'd them thence; But in their glimmering orbs did glow, Until their Lord himself befpake and bid them go. VII. And though the fhady gloom Had given day her room, The fun himself withheld his wonted speed, And hid his head for fhame, As his inferior flame The new inlighten'd world no more should need; He faw a greater fun appear 7༠ 75 Than his bright throne, or burning axletree could bear. VIII. The shepherds on the lawn, 85 Or e'er the point of dawn, Sat fimply chatting in a rustic row; Full little thought they then, That the mighty Pan Was kindly come to live with them below Perhaps their loves, or elfe their sheep, ; 99 Was all that did their filly thoughts fo bufy keep. When fuch mufic sweet Their hearts and ears did greet, As never was by mortal finger strook, Divinely-warbled voice Anfwering the ftringed noife, As all their fouls in blissful rapture took : The air fuch pleasure loath to lofe, 95 99. With thousand echoes still prolongs each heav'nly close. X. Nature that heard fuch found, Beneath the hollow round Of Cynthia's feat, the aery region thrilling, Now was almost won To think her part was done, And that her reign had here its laft fulfilling; She knew fuch harmony alone Could hold all Heav'n and Earth in happier union. XI. At laft furrounds their fight A globe of circular light, 105 110 That with long beams the fhame-fac'd night array'd; The helmed Cherubim, And fworded Seraphim, Are feen in glittering ranks with wings difplay'd, Harping in loud and folemn quire, 115 With unexpreffive notes to Heav'n's new-born Heir. H Such mufic (as 'tis faid) Before was never made, XII. But when of old the fons of morning fung, While the Creator great His conftellations fet, And the well-balanc'd world on hinges hung, And caft the dark foundations deep, 120 And bid the weltring waves their oozy channel keep. XIII. Ring out ye crystal Spheres, Once blefs our human ears, (If ye have pow'r to touch our fenfes fo) And let your filver chime Move in melodious time, 125 And let the base of Heav'n's deep organ blow, 130 And with your ninefold harmony Make up full confort to th' angelic fymphony. For if fuch holy fong Inwrap our fancy long, XIV. Time will run back, and fetch the age of gold, 135 And fpeckled vanity Will ficken foon and die, And leprous Sin will melt from earthly mold, And Hell itself will pass away, And leave her dolorous manfions to the peering day.140 XV. Yea Truth and juftice then Will down return to men, Orb'd in a rainbow; and like glories wearing Mercy will fit between, Thron'd in celeftial sheen, 145 With radiant feet the tiffued clouds down fteering, And Heav'n, as at fome festival, Will open wide the gates of her high palace hall. But wifeft Fate fays no, This must not yet be so, XVI. The babe lies yet in smiling infancy, That on the bitter crofs Muft redeem our lofs; So both himself and us to glorify: 150 While the red fire, and fmouldring clouds out brake: The aged earth aghaft, With terror of that blast, Shall from the furface to the center shake : When at the world's last feffion, 160 The dreadful judge in middle air shall spread his throne. XVIII. And then at laft our blifs Full and perfect is, But now begins; for from this happy day Th' old Dragon under ground In ftraiter limits bound, Not half fo far cafts his ufurped fway, And wroth to fee his kingdom fail, Swindges the fcaly horror of his folded tail. The oracles are dumb, No voice or hideous hum XIX. 165 170 Runs through the arched roof in words deceiving. 175 Apollo from his fhrine Can no more divine, With hollow fhriek the steep of Delphos leaving. No nightly trance, or breathed spell Inspires the pale-ey'd priest from the prophetic cell. 180 XX. The lonely mountains o'er And the refounding shore, A voice of weeping heard and loud lament; From haunted spring, and dale Edg'd with poplar pale, The parting Genius is with fighing sent : With flow'r-inwoven treffes torn 185 TheNymphs in twilight fhade of tangled thickets mourn. XXI. In confecrated earth, And on the holy hearth, 190 The Lars, and Lemures moan with midnight plaint; In urns and altars round, A drear and dying found Affrights the Flamens at their fervice quaint; And the chill marble feems to sweat, 195 While each peculiar Pow'r forgoes his wonted feat. XXII. Peor and Baälim Forfake their temples dim, With that twice batter'd God of Palestine ; And mooned Ashtaroth, Heav'n's queen and mother both, Now fits not girt with tapers holy fhine; The Lybic Hammon fhrinks his horn, 200 [mourn. In vain the Tyrian maids their wounded Thammuz 199. With that twice batter'd God of Palestine ;] Dagon, who was twice batter'd by Samfon. |