With the fix'd stars, fix'd in their orb that flies; And ye five other wand'ring fires that move In mystic dance not without song, resound His praife, who out of darkness call'd up light. Air, and ye elements, the eldest birth Of nature's womb, that in quaternion run Perpetual circle, multiform; and mix, And nourish all things; let your ceaseless change Vary to our great Maker still new praise. Ye mists and exhalations that now rife From hill or steaming lake, dusky or gray, Till the fun paint your fleecy skirts with gold, In honour to the world's great Author rife, Whether to deck with clouds th' uncolour'd sky, Or wet the thirsty earth with falling showers, Rifing or falling still advance his praise.
His praise, ye winds, that from four quarters blow, Breathe soft or loud; and wave your tops, ye pines, With every plant, in fign of worship wave. Fountains, and ye, that warble, as ye flow, Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise, Join voices all ye living fouls; ye birds, That singing up to heaven-gate ascend, Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise. Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk
The earth, and stately tread, or lowly creep; Witness if I be filent, morn or even,
To hill, or valley, fountain, or fresh shade, Made vocal by my song, and taught his praise. Hail universal Lord, be bounteous still To give us only good; and if the night Have gather'd ought of evil, or conceal'd, Disperse it, as now light dispels the dark.
MESSIAH, a Sacred ECLOGUE.
E nymphs of Solyma! begin the fong: To heav'nly themes fublimer strains belong.
The mossy fountains, and the fylvan shades, The dreams of Pindus and th' Aonian maids, Delight no more thou my voice inspire Who touch'd Ifaiah's hallow'd lips with fire! Rapt into future times, the Bard begun : A Virgin shall conceive, a Virgin bear a Son! From Jesse's root behold a branch arise, Whose sacred flow'r with fragrance fills the skies : Th' æthereal spirit o'er its leaves shall move, And on its top descends the mystic dove. Ye heav'ns! from high the dewy nectar pour, And in soft filence shed the kindly show'r ! The fick and weak the healing plant shall aid, From storms a shelter, and from heat a shade. All crimes shall cease, and ancient fraud shall fail; Returning justice lift aloft her scale; Peace o'er the world her olive wand extend, And white rob'd innocence from heav'n descend. Swift fly the years, and rise th' expected morn ! Oh fpring to light, auspicious Babe, be born! See nature hastes her earliest wreaths to bring, With all the incense of the breathing spring :
banon his head abrame.
*reits on the mounam dance:
-strom lowly Saron rife,
wre top perfumes the skies! son the coneix defert chears; God appears :
14.shoveci nis reply,
malaka premaching Deity.
reserves barrom the bending skies!
the down; VE MOCAELIMms and, ye wallies, ries th heads dech sa wears, homage pay;
«» 'mooth ve rock»
** Saviour comes
we mid foods, give way!
anciens Foretold:
Hear aim, ye deal, it all menu, behold! Fis from thick films thall purge the a, ray, Ana on the fightless eye-ball pour the tiny *ys he ta' obstructed paths of found fhal clear Ane, tru new music charm th' unfolding ear:
thall fing, the lame his crutch forego ting like the bounding roe. hat mar the wide world shall hear, wipes off ev'ry tear.
all death be bound,
t' eternal wound.
fleecy care, nerelt air,
heep directs,
motects,
The tender lambs he raises in his arms, Feeds from his hand, and in his bosom warms; Thus shall mankind his guardian care engage, The promis'd father of the future age. No more shall nation against nation rise, Nor ardent warriors meet with hateful eyes, Nor fields with gleaming steel be cover'd o'er, The brazen trumpets kindle rage no more; But useless lances into scythes shall bend, And the broad faulchion in a plow-share end. Then palaces shall rise; the joyful fon Shall finish what his short-liv'd fire begun; Their vines a shadow to their race shall yield, And the fame hand that sow'd, shall reap the field. The swain in barren deferts with surprize Sees lilies spring, and sudden verdure rise; And starts amidst the thirsty wilds to hear New falls of water murm'ring in his ear. On rifted rocks, the dragon's late abodes, The green reed trembles, and the bulrush nods. Waste sandy valleys, once perplex'd with thorn, The spiry fir and shapely box adorn :
To leafless shrubs the flow'ry palms succeed, And od'rous myrtle to the noisom weed.
The lambs with wolves shall graze the verdant mead,
And boys in flow'ry bands the tiger lead;
The steer and lion at one crib shall meet,
And harmless serpents lick the pilgrim's feet.
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