In solemn songs at king Alcinous' feast, But fie, my wandering Muse, how thou dost stray! That to the next I may resign my room. 50 Then ENS is represented as father of the Predicaments his ten sons, whereof the eldest stoop for Substance with his canons, which ENS, thus speaking, explains:— Good luck befriend thee, son! for at thy birth The fairy ladies danced upon the hearth; Thy drowsy nurse hath sworn she did them spy Strew all their blessings on thy sleeping head. She heard them give thee this, that thou shouldst still From eyes of mortals walk invisible; Yet there is something that doth force my fear, For once it was my dismal hap to hear A Sybil old, bow-bent with crooked age, 70 So Devouring War shall never cease to roar; Yea it shall be his natural property To harbour those that are at enmity. What power, what force, what mighty spell, if not Your learned hands, can loose this Gordian knot? 471 90 The next, QUANTITY and QUALITY spake in prose; then RELATION was called by his name. Rivers, arise! whether thou be the son Of utmost Tweed, or Ouse, or gulphy Dun, Or Trent, who, like some Earth-born giant, spreads Or coaly Tyne, or ancient hallowed Dee; Or Humber loud that keeps the Scythian's name, [The rest was prose.] 100 ON THE MORNING OF CHRIST'S NATIVITY. [Composed 1629] I. THIS is the month, and this the happy morn, That he our deadly forfeit should release, II. That glorious form, that light unsufferable, And that far beaming blaze of majesty, Wherewith he wont at Heaven's high council-table He laid aside; and here with us to be, Forsook the courts of everlasting day, And chose with us a darksome house of mortal clay. 10 III. Say, heavenly Muse! shall not thy sacred vein Hast thou no verse, no hymn, or solemn strain, To welcome him to this his new abode, Now, while the Heaven, by the sun's team untrod, Hath took no print of the approaching light, 20 And all the spangled host keep watch in squadrons bright ? IV. See, how from far, upon the eastern road The star-led wizards haste with odours sweet : Oh, run! prevent them with thy humble ode, And lay it lowly at his blessèd feet; Have thou the honour first thy Lord to greet, From out his secret altar touched with hallowed fire. THE HYMN. I. It was the winter wild, While the Heaven-born child All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies: Nature in awe to him Had doffed her gaudy trim, With her great Master so to sympathize: It was no season then for her To wanton with the Sun, her lusty paramour. Only with speeches fair She woos the gentle air II. To hide her guilty front with innocent snow, And on her naked shame, Pollute with sinful blame, The saintly veil of maiden white to throw, Confounded, that her Maker's eyes Should look so near upon her foul deformities. III. But he, her fears to cease, Sent down the meek-eyed Peace; She, crowned with olive green, came swiftly sliding Down through the turning sphere, His ready harbinger, With turtle wing the amorous clouds dividing; And, waving wide her myrtle wand, She strikes an universal peace through sea and land. No war, or battle's sound, IV. Was heard the world around: The idle spear and shield were high up hung, The hooked chariot stood, Unstained with hostile blood ; The trumpet spake not to the armed throng; And kings sat still with awful eye, As if they surely knew their sovran Lord was by. His reign of peace upon the earth began : The winds, with wonder whist, Smoothly the waters kissed, Whispering new joys to the mild ocean, Who now hath quite forgot to rave, While birds of calm sit brooding on the charmèd wave. The stars, with deep amaze, Stand fixed in steadfast gaze, VI. Bending one way their precious influence; And will not take their flight, For all the morning light, Or Lucifer that often warned them thence; But in their glimmering orbs did glow, Until their Lord himself bespake, and bid them go. 50 6c 70 VII. And, though the shady gloom Had given day her room, The sun himself withheld his wonted speed, And hid his head for shame, As his inferior flame The new enlightened world no more should need; He saw a greater sun appear Than his bright throne, or burning axle-tree could bear. The shepherds on the lawn, Or e'er the point of dawn, VIII. Sat simply chatting in a rustic row; Full little thought they then That the mighty Pan Was kindly come to live with them befow: Perhaps their loves, or else their sheep, Was all that did their silly thoughts so busy keep. When such music sweet IX. Their hearts and ears did greet, As never was by mortal finger strook, Divinely-warbled voice Answering the stringèd noise, As all their souls in blissful rapture took: The air, such pleasure loth to lose, With thousand echoes still prolongs each heavenly close. X. Nature that heard such sound, Beneath the hollow round Of Cynthia's seat, the airy region thrilling, Now was almost won To think her part was done, And that her reign had here its last fulfilling: She knew such harmony alone Could hold all Heaven and Earth in happier union. 80 90 100 |