III. He fovran Prieft ftooping his regal head, His ftarry front low-rooft beneath the skies; 15 20 Yet more; the ftroke of death he must abide, These latest scenes confine my roving verfe, Of lute, or viol ftill, more apt for mournful things. V. Befriend me, Night, beft patronefs of grief, And work my flatter'd fancy to belief, That Heav'n and Earth are color'd with my woe; 25 30 The leaves fhould all be black whereon I write, And letters where my tears have wafli'd a wannish white. 35 VI. See, see the chariot, and those rushing wheels, That whirl'd the Prophet up at Chebar flood, My spirit fome tranfporting Cherub feels, To To bear me where the towers of Salem ftood, VII. Mine eye hath found that fad fepulchral rock For fure fo well inftructed are my tears, That they would fitly fall in order'd characters. VIII. Or fhould I thence hurried on viewless wing, 50 Might think th' infection of my forrows loud Had got a race of mourners on some pregnant cloud. 55 This fubject the Author finding to be above the years he had, when he wrote it, and nothing satisfied with what was begun, left it unfinish'd. V. ON FLY ས. ΟΝ ΤΙΜ Ε. LY envious Time, till thou run out thy race, Call on the lazy leaden-stepping hours, Whofe fpeed is but the heavy plummet's pace; And glut thyself with what thy womb devours, Which is no more than what is false and vain, And merely mortal dross; So little is our lofs, So little is thy gain. For when as each thing bad thou hast intomb'd, Then long Eternity shall greet our bliss With an individual kifs; And Joy fhall overtake us as a flood, When every thing that is fincerely good And perfectly divine, With truth, and peace, and love, shall ever shine Of him, t' whose happy-making fight alone When once our heav'nly-guided soul shall climb, Then all this earthy groffnefs quit, Attir'd with stars, we fhall for ever fit, 15 20 Triumphing over Death, and Chance, and thee, O Time. VI. UPON Y VI. UPON THE CIRCUMCISION. E flaming Powers, and winged Warriors bright, That erft with mufic, and triumphant fong, First heard by happy watchful shepherds' ear, So fweetly fung your joy the clouds along Through the foft filence of the lift'ning night; Now mourn, and if sad share with us to bear Your fiery effence can distil no tear, Burn in your fighs, and borrow Seas wept from our deep forrow: He who with all Heav'n's heraldry whilere Sore doth begin His infancy to seize! O more exceeding love or law more just! And that great covenant which we still transgress And the full wrath befide Of vengeful justice bore for our excess, And feals obedience first with wounding smart Huge pangs and strong Will pierce more near his heart. S ΤΟ VII. AT VII. AT A SOLEMN MUSIC. BLEST pair of Syrens, pledges of Heav'n's joy, Wed Sphere-born harmonious sisters, Voice and Verfe, With faintly fhout and folemn jubilee, 5 10 15 Singing everlastingly; That we on earth with undifcording voice May rightly answer that melodious noife; Jarr'd against nature's chime, and with harsh din 20 To their great Lord, whofe love their motion sway'd In perfect diapafon, whilst they stood In firft obedience, and their state of good. O may we foon again renew that song, 25 And keep in tune with Heav'n, till God ere long To live with him, and fing in endless morn of light! VIII. An |