XV. Yea Truth and Justice then Will down return to men, Orb'd in a rainbow; and like glories wearing Mercy will fit between, 'Thron'd in celestial sheen, 145 With radiant feet the tiffued clouds down steering, And Heav'n, as at some festival, Will open wide the gates of her high palace hall. But wifeft Fate fays no, This must not yet be fo, XVI. The babe lies yet in fmiling infancy, That on the bitter cross Muft redeem our lofs; So both himself and us to glorify: Yet first to those ychain'd in sleep, 150 155 With terror of that blast, Shall from the surface to the center shake; When at the world's laft feffion, 160 The dreadful Judge in middle air fhall 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 sway, 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. Apollo from his fhrine Can no more divine, With hollow fhriek the steep of Delphos leaving. Infpires the pale-ey'd prieft from the prophetic cell. 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 fent; With flower-inwoven treffes torn 185 The Nymphs in twilight fhade of tangled thickets mourn. XXI. In 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 sound Affrights the Flamens at their service quaint; And the chill marble feems to sweat, 195 While each peculiar Power foregoes his wonted feat. Peor and Baälim XII. 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 shine; The Libyc Hammon fhrinks his horn, 200 In vain the Tyrian maids their wounded Thammuz mourn. XXIII. And fullen Moloch fled, Hath left in fhadows dread His burning idol all of blackest hue; In vain with cymbals' ring They call the grisly king, In difmal dance about the furnace blue; The brutish Gods of Nile as fast, Ifis and Orus, and the dog Anubis, hafte. G 4 205 210 XXIV. Nor Nor is Ofiris feen XXIV. In Memphian grove or green, Trampling the unfhower'd grafs with lowings loud: Nor can he be at rest Within his facred cheft, Nought but profoundest Hell can be his shroud; In vain with timbrel'd anthems dark The fable-ftoled forcerers bear his worshipt ark. 220 of Bethlehem blind his dusky eyn; 225 Longer dare abide, Not Typhon huge ending in fnaky twine : Our babe, to fhow his Godhead true, Can in his swadling-bands controll the damned crew. So when the fun in bed, XXVI. Curtain'd with cloudy red, Pillows his chin upon an orient wave, The flocking fhadows pale Troop to the infernal jail, Each fetter'd ghoft flips to his feveral grave, And the yellow-fkirted Fayes 230 235 Fly after the night-fteeds, leaving their moon-lov'd maze. XXVII. But But fee the Virgin bleft XXVII. Hath laid her Babe to reft, Time is our tedious fong should here have ending: Heaven's youngest teemed star Hath fix'd her polish'd car, 240 Her fleeping Lord with handmaid lamp attending: And all about the courtly stable Bright-harnest Angels fit in order serviceable. E REWHILE of mufic, and ethereal mirth, And joyous news of heav'nly Infant's birth, My Mufe with Angels did divide to fing; In wintry folftice like the shorten'd light Soon fwallow'd up in dark and long out-living night. II. For now to forrow muft I tune my fong, And fet my harp to notes of faddeft woe, Which on our dearest Lord did feize ere long, 5 ΤΟ Dangers, and snares, and wrongs, and worse than so, Which he for us did freely undergo: Moft perfect Hero, try'd in heaviest plight Of labors huge and hard, too hard for human wight! III. He |