While birds of calm sit brooding on the Beneath the hollow round charmed wave. VI. The stars with deep amaze 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 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. XI. Until their Lord himself bespake, and bid At last surrounds their sight them go. 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. VIII. The shepherds on the lawn, Or e'er the point of dawn, Sat simply chatting in a rustic row; Was kindly come to live with them below; keep. IX. When such music sweet Their hearts and ears did greet As never was by mortal finger strookDivinely-warbled voice A globe of circular light, That with long beams the shamefaced night arrayed; The helmed Cherubim And sworded Seraphim Are seen in glittering ranks with wings displayed, Harping in loud and solemn choir, With unexpressive notes, to Heaven's newborn Heir XII. Such music (as 't is said) Before was never made, But when of old the sons of morning sung, While the Creator great His constellations set, And the well-balanced world on hinges hung, And cast the dark foundations deep, And bid the weltering waves their oozy channel keep. XIII. Ring out, ye crystal spheres! Once bless our human ears, If ye have power to touch our senses so; And let your silver chime Move in melodious time, And let the bass of heaven's deep organ blow: And with your ninefold harmony XVIII. Make up full consort to the angelic sym- And then at last our bliss phony. Yea, Truth and Justice then Will down return to men, Full and perfect is But now begins; for from this happy day The old Dragon, under ground In straiter limits bound, Not half so far casts his usurped sway, And, wroth to see his kingdom fail, XIX. The oracles are dumb; No voice or hideous hum Runs through the arched roof in words deceiving; Apollo from his shrine Can no more divine, With hollow shriek the steep of Delphos leaving; Orbed in a rainbow; and, like glories No nightly trance, or breathed spell, wearing, Mercy will sit between, Throned in celestial sheen, With radiant feet the tissued clouds down steering; And heaven, as at some festival, Will open wide the gates of her high palace hall. XVI. But wisest Fate says No This must not yet be so; The babe yet lies in smiling infancy That on the bitter cross Must redeem our loss, So both Himself and us to glorify. Yet first to those ye chained in sleep The wakeful trump of doom must thunder through the deep, XVII. With such a horrid clang As on Mount Sinai rang, In urns and altars round A drear and dying sound Affrights the flamens at their service quaint; While the red fire and smouldering clouds And the chill marble seems to sweat, out-brake; The aged earth, aghast With terror of that blast, Shall from the surface to the centre shake When, at the world's last session, While each peculiar Power foregoes his wonted seat. Peor and Baälim XXII. The dreadful Judge in middle air shall spread Forsake their temples dim, His throne. With that twice-battered god of Palestine; Nor is Osiris seen In Memphian grove or green, EPIPHANY. Trampling the unshowered grass with BRIGHTEST and best of the sons of the morn lowings loud; Nor can he be at rest Within his sacred chest ing, Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid! Nought but profoundest hell can be his Star of the East, the horizon adorning, shroud; Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid! Cold on His cradle the dew-drops are shining; Low lies His bed with the beasts of the stall; Angels adore Him in slumber recliningMaker, and Monarch, and Saviour of all. Say, shall we yield Him, in costly devotion, Odors of Edom, and offerings divineGems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean Myrrh from the forest, and gold from the mine? Vainly we offer each ample oblation, Vainly with gold would His favor secure; Richer by far is the heart's adoration, Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor. Brightest and best of the sons of the morning, Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid! Star of the East, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid! REGINALD HEBER. MESSIAH. YE nymphs of Solyma! begin the song- Th' ethereal spirit o'er its leaves shall move, From storm a shelter, and from heat a shade. All crimes shall cease, and ancient frauds shall fail; Returning Justice lift aloft her scale, He from thick films shall purge the visual ray, And on the sightless eyeball pour the day; 'Tis He th' obstructed paths of sound shall clear, And bid new music charm th' unfolding ear; The dumb shall sing; the lame his crutch forego, And leap exulting like the bounding roe. hear From every face He wipes off every tear. By day o'ersees them, and by night protects; warms: Thus shall mankind His guardian care en gage The promised father of the future age. Swift fly the years, and rise the expected Nor fields with gleaming steel be covered o'er, morn! O spring to light! auspicious babe, be born! See, nature hastes her earliest wreaths to bring, With all the incense of the breathing spring! The brazen trumpets kindle rage no more; The swain in barren deserts with surprise Sink down, ye mountains; and ye valleys, Waste sandy valleys, once perplexed with rise! With heads declined, ye cedars, homage pay! Be smooth, ye rocks; ye rapid floods, give way! thorn, The spiry fir and shapely box adorn; To leafless shrubs the flowery palms succeed, And odorous myrtle to the noisome weed; The Saviour comes! by ancient bards fore- The lambs with wolves shall graze the vertold Hear Him, ye deaf; and all ye blind, behold! dant mead, And boys in flowery bands the tiger lead; CHRIST'S MESSAGE. The steer and lion at one crib shall meet, Rise, crowned with light, imperial Salem, rise! Exalt thy towery head, and lift thy eyes! And heaped with products of Sabean springs! And seeds of gold in Ophir's mountains glow. See heaven its sparkling portals wide display, And break upon thee in a flood of day! Revealed, and God's eternal day be thine! 727 Sweet Jesus, let that star of Thine- Tears that from true repentance drop, And as those wise men never went GEORGE WITHER. CHRIST'S MESSAGE. HARK the glad sound-the Saviour comes! The Saviour promised long! Let every heart prepare a throne, And every voice a song. On Him the spirit, largely poured, Wisdom and might, and zeal and love, He comes the prisoners to release, He comes from thickest films of vice He comes the broken heart to bind, |