BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST. 'Twas night in Babylon: yet many a beam Whose azure knows no cloud :-each whispered sigh O'er an illumined wilderness of flowers ; And the glad city's voice went up from all her towers. But prouder mirth was in the kingly hall, Where, 'midst adoring slaves, a gorgeous band! Belshazzar sat enthroned.-There luxury's hand Had showered around all treasures that expand With richer zest the banquet may be fraught, A loftier theme may swell the exulting strain ! Thrice holy vessels !-pure from earthly stain, And set apart, and sanctified to Him, Who deigned within the oracle to reign, Revealed, yet shadowed; making noon-day dim, To that most glorious cloud between the cherubim. They came, and louder pealed the voice of song, The Rock of Zion !-Fill the nectar high, High in the cups of consecrated gold! And crown the bowl with garlands, ere they die, Offerings to Babel's gods, the mighty ones of old! Peace!—is it but a phantom of the brain, Thus shadowed forth the senses to appal, Yon fearful vision ?-Who shall gaze again To search its cause ?-Along the illumined wall, ‚—a hand, a human hand, Darkly it moves, O'er the bright lamps of that resplendent hall In silence tracing, as a mystic wand, Words all unknown, the tongue of some far distant land. There are pale cheeks around the regal board, The waving censer drops to earth—and lo ! The King of Men, the Ruler, girt with might, -The child of dust, with guilt's foreboding sight, Shrinks from the dread Unknown, the avenging Infinite! But haste ye!-bring Chaldea's gifted seers, They come -the readers of the midnight skies, Still wrapt in clouds the awful secret lies, It hath no language 'midst the starry train, Earth has no gifted tongue Heaven's mysteries to explain. Then stood forth one, a child of other sires, And other inspiration !—one of those Who on the willows hung their captive lyres, And sat, and wept, where Babel's river flows. His eye was bright, and yet the pale repose Depths of a being sealed and severed from mankind. Yes!-what was earth to him, whose spirit passed Their full resplendence ?-Majesty and might Was raised to him, in fearful splendour shown, Ancient of Days! e'en Thou, mad'st thy dread presence known. He spoke the shadows of the things to come |