Odours Divine, ineffable Perfume,
Was fuddenly diffus'd around the Room:
Such as are breath'd from frefh celeftial Bow'rs,
From blefs'd Junquils, and Heav'nly Jefs'min Flow'rs:
Then, drefs'd in airy Garments to be feen,
Her Guardian Angel now approach'd the Queen:
His Neck and Hands were both divinely fair,
And his long Robe, that hung, neglecting Care,
Was white as Snow, new moulded in the Air:
Unfading Youth, a fresh Empyreal Red,
And blooming Honours on the Seraph fpread. Blac. Eliza.
So Angels, when they stoop to mortal Sight,
Strike us with Awe; yet ravish with Delight.
Mortals, in Sight of Angels, mute become:
The nobler Nature ftrikes th' inferior dumb. Dryd. Auren.
Th' Arch-Angel foon drew nigh,
Not in his Shape celeftial; but as Man
Clad to meet Man: over his lucid Arms
A military Veft of Purple flow'd,
Livelier than Meliboan, or the Grain
Of Sarra, worn by Kings and Heroes old
In Time of Truce: Iris had dipt the Woof:
His ftarry Helm unbuckled fhew'd him prime
In Manhood, where Youth ended: By his Side,
As in a glift'ring Zodiack hung the Sword;
Satan's dire dread, and in his Hand the Spear. Milt. Par. Loft.
Now from th' immortal Battlements of Heav'n
He with expanded Pinions wings his Way,
Bright as the Morn, and fwifter than its Ray. Blac. Eliza.
And now a Stripling Cherube he appears,
Not of the Prime, yet fuch as in his Face
Youth fmil'd celeftial, and to ev'ry Limb
Suitable Grace diffus'd.
Under a Coronet his flowing Hair
In Curls on either Cheek play'd: Wings he wore
Of many a colour'd Plume fprinkled with Gold:
His Habit fit for fpeed fuccinct, and held
Before his decent Steps a filver Wand. Milt. Par. Loft.
Like to a Man in Shew and Shape he far'd,
But full of Heav'nly Majesty and Might:
A Stripling feem'd he thrice tive Winters old,
And radiant Beams adorn'd his Locks of Gold:
Of filver Wings he took a fhining Pair,
Fringed with Gold, unwearied, nimble, fwift,
With thefe he parts the Winds, the Clouds, the Air,
And over Seas and Earth himself does lift.
Thus clad he cut the Spheres and Circles fair,
And the pure Skies with facred Feathers cleft:
On Libanon at firft his Foot he fet,
And shook his Wings with roary May-dews wet. Fairf. Taff.
And as he flew, the Darkness of his Way,
And the black Horrours of the dreary Sky,
He, fhaking his eternal Wings, difpers'd:
Old Night illuftrated her dusky Face
With Rays, which his celeftial Eyes diffus'd:
Thus, breaking thro' Storm, the Lord of Day
The Clouds with Purple and with Gold adorns :
And thus a Star from the nocturnal Heav'n
Into the Lap of our great Mother falls. Den. Taff.
So the keen Bolt a Warriour-Angel aims,
Array'd in Clouds; and wrapt in mantling Flames;
He bears a Tempeft on his founding Wings,
And his red Arm the forky Vengeance flings.
At length, Heav'ns Wrath appeas'd, he quits the War,
To roul his Orb, and guide his deftin'd Star;
To fhed kind Fate, and lucky Hours beftow,
And finile propitious on the World below. Tickell.
Ye facred Envoys of th'eternal King.
Wing'd Squadrons of the God of War,
Who conquer wherefoe'er you are. Rofc.
Behold the Cohort bright
Of watchful Cherubim: Four Faces cach
Had, like a double Janus; all their Shape
Spangled with Eyes, more numerous than thofe
Of Argus; and more wakeful than to drowze,
Charm'd with Arcadian Pipe, the paft'ral Reed
Of Hermes, or his opiat Rod.
Milr. Par. Loft.
Around in Throngs the proftrate Seraphs lay,
Abforpt in Glory, and Excefs of Day. Blac. Job.
From the celeftial Hoft a glorious Band
Of Seraphs was detach'd by high Command.
Hither the fhining Warriours ftrait repair;
Drawn out in long Array, amidst the Air,
Their Blades, divinely temper'd, flam'd on high,
And blazing Shields inlighten all the Sky.
Th' Angelick Cuiraffiers in Armour fhone
Of Adamant, from Rocks Empyreal hewn.
High milk-white Plumes, like fnowy Clouds, arife
From their bright Crefts, and nod against the Skies;
Rich Helmets, of immortal beaten Gold,
Adorn their Heads: Brafs of etherial Mould,
Refin'd above, their jointed Gauntlets made;
Brafs, that the Teeth of Time can ne'er invade.
Broad filver Belts, richly embroider'd o'er,
Rare Seraph's Work, their fhining Shoulders bore; (Arth.
And round them Sky-dy'd purple Scarfs they wore. Blac. P.S
All in bright Array
The Cherubim defcended; on the Ground
Gliding meteorous: As Ev'ning Mift,
Ris'n from a River, o'er the Marifh glides,
And gathers Ground faft at the Lab'rers Heels,
Homeward returning.
The Multitude of Angels, with a Shout
Loud as from Numbers, without Number, fweet
As from bleft Voices, utt'ring Joy; Heav'n rung
With Jubile, and loud Hofannas fill'd
Th' eternal Regions: lowly reverent
Tow'rds either Throne they bow, and to the Ground
With folemn Adoration down they caft
Their Crowns, inwove with Amarant and Gold,
Immortal Amarant, a Flow'r which once
In Paradife, faft by the Tree of Life,
Began to bloom; but foon for Man's Offence
To Heav'n remov'd, where firft it grew, there grows,
And flow'rs aloft fhading the Fount of Life,
And where the River of Blifs thro' midst of Heav'n
Rouls o'er Elyfian Flow'rs her amber Stream;
With thefe, that never fade, the Spirits elect
Bind their refplendent Locks inwreath'd with Beams.
Now, in loofe Garlands thick thrown off, the bright
Pavement, that like a Sea of Jafper fhone,
Impurpled with celeftial Rofes fmil'd.
Then, crown'd again, their Golden Harps they took,
Harps ever tun'd, that, glitt'ring by their Side
Like Quivers hung; and with Preamble fweer
Of charming Symphony they introduce
Their facred Song, and waken Raptures high:
No Voice exempt, no Voice but well could join
Melodious Part; fuch Concord is in Heav'n! Milt. Par. Loft.
Th' Empyreal Hoft
Of Angels, by Imperial Summons call'd,
Innum rable before th' Almighty's Throne
Forthwith from all the Ends of Heav'n appear'd:
Under their Hierarchs in Order bright
Ten thousand thoufand Enfigns high advanc'd,
Standards, and Gonfalons, 'twixt Van and Reer,
Stream in the Air, and for Diftin&tion serve
Of Hierarchies, of Orders, and Degrees:
Or in their glittring Tiffues bear imblaz'd
Holy Memorials, Acts of Zeal and Love
Recorded eminent. Thus when in Orbs
Of Circuit inexpreffible they stood,
Orb within Orb,
Then all the Angels, Progeny of Light,
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Pow'ts,
That Day, as other folemn Days, all spent
In Song and Dance about the facred Hill;
Myftical Dance, which yonder starry Sphere
Of Planets and of Fix'd in all her Wheels
Refembles nearest; Mazes intricate,
Eccentrick, intervolv'd, yet regular
Then moft, when most irregular they feem;
And in their Motions Harmony Divine
So fmooths her charming Tones, that God's own Ear
Liftens delighted.
Forthwith from Dance to fweet Repast they turn
Defirous; all in Circles as they stood,
Tables are fet, and on a fuddain pil'd
With Angels Food; and rubied Nectar flows
In Pearl, in Diamond, and maffy Gold;
Fruit of delicious Vines, the Growth of Heav'n :
On Flow'rs repos'd, and with fresh Flowrets crown'd,
They eat, they drink, and in Communion sweet
Quaff Immortality and Joy.
Wide over all the Plain, and wider far
Than all this globous Earth in Plain outfpread,
Such are the Courts of God! th' Angelick Throng,
Difpers'd in Bands and Files, their Camp extend
By living Streams among the Trees of Life;
Pavilions numberless, and fudden rear'd,
Celeftial Tabernacles, where they flept,
Fann'd with cool Winds, fave thofe who in their Course Melodious Hymns about the Sov'reign Throne
Alternate all Night long.
Anger is the Disease of Beafts untam'd:
Their Wrath is Hunger, but in Man 'tis Pride.
The youthful Warriour's most excus'd Difeafe.
He carries Anger as the Flint bears Fire, Which, much inforc'd, will fhew a hafty Spark, And ftrait is cold again. Shak. Jul. Cæf.
I know you, Troilus, you are hot and firy; You kindle at a Wrong; and catch it quick, As Stubble does the Flame. Dryd. Troil & Cref. My Heart fwells at him, and my Breath grows short: But whether Fear or Anger choaks it up,
Dryd. Riv. Lad.
This faid, his Grief to Anger turn'd,
Which in his manly Stomach burn'd:
Thirft of Revenge, and Wrath, in Place
Of Sorrow, now began to blaze. Hud.
Racks of Fury,
Like hurry'd Clouds over the Face of Heav'n,
Before a Tempeft, in his Looks appear. Suckl. Bren
Frowning he went;
His Eyes, like Meteors, roul'd, then darted down
Their red and angry Beams, as if his Sight
Would, like the raging Dog-Star, fcorch the Earth,
And kindle Rivers in its Courfe. Cong. Mourn, Bride.
With Fury tofs'd, his Face inflam'd with Ire,
His burning Eyes dart glaring Sparks of Fire:
As when a Bull for Fight his Horns prepares,
Bellows aloud, and with bent Forehead dares
A fturdy Oak: He fpurns the Ground in Rage,
And pushes at the Winds ere he engage. Laud. Virg.
The Master of the fev'nfold Shield,
Upftarted fierce, and kindled with Difdain;
Eager to fpeak, unable to constrain
His boiling Rage, he roul'd his Eyes around. Dryd. Ovid.
The glooming Sire, too fenfible of Wrong,
To vent his Rage in Words, reftrain'd his Tongue. Dryd.
Bocc. Sig. & Guifc.
Then foon to deadly Pale he chang'd his Look:
He trembled ev'ry Limb, and felt a Smart, (Pal. & Arc.
As if cold Steel had glided thro' his Heart. Dryd. Chau.
Upstarted from his Throne the King of Men,
His Breaft with Fury fill'd, his Eyes with Fire;
Which rouling round he fhot in Sparkles on the Sire. Dryd.
His Rage afcended to his Eyes
From his clofe Breaft, which hid till then the Flame;
And, like ftir'd Fire, in Sparkles upward flew. D'Aven, Gond.
He, with indignant Looks,
And threat'ning Accents terribly begun. Broome. Hom.
Thefe Words, fo full of Malice, mix'd with Art:
Inflam'd with Rage the youthful Hero's Heart.
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