Advertisement. IN reading feveral paffages of the prophet Ifaiah, which foretell the coming of Chrift, and the felicities attending it, I could not but observe a remarkable parity between many of the thoughts, and those in the Pollio of Virgil. This will not feem surprising, when we reflect, that the Eclogue was taken from a Sibylline prophecy on the fame fubject. One may judge that Virgil did not copy it line for line; but felected fuch ideas as best agreed with the nature of pastoral poetry, and disposed them in that manner which served moft to beautify his piece. I have endeavoured the fame in this imitation of him, though without admitting any thing of my own; fince it was written with this particular view, that the reader, by comparing the feveral thoughts, might fee how far the images and descriptions of the Prophet are fuperior to those of the Poet. But as I fear I have prejudiced them by my management, I shall subjoin the paffages of Ifaiah, and those of Virgil, under the fame disadvantage of a literal translation. ME S S I A H.. A SACRED ECLOGUE, IN IMITATION OF VIRGIL'S POLLIO. Y E Nymphs of Solyma! begin the fong: IMITATIONS. 5 From Ver. 8. A Virgin fhall conceive-All crimes fhall cease, &c.] Virg. Ecl. iv. ver. 6. Jam redit et Virgo, redeunt Saturnia regna; Jam nova progenies cœlo demittitur alto. "Now the Virgin returns, now the kingdom of Sa"turn returns, now a new progeny is fent down from "high heaven. By means of thee, whatever reliques of our crimes remain, shall be wiped away, and free the "world from perpetual fears. He fhall govern the earth "in peace, with the virtues of his Father." ISAIAH, * From Jeffe's root behold a branch arife, Whofe facred flower with fragrance fills the skies: Peace o'er the world her olive wand extend, IMITATIONS. ISAIAH, Ch. vii. ver. 14. "Behold a Virgin shall "conceive and bear a Son.-Chap. ix. ver. 6, 7. Un"to us a Child is born; unto us a Son is given; the "Prince of Peace: of the increafe of his government, "and of his peace, there fhall be no end: Upon the "throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order "and to establish it, with judgment and with justice, "for ever and ever." Ver. 23. See Nature haftes, &c.] Virg. Ecl. iv. ver. 18. *Ifai. xi. ver. 1. + Ch. xlv. ver. 8. § Ch. ix. ver. 7• vor, 4. "For ‡ Ch. xxv. * See lofty Lebanon his head advance, IMITATIONS. 25 39 A God, "For thee, O Child, shall the earth, without being "tilled, produce her early offerings; winding ivy, mix"ed with Baccar, and Colocaffia with fmiling Acan"thus. Thy cradle fhall pour forth pleafing flowers "about thee." ISAIAH, Ch. xxxi. ver. 1. "The wilderness and the "folitary place fhall be glad, and the defert fhall re"joice and bloffom as the rofe." Ch. lx. ver. 13. "The glory of Lebanon fhall come unto thee, the fir-tree, "the pine-tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of thy fanctuary." 66 Ver. 29. Hark! a glad voice, &c. Virg. Ecl. iv. ver. 46. Aggredere ô magnos (aderit jam tempus) honores, Cara deûm foboles, magnum Jovis incrementumEcl. v. ver. 62. 66 Ipfi lætitiâ voces ad fidera jactant Intorfi montes, ipfæ jam carmina rupes, Ipfa fonant arbufta, Deus, Deus ille Menalca! "O come and receive the mighty honours: the time "draws nigh, O beloved offspring of the Gods, O great increase of Jove! The uncultivated mountains "fend fhouts of joy to the stars, the very rocks fing in "verfe, the very fhrubs cry out, A God, a God!" ISAIAH, Ch. xl. ver. 3, 4. "The voice of him that "cryeth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the + Ch. xl. ver. 3, 4., * Ch. xxxv. ver. 2. VOL. I. E "Lord! |