With the fix'd stars, fix'd in their orb that flies;
And ye five other wand'ring fires that move
In myftic dance not without fong, refound
His praife, who out of darkness call'd up light.
Air, and ye elements, the eldest birth

Of nature's womb, that in quaternion run
Perpetual circle, multiform; and mix,

And nourish all things; let your ceaseless change
Vary to our great Maker still new praise.

Ye mists and exhalations that now rise

From hill or fteaming lake, dufky or gray,
Till the fun paint your fleecy skirts with gold,
In honour to the world's great Author rife,
Whether to deck with clouds th' uncolour'd sky,
Or wet the thirsty earth with falling showers,
Rifing or falling still advance his praise.

His praise, ye winds, that from four quarters blow,
Breathe foft or loud; and wave your tops, ye pines,
With every plant, in fign of worship wave.
Fountains, and ye, that warble, as ye flow,
Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise,
Join voices all ye living fouls; ye birds,
That finging up to heaven-gate ascend,
Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise.
Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk
The earth, and ftately tread, or lowly creep;
Witness if I be filent, morn or even,

To hill, or valley, fountain, or fresh fhade,

Made vocal by my song, and taught his praife.
Hail univerfal Lord, be bounteous still
To give us only good; and if the night
Have gather'd ought of evil, or conceal'd,
Difperfe it, as now light difpels the dark.

MESSIAH,

MESSIAH, a Sacred ECLOGUE.

By Mr. Po P E.

E nymphs of Solyma! begin the fong:

To heav'nly themes fublimer ftrains belong.
The moffy fountains, and the fylvan fhades,.
The dreams of Pindus and th' Aonian maids,
Delight no more- -O thou my voice inspire
Who touch'd Ifaiah's hallow'd lips with fire!
Rapt into future times, the Bard begun :
A Virgin fhall conceive, a Virgin bear a Son!
From Jeffe's root behold a branch arise,

Whofe facred flow'r with fragrance fills the skies:
Th' æthereal spirit o'er its leaves shall move,
And on its top descends the mystic dove.
Ye heav'ns! from high the dewy nectar pour,
And in foft filence fhed the kindly show'r !
The fick and weak the healing plant shall aid,
From ftorms a shelter, and from heat a shade.
All crimes fhall cease, and ancient fraud shall fail;
Returning justice lift aloft her scale;

Peace o'er the world her olive wand extend,
And white rob'd innocence from heav'n descend.
Swift fly the years, and rife th' expected morn!
Oh spring to light, aufpicious Babe, be born!
See nature haftes her earliest wreaths to bring,
With all the incenfe of the breathing spring:

T

M

H..

Te.

banon his head advance.

reits on the mount dance:

Bad from lowly Saron rife,

Just top perfumes the fkies!
Arce the Lonely defert chears;

Hav Dif

God appears :

ping Deity.

Vreceives LL. Tum me bending skies!
e down, ve monstuus, and, ye vallies, nie;
11 h heads dech sa ur paars, homage pay;
2. "mooth ve rock, we mad foods, give way!
*. Saviour come: Jy ancient as retold :
Hear him, ye deal. mu alle zing, rehold!
Fk from thick films purge the ray,
And on the nightless eye-ball pour dy
"Tes he ta' obtructed paths of found final clear,
And bi new mulic charm th' unfolding ear:
um hall fing, the lame his crutch forege
ting like the bounding roe.

marmur the wide world fhall hear,
wines off ev'ry tear.

A death be bound,

- sà' eternal wound.

N fleecy care, a perelt air,

heep directs,

protects,

The

The tender lambs he raises in his arms,

Feeds from his hand, and in his bofom warms;
Thus fhall mankind his guardian care engage,
The promis'd father of the future age.

No more shall nation against nation rife,
Nor ardent warriors meet with hateful eyes,
Nor fields with gleaming steel be cover'd o'er,
The brazen trumpets kindle rage no more;
But useless lances into scythes fhall bend,
And the broad faulchion in a plow-share end.
Then palaces fhall rife; the joyful fon
Shall finish what his short-liv'd fire begun ;
Their vines a fhadow to their race shall yield,
And the fame hand that sow'd, shall reap the field.
The swain in barren deferts with furprize

Sees lilies spring, and fudden verdure rise ;
And starts amidst the thirsty wilds to hear

New falls of water murm'ring in his ear.
On rifted rocks, the dragon's late abodes,
The green reed trembles, and the bulrush nods.
Waste fandy valleys, once perplex'd with thorn,
The spiry fir and shapely box adorn :

To leafless fhrubs the flow'ry palms fucceed,

And od❜rous myrtle to the noisom weed.

The lambs with wolves fhall graze the verdant mead, And boys in flow'ry bands the tiger lead;

The fteer and lion at one crib shall meet,

And harmless serpents lick the pilgrim's feet.

C 5

The