The history of The Old Testament In verse With One Hundred and Eighty sculptures: In Two Volumes. Vol. I. From the Creation to the Revolt of the Ten Tribes from the House of David. Vol. II. From that Revolt to the End of the Prophets. Written by Samuel Wesley ... The Cuts done by J. Sturt |
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| CCXLVI. | CCXLVI. Daniel, Chap. I, II. |
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| CCXLIX. |
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 | The history of The Old Testament In verse |  |
595
CCXLVI. Daniel, Chap. I, II.
Daniel declares Nebuchadnezzar's Dream, and the Interpretation.
When
Babel's Pow'r did Judah's Land invade,
And of the Royal-Seed had Captives made;
From these the Youths of fairest Mind and Face,
They chose their Monarch's Court and Throne to grace.
But Daniel and his Friends the fore-most there,
At once their Governor's Delight and Care:
Yet Idol-Banquets they refuse to share,
Water and Pulse their humble wholsome Chear,
Yet none so lively, none so fair appear;
Knowing beyond their Age, and deeply read
In all the Learning of the mighty Dead:
But Daniel did to human Science joyn
Peculiar Gifts and Wisdom more Divine;
Dearly belov'd of God, th'Almighty's Friend,
He knew what others but in vain pretend:
Visions sublime, and Dreams of deep Portent,
For Dreams and Visions both from Heav'n are sent:
Hence that which did to Shinar's Lord appear,
And fill'd his Breast with deep Concern and Fear;
The Figure's gone, tho' still the Tracks remain,
Whose fleeting Forms he wou'd recall in vain:
He for th'Astrologers and Magi sends,
But tho' the Stars and Heav'n their Tribe obtends,
If ought they know 'tis from delusive Fiends:
On pain of Death the King his Dream demands,
Surpriz'd and pale the whole Assembly stands;
The immortal Gods cou'd this declare alone,
To Demons and to human Art unknown:
Furious the Monarch rose with alter'd Face,
Commands th'Impostors from the Throne to chase,
And signs the Death of all their cheating Race.
To favour'd Daniel and his Hebrew Friends,
Tho' guiltless of their Fraud their Fate extends:
Daniel to Heav'n in his Distress repairs,
And with his three Companions joyns his Pray'rs:
To him the Vision's in a Vision shown,
Which to the Sages and the Prince unknown:
The God of Heav'n he for the secret bless'd,
Then thus proud Babel's angry Lord address'd:
Long live the King!—Can none thy Dreams declare,
Nor tell thee what thy nightly Visions were?
Where is the wondrous Skill the Magi boast?
Is ancient Wisdom in Chaldea lost?
Yet there's a God in Heav'n who all things knows,
And great Events unto the King fore-shows:
Thus was thy Dream—A wondrous Image rose.
Of dazling Brightness, of prodigious Size,
Too terrible its Form for mortal Eyes:
His Legs of Gold, with silver Arms; his Thighs
Of Brass, his Legs of Iron, strong and bright,
And Clay and Iron in his Feet unite:
So long my Lord the dreadful Figure view'd,
Till from a Mountain's side a Stone was hew'd,
Tho' not by mortal Hands, the Feet it struck,
Clay, Iron, Silver, Brass and Gold were broke;
Shiver'd like Dust the Sport of every Wind,
Giv'n all to Fate, no Atom left behind:
The Stone which did this monstrous Form disperse,
A Mountain grows and fills the Universe.
Such was thy Dream, now hear the Fates intent,
And what was by th'important Vision meant!
And of the Royal-Seed had Captives made;
From these the Youths of fairest Mind and Face,
They chose their Monarch's Court and Throne to grace.
But Daniel and his Friends the fore-most there,
At once their Governor's Delight and Care:
Yet Idol-Banquets they refuse to share,
Water and Pulse their humble wholsome Chear,
Yet none so lively, none so fair appear;
Knowing beyond their Age, and deeply read
In all the Learning of the mighty Dead:
But Daniel did to human Science joyn
Peculiar Gifts and Wisdom more Divine;
Dearly belov'd of God, th'Almighty's Friend,
He knew what others but in vain pretend:
Visions sublime, and Dreams of deep Portent,
For Dreams and Visions both from Heav'n are sent:
Hence that which did to Shinar's Lord appear,
And fill'd his Breast with deep Concern and Fear;
The Figure's gone, tho' still the Tracks remain,
Whose fleeting Forms he wou'd recall in vain:
596
But tho' the Stars and Heav'n their Tribe obtends,
If ought they know 'tis from delusive Fiends:
On pain of Death the King his Dream demands,
Surpriz'd and pale the whole Assembly stands;
The immortal Gods cou'd this declare alone,
To Demons and to human Art unknown:
Furious the Monarch rose with alter'd Face,
Commands th'Impostors from the Throne to chase,
And signs the Death of all their cheating Race.
To favour'd Daniel and his Hebrew Friends,
Tho' guiltless of their Fraud their Fate extends:
Daniel to Heav'n in his Distress repairs,
And with his three Companions joyns his Pray'rs:
To him the Vision's in a Vision shown,
Which to the Sages and the Prince unknown:
The God of Heav'n he for the secret bless'd,
Then thus proud Babel's angry Lord address'd:
Long live the King!—Can none thy Dreams declare,
Nor tell thee what thy nightly Visions were?
Where is the wondrous Skill the Magi boast?
Is ancient Wisdom in Chaldea lost?
Yet there's a God in Heav'n who all things knows,
And great Events unto the King fore-shows:
Thus was thy Dream—A wondrous Image rose.
597
Too terrible its Form for mortal Eyes:
His Legs of Gold, with silver Arms; his Thighs
Of Brass, his Legs of Iron, strong and bright,
And Clay and Iron in his Feet unite:
So long my Lord the dreadful Figure view'd,
Till from a Mountain's side a Stone was hew'd,
Tho' not by mortal Hands, the Feet it struck,
Clay, Iron, Silver, Brass and Gold were broke;
598
Giv'n all to Fate, no Atom left behind:
The Stone which did this monstrous Form disperse,
A Mountain grows and fills the Universe.
Such was thy Dream, now hear the Fates intent,
And what was by th'important Vision meant!
From Heav'n hast thou receiv'd Imperial Sway,
And Men, and Beasts, and Birds thy Pow'r obey:
Thou art this Head of Gold which shines so bright,
The next arises with inferior Might:
The Third of Brass, how large that Monarch's Pow'r!
He'll conquer all the World, yet sigh for more.
Yet shall a stronger Reign than his ensue,
Whose Iron force shall all the rest subdue;
Yet, mix'd with Clay shall boast its Strength in vain,
An ill concerted, and divided Reign:
Not so the FIFTH, which God himself shall raise,
No Bounds his Kingdom knows, no End of Days:
All Worldly Pow'rs shall this at length consume,
And reach beyond the universal Doom.
And Men, and Beasts, and Birds thy Pow'r obey:
Thou art this Head of Gold which shines so bright,
The next arises with inferior Might:
The Third of Brass, how large that Monarch's Pow'r!
He'll conquer all the World, yet sigh for more.
Yet shall a stronger Reign than his ensue,
Whose Iron force shall all the rest subdue;
Yet, mix'd with Clay shall boast its Strength in vain,
An ill concerted, and divided Reign:
Not so the FIFTH, which God himself shall raise,
No Bounds his Kingdom knows, no End of Days:
All Worldly Pow'rs shall this at length consume,
And reach beyond the universal Doom.
He said, the Monarch from his Throne arose,
At Heav'n-lov'd Daniel's Feet himself he throws,
Then thus—'Tis Israel's God is God alone,
And Lord of Kings, to him are Secrets known:
The Prophet he with ample Gifts rewards,
His Seat the Chief amongst his favour'd Lords;
And, while in Person he the Court attends,
At his Request prefers his wise and virtuous Friends.
At Heav'n-lov'd Daniel's Feet himself he throws,
Then thus—'Tis Israel's God is God alone,
And Lord of Kings, to him are Secrets known:
The Prophet he with ample Gifts rewards,
His Seat the Chief amongst his favour'd Lords;
599
At his Request prefers his wise and virtuous Friends.
| The history of The Old Testament In verse | |