Master and Scholar etc. etc. By E. H. Plumptre: Second edition with notes |
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| I. | I.
SCENOPEGIA. |
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 | Master and Scholar |  |
I. SCENOPEGIA.
1.
Come, gather boughs of palm,
Down in the groves where Jordan winds his way;
Or, breathing airs of balm,
Pluck the dark myrtle's snowy-blossomed spray;
Down in the groves where Jordan winds his way;
Or, breathing airs of balm,
Pluck the dark myrtle's snowy-blossomed spray;
Pines from the lofty height,
Where roam the wolf and bear on Hermon's hill,
Or willow gleaming white,
Where sleep the moonbeams on the waters still;
Where roam the wolf and bear on Hermon's hill,
Or willow gleaming white,
Where sleep the moonbeams on the waters still;
Yes, bring them one and all,
And on the roof, beneath the autumn sky,
What time the trumpets call,
Wreathe, twist, and twine the leafy canopy.
And on the roof, beneath the autumn sky,
What time the trumpets call,
Wreathe, twist, and twine the leafy canopy.
There, as the sun sinks low,
And purpling glory flashes all the West,
In solemn cadence slow
Chant the old hymn that speaks of peace and rest:
And purpling glory flashes all the West,
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Chant the old hymn that speaks of peace and rest:
There, when the clouds unfold,
Far in the East, the tints of opening dawn,
And Ophir's fiery gold
Is poured from Heaven on each high mountain lawn,
Far in the East, the tints of opening dawn,
And Ophir's fiery gold
Is poured from Heaven on each high mountain lawn,
There raise the anthem clear,
The Hallelujahs by our fathers sung,
And, spreading far and near,
Let the loud chorus pour from every tongue.
The Hallelujahs by our fathers sung,
And, spreading far and near,
Let the loud chorus pour from every tongue.
2.
Up, rise ye, rise, with shouts of joy,
From man and woman, maid and boy;
For lo! the circling autumn sun
His long year's course has all but run.
Right well the teeming womb of earth
Has given to man its wondrous birth;
All now is ours, and nothing lacks,
The first ripe barley, latest flax;
On every wide-spread threshing-floor
The wheat sheaves yield their golden store,
And patient oxen, as they tread,
Leave the clear grain for staff of bread.
From out the olives, as we press,
There flows, our wearied limbs to bless,
The crystal stream of golden oil,
Rich guerdon of the labourer's toil;
And, last and best, from Eshcol's vine
We drain the sweet, soul-quickening wine.
Through all the joyous crowds that throng
Our vineyards float the sounds of song,
And goodliest youths the winepress tread,
Their feet and garments stained with red.
What time the heathen, flushed and wild,
By dreams and fancies foul beguiled,
In frenzied dance or whirling maze,
With pinewood torches' flashing blaze,
Dance to the god, the child of Jove,
And sing of mirth, and joy, and love;
What time the Mænads' sharp, shrill cry
Breaks the calm silence of the sky,
And locks dishevelled, wine-besprent,
Fall down o'er faces passion-spent,
And wearied frames convulsed, possessed,
At last sink, panting, into rest,
Behold our priests in robes of white,
Inwrought with blue and scarlet bright,
From Siloa's well to Zion turn,
Uplifting high their golden urn;
And there before the altar-stairs,
With chants of praise and loud-voiced prayers,
Pour forth, in sight of Israel,
The waters from salvation's well;
And when at eve the darkness falls
O'er street and market, huts and halls,
Behold one lamp, with mightiest blaze,
Shed far and wide its fiery rays,
O'er temple, court, and crowded street,
Where pilgrims haste with busiest feet,
Down Kedron's valley, further yet
O'er yon steep slope of Olivet.
From man and woman, maid and boy;
For lo! the circling autumn sun
His long year's course has all but run.
Right well the teeming womb of earth
Has given to man its wondrous birth;
All now is ours, and nothing lacks,
The first ripe barley, latest flax;
On every wide-spread threshing-floor
The wheat sheaves yield their golden store,
And patient oxen, as they tread,
Leave the clear grain for staff of bread.
From out the olives, as we press,
There flows, our wearied limbs to bless,
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Rich guerdon of the labourer's toil;
And, last and best, from Eshcol's vine
We drain the sweet, soul-quickening wine.
Through all the joyous crowds that throng
Our vineyards float the sounds of song,
And goodliest youths the winepress tread,
Their feet and garments stained with red.
What time the heathen, flushed and wild,
By dreams and fancies foul beguiled,
In frenzied dance or whirling maze,
With pinewood torches' flashing blaze,
Dance to the god, the child of Jove,
And sing of mirth, and joy, and love;
What time the Mænads' sharp, shrill cry
Breaks the calm silence of the sky,
And locks dishevelled, wine-besprent,
Fall down o'er faces passion-spent,
And wearied frames convulsed, possessed,
At last sink, panting, into rest,
Behold our priests in robes of white,
Inwrought with blue and scarlet bright,
From Siloa's well to Zion turn,
Uplifting high their golden urn;
And there before the altar-stairs,
With chants of praise and loud-voiced prayers,
Pour forth, in sight of Israel,
The waters from salvation's well;
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O'er street and market, huts and halls,
Behold one lamp, with mightiest blaze,
Shed far and wide its fiery rays,
O'er temple, court, and crowded street,
Where pilgrims haste with busiest feet,
Down Kedron's valley, further yet
O'er yon steep slope of Olivet.
What soul so hard, and dead, and cold,
So deaf to all our fathers told,
As not to give to sick and poor
Free offering from its plenteous store?
Let friends greet friends with open hand,
Let each the other's purse command,
Let gifts be tokens true and clear
Of loving hearts, and friendship dear,
And anger die, as dies the year.
Each thought unkind, each harboured grudge
In his own heart let each man judge;
Cast out the unripe grapes and wild,
The clusters tainted and defiled:
There in the vineyard given to thee
Let root, branch, tendril cleansèd be;
Tread thou the wine-press till there flow
The fragrant stream with orient glow,
Which, pouring still as first it ran,
Makes glad the heart of God and man.
So deaf to all our fathers told,
As not to give to sick and poor
Free offering from its plenteous store?
Let friends greet friends with open hand,
Let each the other's purse command,
Let gifts be tokens true and clear
Of loving hearts, and friendship dear,
And anger die, as dies the year.
Each thought unkind, each harboured grudge
In his own heart let each man judge;
Cast out the unripe grapes and wild,
The clusters tainted and defiled:
There in the vineyard given to thee
Let root, branch, tendril cleansèd be;
Tread thou the wine-press till there flow
The fragrant stream with orient glow,
Which, pouring still as first it ran,
Makes glad the heart of God and man.
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3.
So kept the feast our fathers long ago,
When first in Canaan's soil
Their hands a harvest reaped they did not sow,
Won without sweat of toil.
When first in Canaan's soil
Their hands a harvest reaped they did not sow,
Won without sweat of toil.
So through long years the kings of David's line,
Who with their fathers sleep,
Revering still the oracle divine,
That feast were wont to keep.
Who with their fathers sleep,
Revering still the oracle divine,
That feast were wont to keep.
Ah! did they dream of secret, mystic truth
Beneath the outer veil;
Or did our sires in manhood as in youth
Live on the thrice-told tale?
Beneath the outer veil;
Or did our sires in manhood as in youth
Live on the thrice-told tale?
Was it with backward look upon the past,
When they from Egypt came,
When tents were spread through all the desert vast
Around the central flame?
When they from Egypt came,
When tents were spread through all the desert vast
Around the central flame?
Or did they dream of all life's little span
As of a traveller's tent,
Of all the joys that crown the life of man
As garlands dew-besprent;
As of a traveller's tent,
Of all the joys that crown the life of man
As garlands dew-besprent;
The journey through the wilderness of years
As theirs who seek a rest,
And take their pilgrim path through vale of tears,
As yet but partly blest?
As theirs who seek a rest,
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As yet but partly blest?
Or looked they forward to a time to come,
In dim, far future seen,
When all, as yet enwrapt in symbols dumb,
Shall shine in light serene;
In dim, far future seen,
When all, as yet enwrapt in symbols dumb,
Shall shine in light serene;
And as, of old, the countless homes were spread
O'er deserts far and wide,
While yet one tent on all its glory shed,
For God did there abide;
O'er deserts far and wide,
While yet one tent on all its glory shed,
For God did there abide;
So shall one form on all the sons of men
Pour brightness from the throne,
The Word Eternal dwelling with us then
Us as his brothers own;
Pour brightness from the throne,
The Word Eternal dwelling with us then
Us as his brothers own;
One chosen tent wherein the presence dwells
Of light and love divine,
While every soul the tale of wonder tells,
Or sprung from Abraham's line,
Of light and love divine,
While every soul the tale of wonder tells,
Or sprung from Abraham's line,
Heir of his name, and child of Israel,
Within the chosen race,
Or seed of heathens under sin's dark spell,
Then sharing God's great grace?
Within the chosen race,
Or seed of heathens under sin's dark spell,
Then sharing God's great grace?
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