Poems on Several Occasions :: :: University of Virginia Library

'Twas Morn! the Fields were sprinkled o'er with Light,
The Folds unpent sent out their Flocks to feed:
A Shepherd-Boy, (young Thomalin he hight,)
With flying Fingers deftly tun'd his Reed;
Where auncient Isis laves the Muses' Mead,
(Forever Smile the Mead and flow the Stream!)
He sung the Birth of David's holy Seed:
Tho' low his Voice, full lofty was his Theme;
Wightly his Senses all were rapt into a Dream.

II

Eftsoons he spy'd a Grove, the Season's Pride,
All in the Centre of a pleasant Glade,
Where Nature flowrish'd like a Virgin-Bride;
Mantled with Green, with Hyacinths inlay'd,
And Crystal-Rills o'er Beds of Lillies stray'd;

The blue-ey'd Violet and King-Cup gay,
And newblown-Roses, smiling sweetly-red,
Outglow'd the blushing Infancy of Day,
While amorous West-Winds kist their fragrant Souls away.

III

A rich Pavilion rear'd within its Height,
The Capitals and Freezes Gold entire,
Glist'ning with Carbuncles; a various Light
Wav'd tremulous, and set the Eye on Fire.
A silken Curtain, drawn on silver Wire,
And ting'd with Colours of the summer Sky,
Flow'd round, and bade the ruder Gales retire.
Four Forms attendant at the Portals lie,
The same Ezekiel saw with keen-prophetic Eye.

IV

Unlike, O much unlike, the strawy Shed,
Where Mary, Queen of Heaven, in humbless Lay,
Where erst the Infant-God repos'd his Head,
And deign'd to dwell in Tenement of Clay;
The clouded Tabernacle of the Day!

The Shepperd's Dream was mystical, I ween,
Isaiah on his Bosom pour'd a Ray,
And painted to his Eyes the gentle Scene,
Where Lions dandled Lambs; O Peace, thy golden Reign!

V

High-smiling in Delight a Lady sate.
Young as the dawning Morn, on Iv'ry Throne;
Upon her Looks the Virgin-Virtues wait,
The Virgin-Virtues wait on Her alone!
Her Sapphire-Eyes with gentle Spirit shone:
Fair Bountyhead was open'd in her Face,
Of Honour and of Love the Paragon!
A sweet Regard and most auspicious Grace
Bespoke her Lineage high: She was of David's Race.

VI

Upon her Lap a lovely Infant lay,
And ken'd the Mother by her smiling Grace.
His Looks were radiant as the Bloom of Day,
And Angel-Sweetness purpled in his Face.
Oh! how the Mother did the Babe embrace

With tender Blandishment and fondling Care!
She gaz'd, and gaz'd, ne cou'd enough caress
His Cheeks, as Roses red, as Lillies fair,
The holy Day-Spring hight, Heav'ns everlasting Heir!

VII

Near Him a goodly Pers'nage mildly shone,
With Looks of Love, and shedding Peace and Joy:
Her Looks were Love, soft-streaming from the Throne
Of Grace, and sweetly melted on the Boy:
Her Tongue drop'd Honey, which wou'd never cloy.
Mercy yclep'd. All Nature on her hung,
To drink her Manna and her Smiles enjoy;
Young laughing Angels “Mercy, Mercy,” sung;
Heav'n echo'd “Mercy” back, the Spheres with “Mercy”rung.

VIII

Thus if the Clouds, enroll'd with deadly Food,
Forget to thunder in the æthereal Tow'rs,
But silently dissolve in kindly Mood,
In fostering Dews, and Balm, and Honey-Show'rs,
Laugh all the Fields for Joy, and all the Bow'rs.

The Shrubs and Herbs fresh Odours round them fling,
Pop up their smiling Heads the little Flow'rs,
Warble the Birds, exulting on the Wing,
And all the wild-wood Notes the genial Blessings sing.

IX

High o'er his Head was held a starry Crown,
Emblem of Royalty and princely Might:
His Priesthood was by golden Mitre shewn;
An Eagle Young, with E'yn most piercing-bright,
To prove the Prophet drank the distant Light.
But strangest was to see a bloody Hand
Uprear a Cross, the Cross with Blood bedight:
Ten thousand Angels, flutt'ring in a Band,
Admir'd the mystic Sign but cou'd not understand.

X

Now dulcet Symphonies, and Voices meet,
Mellifluous stole upon the Shepherd's Ear,
Which swell'd so high and dy'd away so sweet,
As might have charm'd a Seraph from his Sphere.
Happy the Swain that mote such Music hear!

Eftsoons a joyous Fellowship was seen
Of Ladies gent, and Beauties without peer,
As they a Train of Goddesses had been,
In manner of a Mask, radiant along the Green.

XI

Faith led the Van, her Mantle dipt in Blue,
Steady her Ken, and gaining on the Skies;
Obedient Miracles around her flew:
She pray'd, and Heav'n burst open on her Eyes,
And golden Valves roll'd back in wond'rous Wise:
And now some Hill, with all its shaggy Load
Of Trees and Flocks, unto the Ocean hies:
Now Wings of Cherubs, flaming all abroad,
Careering on the Winds in Sight upbear their God.

XII

Next Hope, the gayest Daughter of the Sky!
Her nectar-dewed Locks with Roses bound;
An Eden flourish'd where she cast her Eye,
And Flocks of Sports and Joys, their Temples crown'd,
Plum'd their bright Wings, and thump'd the hollow Ground.

Grief gladden'd, and forgot to drop a Tear
At her Approach; ne Sorrow mote be found,
Ne rueful-looking Drad, ne pale-ey'd Care;
And 'neath her Chariot Wheels she crush'd hell-black Despair.

XIII

Then Charity full-zon'd, as her beseems,
Her Breasts were softer Ivory, her Hair
Play'd with the sunny Rays in amber Streams,
And floated wanton on the buxom Air;
As Mercy kind, as Hope divinely fair.
Her Soul was Flame, and with prolific Rays
The Nations warm'd, all-bright withouten Glare.
Both Men and Angels, as she passes, gaze,
But chief the Poor, the Lame, the Blind, the Naked, praise.

XIV

The Train of Virtues next, a dainty Train!
Advance their Steps, sweet Daughters of Delight,
Awfully sweet, majestically plain!
Celestial Love, as E'yn of Seraphs bright,
And spotless as their Robes of new-spun Light.

Truth, simple as the love-sick Village-Maid;
Health-blooming Temperance, a comely Wight:
Humility, in homely Weeds array'd,
And by her, in a Line, an Asses-Colt she led.

XV

But heark, the jolly Pipe, and rural Lay!
And see, the Shepherd clad in Mantle blue,
And Shepherdess in russet Kirtle gay,
Come dauncing on the Shepherd-Lord to view,
And pay, in decent Wise, Obeysance due.
Sweet-smelling Flow'rs the gentle Votaries bring,
Primroses, Violets, wet with Morning-Dew,
The sweetest Incense of the early Spring;
A humble, yet, I weet, a grateful Offering.

XVI

Jocund to lead the Way, with sparkling Rays,
Danc'd a Star-errant up the orient Sky;
The new-born Splendor streaming o'er the Place,
Where Jesus lay in bright Humility,
Seem'd a fixt Star unto the wond'ring Eye:

Three Seers unwist the Captain-Glory led,
Of awful Semblance, but of sable Die.
Full royally along the Lawn They tread,
And each with circling Gold embraved had his Head.

XVII

Low, very low on bended Knee they greet
The Virgin-Mother, and the Son adore,
The Son of Love! and kiss his blessed Feet;
Then ope the Vases and present their Store,
Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh; what cou'd they more!
For Gold and Myrrh a dying King divine;
The Frankincense, from Arab's spicy Shoar,
Confess'd the God; for God did in him Shine:
Myrrh, Frankincense and Gold, God-Man, were meetly Thine.

XVIII

And last, triumphant on a purple Cloud,
Fleecy with Gold, a Band of Angels ride:
They boldly sweep their Lyres, and, hymning loud,
The richest Notes of Harmony divide;
Scarce Thomalin the Rapture cou'd abide:

And ever and anon the Babe they eye,
And through the fleshly Veil the God descry'd,
Shrill Hallelujahs tremble up the Sky:
“Good-Will and Peace to Man,” the Choirs in Heav'n reply.

XIX

They ended: and all Nature soon was chang'd!
O'er Diamond-Pebbles ran the liquid Gold:
And side by side the Lamb and Lion rang'd
The flow'ry Lawn. The Serpent gently roll'd
His glistering Spires, and playfull Tongue outloll'd
To lick the Infant-Hand. Together fed
The Wolf and Kid, together sought a Fold.
The Roses blush'd with more celestial Red;
Hell groan'd through all her Dens; and grim Death drop'd down dead.

XX

Whilom these Scenes the tuneful Twick'nham Swain,
With Esay's heav'nly Pencil taught to glow:
Then cease, O cease, the antiquated Strain;
Nor marr His Song: but reverently go,
And in the Temple of his Muses bow.—

Delight and Wonder broke the Shepherd's Dream;
Faded the Scenes: and, in a goodly Row,
Rush'd on his Eyes the Muses well-lov'd Theme,
Fair Rhedicyna's Tow'rs, and Isis' sacred Stream!

Named or called.

Quickly.

Immediately.

Huimility.

Formerly, someiime since.

I think.

The Pattern or Model.

Nor.

Called or named.

Stained or adorned.

Might or must.

Gentle or handsome.

Without Equal.

Hastens.

Might.

Fear or Terror.

Person.

Unknown, unlook'd for.

Appearance.

Commonly painted Black; but a Vulgar Error.

Adorned or made brave.

Foretell.

Formerly, sometime ago.

Spoil.