Fairest of stars, last in the train of night, If better thou belong not to the dawn, Sure pledge of day that crown'st the smiling morn With thy bright circlet, praise him in thy sphear While day arifes, that sweet hour of prime. Thou Sun, of this great world both eye and foul, Acknowledge him thy greater, found his praise In thy eternal course, both when thou climb'st, And when high noon haft gain'd, & when thou fall'st. Moon that now meet'ft the orient Sun, now fly'st 175 With the fix'd stars, fix'd in their orb that flies; And ye five other wandring fires, that move In mystic dance not without song, refound His praise, 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 mifts and exhalations that now rife From hill or steaming lake, dusky or grey, Till the Sun paint your fleecy skirts with gold, In honor to the world's great author rife; Whether to deck with clouds th'uncolor'd sky, Or wet the thirsty earth with falling show'rs, Rifing or falling still advance his praife. His praife, ye winds, that from four quarters blow, Breathe soft 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 afcend, Bear on your wings, and in your notes, his praife; Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk The earth, and stately tread, or lowly creep: Witness if I be filent, morn or even,
To hill, or valley, fountain, or fresh shade
Made vocal by my song, and taught his praise. Hail Universal Lord! be bounteous ftill To give us only good: and if the night Have gather'd ought of evil, or conceal'd, Disperse it, as now light dispels the dark !
So pray'd they innocent, and to their thoughts Firm peace recover'd foon, and wonted calm. On to their morning's rural work they haste Among sweet dews and flow'rs; where any row Of fruit-trees over-woody reach'd too far Their pamper'd boughs, and needed hands to check Fruitless embraces: or they led the vine To wed her elm, she spous'd, about him twines Her marriageable arms, and with her brings Her dow'r th'adopted clusters, to adorn His barren leaves. Them thus employ'd beheld With pity Heav'n's high King, and to him call'd 220 RAPHAEL, the fociable spirit, that deign'd To travel with TOBIAS, and secur'd
His marriage with the seventiines wedded maid.
RAPHAEL, faid he, thou hear'st what stir on earth SATAN, from Hell scap'd thro' the darksome gulf, Hath rais'd in Paradise, and how disturb'd This night the human pair, how he defigns In them at once to ruin all mankind: Go therefore, half this day as friend with friend Converse with ADAM, in what bow'r or shade 230 Thou find'ft him from the heat of noon retir'd, To respit his day-labor with repast, Or with repose: and fuch difcourse bring on, As may advise him of his happy ftate, Happiness in his pow'r left free to will, Left to his own free will; his will though free, Yet mutuable: whence warn him to beware He ferve not too fecure. Tell him withal His danger, and from whom; what enemy
« ZurückWeiter » |