But see! each Muse, in Leo's golden days, But soon by impious arms from Latium chased, Yet some there were, among the sounder few Such late was Walsh +-the Muse's judge and friend, Who justly knew to blame or to commend; 730 To failings mild, but zealous for desert; The clearest head, and the sincerest heart. * Wentworth Dillon, Earl of Roscommon, the author of some poems. + William Walsh, a poet. This humble praise, lamented shade! receive; Her guide now lost, no more attempts to rise, The learn'd reflect on what before they knew; Not free from faults, nor yet too vain to mend. 741 MESSIAH. A SACRED ECLOGUE. IN IMITATION OF VIRGIL'S POLLIO. YE nymphs of Solyma! begin the song: 9 Rapt into future times, the bard begun :A Virgin shall conceive, a Virgin bear a Son! From Jesse's root behold a branch arise, Whose sacred flower with fragrance fills the skies: The ethereal Spirit o'er its leaves shall move, And on its top descends the mystic Dove. Ye heavens! from high the dewy nectar pour, And in soft silence shed the kindly shower! The sick and weak the healing plant shall aid; From storms a shelter, and from heat a shade. All crimes shall cease, and ancient fraud shall fail; Returning Justice lift aloft her scale; Peace o'er the world her olive wand extend, And white-robed Innocence from heaven descend. Swift fly the years, and rise the expected morn! O, spring to light, auspicious Babe, be born! See, Nature hastes her earliest wreaths to bring, With all the incense of the breathing spring: See lofty Lebanon his head advance; See nodding forests on the mountains dance.: See spicy clouds from lowly Saron rise, And Carmel's flowery top perfumes the skies! 19 30 40 Hark! a glad voice the lonely desert cheers :Prepare the way! a God, a God appears:' 'A God, a God!' the vocal hills reply; The rocks proclaim the approaching Deity. Lo, earth receives him from the bending skies! Sink down, ye mountains; and, ye valleys, rise; With heads declined, ye cedars, homage pay; Be smooth, ye rocks; ye rapid floods, give way! The Saviour comes, by ancient bards foretold! Hear him, ye deaf; and all ye blind, behold! He from thick films shall purge the visual ray, And on the sightless eye-ball pour the day: "Tis he the obstructed paths of sound shall clear, And bid new music charm the unfolding ear: The dumb shall sing, the lame his crutch forego, And leap exulting like the bounding roe. No sigh, no murmur the wide world shall hear; From every face he wipes off every tear: In adamantine chains shall Death be bound, And hell's grim tyrant feel the eternal wound. As the good shepherd tends his fleecy care, Seeks freshest pasture and the purest air, Explores the lost, the wandering sheep directs, By day o'ersees them, and by night protects; The tender lambs he raises in his arms, Feeds from his hand, and in his bosom warms; Thus shall mankind his guardian care engage, The promised Father of the future age. No more shall nation against nation rise, 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 shall bend, And the broad falchion in a ploughshare end. Then palaces shall rise; the joyful son Shall finish what his short-lived sire begun; Their vines a shadow to their race shall yield, And the same hand that sow'd shall reap the field: The swain in barren deserts with surprise Sees lilies spring and sudden verdure rise; 50 60 And starts, amidst the thirsty wilds, to hear 70 90 To leafless shrubs the flowering palms succeed, 100 |