Adieu ye vales, ye mountains, ftreams and groves,
Adieu ye fhepherd's rural lays and loves,
Adieu my flocks, farewell ye fylvan crew,
Daphne farewell, and all the world adieu !
In imitation of VIRGIL'S POLLIO.
E Nymphs of Solyma! begin the fong:
To heav'nly themes fublimer strains belong.
The moffy fountains and the fylvan fhades,
The dreams of Pindus and th'Aonian maids,
Delight no more----O thou my voice inspire
Who touch'd Isaiah's hallow'd lips with fire!
Rapt into future times, the Bard begun,
A Virgin fhall conceive, a Virgin bear a Son!
From Jeffe's root behold a branch arise,
Whofe facred flow'r with fragrance fills the skies.
Th'Æthereal spirit o'er its leaves shall move,
And on its top-defcends the myftic Dove.
Ye heav'ns! from high the dewy nectar pour,
And in foft filence fhed the kindly fhow'r!
The 3 fick and weak the healing plant shall aid,
From storms a fhelter, and from heat a fhade.
All crimes fhall ceafe, and ancient fraud fhall fail;
Returning 4 Justice lift aloft her scale;
Peace o'er the world her olive wand extend,
And white-rob'd Innocence from heav'n defcend.
Swift fly the years, and rife th' expected morn!
Oh fpring to light, aufpicious Babe, be born!
See Nature haftes her earliest wreaths to bring,
With all the incenfe of the breathing fpring:
See lofty Lebanon his head advance,
See nodding forefts on the mountains dance,
See fpicy clouds from lowly Saron rife,
And Carmel's flow'ry top perfumes the skies!
Hark! a glad voice the lonely defart chears;
Prepare the way! a God, a God appears;
A God, a God! the vocal hills reply,
The rocks proclaim th' approaching Deity.
Lo Earth receives him from the bending skies!
Sink down ye mountains, and ye vallies rife:
With heads declin'd, 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!
7
He from thick films fhall purge the visual ray,
And on the fightless eye-ball pour the day:
"Tis he th' obstructed paths of found fhall clear,
And bid new music charm th' unfolding ear.
The dumb fhall fing, the lame his crutch forego,
And leap exulting like the bounding Roe.
No figh, no murmur the wide world fhall hear,
From ev'ry face he wipes off ev'ry tear.
In 8 adamantine chains fhall Death be bound,
And Hell's grim Tyrant feel th' eternal wound.
As the good' fhepherd tends his fleecy care,
Seeks freshest pafture and the pureft air,
'Cap. 42. y. 18. Cap. 35. v. 5, 6.
Explores the loft, the wandring fheep directs,
By day o'ersees them, and by night protects ;
The tender lambs he raifes in his arms,
Feeds from his hand, and in his bofom warms;
Thus fhall mankind his guardian care engage,
The promis'd father of the future age.
No more fhall " nation against nation rise,
Nor ardent warriors meet with hateful eyes,
Nor fields with gleaming fteel be cover'd o'er,
The brazen trumpets kindle rage no more;
But useless lances into scythes fhall bend,
And the broad faulchion in a plow-share end.
Then palaces fhall rife; the joyful 12 Son..
Shall finish what his fhort-liv'd Sire begun;
Their vines a fhadow to their race fhall yield,
And the fame hand that fow'd shall reap the field.
The fwain in barren 13 defarts with furprize
See Lillies fpring, and fudden verdure rife,
And starts, amidft the thirsty wilds to hear
New falls of water murm'ring in his ear:
Cap. 2. 4. Cap. 65. v. 219. 21
y.
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