To the Hon. and Rev. F. Cornwallis...Dr. Davies. 330 Of active and retired Life. An Epistle. Melmoth. 334 An Essay on Conversation..... ....Stillingfleet, 342 Retirement. An Epistle to Dr. Hurd....Potter. 361 An Epistle to a Lady ......................................Earl Nugent. 370 ELEGANT EXTRACTS. PART I. Bevotional and Moral. HYMN TO THE NATIVITY. INTRODUCTION. THIS is the month, and this the happy morn, That he our deadly forfeit should release, That glorious form, that light unsufferable, He laid aside; and, here with us to be, Forsook the courts of everlasting day, [clay. And chose with us a darksome house of mortal VOL. I. B Say, heavenly Muse! shall not thy sacred vein Afford a present to the infant God? Hast thou no verse, no hymn, or solemn strain, To welcome him to this his new abode, Now while the heaven, by the sun's team untrod, See, how from far, upon the eastern road, Have thou the honour first thy Lord to greet, From out his secret altar touch'd with hallow'd fire. THE HYMN.. Ir was the winter wild, While the heaven-born child All meanly wrapp'd in the rude manger lies: Nature, in awe to him, Had doff'd her gaudy trim, With her great Master so to sympathize: It was no season then for her To wanton with the sun, her lusty paramour. Only with speeches fair She wooes the gentle air To hide her guilty front with innocent snow; And on her naked shame, Pollute with sinful blame, The saintly veil of maiden white to throw; Confounded, that her Maker's eyes Should look so near upon her foul deformities. But he, her fears to cease, Sent down the meek-eyed Peace; She,crown'd with olive green, came softly sliding Down through the turning sphere, His ready harbinger, With turtle wing the amorous clouds dividing; And, waving wide her myrtle wand, She strikes a universal peace through sea and land. Nor war nor battle's sound Was heard the world around: The idle spear and shield were high up hung; The hooked chariot stood Unstain'd with hostile blood; The trumpet spake not to the armed throng; And kings sat still with awful eye, As if they surely knew their sovran Lord was by. But peaceful was the night Wherein the Prince of Light His reign of peace upon the earth began: The winds, with wonder whist, Smoothly the waters kiss'd, Whispering new joys to the mild ocean; Who now hath quite forgot to rave, [wave. While birds of calm sit brooding on the charmed The stars, with deep amaze, Stand fix'd in steadfast gaze, Bending one way their precious influence; And will not take their flight, For all the morning light, Or Lucifer that often warn'd them thence; But in their glimmering orbs did glow, Until their Lord himself bespake, and bid them go. And, though the shady gloom Had given day her room, The sun himself withheld his wonted speed, And hid his head for shame, As his inferior flame The new-enlighten'd world no more should need; He saw a greater sun appear [bear. Than his bright throne, or burning axle-tree, could The shepherds on the lawn, Or ere the point of dawn, Sat simply chatting in a rustic row; Full little thought they then That the mighty Pan Was kindly come to live with them below; Perhaps their loves, or else their sheep, Was all that did their silly thoughts so busy keep. When such music sweet Their hearts and ears did greet, As never was by mortal finger strook; Divinely warbled voice Answering the stringed noise, As all their souls in blissful rapture took; The air, such pleasure loath to lose, [close. With thousand echoes still prolongs each heavenly Nature that heard such sound, Beneath the hollow round Of Cynthia's seat, the aery region thrilling, Now was almost won To think her part was done, And that her reign had here its last fulfilling: She knew such harmony alone Could hold all heaven and earth in happier union. |