MESSIAH, A SACRED ECLOGUE. YE Nymphs of Solyma! begin the song: To heav'nly themes sublimer strains belong. From VER. 8. A Virgin shall conceive-All crimes shall cease, &c.] Virg. Ecl. iv. ver. 6. "Jam redit et Virgo, redeunt Saturnia regna; "Now the Virgin returns, now the kingdom of Saturn returns, now a new progeny is sent down from bigh beaven. By means of thee, whatever reliques of our crimes remain, shall be wiped away, and free the world from perpetual fears. He shall govern the earth in peace, with the virtues of his father." Isaiah. Isaiah, ch. vii. ver. 14" Bebold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son. -Ch. ix. ver. 6, 7. " Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; the Prince of Peace: of the increase of his govern ment, and of bis peace, there shall be no end: Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order and to establish it, with judgment, and with justice, for ever and ever.” POPE, From Jesse's root behold a branch arise, Whose sacred flow'r with fragrance fills the skies: C The sick and weak the healing plant shall aid, All crimes shall cease, and ancient fraud shall fail; Peace o'er the world her olive wand extend, II 15 And white-rob'd Innocence from heav'n descend. 20 e See lofty Lebanon his head advance, See nodding forests on the mountains dance: VEK. 23. See nature hastes, &c.] Virg. Ecl. iv. ver. 18. "At tibi prima, puer, nullo munuscula cultu, 25 See "For thee, O Child, shall the earth, without being tilled, produce her early offerings; winding ivy, mixed with Baccar, and Colocasia with smiling Acanthus. Thy cradle shall pour forth pleasing flow'rs about thee. Isai. ch. xxxv. ver. 1. "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose.-Ch. lx. ver. 13. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine-tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of thy sanctuary." a Isaiah, ch. xi. ver. 1. e Ch. xxxv. ver. 2. Ch. xlv. ver. 8. d Ch. ix. ver. 7. POPE. See spicy clouds from lowly Saron rise, And Carmel's flow'ry top perfumes the skies! f Prepare the way! a God, a God appears: g Hear him, ye deaf, and all ye blind, behold! 30 35 40 Tis VER. 29. Hark! a glad voice, &c.] Virg. Ecl. iv. ver. 46. Intonsi montes, ipsæ jam carmina rupes, Idsa sonant arbusta, Deus, deus ille Menalca!" Ecl. v. ver. 62. "Oh come and receive the mighty honours: the time draws nigh, O beloved offspring of the Gods, great encrease of Jove! The uncultivated mountains send shouts of joy to the stars, the very rocks sing. the very shrubs cry out, a God, a God!" in verse, Isaiah, ch. xl. ver. 3, 4. "The voice of bim that crieth in the wil derness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord! make straight in the desert a high way for our God! Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and bill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain." Ch. iv. ver. 23. “Break forth into singing, ye mountains! O forest, and every tree therein ! for the Lord bath redeemed Israel.” f Isaiah, ch. xl. ver. 3, 4. Ch. xliii. ver. 18. ch. xxxv. ver. 5, 6. 'Tis he th' obstructed paths of sound shall clear, h In " adamantine chains shall Death be bound, Feeds from his hand, and in his bosom warms; Thus shall mankind his guardian care engage, k The promis'd Father of the future age. m reap 45 50 55 the field; 60 65 The swain in barren " deserts with surprise To leafless shrubs the flow'ring palms succeed, 70 75 The ' lambs with wolves shall graze the verdant mead, And boys in flow'ry bands the tiger lead; The VER. 67. The swain in barren deserts] Virg. Ecl. iv. ver. 28. "Molli paulatim flavescet campus arista, Incultisque rubens pendebit sentibus uva, Et duræ quercus sudabunt roscida mella." "The fields shall grow yellow with ripen'd ears, and the red grape shall hang upon the wild brambles, and the hard oak shall distil boney like dew. Isaiah, ch. xxxv. ver. 7. "The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty lands springs of water: In the habitation where dragons lay, shall be grass, and reeds and rushes."—Ch. lv. ver. 13. "Instead of the thorn shall come up the firstree, and instead of the briar shall come up the myrtle-tres.' POPE. VER. 77. The lambs with wolves, &c.] Virg. Ecl. iv. ver. 21. "Ipsæ lacte domum referent distenta capella Übera, nec magnos metuent armenta leones Occidet et serpens, et fallax herba veneni Occidet." "The goats shall bear to the fold their udders distended with milk: nor shall the herds be afraid of the greatest lions. The serpent shall die, and the berb that conceals poison shall die.” Isaiah, "Isaiah, ch. xxxv. ver. 1. 7. Ch. xli. ver. 19. and Ch. lv. ver. 13. ▸ Ch. xi, ver. 6, 7, 8. |