REMARKS ON THE MORNING OF CHRIST'S NATIVITY. THERE is no doubt that the prima stamina of the bard's divine epics are exhibited in this poem; but it has several peculiarities, which distinguish it from the poet's other compositions: it is more truly lyrical; the stanza is beautifully constructed; and there is a solemnity, a grandeur, and a swell of verse, which is magical. The images are magnificent, and they have this superiority of excellence; that none of them are merely descriptive, but have a mixture of intellectuality and spirituality. Some one has said that Milton had no ear for the harmony of versification; this Hymn proves that his ear was perfect. Spenser's Alexandrines are fine; Milton's are more like the deepest swell of the organ. When it is recollected that this piece was produced by the author at the age of twenty-one, all deep thinkers of fancy and sensibility must pore upon it with delighted wonder. The vigour, the grandeur, the imaginativeness of the conception; the force and maturity of language; the bound, the gathering strength, the thundering roll of the metre; the largeness of the views; the extent of the learning; the solemn and awful tones; the enthusiasm, and a certain spell in the epithets, which puts the reader into a state of mysterious excitement, may be better felt than described. I venture to pronounce this poem far superior to the "L'Allegro" and "Il Penseroso," though the popular taste may not concur with me: it is much deeper; much more original; and of a nobler cast of materials. The two latter poems are mainly descriptive of the inanimate beauties of creation: it is the grand purpose of poetry to embody invisible spirits; to give shape and form to the ideal; to bring out into palpable lines and colours the intellectual world; to associate with that which is material that which is purely spiritual; to travel into air, and open upon the fancy other creations. Fancy is but one faculty of the mind; it is a mirror, of whose impressions the transfer upon paper by the medium of language is a single operation. Milton, before he could write the Hymn, must have already exercised and enriched all his faculties with vast and successful culture. He had travelled in those dim regions, into which young minds scarcely ever venture; and he had carried a guarded lamp with him, so as to see all around him, before and behind; yet not so peering and reckless as to destroy the religious awe. The due position of the lights and shades was never infringed upon. SIR EGERTOn Brydges. ON THE MORNING OF CHRIST'S NATIVITY.* I. THIS is the month, and this the happy morn, That he our deadly forfeit should release, II. That glorious form, that light unsufferable, Wherewith he wont at Heaven's high council-table. He laid aside; and here with us to be, Forsook the courts of everlasting day, And chose with us a darksome house of mortal clay. III. 10 Say, heavenly Muse, shall not thy sacred vein BREW 15 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, Hath took no print of the approaching light, And all the spangled host keep watch in squadrons bright? IV. See, how from far, upon the eastern road, The star-led wisards haste with odours sweet: And lay it lowly, at his blessed feet; O, run,(prevent)them with thy humble ode, Have thou the honour first thy Lord to greet, 25 From out his secret altar touch'd with hallow'd fire. * I cannot doubt that this hymn was the congenial prelude of that holy and inspired imagination which produced the "Paradise Lost," nearly forty years afterwards.-BRYDGES. Be it remembered that this sublime Hymn was written in his twenty-first year, probably as a college exercise. While the heaven-born child All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies; Had doff'd her gaudy trim, With her great Master so to sympathise: To wanton with the sun, her lusty/paramour. Only with speeches fair She (wooes) the gentle air II. To hide her guilty front with innocent snow; Pollute with sinful blame, The saintly veil of maiden white to throw; Should look so near upon her foul deformities. But he, her fears to cease, III. Sent down the meek-eyed Peace: She, crown'd with olive green, came softly sliding 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. No war, or battle's sound, IV. Was heard the world around: The idle spear and shield were high up hung; 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; V. But peaceful was the night, Wherein the Prince of light His reign of peace upon the earth began: 45. To cease, used actively. 52. She strikes a peace. This is a peculiar phraseology, showing the rapidity 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 with which it was done, as it were with one stroke. 56. The hooked chariot, &c. Nothing The winds, with wonder whist, Smoothly the waters kist, Whispering new joys to the mild ocean, Who now hath quite forgot to rave, While birds of calm sit brooding on the charmèd wave. VI. The stars with deep amaze, Stand fix'd in steadfast gaze, Bending one way their precious influence; 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. VII. 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 inferiour flame The new-enlighten'd world no more should need: He saw a greater sun appear Than his bright throne, or burning axletree could bear. VIII. The shepherds on the lawn, Or e'er the point of dawn, Sat simply chatting in a rustick 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 musick sweet IX. Their hearts and ears did greet, As never was by mortal finger strook; Divinely-warbled voice Answering the stringèd noise, As all their souls in blissful rapture took: The air, such pleasure loth to lose, With thousand echoes still prolongs each heavenly close, 100 can be more poetically grand than this stanza. In all Milton's noble poetry there are few passages finer than this.BRYDGES. 68. While birds of calm, &c. Another glorious line. The whole stanza breathes the essence of descriptive poetry. 89. That the mighty Pan, &c. That is, to live with the shepherds on the lawn, Christ is frequently styled "the Shep herd” in the Scriptures. X. Nature, that heard such sound, Beneath the hollow round Of Cynthia's seat, the aery region thrilling, 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. XI. At last surrounds their sight A globe of circular light, That with long beams the shamefaced night array'd; The helmed Cherubim, ( And sworded Ceraphim, Are seen in glittering ranks with wings display'd, With unexpressive notes, to Heaven's new-born Heir. Such musick, as 'tis said, Before was never made, XII. But when of old the sons of morning sung, His constellations set, And the well-balanced world on hinges hung; And cast the dark foundations deep, And bid the weltering waves theirˇoozy channel keep. XIII. Ring out, ye crystal spheres, 105 110 115 120 125 Once bless our human ears, If ye have power to touch our senses so; Move in melodious time; And let the bass of Heaven's deep organ blow; 180 And, with your ninefold harmony, Make up full consort to the angelic symphony. For, if such holy song Enwrap our fancy long, XIV. Time will run back, and fetch the age of gold; 135 And speckled Vanity Will sicken soon and die, And leprous Sin will melt from earthly mould; And Hell itself will pass away, And leave her dolorous mansions to the peering day. 140 131. Ninefold harmony. See Arcades, | means spots, the marks of disease and line 62. 136. Speckled Vanity. Vanity dressed in a variety of gaudy colours: unless he corruption, and the symptoms of ap proaching death.-T. WARTON. 140. The peering day is nere the first |