Imatges de pàgina
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'N reading several passages of the Prophet Isaiah, which foretell the coming of Chrift and the felicities attending it, I could not but observe a remarkable parity between many of the thoughts, and thofe in the Pollio of Virgil. This will not seem surprising, when we reflect, that the Eclogue was taken from a Sibylline prophcey on the fame subject. One may judge that Virgil did not copy it line by line, but selected fuch ideas as beft agreed with the nature of paftoral poetry, and disposed them in that manner which ferved moft to beautify his piece. I have endeavoured the fame in this imitation of him, tho' without admitting any thing of my own; fince it was written with this particular view, that the reader, by comparing the feveral thoughts, might fee how far the images and descriptions of the Prophet are fuperior to those of the Poet. But as I fear I have prejudiced them by my management, I shall fubjoin the paffages of Ifaiah, and thofe of Virgil, under the fame difadvantage of a literal translation.

MESSIAH.

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SACRED ECLOGU E,

In Imitation of VIRGIL'S POLLIO.

YE, Nymphs of Solyma! begin the fong:

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To heav'nly themes fublimer strains belong.
The moffy fountains, and the fylvan shades,
The dreams of Pindus and th' Aonian maids,
Delight no more thou my voice inspire,
Who touch'd Ifaiah's hallow'd lips with fire!
Rapt into future times, the Bard begun,
A Virgin fhall conceive, a Virgin bear a Son!

Ven. 8. A·Virgin fhall conceive All crimes shall cease, &c.] VIRG. E. 4. ver. 6. Jam redit & Virgo, redeunt Saturnia regna,

Jam nova progenies cœlo demittitur alto

Te duce, fi qua manent fceleris veftigia nostri,
Irrita perpetua folvent formidine terras-
Pacatumque reget patriis virtutibus orbem.

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Now be Virgin returns, now the kingdom of Saturn returns, now a new Progeny. is feat down from bigh heaven. 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 bis Father.

ISAIAH, Ch. vii. ver. 14. Behold a Virgin fhall 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 Feace:

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From Jeffe's root behold a branch arise,
Whofe facred flow'r with fragrance fills the fkies:
Th' Ethereal fpirit o'er its leaves fhall move,
And on its top defcends the mystic Dove.
Ye+heav'ns! from high the dewy nectar pour,
And in foft filence fhed the kindly show'r!
The fick and weak the healing plant shall aid,
From ftorms a fhelter, and from heat a shade.
All crimes fhall ceafe, and ancient fraud fhall fail;
Returning | Juftice 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 earlieft wreaths to bring,
With all the incenfe of the breathing spring:
See lofty ** Lebanon his head advance,

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See nodding forefts on the mountains dance;
See fpicy clouds from lowly Saron rife,

And Carmel's flow'ry top perfumes the skies!

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Peace of the increase of his government, and of bis peace, there fhall be no end : upon the throne of David, and upon bis kingdom, to order and to ftablish it, with judgment, and with justice, for ever and ever.

VER. 23. See Nature baftes, &c.]

VIRG. E. 4. ver. 18. At tibi prima, puer, nullo munufcula cultu,

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Ipfa tibi blandos fundent cunabula flores.

For thee, O Child, fball the earth, without being tilled, produce ber early offerings; winding ivy mixed with Baccar, and Colocafia with fmiling Acanthus. Tky# cradle fhall pour forth pleasing flowers about thee.

ISAIAH, chap. xxxv. ver. 1. The wilderness and the folitary place fhall be glad, and the defart shall rejoice and blossom as the rofe. Ch. Ix. ver. 13. The glory of Lebanon fball come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine-tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of thy Sanctuary.

*Ifaiah, ch. xi. ver. 1,

Ch. xlv. ver. 8.

Ch. xxv. ver. 4.

Ch. ix. ver. 7.
* Chap. xxxv. ver.

Hark!

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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 rise,
With heads declin'd, ye cedars, homage pay;
Be fmooth ye rocks, ye rapid floods give way!
The Saviour comes! by ancient bards foretold;
Heart him, ye deaf, and all ye blind, behold!
He from thick films fhall purge the visual ray,
And on the fightless eye-ball pour the day:
'Tis he th' obftructed paths of found shall clear,
And bid new mufic 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 adamantine chains fhall Death be bound,
And Hell's grim Tyrant feel th' eternal wound.

VER. 29. Hark! a glad voice, &c.]

VIRG. E. 4. ver. 46. Aggredere ô magnos, aderit jam tempus, honores,
Cara deûm foboles, magnum Jovis incrementum-

Ipfi lætitia voces ad fydera jactant

Intonfi montes, ipfæ jam carmina rupes,

Ipfa fonant arbufta, Deus, deus ille Menalca!

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E. 5. ver. 62.

Ob come, and receive the mighty bonours: the time draws nigh, O beloved offspring of the Gods, O great encrease of Jove! The uncultivated mountains fend fhouts of joy to the fars, the very rocks fing in verfe, the very fhrubs cry out, A God! a God!

ISAIAH, ch. xl. ver. 3, 4. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord! make firait in the defart 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 firait, and the rough places plain. Chap. iv. ver. 2P Break forth into finging, ye mountains! O foreft, and every tree therein! for the Lord bath redeemed Ifrael.

Ch. xl. ver. 3, 4.

Ch. xlii. ver. 18. Eh. xxxv. ver, 5, 6,

1 Ch. xxv. vcr. 8.

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As the good *fhepherd tends his fleecy care,
Seeks fresheft pafture and the pureft air,
Explores the loft, the wand'ring fheep directs,
By day o'erfees. 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 rife,
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 foythes fhall bend,
And the broad faulchion in a plow-fhare end.
Then palaces fhall rife; the joyful' || fon
Shall finish what his fhort-liv'd fire begun!
Their vines a fhadow to their race fhall yield,

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And the fame hand that fow'd, fhall reap the field.

The fwain in barren ** defarts with furprise

Sees lillies fpring, and fudden verdure rife;.

And ftarts, amidst the thirsty wilds to hear

New falls of water murm'ring in his ear.
On rifted rocks, the dragons late abodes,
The green reed trembles, and the bulrufh nods.

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VER. 67. The fwain in barren defarts, &é.}·

VIRG. E. 4. ver. 28. Molli paulatim flavefcit campus arifta,
Incultifque rubens pendebit fentibus uva,

Et duræ quercus fudabunt roscida mella.

The field fhall grow yellow with ripen'd ears, and the red grape shall bang upon the wild brambles, and the bard oaks fball diftill boney like dew.

ISAIAH, ch. xxxv. ver. 7. The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land fprings of water: in the babitations where dragons lay, shall be grafs, and reeds, and rushes. Ch. lv. ver. 13. Inflead of the thorn fball come up the firetree, and infiead of the briar shall come up the myrtle-tree.

** Ch. xl. ver. 11.

+ Ch ix. ver. 6.

Ch. ii. ver. 4.

Ch. Ixv. ver. 21, 22.

** Ch. xxxv, ver. 1, 7.

Wafts

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