Falfe eloquence, big empty found, Like fhowers, that rufh upon the ground, Little beneath the furface goes,
All streams along, and muddy flows. This finks, and fwells the buried grain, And fructifies like fouthern rain.
His art, well hid in mild discourse, Exerts perfuafion's winning force, And nervates fo the good defign, That king Agrippa's cafe is mine.
Well natur'd, happy fhade, forgive!
Like you I think, but cannot live,
Thy scheme requires the world's contempt, That, from dependance life exempt,
And conftitution fram'd so strong,
This world's worst climate cannot wrong. Not fuch my lot, not Fortune's brat, I live by pulling off the hat, Compell'd by ftation every hour To bow to images of power, And, in life's bufy scenes immers'd, See better things, and do the worst.
Eloquent Want, whose reasons sway, And make ten thousand truths give way, While I your fcheme with pleasure trace, Draws near, and stares me in the face. Confider well your ftate, fhe cries, Like others kneel, that you may rise;
Hold doctrines, by no fcruples vex'd, To which preferment is annex'd,
Nor madly prove, where all depends, Idolatry upon your friends.
See, how you like my rueful face, Such you muft wear, if out of place.
Crack'd is your brain to turn reclufe Without one farthing out at use.
They, who have lands, and fafe bank-stock,
With faith fo founded on a rock,
May give a rich invention ease, And conftrue fcripture, how they please. The honour'd prophet, that of old Us'd heav'n's high counfels to unfold, Did, more than courier angels, greet
The crows, that brought him bread and meat.
Has quoniam cæli nondum dignamur honore, Quas dedimus certè terras habitare finamus.
WOW had th' archangel trumpet, rais'd fublime
Above the walls of heav'n, begun to found; All æther took the blaft, and hell beneath Shook with celeftial noife; th' almighty hoft Hot with pursuit, and reeking with the blood Of guilty cherubs smear'd in fulphurous dust, Paufe at the known command of founding gold. And first they close the wide Tartarian gates, Th' impenetrable folds on brazen hinge Roll creaking horrible; the din beneath O'ercomes the roar of flames, and deafens hell. Then through the folid gloom with nimble wing They cut their fhining traces up to light;
Return'd upon the edge of heavenly day, Where thinnest beams play round the vast obfcure, And with eternal gleam drive back the night, They find the troops lefs ftubborn, lefs involv'd In crime and ruin, barr'd the realms of peace, Yet uncondemn'd to baleful feats of woe,
Doubtful and fuppliant; all the plumes of light Moult from their fhuddering wings, and fickly fear Shades every face with horror; conscious guilt Rolls in the livid eye-ball, and each breaft Shakes with the dread of future doom unknown.
'Tis here the wide circumference of heaven Opens in two vaft gates, that inward turn Voluminous, on jafper columns hung
By geometry divine, they ever glow With living sculptures, that arife by turns T'imboss the shining leaves, by turns they fet To give fucceeding argument their place; In holy hieroglyphicks on they move, The gaze of journeying angels, as they pafs Oft looking back, and held in deep furprize. Here stood the troops diftinct; the cherub guard Unbarr'd the splendid gates, and in they roll Harmonious; for a vocal spirit fits
Within each hinge, and, as they onward drive, In juft divifions breaks the num'rous jarr With fymphony melodious, such as spheres Involv'd in tenfold wreaths are faid to found. L 3
Out flows a blaze of glory; for on high Tow'ring advanc'd the moving throne of God, Vaft and majeftick; on each radiant fide The pointed rays flope glittering, at the foot Glides a full tide of day, that onward pours In liquid torrents through the black abyfs, Sparkling among reluctant shapes which thence Retire confus'd; as when Vefuvio shakes With inward torments, and difgorges flames, O'er the vast mountain's ridge the burning waves Drive their refulgent curls, and on they roll Sweeping the glowing plains down to the sea ; Th' affrighted fea leaps back with hideous roar To give the fire its courfe; thus Chaos wild Hiffing recoils to let in floods of light.
Above the throne, th' ideas heavenly bright Of past, of present, and of coming time Fix'd their immov'd abode, and there prefent An endless landscape of created things To fight celeftial, where angelick eyes Are loft in profpect; for the fhiny range, Boundless and various, in its bofom bears Millions of full-proportion'd worlds, beheld With ftedfaft eyes, till more arise to view, And farther inward fcenes flart up unknown.
Myriads of feraphs in long feries wait About the throne, and as it moves, proceed In numerous order, to celeftial fong.
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