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To whom unveil'd thou doft fhew
Thy smiles without allays?

III.

An object which, if mortal eyes
Cou'd make approaches to,

They'd foon efteem their best lov'd toys
Not worth one fcornful view.

IV.

How then beneath its load of flesh

Wou'd the vext foul complain! And how the friendly hand she'd bliss, Wou'd break her hated chain !

The CONSUMMATION. A Pindaric Ode.

By Mr. Norris.

I.

HE rife of monarchies, and their long weighty fall,
My mufe outfoars, the proudly leaves behind

The pomp of courts, fhe leaves our little all,
To be the humble fong of a lefs reaching mind.
In vain I curb her tow'ring flight,

All I can hear prefent's too fmall,
She preffes on, and now has loft her fight :
She flyes and haftens to relate

The last and dreadful scene of fate,
Nature's great folemn funeral.

I fee the mighty angel ftand

Cloth'd with a cloud, a rainbow round his head,
His right foot on the sea, his other on the land.
He lifted up his dreadful arm, and thus he faid:
By the myfterious great Three-One,

Who e power we fear, and truth adore,

I fwear the fatal thread is fpun,

Nature fhall breath her last, and time fhall be no more.

The ancient ftager of the day

Has run his minutes out, and number'd all his

way.

The parting Ifthmus is thrown down,

And all fhall now be overflown :

Time fhall no more her under current know,

But one with great eternity shall

grow,

Their ftreams fhall inix, and in one circling channel flow.

II.

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He fpake-fate writ the fentence with her iron pen,
And mighty thund'ring faid Amen.
What dreadful found's this ftrikes
my ear
'Tis fure the archangel's trump I hear,
Nature's great paffing bell, the only call,
Of God's, that will be heard by all :
The univerfe takes the alarm, the fea
Trembles at the great angel's found,
And roars almoft as loud as he,

Seeks a new channel and would fain run under ground.
The earth itself does no lefs quake,

And all throughout down to the centre shake;
The graves unclofe, and the deep fleepers there awake.
The fun's arrefted in his way,

He dares not foreward go,

But wond'ring stands at the great hurry here below. The ftars forget their laws, and like loose planets stray. See how the elements refign

Their num'rous charge, the fcatter'd atoms home repair, Some from the earth, fome from the fea, fome from the They know the great alarm,

And in confus'd mixt numbers swarm.

'Till rang'd and fever'd by the chymistry divine.

The father of mankind's amaz'd to fee

The globe too narrow for his progeny ;

But 'tis the clofing of the age,

And all the actors now at once muft grace the stage.

III.

Now, muse, exalt thy wing, be bold and dare,
Fate does a wond'rous (cene prepare.

The central fire which hitherto did burn
Dull, like a lamp in a moift clammy urn,
Fann'd by the breath divine begins to glow,
The fiends are all amaz'd below,

But that will no confinement know,
Breaks thro' its facred fence, and plays more free.
Than thou with all thy vast pindaric liberty.
Nature does fick of a strong fever lye,

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The fire the fubterraneous vaults does spoil,
The mountains fweat, the fea does boil,
The fea her mighty pulse beats high;
The waves of fire more proudly rowl,
The fiends in their deep caverns howl,
And with the frightful trumpet mix their hideous ery,
Now is the tragic fcene begun,

The fire in triumph marches on,

The earth's girt round with flames, and seems another fun.
IV.

But whither does this lawless judgment roam ?
Muft all promifcuously expire

A facrifice in Sodom's fire!?

Read thy commiffion, fate, fure all are not thy due,
No, thou must fave the virtuous few.

But where's the angel guardian to avert the doom,
Lo with a mighty host he's come !
I fee the parted clouds give way,
I fee the banner of the cross display.
Death's conqueror in pomp appears,
In his right hand a palm he bears,
And in his looks he sweetness wears.
Th' illuftrious glory of this scene
Does the despairing faints infpire,
With joy, with rapture and defire.
Kindles the higher life, that dormant lay within,
Th' awaken'd virtue does its thoughts display,
Melts and refines their droffy clay:

New caft into a pure etherial frame.
They fly and mount aloft in vehicles of flame.
Slack here, my mufe, thy roving wing,

And now the world's untun'd, let down thy high-ser string.

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The CXLVIII. PSALM paraphras'd.

By an unknown Auther.

I.

Come let all created force confpire
A general hymn of praise to fing

Join all ye creatures in one folemn quire, And let your theme be heaven's almighty King.

II.

Begin, ye bleft attendants of his feat,
Begin your high seraphic lays,

'Tis juft you should, your happiness is great,
And all you are to give again is praise.

III.

Ye glorious lamps that rule both night and day,
Bring you your Ha lelu-jahs too;
To him that tribute of devotion pay
Which once blind fuperftition gave to you.
IV.

Thou first and fairest of material kind,

By whom his other works we fee,

Subtile and active as pure thought and mind,
Praise him that's elder and more fair than thee.

V.

Ye regions of the air his praifes fing,
And all ye virgin waters there,
Do you advantage to the confort bring,
And down to us the Hallelu-jah bear.

VI.

In chanting forth the great Jehovah's praife,
Let these the upper confort fill:

He fpake, and did you all from nothing raise;
you did then, so now obey his will.
VII.

As

His will that fix'd you in a constant state,
And cut a track for nature's wheel;
Here let it run, faid he, and made it fate;

And where's that power which can this law repeal ?

VIII.

Ye powers that to th' inferiour world retain,
Join you now with the quire above:

And first, ye dragons, try an higher strain,
And turn your angry hiflings into praise and love.

IX.

Let fire, hail, fnow and vapours, that afcend,
Unlock'd by Phabus' fearching rays;
Let ftormy winds ambitioufly contend,
And all their wonted force employ in praise.

13

X. Yo

X.

Ye facred tops which feem to brave the skies,
Rife higher, and when men on you
Religious rites perform, and facrifice,

With their oblations send your praises too.

XI.

Ye trees, whofe fruits both man and beaft confume,
Be you in praises fruitful too;

Ye cedars, why have you fuch choice perfume,
But that fweet incense should be made of you!

XII.

Ye beafts, with all the humble creeping train,
Praise him that made your lot fo high;
Ye birds, who in a nobler province reign,
Send up your praises higher than you fly.

XIII.

Ye facred heads that wear imperial gold,
Praise him, that you with power arrays;
And you whofe hands the fcale of justice hold,
Be juft in this, and pay your debt of praise.
XIV.

Let fprightly youth give vigour to the quire,
Each fex with one another vie ;

Let feeble age diffolv'd in praise expire,

And infants too in hymns their tender voices try.
XV.

Praise him ye faints who piety profess,
And at his altar spend your days;
Ye feed of Ifrael your great pattern bless;
'Tis manna this, for angels food is praise.

Veni Creator Spiritus. Tranflated into a Paraphrase,

By Mr. Dryden.

I.

Reator Spirit! by whofe aid

CR

The world's foundations firft were laid;

Come vifit ev'ry pious mind,

Come pour thy joys on human-kind;

From

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