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Perhaps their loves； or else their sheep；
Was all that did their silly thoughts so busy keep。
When such music sweet
Their hearts and ears did greet
As never was by mortal finger strook …
Divinely…warbled voice
Answering the stringed noise；
As all their souls in blissful rapture took：
The air； such pleasure loth to lose；
With thousand echoes still prolongs each heavenly close。
Nature； that heard such sound
Beneath the hollow round
Of Cynthia's seat the airy region thrilling；
Now was almost won
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。
At last surrounds their sight
A globe of circular light
That with long beams the shamefaced night arrayed；
The helmed Cherubim
And sworded Seraphim
Are seen in glittering ranks with wings displayed；
Harping in loud and solemn choir
With unexpressive notes； to Heaven's new…born Heir。
Such music （as 'tis said）
Before was never made
But when of old the sons of morning sung；
While the Creator great
His constellations set
And the well…balanced world on hinges hung；
And cast the dark foundations deep；
And bid the weltering waves their oozy channel keep。
Ring out； ye crystal spheres！
Once bless our human ears；
If ye have power to touch our senses so；
And let your silver chime
Move in melodious time；
And let the bass of Heaven's deep organ blow；
And with your ninefold harmony
Make up full consort to the angelic symphony。
For if such holy song
Enwrap our fancy long；
Time will run back； and fetch the age of gold；
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。
Yea； Truth and Justice then
Will down return to men；
Orbed in a rainbow； and； like glories wearing；
Mercy will sit between
Throned in celestial sheen；
With radiant feet the tissued clouds down steering；
And Heaven； as at some festival；
Will open wide the gates of her high palace hall。
But wisest Fate says No；
This must not yet be so；
The Babe yet lies in smiling infancy
That on the bitter cross
Must redeem our loss；
So both himself and us to glorify：
Yet first； to those ychained in sleep
The wakeful trump of doom must thunder through the deep；
With such a horrid clang
As on Mount Sinai rang
While the red fire and smouldering clouds outbrake：
The aged Earth aghast
With terror of that blast
Shall from the surface to the centre shake；
When； at the world's last session；
The dreadful Judge in middle air shall spread His throne。
And then at last our bliss
Full and perfect is；
But now begins； for from this happy day
The old Dragon under ground；
In straiter limits bound；
Not half so far casts his usurped sway；
And； wroth to see his kingdom fail；
Swinges the scaly horror of his folded tail。
The oracles are dumb；
No voice or hideous hum
Runs through the arched roof in words deceiving。
Apollo from his shrine
Can no more divine；
With hollow shriek the steep of Delphos leaving：
No nightly trance or breathed spell
Inspires the pale…eyed priest from the prophetic cell。
The lonely mountains o'er
And the resounding shore
A voice of weeping heard； and loud lament；
From haunted spring and dale
Edged with poplar pale
The parting Genius is with sighing sent；
With flower…inwoven tresses torn
The Nymphs in twilight shade of tangled thickets mourn。
In consecrated earth
And on the holy hearth
The Lars and Lemures moan with midnight plaint；
In urns； and altars round
A drear and dying sound
Affrights the Flamens at their service quaint；
And the chill marble seems to sweat；
While each peculiar Power foregoes his wonted seat。
Peor and Baalim
Forsake their temples dim；
With that twice…battered god of Palestine；
And mooned Ashtaroth
Heaven's queen and mother both；
Now sits not girt with tapers' holy shine；
The Lybic Hammon shrinks his horn：
In vain the Tyrian maids their wounded Thammuz mourn。
And sullen Moloch； fled；
Hath left in shadows dread
His burning idol all of blackest hue；
In vain with cymbals' ring
They call the grisly king；
In dismal dance about the furnace blue；
The brutish gods of Nile as fast；
Isis； and Orus； and the dog Anubis； haste。
Nor is Osiris seen
In Memphian grove； or green；
Trampling the unshowered grass with lowings loud：
Nor can he be at rest
Within his sacred chest；
Naught but profoundest Hell can be his shroud；
In vain with timbrelled anthems dark
The sable stoled sorcerers bear his worshiped ark。
He feels from Juda's land
The dreaded Infant's hand；
The rays of Bethlehem blind his dusky eyen；
Nor all the gods beside
Longer dare abide
Nor Typhon huge ending in snaky twine：
Our Babe； to show his Godhead true；
Can in His swaddling bands control the damned crew。
So； when the sun in bed
Curtained with cloudy red
Pillows his chin upon an orient wave；
The flocking shadows pale
Troop to the infernal jail；
Each fettered ghost slips to his several grave：
And the yellow…skirted fays
Fly after the night…steeds； leaving their moon…loved maze。
But see！ the Virgin blest
Hath laid her Babe to rest；
Time is； our tedious song should here have ending：
Heaven's youngest teemed star
Hath fixed her polished car；
Her sleeping Lord with hand…maid lamp attending：
And all about the courtly stable
Bright…harnessed Angels sit in order serviceable。
John Milton ＇1608…1674＇
FAIRYLAND
THE FAIRY BOOK
In summer； when the grass is thick； if mother has the time；
She shows me with her pencil how a poet makes a rhyme；
And often she is sweet enough to choose a leafy nook；
Where I cuddle up so closely when she reads the Fairybook。
In winter； when the corn's asleep； and birds are not in song；
And crocuses and violets have been away too long；
Dear mother puts her thimble by in answer to my look；
And I cuddle up so closely when she reads the Fairybook。
And mother tells the servants that of course they must contrive
To manage all the household things from four till half…past five；
For we really cannot suffer interruption from the cook；
When we cuddle close together with the happy Fairybook。
Norman Gale ＇1862…
FAIRY SONGS
I
From 〃A Midsummer…Night's Dream〃
Over hill； over dale；
Through bush； through brier；
Over park； over pale；
Through flood； through fire；
I do wander everywhere；
Swifter than the moon's sphere；
And I serve the fairy queen；
To dew her orbs upon the green：
The cowslips tall her pensioners be；
In their gold coats spots you see；
Those be rubies； fairy favors；
In those freckles live their savors：
I must go seek some dew…drops here；
And hang a pearl