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MESSI A H.

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Sacred ECLOGUE,

In Imitation of VIRGIL's POLLIO.

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ADVERTISEMENT.

In reading feveral paffages of the Prophet Ifaiah, which foretell

the coming of Chrift and the felicities attending it, I could not but obferve a remarkable parity between many of the thoughts, and thofe in the Pollio of Virgil. This will not feem furprising, when we reflect, that the Eclogue was taken from a Sibylline pro

phecy on the fame fubject. One may judge that Virgil did not copy it line by line, but selected fuch ideas as best agreed with the nature of paftoral poetry, and difpofed them in that manner which ferved most to beautify his piece. I have endeavoured the fame in this imitation of him, though 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 defcriptions of the Prophet are fuperior to those of the Poet. But as I fear I have prejudiced them by my management, I shall subjoin the paffages of Ifaiah, and thofe of Virgil, under the fame disadvantage of a literal tranflation. P.

MESSIAH.

A

SACRED ECLOGUE,

In Imitation of VIRGIL'S POLLIO.

YE Nymphs of Solyma! begin the fong:

To heav'nly themes fublimer ftrains belong,
The inoy fountains, and the fylvan fhades,
The dreams of Pindus and th' Aonian maids.
Delight no more O 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!
From Jeffe's root behold a branch arife,

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IMITATIONS.

All crimes fhall cease,

etc.)

VER. 8. A Virgin fhall conceive

VIRG. E. iv. v 6.

Jam redit et Virgo, redeunt Saturnia regna;
Jam nova Progenies calo demittitur alto.

Te duce, fi qua manent fceleris vestigia noftri,
Irrita perpetua folvent formidine terras

Pacatumque rege: patriis virtutibus orbem.

,,Now the Virgin retourns, now the kingdom of Saturn returns, now a new progeny is fent down from high heaven. By means of thee, whatever reliques of our crimes remain, shall be wiped away, and free the world from perpetual fears. He fhall govern the earth in peace, with the virtues of his Father.

«) Ifai, xi. V I.

Whofe facred flow'r with fragrance fills the fkies :
Th' Etherial 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 shed the kindly show'r!

II

The fick and weak the healing plant shall aid, 15 From ftorms a fhelter, and from heat a fhade.

All crimes fhall ceafe, and ancient fraud fhall fail; Returning Juftice lift aloft her fcale;

d

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! 21
Oh fpring to light, aufpicious Babe, be born!
See Nature haftes her earliest wreaths to bring,
With all the incenfe of the breathing spring:
See lofty Lebanon his head advance,

IMITATIONS.

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ISAIAH, Ch. vii. v 14. Behold a Virgin fhall conceive ,,and bear a Son. - Chap, ix. v 6, 7. Unto us a Child is born, ,,unto us a Son is given; the Prince of Peace of the increase ,,of his government, and of his peace, there fhall be no end: ,,Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order and to stablish it, with judgment, and with justice, for ever and ever.

VER. 23. See nature haftes, etc.)
VIRG. E. iv. v 18.

At tibi prima, puer, nullo munuscula cultu,
Errantes hederas paffim cum baccare tellus,
Mixtaque ridenti colocafia fundet acantho →
Ipfa tibi blandos fundent cunabula fiores.

,,For thee, O Child, fhall the earth, without being tilled, produce her early offerings; winding ivy, mixed with Baccar, and Colocasia with fmiling Acanthus, Thy cradle fhall pour forth pleafing flowers about thee.

• Ch.xlv. v8. e Ch. xxv, v 4.

d Ch. ix. v7.

e Ch. XXXV. v2. .xxxv.

See nodding forefts on the mountains dance:
See fpicy clouds from lowly Saron rife,
And Carinel's flow'ry top perfumes the skies!
Hark! a glad voice the lonely defert chears;
Prepare the f 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 fkies!
Sink down, ye mountains, and, ye valleys, rife;
With heads declin'd, ye cedars, homage pay;

IMITATIONS.

30

35

ISAIAH, Ch. xxxv. v I. „The wilderness and the folitary place fhall be glad, and the defert fhall rejoice and blossom as ,,the rose." Ch. ix. v 13. The glory of Lebanon fhall come unto ,,thee, the fir-tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautifythe place of thy fanctuary.

VER. 29. Hark! a glad Voice, etc.)

VIRG. E. iv. v 46.

Aggredere o magnos, aderit jam tempus, honores,

Cara deum foboles, magnum Jovis incrementum

Ipfi lætitia voces ad fydera jactant

Intonfi montes, ipfæ jam carmina rupes,

Ipfa fonant arbufta, Deus, deus ille Menalca! E. v. v 62. ,,Oh come and receive the mighty honours: the time draws nigh, O beloved offfpring of the Gods, O great increase of Jove! ,,The uncultivated mountains fend fhouts of joy to the stars, the ,,very rocks fing in verfe, the very fhrubs cry out, A God, a God!

ISAIAH, Ch. xi. v. 3, 4.,,The voice of him that cryeth ,,in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord! (make strait ,,in the defert a high way for our God! Every valley fhall be ,,exalted, and every mountain and hill fhall be made low, and ,,the crooked fhall be made ftrait, and the rough places plain."

Ch. iv. v 23 >> Break forth into finging, ye mountains! O foreft, ,,and every tree therein! for the Lord hath redeemed Ifrael.

f Ch. xl. v.3.4.

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