And merely mortal dross; So little is our loss, So little is thy gain. For when as each thing bad thou hast intomb'd, And last of all thy greedy self consum'd, Then long Eternity shall greet our bliss With an individual kiss; And Joy shall overtake us as a flood, And perfectly divine, 10 15 With truth, and peace, and love, shall ever shine About the supreme throne Of him, t' whose happy-making sight alone When once our heav'nly-guided soul shall clime, Then all this earthly grossness quit, Attir'd with stars, we shall for ever sit, Triumphing over Death, and Chance, and thee, O Time. UPON THE CIRCUMCISION. YE flaming Pow'rs, and winged Warriors bright, That erst with music, and triumphant song, First heard by happy watchful shepherds' ear, So sweetly sung your joy the clouds along 12 individual] Inseparable. P. L. iv. 485. v. 610. Warton. 1 Aaming] So P. Lost, ix. 156. xi. 101. Warton. Through the soft silence of the list'ning night; 5 Now mourn, and if sad share with us to bear Your fiery essence can distil no tear, Burn in your sighs, and borrow Seas wept from our deep sorrow: He who with all heav'n's heraldry whilere Enter'd the world, now bleeds to give us ease; Alas, how soon our sin Sore doth begin His infancy to seize ! O more exceeding love, or law more just? Were lost in death, till he that dwelt above 10 15 20 And that great covenant which we still transgress Entirely satisfied, And the full wrath beside Of vengeful justice bore for our excess, And seals obedience first, with wounding smart, This day, but O ere long, Huge pangs and strong Will pierce more near his heart. 17 remediless] P. Lost, ix. 919. Sams. Agon. v. 648. 'all remediless.' Warton, Todd. AT A SOLEMN MUSIC.* BLEST pair of Sirens, pledges of heav'n's joy, 5 10 With saintly shout, and solemn jubilee, That we on earth with undiscording voice 15 * There are three copies of this ode, all in Milton's own hand writing. 6 concent] So the Cant. MS. not consent.' Ed. 1645, 'content;' 1673,' concent.' Warton. 12 And Cherubim, sweet winged Squires.' So Cant. MS. Todd. Jarr'd against nature's chime, and with harsh din In first obedience, and their state of good. 25 And keep in tune with Heav'n, till God ere long To his celestial consort us unite, To live with him, and sing in endless morn of light. AN EPITAPH ON THE MARCHIONESS OF THIS rich marble doth inter The honour'd wife of Winchester, A Viscount's daughter, an Earl's heir, Added to her noble birth, More than she could own from earth. After so short time of breath, To house with darkness, and with death. Been as complete as was her praise, 20 nature's chime] Jonson's Epithal. vol. vii. 2. 5 10 Her high birth, and her graces sweet The virgin quire for her request He at their invoking came, But with a scarce well-lighted flame; Ye might discern a cyprus bud. And now with second hope she goes, But whether by mischance or blame Spoil'd at once both fruit and tree: 19 He] See Ov. Metam. x. 4. 'Adfuit ille quidem : sed nec solennia verba, Fax quoque, quam tenuit, lacrymoso stridula fumo, Usque fuit, nullosque invenit motibus ignes.' Jortin. 33 womb] Browne's Brit. Past. b. ii. s. 1. ed. 1616. 'Where never plowshare ript his mother's wombe To give an aged seede a living tombe.' Todd. 15 20 25 30 35 |