Rails kept them from the mount before, Now from the rails their fear: 'Twas the same herald, and the trump the same, Thus, while the lab'ring angel swell'd the sound, The lesser powers at distance dwell, And cast their glories down successive at his feet: Gabriel the Great prepares his way, "Lift up you heads, eternal doors," he cries: The eternal doors his word obey, Open, and shoot celestial day Upon the lower skies. Heaven's mighty pillars bow'd their heads, As their Creator bid, And down Jehovah rode from the superior sphere, A thousand guards before, and myriads in the rear. His chariot was a pitchy cloud; The wheels beset with burning gems; Swift roll'd the triumph, and as fast Did hail, and ice, and melted rivers flow. The day was mingled with the night, His feet on solid darkness trod, His radiant eyes proclaim'd the God, And scatter'd dreadful light ; He breath'd, and sulphur ran, a fiery stream : He spoke, and, tho' with unknown speed he came, Chid the slow tempest and the lagging flame. Sinai receiv'd his glorious flight, And rising smoke obscur'd the burning hill. The stately pyramids of fire: The pyramids to heaven aspire, And mix with stars, but see their gloomy offspring higher. So have you seen ungrateful ivy grow Round the tall oak that sixscore years has stood, Above its kind supporter's utmost bough, Forbear, young muse, forbear; The flow'ry things that poets say, Are vain and useless here; Nor shall the burning hills of old Nor all that lying Greece has told, Or learned Rome has heard; Ætna shall be nam'd no more, Etna, the torch of Sicily; Not half so high Her lightnings fly, Not half so loud her thunders roar 'Cross the Sicanian sea, to fright the Italian shore. Behold the sacred hill: its trembling spire Quakes at the terrors of the fire, While all below its verdant feet Stagger and reel under the Almighty weight: Press'd with a greater than feign'd Atlas' load. Deep groan'd the mount; it never bore Infinity before, It bow'd and shook beneath the burden of a God. Fresh horrors seize the camp; despair, And dying groans torment the air, And shrieks, and swoons, and deaths were there: The bellowing thunder, and the lightning's blaze Spread thro' the host a wild amaze; Darkness on every soul, and pale was every face: "Let Moses speak, or Israel dies: Yet, with recovering mind, commands Silence, and deep attention, through the Hebrew "bands. Hark! from the centre of the flame, All arm'd and feather'd with the same, Majestic sounds break through the smoky cloud: Sent from the All-creating tongue, A flight of cherubs guard the words along, And bear their fiery law to the retreating crowd. "I am the Lord: 'tis I proclaim "That glorious and that fearful name, "Adore no God beside me, to provoke mine eyes: "Nor worship me in shapes and forms that men "devise; "With reverence use my name, nor turn my words "to jest ; "Observe my sabbath well, nor dare profane my "rest: "Honour and due obedience to thy parents give; "Nor spill the guiltless blood, nor let the guilty live: "Preserve thy body chaste, and flee the unlawful "bed: "Nor steal thy neighbour's gold, his garment, or "his bread "Forbear to blast his name with falsehood or "deceit, "Nor let thy wishes loose upon his large estate." REMEMBER YOUR CREATOR, &c. ECCLES. XII. CHILDREN, to your Creator, God, The memory of his mighty name, Nor dare indulge a meaner flame, Till you Be wise, and make his favour sure, Before the mournful days, When youth and mirth are known no more, And life and strength decays. No more the blessings of a feast And pleasure of a song. |