The lovers with indearment mutual thus Promiscuous talk'd, and questions intricate His manly judgement still resolv'd, and still Held her attention fix'd: fhe mufing fat On the sweet mention of incarnate love, Till rapture wak'd her voice to foftest strains. "She fang the Infant God; (myfterious theme!) "How vile his birth-place, and his cradle vile! "The ox and afs his mean companions; there "In habit vile the fhepherds flock around, 66 Saluting the great mother, and adore "Ifrael's anointed King, the appointed heir "Of the creation. How debas'd he lies Beneath his regal ftate; for thee, my Mitio, "Debas'd in fervile form; but angels stood "Ministering round their charge with folded wings "Obfequious, though unfeen; while lightfome hours "Fulfill'd the day, and the grey evening rofe. "Then the fair guardians hovering o'er his head "Wakeful all night, drive the foul spirits far, " And with their fanning pinions purge the air "From bufy phantoms, from infectious damps, "And impure taint; while their ambrofial plumes "A dewy flumber on his fenfes fhed. "Alternate hymns the heavenly watchers fung 46 66 Melodious, foothing the furrounding shades, "And kept the darkness chafte and holy. Then Midnight was charm'd, and all her gazing eyes "Wonder'd to see their mighty Maker fleep. "Behold the glooms difperfe, the rofy morn Smiles "Smiles in the Eaft with eye-lids opening fair, "But not so fair as thine; O I could fold Thee, My young Almighty, my Creator-Babe, "For ever in these arms! For ever dwell Upon thy lovely form with gazing joy, “And every pulse should beat feraphic love! "Around my feat fhould crouding cherubs come "With fwift ambition, zealous to attend “Their prince, and form a heaven below the sky. "Forbear, Chariffa, O forbear the thought Of female-fondnefs, and forgive the man "That interrupts fuch melting harmony!" Thus Mitio; and awakes her nobler powers To pay juft worship to the facred King, Jefus, the God; nor with devotion pure Mix the careffes of her fofter fex; (Vain blandifhment!) " Come, turn thine eyes afide. "Pave the fad road, and fright the traveller. "For thee he dies. Beneath thy fins and mine (Horrible load!) the finful Saviour groans, "And in fierce anguifh of his foul expires. "Adoring angels pry with bending head "Searching the deep contrivance, and admire "This infinite defign. Here peace is made The fair difciple heard; her paffions move Brought down to men; feal'd by the facred Three His name. "Then, my Chariffa, all is thine. "And thine, my Mitio, the fair faint replies. Life, death, the world below, and worlds on high, "And place, and time, are ours; and things to come, "And past, and prefent; for our intereft ftands "Firm in our myftic head, the title fure. " "Tis for our health and sweet refreshment, (while "We fojourn ftrangers here) the fruitful earth "Bears plenteous; and revolving seasons still "Dress her vaft globe in various ornament. "For us this chearful fun and chearful light "Diurnal shine. This blue expanse of sky Hangs a rich canopy above our heads, 66 66 Covering our flumbers, all with ftarry gold "For us time wears his wings out: Nature keeps Spirits releas'd from clay, and purg'd from fin: "Thither our hearts with most inceffant wish 66 Panting afpire; when fhall that dearest hour "Shine and release us hence, and bear us high, O bleft connubial ftate! O happy pair, Envy'd by yet unfociated fouls Who feek their faithful twins! Your pleasures rife Fervent as glorious noon, ferenely calm In which we breathe and live: There's not one thought But every paffage open as the day To one another's breaft, and inmoft mind. THE THIRD PART: OR, SHOU THE ACCOUNT BALANCED. HOULD fovereign love before me ftand, And bid the daring Mufe relate His comforts and his cares; Thy |