Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-23

CHRISTINA
q. the Morning cs chrisss Nativity.
John Milton)
l.
This Is the month and this the happy
whss s; the son Of Heavens eternal
n, welded maid and virgin mother born,
our great redemption from above aia
For o, ~ The holy cages once did sing
That He our deadly forfeit should re-
xna with his Father work us perpetual
peace.
rhss glorious FORM that light un'''leIa'
Ana that far-beaming blaze OF majesty.
Wherewi,h ne wont at Heavens nigh
council-tabie x
To sit the midst OF Trinal uhi.y'.
He laid aside: and. here WIN US 70 pe'
rnrsook the courts Of everlasting DAY,
And chose with us a darksome mouse OK
mortal clay.
Say. Heavenly Muse. shall not thy IA
A1ors n present to the Infant CODY
Hast thou no verse. no hymn. or solemn
To Welcome Him to this His new abode.
Now while the heaven. by the suns
u.,s " ,ook S no print OF the approaching
And ~, the spanglsd host keep watch in
squadrons bright?
fee how from far upon the eastern toaa
The startled wizards haste with doors
O run. prevent them with thy humble
,,S SI ,sv q lowly at His blessed feetl
Have thou the honor first thy Loru 10
,oIn thy voice unto the angel ouire.
FROM out His secret altar toueh WIN
hallowd fire.
THE HYMN.
j.
- was the winter Wild, ..
tvbus the Heaven born child
Ali meaniy wrappd in the rude manager
Nature in awe to Him ,
HAD dor"d her gaudy trim, A.. s.,,,,a !
With her great Master so TO sympa-
=, vas no reason then for her
10 wan,on with the sum- her iuS'S pai"
mour.
Only with speeches fair
She wo9s the gentle a ar, with innocent
To hide her guilty front VIII" ih'0e"'
And on her naked shame,
Pollute with sinful b;ame, ,ao, white 70
ronfsundsi that her Makers eyes ~
sbonIS look so near upon her toui oe-
formities.
,lu, He her fears TO cease
50, down tho msek-syed Peace;
she crovn'd with olive green edihe
pown O tbroash the turning sphere.
His ready harbinger. . claude
With turtle wing the amorous CLOUDS
u,s or wynn wide her myrtle wand.
She strikes a universal peace 'ni0"s' '~
and land
No war or battles sound
Twas heard the world around; x,L ,o
The idle spear and shield were hign up
The booksd chariot stood
In0tain'd with hostile BLOOD ..o o-rrad
Ths trumpet spake not to the armed
xra I,ngs sat stu with an awful eye.
a. II they surely knew their sovrah Loru
90 "a NHNs
was by.
YIN, neaceful was the night
Wherein the Prince Of Light -. -
His reign of peace upon the ear'h oe-
mo Hinds Of wonder whist
Smoothly the waters KISS q, III, ..o.r
Who now hath quite forgot 10 rave, A.
While birds Of calm sit broodinS on the
charmed wave.
The stars with deep amaze
Stand fixd in steadiast saze, ,o,,, ,rou-
Bending one way their precious iiiu-
end viii not take their fight,
For all the morning nght, ,, 49,,
Or Lucifer that oiten warn '"'hi
hut in their glimmering .orbs did glow,
ijntil their Lord himself bespake and DID
them so.
And. though the SHADY gloom
Had given day her room a.. -.
The Sun himself withheld us "oh'eu
And bid his head for shame.
As his inferior fame
should need:
yIe saw greater Sun appear
Than his bright throne or burning axletree
could bear.
The shepherds on the lawn,
or ere the point OF dawn,
Sat simply chatting in a rustic row;
Full little thought they than
That the mighty Pan
Was kindly come 10 live with them be-
low:
Perhaps their loves, or else their sheep.
Was all that did their silly thouShts SO
busy keep.
When such music sweet
Their hearts and cars did greet
As never was by mortal finger strook,
Divinely warbied voice
Answering the strinlted noise,
As all their soulh in bhssfui rapture
Fhe air. such pleasure loath to lose.
With thousand echoes still prolongs each
heavenly close.
Nature. that heard such sound
Beneath the hollow round ,,
OF CynthLi's seat the airy region thrill
Now was almost won
TO think her part vas Done,
And that her reign had here It's last ful-
filling;
She knew such harmony alone
Gould hold all Heaven and earth in hap
pier union.
XII
At last surrounds their sight
A globe Of circular light,
That with long beams the shamefacd
Night arrayd;
The helmed Cherubim
And sworded 6eraphim
Are seen in giittertns ranks with wings
displayd
Narping In loud and solemn quire,
With INEXPENSIVE notes. to Heavens
newborn Heir.
XII.
such music, as IT'S said.
Before was never made,
But when OF old the Sons OF Morning
sung.
While the Creator great
Ills constellation set
And the well-balancd world on hinges
hung,
And cast the dark foundations deep,
And bid the weltering waves their oozy
channel keep.
XIII.
Ging out, ye crystal spheres!
Once bless our human ears.
IL ye have power 10 touch our senses
so.
And let your silver chime
Move In melodiou5 time,