Ode on the morning of Christ's nativity

Copy 180 of 200 printed. This volume is an example of the publications of the Daniel Press, which was owned and operated by the Reverend C.H.O. Daniel (1836-1919) of Oxford. Daniel began working on a miniature press and in 1882 continued his work on a full-sized Albion. Daniel was particularly interested in the Elizabethan era and the seventeenth century. Many of the Daniel Press publications are texts from these periods. The press did, however, publish a number of works by contemporary authors. The Daniel Press is recognized for tastefully produced editions of quiet, harmonious design sympathetic to subject and author.

MILTON ODE ON THENATIVITY MOSEP aay} ) MILTON ODE ON THE MORNING OF CHRIST'S NATIVITY RVRUV . ta aay} | ODE ON THE MORNING OF CHRIST'S NATIVITY 1629 SN HIS is 1 ; Wherein Of wedded maid andvirgin mother born, Our great redemption from onhighdid bring; For so the holy sages once did sing That He our daily forfeit should release, And with His Father work us a perpetual peace. That glorious Form, that Light insufferable, And that far-beaming blaze of Majesty Wherewith he w at Heaven’s high council Tosit the midst of Trinal Unity, He laid aside; and here with us to be Forsook the courts of everlasting day, And chose with usa darksome house of mortal clay. heavenly tda sacred vein Muse ent to the 0 verse, no hymn, or solemnstrain To welcome Him to th Nowwhile th aven, by the sun’s team untrod, Hath t His newabode, no print of the approaching light, Andall the span; host keep watch in squadronsbright ? THE HYMN See howfrom far, 1upor 1 the eastern road, The star-led wizards haste w ith odours sweet : 1y humble ode, d feet ; 1g POhy ADON Aud aN geikoasp Vhile the heaven-born Child All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies ; Nature in awe to him Had doff'd her gaudy trim, With her great Master so to sympathize : Tt was no season then for her ler lusty paramour. uilty front with innocent snow ; r naked shame, ith sinful blame, veil of maiden white to throw; ided that her Maker’s eyes ner roul derorm 1 CTsa But He, herfears to cease, Sent down the meek-eyed Peace; She, crown’d with olive green, came softly sliding Downthrough His ready] With turtle wing the amorous clouds dividing; And waving with her myrtle wand, She strikes a universal peace through sea and land. No war or battle’s sound Was heard the world around: The idle spear and shield were high up hung ; The hooked chariot stood Vnstain’d with hostile blood ; The trumpet spake not to the armed throng ‘ And kings sat still with awful eye, As if they surely knew their sovran Lord was by. ; : , 1 : But peaceful was the n Wherein the Prince of Light His reign of peace upon the earth began: The vith wonder whist, Smoothly the waters kist Whispering newjoys to the mild ocean — Whonowhadquite forgot to rave, While birds of calm sit brooding on the charm ed wave. The stars, with deep amaze, Stand fix’d in stedfast gaze, Bending one waytheir precious influe nce; And will not take their flight For all the morning light, Or Lucifer that often warn’d them thence > But in their glimmering orbs did glow r Lord Himself bespake, and bid them go it Andthough the shady gloom Hadgiven dayher room, The sun himself withheld his wonted speed, And hid his head for shame, As his inferior fame The new-enlighten’d world no more should need: He saw a greater Sun appear Than his bright throne, or burning axeltre e, could bear. Theshepherds on the lawn Or ere the point of dawn Sate simply chatting in a rustick row; Full little thought they then That the mighty Pan Was kindly come to live with them below ; Perhaps their loves, or else their sheep Was all that did their silly thou ghts so busy keep. Whensuch music sweet Their hearts and ears did greet 4s never was by mortal finger strook— Divinely-warbled voice Answering the stringed noise, As all their souls in blissful rapture took; The air, such pleasure loth to lose, With thousand echoes still prolongs each heavenlyclose, Nature that heard such soun d Beneath the hollow round Of Cynthia’s seat the aery regio nthrilling, Now was almost won To think her part was done, Andthat her reign had here its last fulfilling’ ; She knew such harmony alone Could hold all heaven and earth in happier union, I2 13 eo ap tA hasta Me. we +t Inds i A globe of circular light 6 Once bless our humanears, That with long beams the shamefaced night array'd; If ye have power to touch our senses so; And let your silver chime eeninglittering ranks with wings display’d, § ) Harping in loud and solemn quire With unexpressive notes, to Heaven’s new-born Heir. Andlet the base of heaven’s deep organ blow; Moyein melodious time ; Such music, as ’tis said, And with your ninefold harmony Makeup full concert to the angelic symphony. His constellations set Forif such holy song Enwrap our fancy long, Timewill run back, and fetch the age of gold ; Andspeckled vanity Will sicken soon and die, Andthe well-balanced world on hinges hung ; And leprous sin will melt from earthly mould; And cast the dark foundations deep, And Hell itself will pass away, And leave her dolorous mansions to the peering daj Before was never made But when of old the sons of morning sung, While the Creator great the weltering waves their oozy channel keep. Yea, Truth and Justice then Will downreturn to men, As on mount§ Orb’din a rainbow : and, ? like oglories wearing, While the red fire and s Mercy will sit between The agedEarth agl Thronedin celestial sheen, With terrour ofthat blast With radiant feet the tissued clouds down steering } And Heaven, as at some festival, Shall from the surface to When, at the world’s last Will open wide the gates of her high palace hall. spread His But wisest Fate says No ; This must not yet beso $ he Babeyet lies In smiling infancy That on the bitter cross Must redeem our loss ; In straiter limits bound, So both Himself and us to glorify : Not half so far casts his usurped Yet first, to those ychain’d in sleep The wakeful tramp of doom must thunder through thedeep3 Swinges the scaly horrourofhis fol 16 And, wroth to see his kingdon th 0 ne The oracles are dumb; In consecrated earth No voice or hideous hum ata At eae ing Runs throvgh the arched roof in words deceiv And on the holy hearth The Lars and Lemures moan with midnight plaint; Apollo fromhis shrine In urns, and altars round Can no more divine, A drear and dying sound eep of Delphos Affrights the Flamens at their service quaint ; And the chill marble seems to sweat, While each peculiar Power forgoes his wontedseat, The lonely mountains o er Andthe resounding shore Peor and Baalim Forsake their temples dim, A voice of weeping heard, and loud lament ; With that twice-batter’d god of Palestine; From haunted spring and dale Edged with poplar pale ; The parting Genius is with sighing sent And mooned Ashtaroth, With flower-inwoven tresses torn light shade of tangled thickets mourn Teaven’s queen and mother both, Nowsits not girt with tapers’ holy shine; The Lybic Hammonshrinks his horn, In vain the Tyrian maids their wounded Thammuz m« rU } Im, 4 Sagedagtaleh nay And s n Moloch, fled, feels fro feels from 7 left in shadows dread ’ Ju <7 49. hans readed infant’s hand ol all of blackest hue 3 x 1 smal77dance about the furnace blue; ‘Rate a gods of Nile as fast , and Orus, and the « dog Anubis, haste. JSINS Seen st hell can be his shroud ; timbrell’d anthems dark erers bear his worshipt ark jR On a D ‘i ea WAT) lis SP But see, the Virgin blest Hath laid her Babe torest; Timeis, our tedious song should here have ending : Heaven's youngest-teemed star Hathfixed her polish’d car, Her sleeping Lord with hand-maid lampattending : Andall about the courtly stable Bright-harness’d angels sit in order serviceable, ; K \ Ra ¥ti ee Last THE END wey a oe aeee