Classic Poem

In some calm Midnight, when no whisp'ring Breeze
Waves the tall Woods, or curls th' undimpled Seas,
Lull'd on their oazy Beds, the Rivers seem
Softly to murmur in a pleasing Dream;
The shaded Fields confess a still Repose,
And on each Hand the dewy Mountains drowse:
Mean time the Moon, fair Empress of the Night!
In solemn Silence sheds her silver Light,
While twinkling Stars their glimm'ring Beauties shew,
And wink perpetual o'er the heav'nly blue:
Sleep nodding, consecrates the Deep serene,
And spreads her brooding Wings o'er all the dusky Scene:
Thro' the fine Æther moves no single Breath;
But all is hush as in the Arms of Death.

At once, Great GOD! thy dire Command is giv'n,
That the last Tempest shake the Frame of Heav'n.
Strait thick'ning Clouds in gloomy Volumes rise,
Gather on Heaps, and blacken in the Skies;
Sublime through Heav'n, redoubling Thunders roll,
And gleamy Lightnings flash from Pole to Pole.
Old Ocean with presaging Horror rores,
And rousing Earthquakes rumble round the Shores;
Ten thousand Terrors o'er the Globe are hurl'd,
And gen'ral Dread alarms a guilty World.

But Oh! what Glory breaks the scatt'ring Glooms?
Lo! down the op'ning Skies, he comes! he comes!
The Judge descending Flames along the Air;
And shouting Myriads pour around his Car:
Each ravish'd Seraph labours in his Praise,
And Saints, alternate, catch th' immortal Lays;
Here in melodious Strains blest Voices sing,
Here warbling Tubes, and here the vocal String,
Here from sweet Trumpets silver Accents rise
And the shril Clangour echo's round the Skies.

And now, O Earth! thy final Doom attend,
In awful Silence meet thy fiery End.
Lo! rising radiant from his burning Throne,
The God-Head, thund'ring, calls the Ruins on.
" Curst Earth polluted with the Prophets Blood,
Thou, the vile Murd'rer of the Son of GOD,
Full ripe for Vengeance, Vengeance be thy due,
Perish in Flames, refine, and rise anew. "
Thus as he speaks, all Nature owns the GOD,
Quiver the Plains, the lofty Mountains nod,
The hollow winding Caverns echo round,
And Earth, and Sea, and Air, and Heav'n resound.

Now ratt'ling on, tremendous Thunder rolls,
And loudly crashing, shakes the distant Poles.
O'er the thick Clouds, amazing Lightnings glare,
Flames flash at Flames, and vibrate through the Air.
Roaring Vulcanoes murmur for their Prey,
And from their Mouth curls the Black Smoke away.
Deep groans the Earth, at its approaching Doom,
While in slow Pomp the mighty Burnings come.
As when dark Clouds rise slowly from the Main,
Then, in swift Sluices, deluge all the Plain,
Descending headlong down the Mountains sides,
A thousand Torrents roll their foamy Tides,
The rushing Rivers rapid roar around,
And all the Shores return the dashing sound:
Thus awful, slow, the fiery Deluge low'rs,
Thus rushes down, and thus resounding rores.

But O! what Sounds are able to convey
The wild Confusions of the dreadful Day!
Eternal Mountains totter on their Base,
And strong Convulsions work the Valley's Face.
Fierce Hurricanes on founding Pinions soar,
Rush o'er the Land, on the toss'd Billows rore,
And dreadful in resistless Eddies driv'n,
Shake all the chrystal Battlements of Heav'n.
See the wild Winds, big blust'ring in the Air,
Drive thro' the Forests, down the Mountains tare,
Sweep o'er the Vallies in their rapid Course,
And Nature bends beneath th' impetuous Force.
Storms rush at Storms, at Tempests Tempests rore,
Dash Waves on Waves, and thunder to the Shore.
Columns of Smoke on heavy Wings ascend,
And dancing Sparkles fly before the Wind.
Devouring Flames, wide-waving, rore aloud,
And melted Mountains form a fiery Flood:
Then, all at once, immense, the Fires arise,
A bright Destruction wraps the crackling Skies:
While all the Elements to melt conspire,
And the World blazes in the final Fire.

Yet shall ye, Flames, the wasting Globe refine,
And bid the Skies with purer Splendour shine;
The Earth, which the prolifick Fires consume,
To Beauty burns, and withers into Bloom;
Improving in the fertile Flame it lies,
Fades into Form, and into Vigour dies:
Fresh-dawning Glories blush amidst the Blaze,
And Nature all renews her flow'ry Face.
With endless Charms the everlasting Year
Rolls round the Seasons in a full Career;
Spring , ever blooming, bids the Fields rejoyce,
And warbling Birds try their melodious Voice;
Where-e'er she treads, Lillies unbidden blow,
Quick Tulips rise, and sudden Roses glow:
Her Pencil paints a thousand beauteous Scenes,
Where Blossoms bud amid immortal Greens,
Each Stream, in Mazes, murmurs as it flows,
And floating Forests gently bend their Boughs.
Thou, Autumn , too, sitt'st in the fragrant Shade,
While the ripe Fruits blush all around thy Head:
And lavish Nature, with luxuriant Hands,
All the soft Months, in gay Confusion, blends.

The holy Nation here transported roves
Beneath the spreading Honours of the Groves,
And pleas'd, attend, descending down the Hills,
The murm'ring Musick of the running Rills.
Anthems divine by ev'ry Harp are play'd,
And the soft Musick warbles thro' the Shade.

Hither, my Lyre, thy soft Assistance bring,
And let sweet Accents leap from String to String;
Join the bright Chorus of the future Skies,
While all around loud Hallelujah's rise,
And to the tuneful Lays the echoing Vault replies.

This blessed Hope, my ravish'd Mind inspires,
And through my Bosom flash the sacred Fires:
No more my Heart it's growing Joy contains,
But driving Transports rush along my Veins;
I feel a Paradise within my Breast,
And seem already of a Heav'n possess'd.