صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

Under the hospitable covert nigh

Of trees thick interwoven; there he slept,
And dream'd, as Appetite is wont to dream,

Of meats and drinks, Nature's refreshment sweet;
Him thought, he by the brook of Cherith stood, 266
And saw the ravens with their horny beaks
Food to Elijah bringing ev'n and morn, [brought :
Though ravenous, taught to' abstain from what they
He saw the Prophet also how he fled
Into the desert, and how there he slept
Under a juniper; then how awak'd

He found his supper on the coals prepar'd,
And by the angel was bid rise and eat,

And eat the second time after repose,

The strength whereof suffic'd him forty days;
Sometimes that with Elijah he partook,

Or as a guest with Daniel at his pulse.

270

275

285

Thus wore out night, and now the herald lark
Left his ground-nest, high tow'ring to descry 280
The Morn's approach, and greet her with his song:
As lightly from his grassy couch up rose
Our Saviour, and found all was but a dream,
Fasting he went to sleep, and fasting wak'd:
Up to a hill anon his steps he rear'd,
From whose high top to ken the prospect round,
If cottage were in view, sheep-cote or herd;
But cottage, herd, or sheep-cote, none he saw,
Only' in a bottom he saw a pleasant grove,
With chaunt of tuneful birds resounding loud; 290
Thither he bent his way, determin'd there

To rest at noon, and enter'd soon the shade
High rooft, and walks beneath, and alleys brown,
That open'd in the midst a woody scene;
Nature's own work it seem'd (Nature taught Art)
And to a superstitious eye the haunt
296
Of wood-gods and wood-nymphs; he view'd it
When suddenly a man before him stood,
Not rustic as before, but seemlier clad,

As one in city', or court, or palace bred,

[round,

300

And with fair speech these words to him address'd.

With granted leave officious I return,

But much more wonder that the Son of God
In this wild solitude so long should bide
Of all things destitute, and well I know,
Not without hunger. Others of some note,
As story tells, have trod this wilderness;
The fugitive bond-woman with her son
Out-cast Nebaioth, yet found here relief
By a providing angel; all the race

305

3 LO

Of Israel here had famish'd, had not God
Rain'd from Heav'n manna; and that prophet bold
Native of Thebez wand'ring here was fed
Twice by a voice inviting him to eat:
Of thee these forty days none hath regard,
Forty and more deserted here indeed.

315

[hence?

To whom thus Jesus. What conclud'st thou They all had need, as I thou seest have none. How hast thou hunger then? Satan reply'd : Tell me if food were now before thee set, 320 Would'st thou not eat? Thereafter as I like

The giver, answer'd Jesus. Why should that
Cause thy refusal? said the subtle Fiend.
Hast thou not right to all created things?

Owe not all creatures by just right to thee
Duty and service, not to stay till bid,
But tender all their power? nor mention I
Meats by the law unclean, or offer'd first
To idols, those young Daniel could refuse;
Nor proffer'd by an enemy, though who

325

330

Would scruple that, with want oppress'd? Behold
Nature asham'd, or better to express,

Troubled that thou should'st hunger, hath purvey'd
From all the elements her choicest store
To treat thee as beseems, and as her Lord
With honor, only deign to sit and eat.

335

He spake no dream, for as his words had end, Our Saviour lifting up his eyes beheld

340

In ample space under the broadest shade
A table richly spread, in regal mode,
With dishes pil'd, and meats of noblest sort
And savor, beasts of chase, or fowl of game,
In pastry built, or from the spit, or boil'd,
Gris-amber steam'd; all fish from sea or shore,
Freshet, or purling brook, of shell or fin,
And exquisitest name, for which was drain'd
Pontus, and Lucrine bay, and Afric coast.
Alas, how simple, to these cates compar'd,
Was that crude apple that diverted Eve!
And at a stately side-board by the wine
That fragrant smell diffus'd, in order stood

345

350

Tall stripling youths rich clad, of fairer hue
Than Ganymed or Hylas; distant more
Under the trees now tripp'd, now solemn stood
Nymphs of Diana's train, and Naiades

355

With fruits and flow'rs from Amalthea's horn,
And ladies of th' Hesperides, that seem'd

Fairer than feign'd of old, or fabled since
Of faery damsels met in forest wide

By knights of Logres, or of Lyones,

360

Lancelot, or Pelleas, or Pellenore :

And all the while harmonious airs were heard

Of chiming strings, or charming pipes and winds
Of gentlest gale Arabian odors fann'd

364

From their soft wings, and Flora's earliest smells.
Such was the splendor, and the Tempter now
His invitation earnestly renew'd.

What doubts the Son of God to sit and eat?
These are not fruits forbidden; no interdict
Defends the touching of these viands pure;
Their taste no knowledge works at least of evil,
But life preserves, destroys life's enemy,
Hunger, with sweet restorative delight.

370

All these are spirits of air, and woods, and springs, Thy gentle ministers, who come to pay 375 Thee homage, and acknowledge thee their Lord : What doubt'st thou Son of God? sit down and eat. To whom thus Jesus temp'rately reply'd : Said'st thou not that to all things I had right? And who withholds my power that right to use? Shall I receive by gift what of my own,

Volume III.

D

381

When and where likes me best, I can command ?

I can at will, doubt not, as soon as thou,
Command a table in this wilderness,
And call swift flights of angels ministrant
Array'd in glory on my cup to' attend :
Why shouldst thou then obtrude this diligence,
In vain, where no acceptance it can find?
And with my hunger what hast thou to do?
Thy pompous delicacies I contemn,

[ocr errors]

385

390

And count thy specious gifts no gifts but guiles.
To whom thus answer'd Satan malecontent:
That I have also power to give thou seest ;
If of that power I bring thee voluntary

What I might have bestow'd on whom I pleas'd,
And rather opportunely in this place

Chose to impart to thy apparent need,

Why shouldst thou not accept it? but I see
What I can do or offer is suspect;

396

400

Of these things others quickly will dispose,
Whose pains have earn'd the far fet spoil. With that
Both table and provision vanish'd quite

With sound of Harpies' wings, and talons heard;
Only th' impórtune Tempter still remain'd,
And with these words his temptation pursu'd. 405
By hunger, that each other creature tames,

Thou art not to be harm'd; therefore not mov'd;
Thy temperance invincible besides,

For no allurement yields to appetite,

And all thy heart is set on high designs,

High actions; but wherewith to be achiev'd?

410

« السابقةمتابعة »