Why fled the ocean? And why skipt the mountains? Of Him that ever was, and aye shall last; PSALM CXXXVI. LET us, with a gladsome mind, Ever faithful, ever sure. Let us blaze his name abroad, For of Gods he is the God; For his, &c. O, let us his praises tell, Who doth the wrathful tyrants quell, For his, &c. Who, with his miracles, doth make Amazed Heaven and Earth to shake; For his, &c. Who, by his wisdom, did create The painted heavens so full of state; For his, &c. Who did the solid earth ordain To rise above the watery plain; For his, &c. Who, by his all-commanding might, Did fill the new-made world with light; For his, &c. And caus'd the golden-tressed sun The horned moon to shine by night, He, with his thunder-clasping hand, And, in despite of Pharoah fell, He brought from thence his Israel; For his, &c. The ruddy waves he cleft in twain Of the Erythræan main; For his, &c. The floods stood still, like walls of glass, For his, &c. But full soon they did devour The tawny king with all his power; For his, &c. His chosen people he did bless In bloody battle he brought down For his, &c. He foil'd bold Seon1 and his host, For his, &c. And large-limb'd Og he did subdue, For his, &c. 1 Seon:' Sihon, king of Amorites. * And, to his servant Israël, He gave their land therein to dwell; For his, &c. He hath, with a piteous eye, Beheld us in our misery; For his, &c. And freed us from the slavery Of the invading enemy; For his, &c. All living creatures he doth feed, And with full hand supplies their need; For his, &c. Let us therefore warble forth His mighty majesty and worth; That his mansion hath on high, JOANNIS MILTONI LONDINENSIS POEMATA. QUORUM PLERAQUE INTRA ANNUM ÆTATIS VIGESIMUM CONSCRIPSIT. HEC quæ sequuntur de Authore testimonia, tametsi ipse intelligebat non tam de se quam supra se esse dicta, eò quòd præclaro ingenio viri, nec non amici, ita ferè solent laudare, ut omnia suis potiùs virtutibus, quàm veritati congruentia, nimis cupidè affingant, noluit tamen horum egregiam in se voluntatem non esse notam; cùm alii præsertim ut id faceret magnoperè suaderent. Dum enim nimiæ laudis invidiam totis ab se viribus amolitur, sibique quod plus æquo est non attributum esse mavult, judicium interim hominum cordatorum atque illustrium quin summo sibi honori ducat, negare non potest. JOANNES BAPTISTA MANSUS, Marchio Villensis Neapolitanus, ad JOANNEM MILTONIUM Anglum. UT mens, forma, decor, facies, mos, si pietas sic, Ad JOANNEM MILTONEM Anglum, triplici poeseos laureâ coronandum, CEDE, Meles; cedat depressâ Mincius urnâ ; At Thamesis victor cunctis ferat altior undas, Ad JOANNEM MILTONUM. GRECIA Mæonidem, jactet sibi Roma Maronem, SELVAGGI. 1 'Anglus, verùm herclè Angelus:' alluding to the well-known story of Gregory seeing two beautiful English youths in Rome, and using the above words. AL SIGNOR GIO. MILTONI, NOBILE INGLESE. ODE. ERGIMI all' Etra ò Clio Perche di stelle intreccierò corona La fronde eterna in Pindo, e in Elicona ; Non può del tempo edace Rimaner preda, eterno alto valore; Furar dalle memorie eccelso onore, Su l'arco di mia cetra un dardo forte Dell' ocean profondo Cinta dagli ampi gorghi Anglia risiede Separata dal mondo, Però che il suo valor l' umano eccede : Questa feconda sà produrre Eroi Ch' hanno a ragion del sovruman tra noi. Alla virtù sbandita Danno nei petti lor fido ricetto, Quella gli è sol gradita, Perchè in lei san trovar gioia e diletto; Ridillo tu, Giovanni, e mostra in tanto Con tua vera virtù, vero il mio Canto. Lungi dal patrio lido Spinse Zeusi l' industre ardente brama ;~ Ch' udio d' Elena il grido Con aurea tromba rimbombar la fama, E per poterla effigïare al paro Dalle più belle Idee trasse il più raro. Così l'ape ingegnosa Trae con industria il suo liquor pregiato E quanti vaghi fiori ornano il prato; Di bella gloria amante Milton dal ciel natio per varie parti Volgesti a ricercar scienze, ed arti; |