The Poetical Works of William Lisle Bowles Volume Ii Part 17

JOHN.

Four mighty cherubims,[127] which blaze with eyes, Having six wings, and full of eyes within, Are 'round the throne: I see their radiant forms.

VOICE.

These rest not night nor day.

JOHN.

I hear them now, Proclaiming, Holy, holy, holy Lord, Lord G.o.d Almighty, Him who was, and is, And is to come! And while these cherubims 270 Give honour, glory, praise, and thanks to Him Who sitteth on the throne,--

VOICE.

To Him who lives For ever and for ever!

JOHN.

They fall down, 275 The four and twenty elders, at the feet Of Him who sitteth on the throne, and cast Their crowns before the throne, and cry, O Lord Almighty! thou art worthy to receive Glory and honour, majesty and might! 280 Thou hast created all things; and for thee They are and were created!

VOICE.

Oh that earth Might answer their glad voices! Oh that earth Might listen and repeat! What more?

JOHN.

I see, In His right hand who sitteth on the throne, A book; without, within darkly inscribed, Having seven seals. Now, a strong angel cries, With a loud voice, What man is worthy found 290 To loose the seals, and open that dark book![128]

VOICE.

Ah! no one, in the heaven or on the earth, May open that same book, or look thereon!

Why dost thou weep?

JOHN.

I weep because no man Is worthy found to open, or to read, Or look upon that book. I weep for this.[129]

VOICE.

Weep not; but say what follows. 298

JOHN.

Lo! a Lamb, As it were slain--it hath seven horns and eyes.

He takes the book from the right hand of Him Who sitteth on the throne!

VOICE.

What follows? mark!

JOHN.

The elders and the mighty cherubims Fall down before the Lamb, the Lamb of G.o.d, With solemn harps, and golden vials full Of odours.

VOICE.

These are prayers of saints on earth: They sing a new song to the Lamb!

JOHN.

And shout: 310 Thou only, Lamb of G.o.d! art worthy found To take the book, and ope the seals thereof; For thou wert slain, thou hast redeemed us From every tongue and nation upon earth!

VOICE.

Hearest thou aught beside?

JOHN.

I hear the voice, 316 Of s.h.i.+ning mighty troops, about the throne, Angels, and seraphim, and cherubim, Ten thousand and ten thousand hierarchies, Lift up their voices: Worthy is the Lamb, Slain from the world's foundation, to receive Riches and wisdom. Blessing, glory, power Be unto Him that sitteth on the throne, And to the Lamb, for ever and for ever!

The quail[130] goes clamouring by; the old man raises His eyelids, and the vision floats away.

PART SECOND.

Morning in the aegean--Contemplative view--Seven Churches of Asia--Superst.i.tions--Crete, Egypt--Spread of Gospel Light through the Pagan World.

How beautiful is morning on the hills Of Asia, stretching far, and faint descried!

While, nearer, all the sunny Sporades,[131]

That break the blue aegean, s.h.i.+ne in light, On this autumnal dawn!

How musical The fresh airs, and the ocean's solemn sound Come to the mountain grot!

Let us go forth, 9 Said then the unknown and mysterious man.

JOHN.

First on that mossy stone, beneath the arch, Kneel we, and offer up our orisons To Him who bade the sun go forth: O G.o.d, Thou didst create this living world! Thy voice, When darkness sat upon the lonely deep, Spoke--Be there light, and there was light! Thy hand Spread out the heavens, and fas.h.i.+oned from the dust Man, the high habitant of earth, now fallen, And to return to dust again: but thanks 20 Be unto thee, O Christ! who, when the trump Shall sound, and all this mortal pomp is pa.s.sed, Shalt call the dead up, incorruptible!

And glory be to Thee, O Spirit pure!

Who hast infused into our hearts of flesh The love of G.o.d, through faith in Jesus Christ!

Oh! in the hour of death, and in the day Of judgment, Lord, to us be merciful!

So prayed they, suppliant, when morning shone Upon the seas; so they together prayed, 30 Giving G.o.d thanks that one more day of light Was granted to the feeble and the old, Ere long to rest in peace. Upon their heads, As slow they rose, a halo seemed to rest, Touching the forehead of the aged man: The features of the younger, as he stood, Were mild, but awful; thoughtful, yet not sad; Whilst, from the caverned rock, into the sun, The lonely and the last Apostle came.

As both together stood and gazed a while 40 Upon the deep blue sea, the younger said: Listen, old man: I was at Antioch, When mild Evodias[132] filled St Peter's chair; And fair that place, as well beseems the spot Where first the Christian name[133] was heard.

The Vale Of Tempe, sung through Greece, is not so fair As that green valley, where Orontes winds, Beneath the grove of Daphne, to the sea; Scarce Eden fairer, where the first-formed man 50 Stood up majestic, in the world's new day.

I heard Evodias, and from youth I loved To wander 'mid the scenes of old renown, Hallowed by prophets, and by holy men, Who long from earth had pa.s.sed. How beautiful Upon those hills and mountains were the feet Of them who brought glad tidings of the light, Now risen on the darkened world!

I sat Upon a stone of fallen Jerusalem, 60 Sat down and wept, when I remembered thee, O Sion! and thy Temple, and thy sons Scattered in the wide world--scattered or dead!

Like him, the mighty prophet,[134] who of yore Watched the dark gathering of the clouds and rain, I stood upon Mount Carmel, and beheld The great sea westward. Hark! Euroclydon[135]

Is up; the tempest rushes from the east; Fire and the whirlwind follow; but, O G.o.d!

Thou art not in the whirlwind nor the fire. 70 And, after, came a still small voice, which said, Go, visit John, sad and in solitude.

We sailed from Joppa, in a Tyrian s.h.i.+p, To Rhodes: a skiff was waiting near the sh.o.r.e, On which the shadowy moonlight seemed to rest; Then a pale mariner, who never spoke, Conveyed me hither, swift as silently-- Swift, though the pa.s.sing keel no murmur made, As the dim sail no shadow cast. I looked, When I had reached the sh.o.r.e, and it was gone! 80 I saw thy mountain-cave: I stood and gazed A while on thy gray hairs as thou didst sleep, And the same voice which came, after the wind, Said audibly, Reveal to him the things That shall hereafter be, as I unfold.

I watched when the great vision came to thee, Hearing the voice and answer: it was sent To animate thy hope! Art thou refreshed, As now these airs of morn blow soothingly, And breathe a sad repose? John placed his hand, 90 Pale and emaciate, on his breast, and said: Thy words might raise from earth the heaviest heart.

Then both in silence gazed on the blue sea,[136]

And heard it murmuring. John his full look Towards his face who spoke now turned intent, To mark his features. Dignity serene Was on that face; and as the freshening airs Stirred the dark locks that cl.u.s.tered round his brow, A faint rose mantled on his cheek; his cloak, Gathered upon his breast, descending touched 100 His sandals; whilst, with more majestic mien, Pointing to Asia's hills, he spoke again: Old man, lift up thine eyes--turn to the east: 103 How fair, with tower and turret, by the stream Of clear Cayister, s.h.i.+nes that Ephesus, The "angel" of whose "golden candlestick"