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Till the far-circling radiance be Diffused into infinity!

First and immediate near the Throne,
As if peculiarly God's own,

The Seraphs' stand-this burning sign
Traced on their banner, "Love Divine!"
Their rank, their honours, far above

Even to those high-brow'd Cherubs given, Though knowing all-so much doth Love Transcend all knowledge, even in heaven! 'Mong these was Zaraph once--and none E'er felt affection's holy fire,

Or yearn'd towards the Eternal One,
With half such longing, deep desire.
Love was to his impassion'd soul

Not, as with others, a mere part
Of its existence, but the whole-
The very life-breath of his heart!

Often, when from the Almighty brow
A lustre came too bright to bear,
And all the seraph ranks would bow

Their heads beneath their wings, nor dare
To look upon the effulgence there-
This Spirit's eyes would court the blaze
(Such pride he in adoring took,)
And rather lose, in that one gaze,

The power of looking than not look!
Then too, when angel voices sung
The mercy of their God, and strung
Their harps to hail, with welcome sweet,
The moment, watch'd for by all eyes,
When some repentant sinner's feet

First touch'd the threshold of the skies,
Oh then how clearly did the voice
Of Zaraph above all rejoice!
Love was in every buoyant tone,

Such love as only could belong
To the blest angels, and alone

Could, even from angels, bring such song!

Alas, that it should e'er have been

The same in heaven as it is here, Where nothing fond or bright is seen,

But it hath pain and peril nearWhere right and wrong so close resemble, That what we take for virtue's thrill Is often the first downward tremble Of the heart's balance into illWhere Love hath not a shrine so pure, So holy, but the serpent, Sin, In moments even the most secure, Beneath his altar may glide in! So was it with that Angel-such

The charm that sloped his fall along
From good to ill, from loving much,

Too easy lapse, to loving wrong.-
Even so that amorous Spirit, bound
By beauty's spell, where'er 't was found,
From the bright things above the moon,

Down to earth's beaming eyes descended, Till love for the Creator soon

In passion for the creature ended!

1 The Seraphim are the Spirits of Divine Love.-See Note.

"T was first at twilight, on the shore

Of the smooth sea, he heard the lute And voice of her he loved steal o'er

The silver waters, that lay mute,
As loth, by even a breath, to stay
The pilgrimage of that sweet lay;
Whose echoes still went on and on,
Till lost among the light that shone
Far off beyond the ocean's brim-

There, where the rich cascade of day
Had, o'er the horizon's golden rim,
Into Elysium roll'd away!

Of God she sung, and of the mild
Attendant Mercy, that beside
His awful throne for ever smiled,

Ready with her white hand, to guide
His bolts of vengeance to their prey-
That she might quench them on the way.
Of Peace-of that Atoning Love,
Upon whose star, shining above
This twilight world of hope and fear,
The weeping eyes of Faith are fix'd
So fond, that with her every tear

The light of that love-star is mix'd!—
All this she sung, and such a soul
Of piety was in that song,
That the charm'd Angel, as it stole
Tenderly to his ear, along

Those lulling waters, where he lay
Watching the day-light's dying ray,

Thought 't was a voice from out the wave,
An echo that some spirit gave

To Eden's distant harmony,

Heard faint and sweet beneath the sea!

Quickly, however, to its source,
Tracking that music's melting course,
He saw upon the golden sand
Of the sea-shore a maiden stand,
Before whose feet the expiring waves
Flung their last tribute with a sigh-
As, in the East, exhausted slaves

Lay down the far-brought gift, and die— And, while her lute hung by her, hush'd,

As if unequal to the tide

Of song, that from her lips still gush'd,
She raised, like one beatified,

Those eyes, whose light seem'd rather given
To be adored than to adore--

Such eyes as may have look'd from heaven, But ne'er were raised to it before!

Oh Love, Religion, Music-all

That's left of Eden upon earth-
The only blessings, since the fall
Of our weak souls, that still recall

A trace of their high glorious birthHow kindred are the dreams you bring! How Love, though unto earth so prone, Delights to take Religion's wing,

When time or grief hath stain'd his own! How near to Love's beguiling brink, Too oft, entranced Religion lies.

While Music, Music is the link

They both still hold by to the skies.

The language of their native sphere, Which they had else forgotten here.

How then could Zaraph fail to feel
That moment's witcheries ?-one so fair
Breathing out music that might steal

Heaven from itself, and rapt in prayer
That seraphs might be proud to share!
Oh, he did feel it-far too well-

With warmth that much too dearly costNor knew he, when at last he fell, To which attraction, to which spell, Love, Music, or Devotion, most

His soul in that sweet hour was lost.

Sweet was the hour, though dearly won,
And pure, as aught of earth could be,
For then first did the glorious sun

Before Religion's altar see
Two hearts in wedlock's golden tie
Self-pledged, in love to live and die-
Then first did woman's virgin brow

That hymeneal chaplet wear,
Which, when it dies, no second vow

Can bid a new one bloom out thereBless'd union! by that angel wove,

And worthy from such hands to come; Safe, sole asylum, in which Love, When fallen or exiled from above,

In this dark world can find a home.

And, though the Spirit had transgress'd,
Had, from his station 'mong the bless'd,
Won down by woman's smile, allow'd
Terrestrial passion to breathe o'er
The mirror of his heart, and cloud

God's image, there so bright before-
Yet never did that God look down

On error with a brow so mild; Never did justice launch a frown That, ere it fell, so nearly smiled. For gentle was their love, with awe

And trembling like a treasure kept, That was not theirs by holy law, Whose beauty with remorse they saw,

And o'er whose preciousness they wept. Humility, that low, sweet root, From which all heavenly virtues shoot, Was in the hearts of both-but most

In Nama's heart, by whom alone

Those charms, for which a heaven was lost,
Seem'd all unvalued and unknown;
And when her Seraph's eyes she caught,
And hid hers glowing on his breast,
Even bliss was humbled by the thought,
"What claim have I to be so bless'd?"
Still less could maid so meek have nursed
Desire of knowledge-that vain thirst,
With which the sex hath all been cursed,
From luckless Eve to her who near
The Tabernacle stole, to hear
The secrets of the Angels-no-

To love as her own seraph loved,

With Faith, the same through bliss and woeFaith that, were even its light removed,

Could, like the dial, fix'd remain,
And wait till it shone out again-
With Patience that, though often bow'd
By the rude storm, can rise anew,
And Hope that, even from Evil's cloud,

Sees sunny Good half breaking through!
This deep, relying Love, worth more
In heaven than all a cherub's lore-
This Faith, more sure than aught beside,
Was the sole joy, ambition, pride,
Of her fond heart-the unreasoning scope
Of all its views, above, below-
So true she felt it that to hope,

To trust, is happier than to know.

And thus in humbleness they trod,
Abash'd, but pure before their God;
Nor e'er did earth behold a sight

So meekly beautiful as they,
When, with the altar's holy light

Full on their brows, they knelt to pray,
Hand within hand, and side by side,
Two links of love, awhile untied
From the great chain above, but fast
Holding together to the last-
Two fallen Splendors from that tree
Which buds with such eternally,'
Shaken to earth, yet keeping all
Their light and freshness in the fall.
Their only punishment (as wrong,

However sweet, must bear its brand,,
Their only doom was this-that, long

As the green earth and ocean stand,
They both shall wander here-the same
Throughout all time, in heart and frame-
Still looking to that goal sublime,

Whose light, remote but sure, they see,
Pilgrims of Love, whose way is Time,
Whose home is in Eternity!
Subject, the while, to all the strife
True love encounters in this life-
The wishes, hopes, he breathes in vain;
The chill, that turns his warmest sighs
To earthly vapour, ere they rise;
The doubt he feeds on, and the pain

That in his very sweetness lies.
Still worse, the illusions that betray

His footsteps to their shining brink;

That tempt him on his desert way

Through the bleak world, to bend and drink
Where nothing meets his lips, alas,
But he again must sighing pass
On to that far-off home of peace,
In which alone his thirst will cease.

All this they bear, but, not the less,
Have moments rich in happiness-
Bless'd meetings, after many a day
Of widowhood past far away,
When the loved face again is seen
Close, close, with not a tear between-

1 An allusion to the Sephiroths or Splendors of the Jew ish Cabbala, represented as a tree, of which God is the crown or summit.-See Note.

Confidings frank, without control,
Pour'd mutually from soul to soul;
As free from any fear or doubt

As is that light from chill or stain,
The sun into the stars sheds out,

To be by them shed back again!— That happy minglement of hearts,

Where, changed as chymic compounds are, Each with its own existence parts,

To find a new one, happier far! Such are their joys-and, crowning all, That blessed hope of the bright hour, When, happy and no more to fall,

Their spirits shall, with freshen'd power, Rise up rewarded for their trust

In Him, from whom all goodness springs, And, shaking off earth's soiling dust

From their emancipated wings, Wander for ever through those skies Of radiance, where Love never dies!

In what lone region of the earth

These pilgrims now may roam or dwell, God and the Angels, who look forth

To watch their steps, alone can tell. But should we, in our wanderings,

Meet a young pair, whose beauty wants
But the adornment of bright wings,

To look like heaven's inhabitants-
Who shine where'er they tread, and yet
Are humble in their earthly lot,
As is the way-side violet,

That shines unseen, and were it not
For its sweet breath would be forgot--
Whose hearts in every thought are one,
Whose voices utter the same wills,
Answering as Echo doth, some tone
Of fairy music 'mong the hills,
So like itself, we seek in vain
Which is the echo, which the strain--
Whose piety is love-whose love,

Though close as 't were their souls' embrace,

Is not of earth, but from above-

Like two fair mirrors, face to face,
Whose light, from one to the other thrown,

In heaven's reflection, not their own--
Should we e'er meet with aught so pure,
So perfect here, we may be sure

There is but one such pair below;
And, as we bless them on their way
Through the world's wilderness, may say,
"There Zaraph and his Nama go."

NOTES.

PREFACE, p. 295, line 21.

Fathers (and their opinion has been followed by ail the theologians, down from St. Thomas to Caryl and

An erroneous translation by the LXX. of that verse in the Lightfoot,) the term "Sons of God," must be undersixth chapter of Genesis, etc. stood to mean the descendants of Seth, by Enos--a THE error of these interpreters (and, it is said, of family peculiarly favoured by Heaven, because with the old Italic version also) was in making it of Ayye- them men first began to "call upon the name of the AOL TOV SLOV, "the Angels of God," instead of "the LORD"-while, by "the daughters of men," they Sons"--a mistake which, assisted by the allegorising suppose that the corrupt race of Cain is designated. comments of Philo, and the rhapsodical fictions of The probability, however, is, that the words in questhe Book of Enoch,' was more than sufficient to af- tion ought to have been translated "the sons of the fect the imaginations of such half-Pagan writers as nobles or great men," as we find them interpreted in Clemens Alexandrinus, Tertullian, and Lactantius, the Targum of Onkelos (the most ancient and accuwho, chiefly, among the Fathers, have indulged rate of all the Chaldaic paraphrases,) and as, it apthemselves in fanciful reveries upon the subject. The pears from Cyril, the version of Symmachus also greater number, however, have rejected the fiction rendered them. This translation of the passage rewith indignation. Chrysostom, in his twenty-second moves all difficulty, and at once relieves the Sacred Homily upon Genesis, earnestly exposes its absurd- History of an extravagance, which, however it may ity; and Cyril accounts such a supposition as eyyus suit the imagination of the poet, is inconsistent with uwptas, "bordering on folly." According to these all our notions, both philosophical and religious.

1 It is lamentable to think that this absurd production, of of heresies, classes this story of the Angels among the numwhich we now know the whole from Dr. Laurence's trans-ber, and says it deserves only to be ranked with those ficlation, should ever have been considered as an inspired or tions about gods and goddesses, to which the fancy of the authentic work. See the Preliminary Dissertation, prefixed to the Translation.

Pagan poets gave birth :-"Sicuti et Paganorum et Poetarum mendacia asserunt deos deasque transformatos nefanda conjugia commisisse."-De Hæres. Edit. Basil. p. 101.

2 One of the arguments of Chrysostom is, that Angels are no where else, in the Old Testament, called "Sons of God,"- 4 Lightfoot says, "The sons of God, or the members of but his commentator, Montfaucon, shows that he is mis- the Church, and the progeny of Seth, marrying carelessly taken, and that in the Book of Job they are so designated, and promiscuously with the daughters of men, or brood of (c. i. v. 6.) both in the original Hebrew and the Vulgate, Cain," etc. I find in Pole that, according to the Samaritan though not in the Septuagint, which alone, he says, Chryversion, the phrase may be understood as meaning "the Bostom read. Sons of the Judges."-So variously may the Hebrew word,

3 Lib. ii. Glaphyrorum.-Philæstrius, in his enumeration Elohim, be interpreted.

Page 295, line 81.

Transmit each moment, night and day,

The echo of His luminous word!

Dionysius (De Cœlest. Hierarch.) is of opinion,

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the agency of these spiritual creatures--The ques tions "de Cognitione Angelorum" of St. Thomas, where he examines most prolixly into such puzzling points as "whether angels illuminate each other," whether they speak to each other," etc. etc.-The

66

that when Isaiah represents the Seraphim as crying out 'one unto the other," his intention is to describe Thesaurus of Cocceius, containing extracts from those communications of the divine thought and will, almost every theologian that has written on the subwhich are continually passing from the higher orders ject--The 9th, 10th, and 11th chapters, sixth book, of the angels to the lower:-oia kat avTOUSTOUS SEOTατους Σεραφιμ οἱ θεολογοι φασιν ἑτερον προς τον έτερον κεκραγέναι, σαφως εν τούτῳ, καθαπερ οιμαι, δηλούντες, ότι των θεολογικών γνώσεων οἱ πρωτοι τοις δευτέροις μεταSidoari.-See also in the Paraphrase of Pachymer upon Dionysius, cap. 2. rather a striking passage, in which he represents all living creatures as being, in a stronger or fainter degree, "echoes of God." Page 296, line 19.

One of earth's fairest womankind,

Half veil'd from view, or rather shrined
In the clear chrystal of a brook.

of l'Histoire des Juifs," where all the extraordinary reveries of the Rabbins' about angels and demons are enumerated-The Questions attributed to St. Athanasius-The Treatise of Bonaventure upon the Wings of the Seraphim--and, lastly, the ponderous folio of Suarez "de Angelis," where the reader will find all that has ever been fancied or reasoned, upon a subject which only such writers could have contrived to render so dull.

Page 297, line 89.

Then first the fatal wine-cup rain'd, etc.
Some of the circumstances of this story were sug-

This is given upon the authority, or rather accord-gested to me by the Eastern legend of the two angels, ing to the fancy, of some of the Fathers, who sup- Harut and Marut, as it is given by Mariti, who says, pose that the women of earth were first seen by the that the author of the Taalim founds upon it the Maangels in this situation; and St. Basil has even made hometan prohibition of wine. The Bahardanush tells it the serious foundation of rather a rigorous rule the story differently. for the toilet of his fair disciples; adding, ikavov εστι παραγυμνούμενον καλλος και υίους θεου προς ήδονην γοητευσαι, και ως ανθρώπους δια ταύτην αποθνησκον Tas, SunTous anodεižai.-De Vera Virginitat. tom. i. p. 747. edit. Paris, 1618.

Page 296, line 115.

The Spirit of yon beauteous star.

γαρ

It is the opinion of Kircher, Ricciolus, etc. (and was, I believe, to a certain degree, that of Origen) that

Page 297, line 105.

Why, why have hapless angels eyes?

Tertullian imagines that the words of St. Paul, "Woman ought to have a veil on her head,' on account of the angels," have an evident reference to the fatal effects which the beauty of women once produced upon these spiritual beings. See the strange passage of this Father (de Virgin. Velandis,) beginning "Si enim propter angelos," etc. etc. where his editor Pamelius endeavours to save his morality, at the stars are moved and directed by intelligences or angels who preside over them. Among other pas-"excussat" for "excusat." the expense of his latinity, by substituting the word Such instances of indesages from Scripture in support of this notion, they cite those words of the Book of Job, "When the corum, however, are but too common throughout the morning stars sang together."—Upon which Kircher Fathers, in proof of which I need only refer to some remarks, "Non de materialibus intelligitur." Itin. 1. passages in the same writer's treatise," De Anima,”Isagog. Astronom. See also Caryl's most wordy to the Second and Third Books of the Pædagogus of Commentary on the same text.

Page 297, line 33.

And the bright Watchers near the throne, "The Watchers, the offspring of Heaven."-Book of Enoch. In Daniel also the angels are called watchers :-" And behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven." iv. 13.

Page 297, line 81

Then, too, that juice of earth, etc. etc.

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Clemens Alexandrinus, and to the instances which La Mothe le Vayer has adduced from Chrysostom in his Hexameron Rustique, Journée Seconde.

1 The following may serve as specimens:-" Les anges ne savent point la langue Chaldaique: c'est pourquoi ils ne portent point à Dieu les oraisons de ceux qui prient dans cette langue. Ils se trompent souvent; ils font des erreurs dangereuses; car l'Ange de la mort, qui est chargé de faire mourir un homme, en prend quelquefois un autre, ce qui cause de grands désordres. Ils sont chargés de chanter devant Dieu le cantique, Saint, Saint est le Dieu des armées; mais ils ne remplissent cet office qu'une fois le jour, dans une semaine, dans un mois, dans un an, dans un siècle, ou dans l'éternité. L'Ange qui luttoit contre Jacob le pressa de le laisser aller, lorsque l'Aurore parut, parce que c'étoit son tour de chanter le cantique ce jour-là, ce qu'il n'avoit encore jamais fait."

For all that relates to the nature and attributes of angels, the time of their creation, the extent of their knowledge, and the power which they possess, or 2 This work (which, notwithstanding its title, is, proba can occasionally assume, of performing such human bly, quite as dull as the rest) I have not, myself, been able functions as eating, drinking, etc. etc. I shall refer to see, having searched for it in vain through the King's Li those who are inquisitive upon the subject to the fol-brary at Paris, though assisted by the zeal and kindness of lowing works:--The Treatise upon the Celestial Hierarchy written under the name of Dionysius the Areopagite, in which, among much that is heavy and trifling, there are some sublime notions concerning

M. Langlés and M. Vonpradt, whose liberal administration of that most liberal establishment, entitles them-not only for the immediate effect of such conduct, but for the useful and civilizing example it holds forth-to the most cordial

gratitude of the whole literary world.

3 Corinth xi, 10. Dr. Macknight's Translation.

Page 298, line 75.

When Lucifer, in falling, bore

The third of the bright stars away.

Page 299, line 78.
Summon'd his chief angelic powers
To witness, etc.

"And his tail drew the third part of the stars of St. Augustin, upon Genesis, seems rather inclined heaven, and did cast them to the earth." Revelat. to admit that the angels had some share ("aliquod xii. 4.-Docent sancti (says Suarez) supremum ange- ministerium") in the creation of Adam and Eve. lum traxisse secum tertiam partem stellarum." Lib. 7. cap. 7.

Page 298, line 77.

Rise, in earth's beauty, to repair

That loss of light and glory there!

Page 300, line 124.

I had beheld their First, their EVE,

Born in that splendid Paradise.

Whether Eve was created in Paradise or not is a question that has been productive of much doubt and controversy among the theologians. With respect to Adam, it is agreed on all sides that he was created outside; and it is accordingly asked, with some warmth, by one of the commentators, "why should

The idea of the Fathers was, that the vacancies occasioned in the different orders of angels by the fall were to be filled up from the human race. There is, however, another opinion, backed by papal authority, that it was only the tenth order of the Celestial woman, the ignobler creature of the two, be created Hierarchy that fell, and that, therefore, the promotions which occasionally take place from earth are intended for the completion of that grade alone: or, as it is explained by Salonius (Dial. in Eccl.)-" Decem sunt ordines angelorum, sed unus cecidit per superbiam, et idcirco boni angeli semper laborant, ut de hominibus numerus adimpleatur, et proveniat ad perfectum numerum, id est, denarium." According to some theologians, virgins alone are admitted “ad collegium angelorum," but the author' of the "Speculum Peregrinarum Quæstionum" rather questions this exclusive privilege :-" Hoc non videtur verum, quia multi, non virgines, ut Petrus et Magdalena, multis etiam virginibus eminentiores sunt." Decad. 2. cap. 10.

Page 299, line 38.

"T was RUBI.

I might have chosen, perhaps, some better name, but it is meant (like that of Zaraph in the following story) to define the particular class of spirits to which the angel belonged. The author of the Book of Enoch, who estimates at 200 the number of angels that descended upon Mount Hermon, for the purpose of making love to the women of earth, has favoured us with the names of their leader and chiefs-Samyaza, Urakabarameel, Akibeel, Tamiel, etc. etc.

In that heretical worship of angels which prevailed, to a great degree, during the first ages of Christianity, to name them seems to have been one of the most important ceremonies; for we find it expressly forbidden in one of the Canons (35th) of the council of Laodicea, ovoμašuiv тovs ayyeλous. Josephus, too, mentions, among the religious rites of the Essenes, their swearing to preserve the names of the angels." —σUVTηPNOεLV Tа тwv ayyedwv ovoμara. Bell. Jud. lib. 2. cap. 8.-See upon this subject Van Dale, de Ong. et Progress. Idololat. cap. 9.

Page 299, line 39.

those bright creatures named Spirits of Knowledge.

The word cherub signifies knowledge-ro yvostkov αυτών και θεοπτικόν, says Dionysius. Hence it is that Ezekiel, to express the abundance of their knowledge, represents them as "full of eyes."

1 F. Bartholomæus Sibylla.

within? Others, on the contrary, consider this distinction as but a fair tribute to the superior beauty and purity of women; and some, their zeal, even seem to think that, if the scene of her creation was not already Paradise, it became so, immediately upon that event, in compliment to her. Josephus is one of those who think that Eve was formed outside; Tertullian, too, among the Fathers—and, among the Theologians, Rupertus, who, to do him justice, never misses an opportunity of putting on record his illwill to the sex. Pererius, however (and his opinion seems to be considered as the most orthodox,) thinks it much more consistent with the order of the Mosaic narration, as well as with the sentiments of Basil and other Fathers, to conclude that Eve was created in Paradise.

Page 301, line 8.

Her error, too.

The comparative extent of Eve's delinquency, and the proportion which it bears to that of Adam, is another point which has exercised the tiresome ingenuity of the Commentators; and they seem generally to agree (with the exception always of Rupertus) that, as she was not yet created when the prohibition was issued, and therefore could not have heard it, (a conclusion remarkably confirmed by the inaccurate way in which she reports it to the serpent,*) her share in the crime of disobedience is considerably lighter than that of Adam. In corroboration of this view of the matter, Pererius remarks that it is to Adam alone the Deity addresses his reproaches for having eaten of the forbidden tree, because to Adam alone the order had been originally promulgated. So far, indeed, does the gallantry of another commentator, Hugh de St. Victor, carry him, that he looks upon the words "I will put enmity between thee and the woman" as a proof that the sex was from that moment enlisted into the service of Heaven, as the chief foe and obstacle which the Spirit of Evil would have to contend with in his inroads on this world :-"si dein

mavit intra Paradisum?"
1 "Cur denique Evam, quæ Adamo ignobilior erat, for-

2 Rupertus considers these variantes as intentional and prevaricatory, and as the first instance upon record of a wilful vitiation of the words of God, for the purpose of suiting the corrupt views and propensities of human nature. -De Trinitat. lib. iii. cap. 5.

3 Caietanus, indeed, pronounces it to be "minimum pec

catum

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