Poems on several occasions: With a dissertation upon the Roman poets. By Mr. Addison.

THE RESURRECTION: A POEM.

Venient cito Saecula, cum jam Socius Calor ossa revisat, Animataque Sanguine vivo Habitacula pristina gestet. Prud.

The FOURTH EDITION.

THE PREFACE.

THE following Lines are esteemed by the best Judges to be the finest Sketch of the Resurrection, that any Age or Language has produced: Nor do their only Excellence consist in being an accurate Poem; but also in being an exact Copy of the Painter's Ori∣ginal upon the Altar in Magdalen College; but so much improved with

all the strongest Figures and most lively Embellishments of a Poetical Description, that the Reader receives a double Satisfaction in seeing the two Sister-Arts so useful to each other, in borrowing mutual Helps, and mu∣tual Advantages.

It is, indeed, wonderful to find in the narrow Compass of so few Pages all the most dreadful Circum∣stances of that last terrible Crisis of Time: The Poem is a beautiful and succinct Epitome of all that has or can ever be said on that important Subject; the very Text, which the ingenious Mr. Young has so largely and elegantly paraphras'd upon, in his excellent Poem on the LAST DAY.

Mr. Addison is to be distinguish'd thro' all his Performances both Latin and English (and in his Latin, parti∣cularly in the following one, and that on the Peace of Reswick,) by the Strength of his Images, and by a forcible and unaffected Vivacity of Expression, which none of our Mo∣derns have attain'd to in so much Perfection; and which is very rarely to be met with even in any of the Antients since Virgil and Horace.

Having mention'd Mr. Addison, I cannot avoid congratulating my Country on his Preferment to one of her greatest Civil Employments; nor forbear observing how happy we are in a KING, who has shown the

World that he will distribute his Fa∣vours amongst those only, whom Merit and Virtue shall recommend to his Service.

With what uncommon Lustre must that Man appear to Posterity, who is not only the best Writer, and most candid Patron of the Age he lives in; but also the finest Gentleman, the sincerest Friend, the most affectionate Husband, the most accomplish'd Statesman, and the most exemplary Christian? Under every one of these Views Mr. Addison gains the Esteem and Admiration even of the bitterest Enemies to that Cause which he so warmly espouses, of the most furious Partisans, and the most prejudic'd of Mankind.

I must forbear to enlarge any far∣ther on the Character of that truly great and good Man, lest I draw upon my self the Imputation of a Flatterer, by relating what all the World (except himself only) will allow to be the severest Truth.

I shall make no Excuse for of∣fering the following Poem to the World in an English DRESS, and under all the Disadvantages of an imperfect Translation. I have often read it in the Original with the greatest Pleasure and Satisfaction; and I hope it will need no Apo∣logy to be willing to communi∣cate so useful and sublime an En∣tertainment,

in the best manner I can, to those of my Fellow-Subjects who are not qualify'd to read it in the Latin Original.

RESURRECTIO DELINEATA Ad Altare Coll. Magd. Oxon.

EGregios fuci tractus, calamique labores, Surgentesque hominum formas, ardentiáque ora Judicis, & simulacra modis pallentia miris, Terribilem visu pompam, Tu Carmine Musa Pande novo, vatique sacros accende furores.

Olim Planitiem (quam nunc foecunda colorum Insignit Pictura) inhonesto & simplice cultu Vestiit albedo, sed nè rima ulla priorem Agnoscat faciem, mox fundamenta futurae Substravit Pictor tabulae, humorémque sequacem

Per muros traxit; velamine moenia crasso Squallent obducta, & rudioribus illita fucis.

Utque (polo nondum stellis fulgentibus apto) Nè spatio moles immensa dehiscat inani, Per cava coelorum, & convexa patentia latè Hinc atque hinc interfusus fluitaverat Aether; Mox radiante novum torrebat lumine mundum Titan, & pallens alienos mitiùs ignes Cynthia vibrabat; crebris nunc consitus astris Scintillare polus, nunc fulgor Lacteus omne Diffluere in Coelum, longóque albescere tractu.

Sic, operis postquam lusit primordia Pictor, Dum sordet paries, nullúmque fatetur Apellem, Cautiùs exercet Calamos, atque arte tenacem Confundit viscum, succósque attemperat, omnes Inducit tandem formas; apparet ubique Muta cohors, & Picturarum vulgus inane.

Aligeris muri vacat ora suprema Ministris, Sparsáque per totam Coelestis turba Tabellam Raucos inspirat lituos, buccásque tumentes Inflat, & attonitum replet clangoribus orbem. Defunctis sonus auditur, tabulámque per imam Picta gravescit humus, terris emergit apertis Progenies rediviva, & plurima surgit imago.

Sic, dum foecundis Cadmus dat semina sulcis, Terra tumet praegnans, animatáque gleba laborat, Luxuriatur ager segete spirante, calescit Omne solum, crescitque virorum prodiga messis.

Jam pulvis varias terrae dispersa per oras, Sive inter venas teneri concreta metalli, Sensim diriguit, seu sese immiscuit herbis, Explicita est; molem rursùs coalescit in unam Divisum funus, sparsos prior alligat artus ••unctura, aptanturque iterum coëuntia membra. Hic nondum specie perfecta resurgit imago, Vultum truncata, atque inhonesto vulnere nares Manca, & adhuc deest informi de corpore multum. ••aulatim in rigidum hic vita insinuata cadaver ••otu aegro vix dum redivivos erigit artus. •…•…ficit his horror vultus, & imagine totâ ••usa per attonitam pallet formido figuram.

Detrahe quin oculos Spectator, &, ora nitentem 〈◊〉〈◊〉 poterint perferre diem, medium inspice murum, Quâ sedet orta Deo proles, Deus ipse, sereno ••umine perfusus, radiisque inspersus acutis. •…•…rcum tranquillae funduntur tempora flammae, ••egius ore vigor spirat, nitet Ignis ocellis, •…•…urimáque effulget Majestas Numine toto. Quantùm dissimilis, quantùm ô! mutatus ab illo,

Qui peccata luit cruciatus non sua, vitam Quando luctantem cunctatâ morte trahebat! Sed frustrà voluit defunctum Golgotha Numen Condere, dum victâ fatorum lege triumphans Nativum petiit coelum, & super aethera vectus Despexit Lunam exiguam, Solémque minorem.

Jam latus effossum, & palmas ostendit utrasque, Vulnúsque infixum pede, clavorúmque recepta Signa, & transacti quondam vestigia ferri. Umbrae hùc felices tendunt, numerosáque coelos Turba petunt, atque immortalia dona capessunt. Matres, & longae nunc reddita corpora vitae Infantûm, Juvenes, Pueri, innuptaeque Puellae Stant circùm, atque avidos jubar immortale bibentes Affigunt oculos in Numine; laudibus aether Intonat, & laeto ridet coelum omne triumpho. His Amor impatiens conceptáque gaudia mentem Funditùs exagitant, imóque in pectore fervent. Non aequè exultat flagranti corde Sibylla, Hospite cùm tumet incluso, & praecordia sentit Mota Dei stimulis, nimióque calentia Phoebo.

Quis tamen ille novus perstringit lumina fulgor? Quam Mitrâ effigiem distinxit Pictor, honesto Surgentem è tumulo, alatoque Satellite fultam? Agnosco faciem, vultu later alter in illo.

WAINFLETUS, sic ille oculos, sic ora ferebat: ••heu quando animi par invenietur Imago! Quando alium similem virtus habitura!— •…•…ati innocuas securus Numinis iras ••spicit, impavidósque in Judice figit ocellos.

Quin age, & horrentem commixtis igne tenebris ••am videas scenam; multo hic stagnantia fuco ••oenia, flagrantem liquefacto sulphure rivum ••ingunt, & falsus tantâ arte accenditur Ignis, Ut toti metuas tabulae, ne flamma per omne ••ivida serpat opus, tenuésque absumpta recedat ••ictura in cineres, propriis peritura favillis. ••ùc turba infelix agitur, turpisque videri •…•…frendet dentes, & rugis contrahit ora. ••index à tergo implacabile saevit, & ensem ••ulmineum vibrans acie flagrante scelestos •…•…m Paradiseis iterum depellit ab oris. ••eu! quid agat tristis? quò se coelestibus iris ••ubtrahat? ô! quantùm vellet nunc aethere in alto ••irturem colere! at tandem suspiria ducit Nequicquam, & serò in lacrymas effunditur; obstant •…•…rtes non revocandae, & inexorabile Numen.

Quàm varias aperit veneres Pictura! periti Quot calami legimus vestigia! quanta colorum

Gratia se profert! tales non discolor Iris Ostendat, vario cùm lumine floridus imber Rore nitet toto, & guttâ scintillat in omni.

O fuci nitor, ô pulchri durate colores! Nec, Pictura, tuae languescat gloria formae, Dum lucem videas, qualem exprimis ipsa, supremam.

Jo. Addison, A.B.

è Coll. Magd. Oxon. 1699.

[figure]

F••ller Pinxit ad Alt: Coll: Magd: Oxon: Delin Mburg. sculpt. Univ. 〈◊〉〈◊〉

THE RESURRECTION: A POEM.

THE Pencil's glowing Lines and vast Command, And Mankind rising from the Painter's Hand, The awful Judge array'd in beamy Light, And Spectres trembling at the dreadful Sight,

To sing, O Muse, the pious Bard inspire, And waken in his Breast the Sacred Fire.

The hallow'd Field, a bare white Wall of late, Now cloath'd in gaudy Colours, shines in State; And lest some little Interval confess Its antient simple Form, and homely Dress; The skilful Artist laid o'er every Part The first Foundation of his future Art: O'er the wide Frame his ductile Colours led, And with strong Primings all the Wall o'er∣spread.

As e'er yon spangling Orbs were hung on high, Lest one great Blank should yawn thro' bound∣less Sky,

Thro' the wide heavenly Arch and trackless Road In Azure Volumes the pure Aether flow'd; The Sun at length burns out, intensely bright, And the pale Crescent sheds her borrow'd Light. With thick-sown Stars the radiant Pole is crown'd, Of milky Glories a long Tract is found, O'erflows, and whitens all the Heav'ns around.

So when the Ground-work of the Piece was laid, Nor yet the Painter had his Art display'd, With slower Hand, and Pencil more divine, He blends each Colour, heightens ev'ry Line;

Till various Forms the breathing Picture wears, And a mute Groupe of Images appears.

Celestial Guards the topmost height attend, And Crouds of Angels o'er the Wall descend; With their big Cheeks the deaf'ning Clarions wind, Whose dreadful Clangors startle all Mankind: Ev'n the Dead hear; the lab'ring Graves con∣ceive, And the swoln Clod in Picture seems to heave: Ten thousand Worlds revive to better Skies, And from their Tombs the thronging Coarses rise.

So when fam'd Cadmus sow'd the fruitful Field, With pregnant Throws the quicken'd Furrow swell'd: From the warm Soil sprung up a warlike Train, And Human Harvests cover'd all the Plain.

And now from ev'ry Corner of the Earth The scatter'd Dust is call'd to second Birth; Whether in Mines it form'd the rip'ning Mass, Or humbly mix'd, and flourish'd in the Grass. The sever'd Body now unites again, And kindred Atoms rally into Men: The various Joints resume their antient Seats, And ev'ry Limb its former Task repeats.

Here an imperfect Form returns to Light, Not half renew'd, dishonest to the Sight; Maim'd of his Nose appears his blotted Face, And scarce the Image of a Man we trace. Here by Degrees infus'd, the vital Ray Gives the first Motion to the panting Clay: Slow to new Life the thawing Fluids creep, And the stiff Joints wake heavily from Sleep. Here on the guilty Brow pale Horrors glare, And all the Figure labours with Despair.

From Scenes like these now turn thy wond'ring Sight, And if thou canst withstand such Floods of Light,

Look! where thy SAVIOUR fills the middle Space, The SON of GOD, true Image of his Face, Himself eternal GOD, e'er Time began her Race. See! what mild Beams their gracious Influence shed, And how the pointed Radiance crowns his Head! Around his Temples lambent Glories shine, And on his Brow sits Majesty Divine; His Eye-balls lighten with Celestial Fires, And ev'ry Grace to speak the God conspires.

But ah! how chang'd, ah! how unlike the same From Him, who patient wore the Mortal Frame;

Who thro' a Scene of Woes drew painful Breath, And struggled with a sad, slow, long-drawn Death: Who gave on Golgotha the dreadful Groan, Bearer of other's Sins, and Suff'rings not his own. But Death and Hell subdu'd, the Deity Ascends Triumphant to his native Sky; And rising far above th' Aethereal Height, The Sun and Moon diminish to his Sight.

And now to View he bare'd his bleeding side, And his pierc'd Hands and Feet, in Crimson dy'd; Still did the Nails the recent Scars reveal, And bloody Tracks of the transfixing Steel. Hither in Crouds the Blessed shape their Flight, And throng the Mansions of immortal Light;

The menial Twelve,* 1.1 an ever faithful Band, Around their Master sit on either Hand; Each Martyr-Saint in Glory shines confest, Immortal Pleasures rushing to his Breast; Sees Worlds up-rising from the silent Tomb To final Judgment and eternal Doom; They mark each fatal Word, each dreadful Nod; And bless the Righteous Sentence of their GOD. The fruitful Matron and the spotless Maid, And Infants, with a longer Life repaid, Stand round; and drinking in Celestial Rays, On their REDEEMER fix with ardent Gaze, And all the Heav'ns resound with Hymns of Praise.

Each Bosom kindles with Seraphic Joy, And conscious Extacies the Soul employ. Not equal Raptures swell the Sybil's Breast, When by the inmate Deity possess'd; When Phoebus the Prophetic Maid inspires, And her Limbs tremble with convulsive Fires.

But whence this sudden Blaze of dazling Light! What Mitred Brow is that, which greets my Sight? Forth from a stately Tomb I see him Rise, And mount with Guards of Angels to the Skies. I know the Form—alike the Look and Mien, Another WAINFLET* 1.2 in his Face is seen.

When will, alas! such spotless Worth be found? When will a Mind with equal Virtues crown'd? Fearless he sees Almighty Vengeance rise, And fixes on his GOD his guiltless Eyes.

But now far different Scenes our Wonder claim, Horrent with Darkness and Malignant Flame; The labour'd Wall delusive Picture hides, And liquid Sulphur rolls in burning Tides: So strong, so fierce, the painted Flames arise, The pale Spectator views them with Surprize: Believes the blazing Wall indeed to burn, And fears the Frame should into Ashes turn.

Hither in ghastly Crouds the Guilty haste, Obscene with Horror, and with Shame defac'd: With haggard Looks the gloomy Fiends appear, They gnash their foamy Teeth, and frown severe. A stern Avenger with relentless Mind, Waving a flamy Faulchion, stalks behind; With which, as once from Paradise he drove, He drives the Sinner from the Joys above. What shall he do forlorn? or whither fly, To shun the Ken of an All-seeing Eye? What would he give among the Just to shine, And fall before Omnipotence Divine?

But oh! too late in Sighs he vents his Woe, Too late his Eyes with gushing Tears o'er∣flow! Vain are his Sighs, and fruitless are his Tears, Vengeance and Justice stop th' Almighty's Ears.

See! with what various Charms the Piece is fraught, And with what pregnant Marks of Judgment wrought! With how much Grace the living Colours glow! Not brighter Colours paint the watry Bow; When the fresh Show'rs her various Lustre share, And ev'ry Drop with Spangles decks the Air.

O! may the Painter's Labours never fade, Nor wasteful Time their shining Charms invade, No envious Darkness shade the beauteous Tints, Till the Piece sees the LAST GREAT DAY it Paints.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Apostles, as thus describ'd, are painted on the Altar, tho' not mention'd in Mr. Addison's Latin Poem.
• * 1.2

  William Wainflet, Bishop of Winchester. He was the Founder of Magdalen College, and the Hall adjoining.