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La Vergne inn.
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THE RESURRECTION. A POEM.
Written by Mr. ADDISON.
Venient citò Saecula, cum jam
Socius Calor oſſa reviſat,
Animataque Sanguine vivo
Habitacula pristina geſtet.
Prud.
LONDON: Printed for E. CURLL in Fleet-ſtreet. 1718. Price Six Pence.
THE PREFACE.
[iii]THE following Lines are eſteemed by the beſt Judges to be the fineſt Sketch of the Reſur⯑rection, that any Age or Language hath produced: Nor do their on⯑ly Excellence conſiſt in being an [iv] accurate Poem; but alſo in being an exact Copy of the Painter's*O⯑riginal upon the Altar in Magda⯑len College; but ſo much impro⯑ved with all the ſtrongeſt Figures and moſt lively Embelliſhments of a poetical Deſcription, that the Reader receives a double Satisfa⯑ction 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 Cir⯑cumſtances of that laſt terrible Criſis of Time: The Poem is a beautiful and ſuccinct Epitome of all that hath or can ever be ſaid [v] on that important Subject; the very Text, which the ingenious Mr. Young hath ſo largely and ele⯑gantly paraphras'd upon in his excellent Poem on the LAST DAY.
Mr. Addiſon is to be diſtin⯑guiſh'd thro' all his Performances both Latin and Engliſh, (and in his Latin, particularly in the fol⯑lowing one, and that on the Peace of Riſwick), by the ſtrength of his Images, and by a forcible and unaffected vivacity of Expreſſion, which none of our Moderns have attain'd to in ſo much Perfection; and which is very rarely to be met with even in any of the Anti⯑ents ſince Virgil and Horace.
[vi]Having mention'd Mr. Addiſon, I cannot avoid congratulating my Country on his Preferment to one of her greateſt Civil Employ⯑ments; nor forbear obſerving how happy we are in a KING, who hath ſhown the World that he will diſtribute his Favours a⯑mongſt thoſe only, whom Merit and Virtue ſhall recommend to his Service.
With what uncommon Luſtre muſt that Man appear to Poſteri⯑ty, who is not only the beſt Wri⯑ter and moſt candid Patron of the Age he lives in; but alſo the fi⯑neſt Gentleman, the ſincereſt Friend, the moſt affectionate Husband, the moſt accompliſh'd [vii] Stateſman, and the moſt exem⯑plary Chriſtian? Under every one of theſe Views Mr. Addiſon gains the Eſteem and Admirati⯑on even of the bittereſt Enemies to that Cauſe which he ſo warm⯑ly eſpouſes; of the moſt furious Partiſans and the moſt prejudic'd of Mankind.
I muſt forbear to enlarge any farther on the Character of that truly great and good Man, leſt I draw upon my ſelf the imputati⯑on of a Flatterer, by relating what all the World (except him⯑ſelf only) will allow to be the ſe⯑vereſt Truth.
I ſhall make no excuſe for of⯑fering the following Poem to the [viii] 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 Sa⯑tisfaction; and I hope it will need no Apology to be willing to com⯑municate ſo uſeful and ſublime an Entertainment, in the beſt man⯑ner I can, to thoſe of my Fellow-Subjects who are not qualify'd to read it in the Latin Original.
RESURRECTIO DELINEATA Ad Altare Col. Magd. Oxon.
[]EGregios fuci tractus, calamique labores,
Surgenteſque hominum formas, ardentiaque 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, humoremque 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
[x]Scintillare polus, nunc fulgor Lacteus omne
Diffluere in Coelum, longoque albeſcere tractu.
Sic, operis poſtquam luſit primordia Pictor,
Dum ſordet paries, nullumque fatetur Apellem,
Cautius exercet calamos, atque arte tenacem
Confundit viſcum, ſuccoſque attemperat, omnes
Inducit tandem formas; apparet ubique
Mutà cohors, & Picturarum vulgus inane.
Aligeris muri vacat ora ſuprema Miniſtris,
Sparſaque per totam Coeleſtis turba Tabellam
Raucos inſpirat lituos, buccaſque tumentes
Inflat, & attonitum replet clangoribus orbem.
Defunctis ſonus auditur, tabulamque per imam
Picta graveſcit humus, terris emergit apertis
Progenies rediviva, & plurima ſurgit imago.
Sic, dum foecundis Cadmus dat ſemina ſulcis,
Terra tumet praegnans, animataque 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
Junctura, aptanturque iterum coeuntia membra.
Hic nondum ſpecie perfecta refurgit imago,
Vultum truncata, atque inhoneſto vulnere nares
Manca, & adhuc deeſt informi de Corpore multum▪
Paulatim in rigidum hic vita inſinuata cadaver
Motu aegro vix dum redivivos erigit artus.
Inficit his horror vultus, & imagine tota
Fuſa per attonitam pallet formido figuram.
Detrahe quin oculos Spectator, & ora nitentem
Si poterint perferre diem, medium inſpice murum,
[xi]Qua ſedet orta Deo proles, Deus ipſe, ſereno
Lumine perſuſus, radiiſque inſperſus acutis.
Circùm tranquillae funduntur tempora flammae,
Regius ore vigor ſpirat, nitet Ignis ocellis,
Plurimaque effulget Majeſtas Numine toto.
Quantùm diſſimilis, quantum o! mutatus ab illo,
Qui peccata luit cruciatus non ſua, vitam
Quando luctantem cunctata morte trahebat!
Sed fruſtrà voluit defunctum Golgotha numen
Condere, dum victa fatorum lege triumphans
Nativum petiit coelum, & ſuper aethera vectus
Deſpexit Lunam exiguam, Solemque minorem.
Jam latus effoſſum; & palmas oſtendit utraſque,
Vulnuſque infixum pede, clavorumque recepta
Signa, & tranſacti quondam veſtigia ferri.
Umbrae huc felices tendunt, numeroſaque coelos
Turba petunt, atque immortalia dona capeſſunt.
Matres, & longae nunc reddita Corpora vitae
Infantum, Juvenes, Pueri, innuptaeque Puellae
Stant circum, atque avidos jubar immortale bibentes
Affigunt oculos in Numine; Laudibus aether
Intonat, & laeto ridet Coelum omne triumpho.
His Amor impatiens conceptaque gaudia mentem
Funditus exagitant, imoque in pectore fervent.
Non aequè exultat flagranti corde Sibylla,
Hoſpite cum tumet incluſo, & praecordia fentit
Mota Dei ſtimulis, nimioque calentia Phoebo.
Quis tamen ille novus perſtringit lumina fulgor?
Quam Mitra effigiem diſtinxit Pictor, honeſto
Surgentem è tumulo, Alatoque Satellite fultam?
Agnoſco faciem, vultu latet alter in illo
Wainfletus, ſic ille oculos, ſic ora ferebat:
Eheu quando animi par invenietur Imago!
Quando alium ſimilem virtus habitura! —
[xii]Irati innocuas ſecurus Numinis iras
Aſpicit, impavidoſque in Judice figit ocellos.
Quin age, & horrentem commixtis Igne tenebris
Jam videas ſcenam, multo hic ſtagnantia ſuco
Moenia flagrantem liquefacto Sulphure rivum
Fingunt, & falſus tanta arte accenditur Ignis,
Ut toti metuas tabulae, ne flamma per omne
Livida ſerpat opus, tenueſque abſumpta recedat
Pictura in cineres, propriis peritura favillis.
Huc turba infelix agitur, turpiſque videri
Infrendet dentes, & rugis contrahit ora.
Vindex à tergo implacabile ſaevit, & enſem
Fulmineum vibrans acie flagrante ſceleſtos
Jam Paradiſeis iterum depellit ab oris.
Heu! quid agat triſtis? quò ſe coeleſtibus iris
Subtrahat? o! quantum vellet nunc aethere in alto
Virtutem colere! at tandem ſuſpiria ducit
Nequicquam, & ſero in lacrymas effunditur; obſtant
Sortes 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 cum lumine floridus imber
Rore nitet toto, & gutta ſcintillat in omni.
O fuci nitor, o pulchri durate Colores!
Nec, Pictura, tuae langueſcat gloria formae,
Dum lucem videas, qualem exprimis ipſa, ſupremam▪
Jo. Addiſon,
è Coll. Magd. 1699.
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,
[2]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
It's ancient 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 thick Daubings all the Wall o'erſpread.
As e'er you ſpangling Orbs were hung on high,
Leſt one great Blank ſhould yawn thro' bound⯑leſs Sky,
[3]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 Groundwork 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,
[4]Till various Forms the breathing Picture wears,
And a mute Groupè 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.
[5]
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;
[6]The various Joynts reſume their ancient 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:
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 can'ſt withſtand ſuch Floods of Light,
[7]Look! where thy SAVIOUR fills the middle Space;
The Godhead op'ning in his awful Face;
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 the Celeſtial Fires,
And ev'ry Grace to Speak the God conſpires.
How chang'd from him, who came to be Be⯑tray'd,
And who for Man the precious Ranſom paid!
[8]Who did on Earth ſuch arduous Toils ſuſtain,
And patient bore an irkſom Life of Pain:
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'd 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;
[17]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 Raptures all 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?
[18]Forth from a ſtately Tomb he lifts his Head,
And to the Skies on Angels Wings is ſped.
I know the Form— alike the Look and Mien,
Another * WAINFLET 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▪
[...][19]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 Horrour 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.
[20]What ſhall he do forlorn? or whither fly,
To ſhun the Ken of an All-ſeeing Eye?
What would he give amongſt 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'erflow!
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;
[21]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 waſtful Time their ſhining Charms invade,
'Till the firſt Dawn of that Eternal Light,
Which by his fruitful Pencil ſhines ſo Bright.
FINIS.
Appendix A BOOKS lately Printed for E. CURLL.
[]- I. THE Artful Wife, a Comedy. Price 1 s.
- II. The Poetical Works of Nicolas Rowe, Eſq Pr. 4 s.
- III. Eſther Queen of Perſia. A Poem in Four Books. By Mr. Henley. Pr. 1 s. 6 d.
- IV. Boileau's Lutrin: and his Art of Poetry. Adorn'd with Cuts. Pr. 2 s. 6 d.
- V. The Poetical Works of the late Earl of Halifax. To which is prefix'd his Lordſhip's Life, including the Hiſtory of his Times, and a Character of his Writings, by Mr. Addiſon. Pr. 5 s.
- VI. Letters, Poems, and Tales, Amorous, Satyrical and Gallant, which paſs'd between Dr. Swift, Mrs. Long, the Lady Mary Chambers, Lady Betty Cromwell, Sir William Wyvil. Col. Codrington, and other Perſons of Diſtinction. Pr. 2 s.
- VII. Mr. Dennis' Remarks upon Mr. Pope's Tranſlation of Homer. Pr. 1 s. 6 d.
- VIII. The Confederates. A Farce. By Mr. Joſeph Gay, Pr. 1 s.
- IX. The Hoop-Petticoat: An Heroi-Comical Poem. By Mr. Joſeph Gay. Pr. 1 s.
- X. The Art of Dreſs. An Heroi-Comical Poem. Pr. 1 s.
- XI. The Rape of the Smock. An Heroi-Comical Poem. Pr. 1 s.
- XII. Mr. Pomfret's Poems, Pr. 2 s.
- XIII. Mr. Young's Poem on the Laſt Day. The Third Edi⯑tion corrected throughout, and very much improv'd. Adorn'd with three curious Cuts. 12o Pr. 1 s.
- XIV. The Hiſtory of the Lady Jane Gray. A Poem in two Books. By Mr. Young. Adorn'd with Cuts. 8o. Pr. 1 s.
- XV. Mac-Dermot: Or, The Iriſh-Fortune-Hunter. A Poem in Six Cantos. Pr. 1 s.
- XVI. Pope's Miſcellany, &c. in Two Parts, Compleat. Price 1 s.
- XVII. The Rape of the Bucket: An Heroi-Comical Poem. 8o. Pr. 1 s. 6 d.
- XVIII. A Second Collection of Poems. By Matthew Prior, Eſq 8o. Pr. 1 s.
- XIX. Mr. Philips's Poems. Pr. 1 s.
- XX. Mr. Reynardſon's Poems. Pr. 1 s.
- XXI. Mr. Sewell's Poems. Pr. 1 s. 6 d.
Notes
*
Old Fuller.
*
William Wainflet, Biſhop of Wincheſter. He was the Founder of Magdalen College, and the Hall adjoining.
- Zitationsvorschlag für dieses Objekt
- TextGrid Repository (2020). TEI. 3428 The resurrection A poem Written by Mr Addison. University of Oxford Text Archive. . https://hdl.handle.net/21.T11991/0000-001A-5865-0