Page:The University Hymn Book.djvu/135

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��John Milton (160S-1G74).

RING out, ye crystal spheres, Once bless our human ears, (If ye have power to touch our senses so,) And let your silver chime Move in melodious time ;

And let the base of heaven's deep organ blow : And with your ninefold harmony Make up full consort to the angelic symphony.

For if such holy song Enwrap our fancy long,

Time will run back, and fetch the age of gold ; And speckled vanity Will sicken soon and die,

And leprous sin will melt from earthly mould ; And hell itself will pass away. And leave her dolorous mansions to the peering day.

Yea, truth and justice then Will down return to men.

Orbed in a rainbow ; and, like glories wearing, Mercy will sit between. Throned in celestial sheen.

With radiant feet the tissued clouds down steering ; And heaven, as at some festival. Will open wide the gates of her high palace hall.

��Note. — In the last verse, third and fourth Inies, the rhythm must he altered thiis ; —

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and, like glo - rics woar-ing, Mer-cy will sit be-twccn, Throned in le - les-tial sheen,

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