r.
Contend, ye powers of heaven and earth,
To fit a bed for this huge birth.
CHORUS.--Contend, ye powers, etc.

_Thyrsis._

Proud world (said I), cease your contest,
And let the mighty Babe alone;
The Phoenix builds the Phoenix nest,
Love's architecture is all one.
The Babe whose birth embraves this morn
Made his own bed ere he was born.
CHORUS.--The Babe whose birth, etc.

_Tityrus._

I saw the curl'd drops, soft and slow,
Come hovering o'er the place's head,
Offering their whitest sheets of snow
To furnish the fair Infant's bed:
Forbear (said I), be not too bold;
Your fleece is white, but 'tis too cold.
CHORUS.--Forbear (said I), etc.

_Thyrsis._

I saw the obsequious seraphins
Their rosy fleece of fire bestow;
For well they now can spare their wings,
Since heaven itself lies here below:
Well done (said I), but are you sure
Your down so warm will pass for pure.
CHORUS.--Well done (said I), etc.

_Tityrus._

No, no, your king's not yet to seek
Where to repose his royal head;
See, see, how soon his new-bloom'd cheek
Twixt's mother's breasts is gone to bed:
Sweet choice (said I), no way but so,
Not to lie cold, yet sleep in snow.
CHORUS.--Sweet choice (said I), etc.

_Both._

We saw thee in thy balmy nest,
Bright dawn of our eternal day!
We saw thine eyes break from their East
And chase the trembling shades away;
We saw thee, and we blest the sight,
We saw thee by thine own sweet light.
CHORUS.--We saw thee, etc.

_Full Chorus._

Welcome, all wonder in one sight,
Eternity shut in a span,
Summer in winter, day in night,
Heaven in earth and God in man!
Great little One! whose all-embracing birth
Lifts earth to heaven, stoops heaven to earth.

Welcome, though not to gold nor silk,
To more than Caesar's birthright is,
Two Sister Seas of Virgin milk
With many a rarely-tempered kiss,
That breathes at once both Maid and Mother,
Warms in the one and cools in the other.

She sings thy tears asleep, and dips
Her kisses in thy weeping eye;
She spreads the red leaves of thy lips
That in their buds yet blushing lie:
She 'gainst those mother-diamonds tries
The points of her young eagle's eyes.

Welcome, though not to those gay flies
Gilded i' the beams of earthly kings,
Sl