tiens, lenteque fluentes increpat annos.
Ecce peregrinis fervent tua limina turbis;
Barbarus, en! clarum divino lumine templum
Ingreditur, cultuque tuo mansuescere gaudet.
Cinnameos cumulos, Nabathaei munera veris,
Ecce! cremant genibus tritae regalibus arae.
Solis Ophyraeis crudum tibi montibus aurum
Maturant radii; tibi balsama sudat Idume.
Aetheris en! portas sacro fulgore micantes
Coelicolae pandunt, torrentis aurea lucis
Flumina prorumpunt; non posthac sole rubescet
India nascenti, placidaeve argentea noctis
Luna vices revehet; radios pater ipse diei
Proferet archetypos; coelestis gaudia lucis
Ipso fonte bibes, quae circumfusa beatam
Regiam inundabit, nullis cessura tenebris.
Littora deficiens arentia deseret aequor;
Sidera fumabunt, diro labefaeta tremore
Saxa cadent, solidique liquescent robora montis:
Tu secura tamen confusa elementa videbis,
Laetaque Messia semper dominabere rege,
Pollicitis firmata Dei, stabilita ruinis.

[a] This translation has been severely criticised by Dr. Warton, in his
edition of Pope, vol. i. p. 105, 8vo. 1797. It certainly contains
some expressions that are not classical. Let it be remembered,
however, that it was a college exercise, performed with great
rapidity, and was, at first, praised, beyond all suspicion of
defect--This translation was first published in a Miscellany of
Poems by several hands. Published by J. Husbands, A.M. fellow of
Pembroke college, Oxon. 8vo. Oxford, 1731. Of Johnson's production,
Mr. Husbands says, in his preface, "The translation of Mr. Pope's
Messiah was delivered to his tutor as a college exercise, by Mr.
Johnson, a commoner of Pembroke college in Oxford, and 'tis hoped
will be no discredit to the excellent original." Mr. Husbands died
in the following year.

[Jan. 20, 21, 1773.]
Vitae qui varias vices
Rerum perpetuus temperat arbiter,
Laeto cedere lumini
Noctis tristitiam qui gelidae jubet,
Acri sanguine turgidos,
Obductosque oculos nubibus humidis
Sanari voluit meos;
Et me, cuncta beaus cui nocuit dies,
Luci reddidit et mihi.
Qua te laude, Deus, qua prece prosequar?
Sacri discipulis libri
Te semper studiis utilibus colam:
Grates, summe pater, tuis
Recte qui fruitur muneribus, dedit.

[Dec. 25, 1779.]
Nunc dies Christo memoranda nato
Fulsit, in pectus mihi fonte purum
Gaudium sacro fluat, et benigni
Gratia coeli!

Christe, da tutam trepido quietem,
Christe, s