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A PARAPHRASE ON THE 13TH CHAPTER OF ISAIAH, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: High on the loftiest mountain-tops, unfurl
Last Line: And harp, where eccho'd once thy feastful halls.
Subject(s): Advice; Bible; Desolation; God; Vengeance; War


HIGH on the loftiest Mountain-tops, unfurl
The Standard of Omnipotence, emblaz'd
With Pictures of Destruction: Loudly call
To Arms the starting Nations: Rouze, O Earth,
To fight my Battles, to destroy the Pride,
To crush the Head of barbarous Babylon.
Ye chosen Armies come! ye Instruments
Of Vengeance from remotest Regions hast!
Hark! how the Mountains eccho with the Sounds
Of trampling Hosts, of loudly-neighing Steeds,
Of bounding Chariot-wheels, that pour amain
Down the steep Valley, like the deaf'ning Roar
Of rushing Torrents, or the threat'ning Voice
Of mighty Thund'rings, heard from Heav'n remote.
Howl, thou devoted City, for the Lord
Sends his destroying Angels forth——a God
Becomes thy Foe, thy deep Distress shall be
Unequal'd and supreme! thy Warriors' Hearts
Shall melt within their Breasts, their feeble Hands
Shall quivering drop the useless Spear and Shield.
Astonishment, and Anguish, Sorrow, Fear,
Shall chain their Faculties and Souls, as Pains
Soul-piercing Pains the pregnant Mother seize.
The dread Jehovah comes——before him march
Anger and Vengeance: The polluted Land
Shall desolated mourn, and far away
His red Right Hand shall shrieking Sinners sweep.
Then shall the Stars of Heav'n, the glittering Gems
Of awful Night's dark Robe, the pale-ey'd Moon,
The weary Pilgrim's Friend, and the great Sun,
Who from the crystal Portals of the East
Walks forth with tenfold Brightness cloth'd, and pours
Intolerable Day, all darken'd droop.
Earth from her Orbit shall astonisht leap,
Heav'n rock and tremble to the Throne of God.
As the chas'd Doe to pathless Thickets runs,
Trembling at every Breeze, and thinks she hears
The shouting Hunter, so shall Babel fly,
As a stray Lamb on desert Mountains lost.
Th' avenging Medes unmov'd shall hear the Cries
Of ravisht Wives and Virgins, from the Breasts
Of shrieking Mothers snatch the sucking Babe,
Smiling in its Destroyer's Face, and dash
Against the pointed Flints its mangled Bones.
The Queen of Kingdoms, the Chaldeans Pride,
The Glory of the Earth, great Babel falls,
Like burning Sodom in Destruction wrapt.
From Age to Age shall Desolation reign,
And Solitude thro' thy deserted Streets.
Then shall no wand'ring Arab pitch his Tent
Fresh Pasture searching, nor the Shepherd drive
His Flock at Eve beneath thy Ruins hoar
To shelter; in thy widow'd Palaces
Magnific mould'ring Domes, the Desert's Sons
Wild Beasts shall lodge; the spotted Panther breed
In thy King's Chambers, here the Ostrich cry,
And the young Leopard sport, with Song and Dance
And Harp, where eccho'd once thy feastful Halls.





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