Complete Poetry and Essential Prose of John Milton

English Poems "He had auburn hair. His complexion exceeding fairhe was so fair that they called him the Lady of Christ's College" (see Aubrey, p. xxvii). psalm 114 The 1645 Poems informed its readers that "this and the following Psalm were done by the author at fifteen years old." They could well have been school exercises, as is usually assumed, but Milton's father's combination of faith and musical skill expressed itself in a keen appreciation for the Psalter. Milton Sr. in fact contributed six settings to Thomas Ravenscroft's The Whole Book of Psalms (1621). These translations are his son's earliest surviving English compositions. sG4 When the blest seed of Terah's faithful son, After long toil their liberty had won, And passed from Pharian fields to Canaan land, Led by the strength of the Almighty's hand, 5Jehovah's wonders were in Israel shown, His praise and glory was in Israel known. That saw the troubled sea, and shivering fled, And sought to hide his froth-becurled head Low in the earth; Jordan's clear streams recoil, 10As a faint host that hath received the foil. The high, huge-bellied mountains skip like rams Amongst their ewes, the little hills like lambs. Why fled the ocean? And why skipped the mountains? Why turned Jordan toward his crystal fountains? 15Shake earth, and at the presence be aghast Of him that ever was, and ay shall last, That glassy floods from rugged rocks can crush, And make soft rills from fiery flint-stones gush. 1. faithful son: Abraham. 3. Pharian: Egyptian. 10. foil: defeat. psalm 136 Let us with a gladsome mind Praise the Lord, for he is kind, For his mercies ay endure, Ever faithful, ever sure. 5Let us blaze his name abroad, For of gods he is the God; For, &c. O let us his praises tell, 10Who doth the wrathful tyrants quell. For, &c. Who with his miracles doth make Amazed heav'n and earth to shake. 15For, &c. Who by his wisdom did create The painted heav'ns so full of state. For, &c. 20 Who did the solid earth ordain To rise above the wat'ry plain. For, &c. 25Who by his all-commanding might, Did fill the new-made world with light. For, &c. And caused the golden-tressed sun, 30All the day long his course to run. For, &c. The horned moon to shine by night, Amongst her spangled sisters bright. 35For, &c. 10. Who: 1673. 1645 has that here and in lines 13, 17, 21, and 25. In each case we follow 1673. He with his thunder-clasping hand, Smote the first-born of Egypt land. For, &c. 40 And in despite of Pharaoh fell, He brought from thence his Israel. For, &c. 45The ruddy waves he cleft in twain, Of the Erythraean main. For, &c. The floods stood still like walls of glass, 50While the Hebrew bands did pass. For, &c. But full soon they did devour The tawny king with all his power. 55For, &c. His chosen people he did bless In the wasteful wilderness. For, &c. 60 In bloody battle he brought down Kings of prowess and renown. For, &c. 65He foiled bold Seon and his host, That ruled the Amorean coast. For, &c. And large-limbed Og he did subdue, 70WithKerrigan, William is the author of 'Complete Poetry and Essential Prose of John Milton ', published 2007 under ISBN 9780679642534 and ISBN 0679642536.