Page:The Poems of William Blake (Shepherd, 1887).djvu/104

"Israel's God I am, a Nazarite even from my
"mother's womb. Twice was it told, that it might
"not be broken: Grant me a son, kind Heaven,
"Manoa cried; but Heaven refused! Childless
"he mourned, but thought his God knew best.
"In solitude, though not obscure, in Israel he
"lived, till venerable age came on: his flocks
"increased, and plenty crowned his board: beloved,
"revered of man! But God hath other
"joys in store. Is burdened Israel his grief?
"The son of his old age shall set it free! The
"venerable sweetener of his life receives the promise
"first from Heaven. She saw the maidens
"play, and blessed their innocent mirth; she
"blessed each new-joined pair; but from her the
"long-wished deliverer shall spring. Pensive, alone
"she sat within the house, when busy day was
"fading, and calm evening, time for contemplation,
"rose from the forsaken east, and drew the curtains
"of heaven: pensive she sat, and thought on Israel's
"grief, and silent prayed to Israel's God; when
"lo! an angel from the fields of light entered the
"house! His form was manhood in the prime,
"and from his spacious brow shot terrors through
"the evening shade! But mild he hailed her—
"Hail, highly favoured! said he; for lo! thou
"shalt conceive, and bear a son, and Israel's
"strength shall be upon his shoulders, and he
"shall be called Israel's Deliverer. Now, therefore,