THE NATIVITY

by: Christopher Harvey (1597-1663)

NFOLD thy face, unmaske thy ray,

Shine forth, bright Sunne, double the day.

Let no malignant misty fume,

Nor foggy vapour, once presume

To interpose thy perfect sight

This day, which makes us love thy light

For ever better, that we could

That blessèd object once behold,

Which is both the circumference,

And center of all excellence:

Or rather neither, but a treasure

Unconfinèd without measure,

Whose center and circumference,

Including all preheminence,

Excluding nothing but defect,

And infinite in each respect,

Is equally both here and there,

And now and then and every where,

And alwaies, one, himselfe, the same,

A beeing farre above a name.

Draw neer then, and freely poure

Forth all thy light into that houre,

Which was crownèd with his birth,

And made heaven envy earth.

Let not his birth-day clouded be,

By whom thou shinest, and we see.

• Christopher Harvey: Bibliography - A partial bibliography of the works of Christopher Harvey.
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