The sun beheld it—No, the shocking scene
Drove back his chariot: midnight veiled his face;
Not such as this; not such as nature makes;
A midnight nature shuddered to behold;
A midnight new! a dread eclipse (without
Opposing spheres.) from her Creator’s frown!
Sun! didst thou fly thy Maker’s pain? or start
At that enormous load of human guilt,
Which bowed his blessed head; o’erwhelmed his cross;
Made groan the centre; burst earth’s marble womb