Sacred Dramas by Hannah More

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SACRED ·DRANIAS:Chl.ay (,'tended

3 ? m : mOUl l l J per!l 'nn.i f.

TAE SUBJllCTS TAKEN FROM THE BIBL'E.To whith is added,

SENSIBILITY:AN E;PIS1'LE.

BY HANNAH :i\fORE.

All the Bool<. of ti,e Bible are "'tit.. mcse ndm lrable . .. ..dt)::uh.ed Pieces of ~~tTJ' I cr are the best m;atC"d~ls io the

Wadd fur it. Corley.

LONDON;

FRtNTED MOR T. CADELL, IN THE st·rt.!,;;'\D.



ADVERTISEMENT.

IAr,l as ready as the most rigid critic to

confess, that uothing can he more simple-

and inartificial tban the plans of the fol-

lowing Dramas. In the construction of

them Ihave seldom ventured to introduce

any persons " of my own creation: still less

did I imagine myself at liberty to invent

circuws.tances.' I reflected willi awe. that

the place wherenn I stood was Itoly ground.

All the latitude I permitted myself was, to

make such persons as I selected act undersuch circumstances as I found, and exprese'-

such sentiments as, in my homble judg-

ment, appeared not unnatural to their-

• Ne"er, indeed, except io DAl',EL, and that of'

necessity; as the Bible furnishes no more than two-

l'"rrons, Daniel and Darius; and these were not suf--

fieient to carty on the business of the piece. '



ADVERTISEIIIEN"T.

I·

The amiable poet* from whom I have

taken my motto, after shewing the supe·

riority of the sacred over the profane his-

tories, some iustaaess of which I havenoticed in m y introduction, concludes with

the following remark, which I may apply

to myself with far more propriety than it

was used b y _ the author :-". I am far from

-" assuming to myself to have fulfilled the

" duty of this weighty undertaking; and I" shall be ambitious of no other fruit from

" this weak and imperfect attempt of miue,

" bot the openiog of a way to the courage

" and industry of some other persons, who

"may be better able to perform it tho-

.. roughly and successfully."

,.

I;'

,r

CONTENTS.

INT'BO,n'LlCTlON' •••. ~ ~,.0, '. I ~•• + .

:-. 'f os &S • •• •• •• '. •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••

DAVID ~C~D GOLIATH ••••.••••••••••••••••.

Bl.l.S:Uj'l.7.._~n. ~ •••• ~ •• ~ ~ ~. ~ .~ .• ~4 ~.

D.A~j£l..~ ••••••.••• _ ~ ~~ .'., . 1 " . ~ & .Rt.f L.:£:CTUl~ ~ 0., K l;:;C lh:z.££ I Aa J I ~ tus tSlCJ>N~S ••••.•••••••••••.• '•••••••••• S

S"E1>'SIB'LrfY: AN &.STU! TO "fOE HO"Qu. j

....UL~ M,lS. BOSC'-\-Wll~ S

P ,uge

II17

49

97

J39

177

165



; ,I,,.

12 INTnODUCTIO~.

Which to pure fancy's yElllDtasted springs8ncballted lead. Of these I little lm()w!

Yet, all unknowing, dare THY aid in'l'oke"

SprR.'T ~p T!1JTH! Lo b less Ihese w orth less lays:

Nor unp'oUJ IS the hope; for theu hast said,That none who ask in faith shenld ask invaiD.

Yon I invou not now, y" fabled llillle!

I no t invoke you, thongb you well we-re sought

In Greece and Latium, sought by deathless bards,

'V b.ose syren son g enchants; an d shall enehan t, .

'T hro ug h T "n ne 's w id e- circ lin g ro un d, though raise theirfaith,

A nd less than human were the gods they OilUlg .

Thou_gh false their faith, they taught the best theymew·

.A.o.d(blush, 0 ' Christianal) liv 'd above their faith.

They woul~ have bless'd the beam, and bail'd tlle

day

"Which ehas'd the m om l darkness from their souls,

Oh! ha d their minds reeeiv'd the clearer ray

Of Revelation, they had learn'd to SCorn

TI.eir rites impure , their less than huma.o.gods,

T he ir ...rild m y th olog y'S fan tastic m a ze .Pure Plato! how ha d thy c ha st e s pi r. !1 hail'd

A faith so fitted to th y mural sense!

' '!hat hadst thou f e . l t, to see the fair romance

O f h ig h imagination, the b rig ht d re amOf thy purii fancy, more than realiz'd I

Sublime enthusiast! thou hadst bless'd a seheme

Fair, good, and perfect. How had tby _apt & O U !CaIlght me, an d burnt.,rith a diviner llame!'

For e 'eD thy f ai r· id e a lU l 'e r· rnm:e iv 'dSuch p l~itude of b liss, such boundless love,

13~'·RODUCT10:l.

_ u Ueity ntwle risible to sense.

Unhappy BRUTOS! phi1osopbic mind!

Great midst the enol'!! of the StOlC school;

How had tb,y kindling. spirit joy'd to find

TbaJ: th y lov'd virtue was 1 1 ( , ) empty name:Nor hadst thOu met the vision at Philippi;

Nor hallst thou sheath'd thy blondy d""ager's point

0. in the breast of emsar or thy oWII.

The P",,"lI.1I page how far m ore w ise than O UI"S!

They with th e ,gods · t 1 l . e y wOlShipp·d .gra.c'd their

song;Our song we grace .with gods we disbelieve I

Retain the maDners. but reject the creed.

Shall fictioll- only raise poetic flame,And shall DOaltars blaze, 0 TBUTI'J, to thee 1

Shall falsehood only please, and fable charm 1

And shan etemal Truth. neglceted lie 1

Because iml lUlrtai , slighted or profan' d 1

Truth has our revm:nce only. not our love;

Our praise. but IlQt our heart ,. II deity,

Confess'd, but shunn'd; aclrnowledg'd, not ador'd ;

Ala rm'd . we dread her penetrating beams ;

She eemes too near us, and too brigbtly shines,Why shun tomde our duty our deligbt 1

Let p l l ! a . ! 1 . r e be the motive, disallowAll w . , o i I ijlcentives drawn from God's commaml :

Where shall we trace, through all the page profane,

A livelier pleasure:md a puret source

Of innocent delight, than the fair book

O f holy l):uth presents ~ fOT ardenl Jout1,

'fhe sprigbtly narrative 1 fot years mature,

'The mon.! document, in sober robeOf grave {!_hi1oso~by.array'd; which aU



16 JNTnO'IHJCTI0S~

O f sov'reign power, to raise-the drooping Muse

To all th e health of Mlle! to infuse

A generous w:mnth , to rouse an holy zeal,

And give her high conceptions IIfberself,

Her dignity, her worth, her aim, her end!For me, Eternal Spirit, let thy word

My path illume! 0 thou compassionate God!

Thou know' st our frame, thou know'st we are but

dust ;

From dust a Seraph's zeal thou wilt Dot seek,

Nor wil t thou ask an AlIgel's purity.

But hear, and hearing, pardon; as I strive,

Though ,vilh a f~ble voice and Jlagging wing.

A glowing heart, .but I 'Q . . 'rle;.s hand, to point'The faith of favour'd mall to Heav'n; 10 s ing

The ways inscrutable of Heav'n to man;

1\:by I, by thy celestial guidance led,

1"ixdeep in my own heart the truths I teaeh !

In my own-life transcribe what e'er of good

To others I proposal and by thy rule

Correct th'irregn1ar,* reform the wrong,

Rxalt the low. and brighten ilie obscure!

Still m ay I note, bow all th' a.,~ partsO f this COII l>UmII la t esp.tero join to f rame

One fair, one fulish'd, one harmonious whole! -

Trace the close l inks w hieh form the perfect chain

In beautiful ccnnericu ; mark the scale

W hose nice gradations, w ith p ro gre ssio n tru e,

For ever riRing, end in D lO IT Y!

• ----~-~-. ~\Vbat iD . me j: i darkJ

I l lumine ! ,,-bat ;, 5 Jew , l'3isf" a l ,K) SU'?pOrt~Paradis.: Log.

MOSES

IN

THE BULRUSHES.

£{ ~acrfb ~ram a .

L e < t m e ass e -I t e lU Dal P m'll ideR CIII' ~

AI>ojustif, th~ _ J' of Goo to lr"".Pa.ru:dfSe Lod..



f 'I·

I'I'

.' .~~!

PERSONS OF THE DHAi)iA,

.J ocu E ali;e, l lMi he r < f ll f (I3eI,

Min!",.), hi . S i.< ler, " PJYlphe t~! I ; ,

: :E G Y ,II'!!~,,-}r.iS~

TIe Pnrsesss, King PllaraoJ,'s Daughter.

lIbl.lT..; , , , u t nih "P' A.tunda:l,t~.

SCEN.&--O" th Banks '!f 0e Nile.

TI," Sulliecl io t. o kell lTV", th e & e m . < l CJWj1l6 ,!!.I h~

Boo.",!! .&0<1",. . .

MOSES IN THE BULRUSHES.

PART I.

JOCDEE]!;:D,.

WBY was my pray'r acceptedl lihy did Renv'lIIII anger hear me, ",hell I ask'd a son 1

Ye dames of Egypl! ye lriumpbant mothers!

YOI)no imperial ty"mt m arks for ruin!

You are DDt doom'd 10 sec Ute babes you bore,

The babes yon fondlynwture, bleed before von'. YOil taste tim transperts of a moth er' s love,' '

W itltollt a rnolher'sangul.h 1 w re tc he d I.ram!

Can I forbear to moarn the ,1ilferCII t 101

Of thy sad daugh ters '-Why did God's own bJJld

Rescue his chosen raee by Joseph's eare lJoseph l th' elected instrument of Heav'n

Decreed to save iJJuslrions Abrall;I.m'~ so~

~Vhat time the famin" rag'd in CaflRall. 'Sland.

Israel, who tlten W(IS spnred, must perish onw'

Thou great mysterio"" Pew'r who bast involv'd

!hy ...~ deerees in rl~rkn=, to perplexTh e pride or human wisdom, 10 ooofnu nd

The daring scrutiny, and prove the r"ith

" 2



24 "OSI'.S II' TilE BUl,RUiHlES:

And, at his biddrng, winds and seas are calm.

In him, not in an arm of 1 l~5h I trust:

In him, whose promise never yet has 'fail'd,

I p lace my confidence.

rulnl~\i'!I.

What mIlS! I do 1

Command thy daughter; for thy words have wal'd

An holy boldness in my youtbful breast,

')OCJn;;DED~

Go theil, my l\ftnIAlII, go, and take the infant.

Buried in harmless slumbers there he lies:

Let me not see him-spare my heart that pan'"Yet sure, one little look may be indulg'd, "

And 1 OL1Yfeast my fondness with his smiles,And snatch cae last, last kiss.-No more, my heart ;

Thl r n . p r u t < ! would be fatal-I should keep him.

I could not doom to death the babe I clasp'd:-

Did ever moille.r kil l her sleeping O O y 1

I dare not hazard it-The task be Ihine .

Ob! do nol wale lO y child j remove him softly·

And gellt ly lay him on the river's brink . '

MIRI~"J,J.

, Did t ll os e m :wc iam , whom the SOI lSof EgyptConsult a~d dunk all-potent, join their skill;

Am ! was Lt. great as I% Y PI'S son s b nlieve ;

Yet all their secret wizard arts combin'd

To save this little ark of bulrushes '

Thus fearfully CJ.~, could not 'effect it:

Their spells, their ineaatations, and dire charmsCould not preserve it.

25

JOCUEBED.

Know this ark is charm'd

With iurautalions Pharaob ae'er employ'd;

\"i'itb s pe ll s w h ic h impious Egypt never knew:

'With invocations III th e living God,I twisted every slender reed together,

And with a. pray'r did e,,'ry o zie r w e av e.

.unUM.

Igo .

~.-

JOCUEll£Il.

Yet ere thou go'st, observe me well;

Wilen thou hast laid him in h is ,vat'ry bed,

Oh Ieave him Dot; but at a distance 'wait,

And mark what Heaven's biga will determines forh im .

Lay him am ong the H a"O 'S n yonder beach,Jusl ",here the royal gardens meet the Nile.

I dare not rollo,," him. Suspicion's eye

Would note my wild derocaneur !MinI""., yes.The mower'S roodnes;; would betray the clnld.

F~wen I God or my fathers, oil protect. him!



29

.l.IEL!l'.&~

: <k ll ll Btb n g , b ut w Im I I know not.

Go,PH IN ,C 1 : :5 ·S.

and examine what tbis sight ,""••~y mean ,

[&;/ MlliJ.

.4 S~\..CPED DnAMd. .

In~ a n , , < T U : i s h o'er Yllur slaughter'a sons ;

Powerless 1 .0 save, yet hating to destroy.

j,

lUELtT_~

Should th is be so, my Princess k IIQWS the dn ager •

PIlUIC£!;S.

N o danger shoU ld &tu from aets of m e",)".

IIiI ll! ' \!Ol beh ind .

A thousand blessings on her princely head!

ilhRUlI f ieh'm/,.

o blest, beyond Ill'" 1 , o p " ' " he is d' _~Al b - ~ - c ~ 'scover",,'y rother will hesav'd! who' , thi " '.

Ah!_ 'lis !he Prince', ,IS ,~"!:mnger ~If_L , -S$, cruel Pharaoh ~ dan< >!.lersne resemble heI" inhuman si~e ".

She m ust ~e cruel 100; ye t fame"reports he r

l'I-Io.stm e r C l f u 2 1 and mud.~Great Lord of all

By wllose good spirit iltluntoons thouO 'hto< '. _A nd de< :d,s "floY'1! perfOltD'u I-._ 0- are iJ Il'e n,\_nd cl -...: gIaC10US n ow- 'lou 'her soul with merey , '

RO-'lI ler J\illLIl".t.

P8INCI:SS:.

liast thou disool'er'd wbat the v~~Jl M"lita!

><£1IT.'.

Oh; PrinCllSS I bave se th

"'.I'I " " en e strangest si"iJt IIt ~Iflt;le vessel lies a glM pin" babe ",..A fa'rer m fa nt 1 0 av e I never see';,! '

PRINCES.S.~

W ho knows hut som e unbapp)' Heb'H as til ' . ' rew wom an, ,Wi e.'pes'd her infant, tccvadsThe stern deeree of mj' 100 eru el '.;_Un!. I I . ' =~.

".ppy m ot em ! oft m y heart h as b le d

i·,

f'luNaSiS.

• 1'00 mucb the .SOIlS of Jacob have endur'd

FlUIIl rop] Ph;u-aoh's unrelenting bal>!;

Too IIIlICb OU l " house has cmsh'd their alien race,

Is't not enough that eru ..1tas~-mastersGrind them by hard op p ression 1 no t enongh

That iron b< in dag e b ow s their spirits duwu '1

Is't oot enough my she his greatness owes,

Those structures wbichtbe world with. wonder views,

}{IS palaces, his ran~magnificell t, -

To m uch insulted Israel 's patient ra ee 1

To them hi s growing cities owe tIlci.r splendour ;

Their I . C I i h : fair Ram<:SeS and Pythcm built;

And shall we fiU the measure (I f our crimes,,And crown our guilt-with murder land shall 1

Sanction, the S in I bate ~-forbid it, mercy!

)lELT'!_"'.

Ikn,ow th y r oyal . f at he r f=:1'e !;tro:ogt,~

,Of thlsslill growing raee, who Houri sb . mo t -e

T :b c U lQ re tbey ar e opprffit'd; h e dreads their num-

hers.



A SACRED DRAM".

Ant1 smi1'.t on what thou eausest ; thus I bless thee 1

That UloD dillst deign consult the tender make

'i or yielding human hearts, when thou ordain'dstHumanity it virtue !---didst not make it

y . A rigorous exercise to conn teract

,~' Some strong desire within; to War and fight\; Agaimt the powers of Nature' but didst bendGeu',ot1.'; Prin- f ' . . The natural bias of the soul to mercy'

, Then mad's! that DlP-"'!Y duty! (Jrac;oos POW',.!

t . : . ]lInd·it the keen rnpture exquisite as right;

t Beyond the J O Y " of sense ; 3 3 pleasure "weet,

~::.,.,Asreason vigorous, and ~ instinct strong!

PR.l"N(.!'r::"i:'6~

1 haveredeem'd an infant from the waves,

Whom I intend to nurture as JJ: l lUC own,

MIRrAJ.1~

III y transport will betray me! [«side]cess ~

l'nTNC£S:S~

Know'st thou a matron of th e Hebrew raceTo whom I m ay confide him 1

3,(IRI..J,"'I.

Well I knowA prudent matron of the house of Levi;

Her name is Jochebed, the wife of Amram ;

Of gentle manners, fam'd tb.l 'Oughouther tribeFor soft humanity; full well lImo,,"

That she will rear him wi1h a mother's love,

[1Wlle.] Oh! truly spoke! a mother's love indeed!To her despairing arms I mean to give

This precious trust! the nurse shall he the mother!

JoKINC);"S.

WiiJ, speed conduet this matron to the pain c e oYes, I will raise him lip to princel y greatness,

iL 'ld b e sh all he m y SOli; l'U have him train ' d

By c ho ic est sa ge s, in the deepest lore

Of Egypt's sapient sons; his name be l l : L u e J ,

Fer I have drawn him from the perilous flood.

[T!.eg go out. &7,ekneels:Thou, Great Unseen! who c.usest gentla deeds,

1 : : '

J :,~;:t:'t1

~~ r ; : . ·

~-.~: '.vE almost reach'd the place-s-with cautious stepsv, .1 must approach the.spot where he is laid,

~ Lest from t1!eroyal gardens any 'spy me.

}, ~Poor babe l ere this the pressing calls of hunger

,~.' Have broke th y short repose; U le chilling waves,

:~:Ere this, have dreneh'd thy littl~ shivering limbs.

'6 :"'hat must my babe have suffer d-no one sees m e,

f But $Oft , does no Onel isten 1-Ah, how bard,

. flowvcry hard for fondness to be prudent!

Now i s the momen t to embrace and feed him.

: £ , . [ S I l O I I J I J / , s , , , , t o." Whiml's Miriam ~ she has left her little charge

PAR1' III.

E"ter JOCI'IEllID.

e



31) 1I10SH nl TlIE :lJULIlV51tF.S;

In yon proud palace to di.<owJ).Ill.hand

Who thus has sav'd him: should be e'er embrace

(As sure he:will, if bred in Pharaoh's court)

The gross idolatries which Egypt owns,

H er g ra .v en im a g es , her b ru t is h g od s ;

Then shalf I wish he had not been preserv'dTo shame his rathers and deny his r:rith.

:anRIAM..

Then to dispel thy fears. and crown thy joy,

Hear farther wonders----Know ill" gen'rous Princess

To thine OW1 I eare thy darling child commits.

JOCnEB"EJ) ..

Speak, while m y joy wiJl give me leave to listen!

}l.IIRIAM ..

By her eommissiou'd, thou behold'st me here,

To seek a matron of the Hebrew race

To nurse him; thou, my mother, art that matron.

I said I knew thee well; that thou would'st rear him

E'en with" mother's fondness; she who bare him

(I told the Princess) would not love him more.

JOcn£B"ED ...

F ountain of mercy! whose pervading ey e

Can look within, and read what p"""es there,Aceept my thoughts f~r thanks ; I have no words.

.My soul o'erfraught with gratitude, rejeets

The lid of bnguage---Lord, behold my heart.

MIRIAM ..

Yes, thou shal t po l lX into his inf~t mind

The purest precepts of the purest faith.

37

JOCJlBB:£D.

Oh! I will fill his tender soul with virtue,

And warm his bosom with devotion's flame!

Aid me. celestial Spirit, with thy grace,

And be my labours with thy influence crown'd l

, 'Withont it they were vain. Then, tt."n, my Miriam,When he is fumish'd,'gainst the evil day, .

With God's whole armour," girt with sacred truth,

And as a breastplate wearing righteousness;

Arm'd wi~1 the Spirit of God, the shield of faith,And with the helmet of salvation crnwu'd ;

Tnur'd to watching, and dispos'd 10 pray'r ;

Then may I send him to a dangerous court,

.And safely trust him in a perilous world.

Too full of tempting snares and fond delusions !

:\JUU.\».

Auy bounteous Heav'n thy pious cares reward!

JOCUEBCJJ ..

01" Amram! Olr, my husbund l when thou com'st,

Wearied at night, to nest thee from the toils

Jmpos'd by haughty Pharanh what a . tale

Have- I to tell thee! Yes: thy darling SOli

Was lost, and is restored; was dead and IiYeS J

1!ItlnU.J~•

HD\v joyful shnll we spend the live-long night

I.. praises to Jchovn:b! who thus mocks

All human foresight., and converts the means

Of seeming ruin into great deliverance.

• g Thees.v. Ephes, vi.



40

Tile wisdom and the arts ,.I,jell Egypt boasts,

But not for Egypt's weal shall he employ

The science ShB shall teuch hi,,,. He shall stantl

Before Jeh ovah's face, sh ,,-I1 h ear his voice-

Familiar, as mao with man holds converse,

Receive his b;gb behests=shall lead, mankind

All that they OW" to God and to each other.

Knowledge and skill unrivall 'd shall he his;

Honours the most remote in him shall meet;

Rnl,er and judge, prophet and lawgiver,D elwcrer and gu.id e.

JO(;,][Ellt.!>.

W1I;,-t says my daughtertC ! what am I, and what my farber's home.'Ihat 1 should be so hlcss'd !

MrRt~\:i'I.r.

Yes, he shall leadThe chosen people to the promis'd land,

But shall not enter it. l\fysterious fate!-

God shall avenge thro' him the ",mngs of Israel.

On Egypt be shan bring such varied woes

As fancy scarce can image: pla!, 'Ueon plague.Each new infliction heavier than the last,

All loathsome, nll obhorr'd detested thinesFollow'd by all that are m~st terrible , ",

Darkness and pestilence-her first-born slain

Witb bl()od uf her OWn SODS her houses det.''':,j

Blood-stain'd her streets, her rivers chaug,tto' blood.

JQcnEBE-O~

All me! what horrors, tho' on foes they fall!

.A . S.H.:'RRD DUA3IA.

But shall not Israel share in Egypt's woes?

Itmust-s-the plague selecss not its gad objects,

Stops not to ask. if its next hapless victim

De heathen Of b~ieyer.- Darkness too

I~ dark io all. Til' impartial hand 0r death

Inquires not if the breast it means to pierce:Be friend or enemy.

j

~.Hush'd he th v fears,

K now , the destroying angel sh a 11 h a v c ~, 'luge

To spare God's favour'd people; to them ulso

The darkness shall be light, the njghl be day.

Then shall the harden'd monarch be dismay'd,

Shan vacillate, consent, forbid, ·resolve:

Tby SOD, the heav'n-taught guide, shall lead themforth,

And perjur'd Pharaoh be ccnstrain'd to loose

The galling chain of slavery,

aocuzuz».

Blest eve.nt!

My couutry will be free, and my lov'd son

Jehovah's delegate! But whywill God,

Supreme in mercy, harden t~e stern bear!

O f (he proud king I .

blOnIA!\{.

God hardens no man's heart.

'Tis not nrs work; he does DO more than leave it

To its own cal lo us nature; if h is {,fl1lCe

. Be once withdrawn, the an rei grows harder still.

A SACRf:D DHA3.U .•

41

43



l ' oJ [R {,\,:\1,

AID,'d , , - I ",11 points ,~e Egypt'~ ~1)lJSadvence l

They reach the open passage.

AIl Is lost.

lllnr.A)[~

But what suspends their progress? Something stay"

th em . ;

SID ... , and more slow, their lagging motion seems.

Their charim-wheels drive heavily along.

They "top; they're moveless, Now, 0 e~t:lSy!

11'e rell'u",,,t waters haste to meet again !

They dose above tl,eir beads ~ Egypt, i1\,"1Ilph'd,

Is lest to s.ighl :-the rider an d III." 1 > 0 roeTogell""r sink-they sink-they rise uo more,

J OC frEDE n,

Can this be realiz'd 1

AlJRI-l.:U ..

It can, it will.

"Tis.great , hut great is JiI: whose will controls it.

liIethlnks I hear the shouts of victory,

I hear trimnp hanl i\'='''$' grareful song !

Thou art eu r strength, 0 Lord! the work is til inc,Thine is the power; and thine he .11 the praise;

Pharaoh is s~nk-Ilis chariots and his host

Plung'd in tI 'e d arb : abyss! .As lend they sank,

To save the son, of ruvour'd Jacob's race,

The flood, uo longer liquid, stood congeal'd,

"le CT) '3tn I . wall stood fino,. as Israel pass'd :

'j1Egypt came, the c ry st al wa ll <li=lv'd.didst stretch forth Thy hand, and Moses pass'd-

z

'i

A sacn sn DRAliA. 4S

' 1 ' 1 0 1 1 didst stretc h forth Thy hand, and Pharaoh

sank .!

Lord! wl.o among the g"'ls is like to 'Thee 1

Fearful in praises, wonderful in power,

Glm1(J1lS in holiness I thou great I A>1 !

,Vhat mi"ahty marvels l1,y right hand has .. roughl'Thy l.and pm-emillent! Thou art my God !

Ami all I have is thine , my father's Gad!Thy name J win exalt; 't is Thou hastconquer'd,

See Pharaoh's captains perish with his host l

'lhe 110= and rider moot one OO.mmD . I I fate.

The depths have eover'd them! they siDk together.

Vainly they boasted-e-" Though the staves eseape, •

Yet w e will follow them, o'ertake, and crush them."

.JOC'H,g1liED~

Hnw should a worm contend a,,"3iBst hi. God 1

lnBI,~\.lL.

Nol Phar.mh, nor his eaptains ; not the sea,

With a n the perils ofl.is roaring "W1l yes ;

Nor Pi-hahiroth's mountains capt with douds,

Can aught 0bstruct while God is on O u r side.•

o let the nations bear. tbe heathen tremble,

The penp le wa.i1, let Palestiee go weep!

Thou hast redeem'd thy chosen f rom the grasponard op pression. 1 11 00 1.shal t hr i ng th em uut ,

And linnly plant them ill thy holy place.

1111purchas'd p""ple shall inhabit there,

Tile mount of thine When tance !

,f

My daughter!

Thy spirit sinks beneath the Ill;ghty impulse,

.~ ~ " ' ~ _ T . _ ~ ~_ _ ••• . .



PERSONS OF THE DRAMA.

SAliL, King '!f Ismel,AnNEn, Iii. (;1m£IYi.1.

J".SI1.Er.I.'l:e~

ADIN.-\D~\ll,.

Dxvr»,

GDr.H'1'(I, the Philistine Giant.

Philisiine.';J I.}n~{flijes, & j " c . . lfc.

C110rus < 1 ' Hebrem lVolI/en.

t{

The Some li-es in the Camp ,in the rr ,u lcy ri f EIi,I" ar.d ;".:

the adjacen: PI";,, ,

The SuiJject is faken ft'lm< the ScuClacenti t C h a p t e > ' ~rth«Fir.)~ B o v k . { if S r . I 1 U 1 1 I 1 t . } : . ~

. ; : : "

DAVID AND GOLIATH.

PAIL']' I.

~:

SCENE-A'S"ep"~rd's Tent 01 < It Pia;" .K .; DAVIII, ,,,,dey a spriading ' t ree, play, 0 " hi. J.a~paJld

! ' s'''!,_

GREA'!' Lord of all tllings! Pow'r divine!Breathe 011 this elTillg heart of mine

Thy grace serene and p1lJ't!;D..fend my frail, my erring youth,

And teach me this important truth,

The humble are secure!

r

Teach me to bless my lowly lot

CO(J6n'd to this paternal cot,

Remote from regal sta te !

Content to court the cooling glade,

Lnhal. . the bree2e, enjoy the shade,And love my humble fate.

1 .No anxious vigils here I hep,

No dreams of gold distract my sleep,

. Nor lead my heartastray!Nor blasting Envy's tainted gale,

Pollutes the pleasures of the vale,

To vex my harmless day.

D



62 l)AVID f~~n GOLIATH:

5 33ACn.:&n !H1.A_)f.rl.

And gently leads iu his susiainino handThe Jeeble ones with yaung. D ,

OfoVID~

Kllow'st thou, my father,Aught from the field 1 for though £0 neat the camp.

Though war's proud ensigns stream on yonder plain,And all Philistia's swarming: hosts encnmp,

o J > p o s ' d to royal Sail1, beuea th whose banners

My brothers Ef t the SI'eaI",-1 have not left

IU)' Ileocy charge, b . r thee committed to me,

T" learn the various fortune of the war.

JE.SIl.

And wisely hast thou done. 'Thrice happy realm,Who shall submit one dayto his command,

W ho call so well obey! Obedienc-e leads

To certain honours. Not the: tow'ring wing

Of eagte-plnm'd ambition mounts SO surely

To fortune's highest summit, as obedience,

[ 1 1 d is ta lit o o ' l - 1 1 d 0/ t , ·umpet.~But why that sudden ardour, 0 my son?

That lrumpet's sound (though so remote its voice,

W e hardly catch the echo-as it dies)

H~ rous'd the m=Uing crimson in thy cheek,Kindled th e martial spirit in thine eve-

And my young shepherd feels an h';w;' lire!

D.AV1D ..

Thou hast not told the posture of the war;

And mu.ch my beating besom pants to hear.

lESS:';'

Uncertain i s - the fortune of the field.

o venerable Eli! but two sons,

But only two' to 1:,,,Jdhe dim remains

Of life'sdepn.rtiog ilay, Ruit bless thy "ge,

And both were curses tothee 1 Witness, Heav'n,

Inall the cru el-ee a talogue of p ainsHumanitv turns o'er, if there be one

So terrible to human tendemessAs an unnatural child!

DAVID.

Oil! my lov'd fath~r!

Long may'st thou live, in years and honours riel, ;

To taste and to communicate the joys,

The thousand fond endearing charities

Oftendern= domestie l Nature's best

And loveliest gift, will, which she well atones

'Ibe niggard boon of fortune.

JESs&.

Ohl myron 1

O f all the graces, 'W hich adorn thy. youth,

i; with a father'S fondness, must commend

Thy try'd humility •.. For though the seer

Poer'd on tb.y-ch.ooenhead .tbe sacred oilIn sign o r future greatnes,s, in sure pledgeOf highest dignity, yet here thou dwell'st

Content with toil, and careless of rep <> Se ;

And (harder still lo r an ingenuous mind)

Content to be obscure ; content to watch,

With careful eye, thine humble father's !lock!

Oe"-rthly emblem. of celestial thing>;! :

S~ Israel's shepherd watches o'er hisIold.,

The weak ones 'in his .fosterinll bcsem bear>:

..;:



56 I),'V!l:' ANn GOLlA TIl ;

Which crown a shepherd's life! Row ,,',)uld he cry,

Bless'd youth! far happier in lb y native worth,

Far richer in, the talent Reav'n has lent thee,

Than if a crown hung o'er thy anxious brow,

The jealous monarch mark'd our growing friendship; rAnd as m y favour grew ".jib l O O s e . about him.

His royal bounty lessen'd, till at length,

For Bethl'hem's safer shades I left the couet,

Nor would these alter'd features DOW be known,

Grown into manly strength; nor lhi. ehang'd form,

Enlarg'd with age, 'LOdclad in russet weed.

.JESSE.

r have employment Jor tliee, m y 10v'< 1 own!Will please thy active spirit, au, my boy!

Haste to the field of war, toyonder camp,

Where, in the vale of Elah, mighty Saul

Commands the hosts of Israel. Gr~t thv brothers!

O b serve th eir de eds, note their de m ean our w ell,

And mark if on their actions Wisdom waits,

Bear to themtoo ( fUI wen the waste of war

Will make it needful) sneh plain healthful viands

As furnish oul our ftllgal shepherd's meal.And to til" valiant captain of theif host

Present such rural gifts as suit our fortune :

.Heap'd on the board within my tent. tbon'lt find

them.

:OBi'I!>.

With joy I'll bear th y presents to my brothers;

And to the valiant captain of their host

The rural gifts tby gratitude assigns him.,

A .sacnzn I)IJAiI!A.

Deligbtful task! for I shall view the camp!

Wbat transport to behold the tented field,

The pointed spear, the blaze of shield, and arms,

A l id all the proud accoutrements of wa r !

But, nh! far dearer transport would it yicl<!me,Could this right ann alone avenge the cause

O f illjuid Israel! could my single death

Preserve the guiltless thousands doom'd to bleed!

57

JESsn,

Let not thy yooth be dazzled, 0 my son!

With deeds of hold ernprize, as valour ouly

< 'Ven. virtue, and the gent le arts of peace,

\~ Of truth and jnstiea, were not worth thy care"~. When thou shall view the splendours of the war,

f' The g;l.y caparison, the buruish'd shield,

1 . The plume-crown'd helmet, and the glitt'l;ng spear,

! t · ~ . , : ( SeN'm not the hum ble virtues of the shade, '

'!t. or think tbat Heav'n views o l 1 1 y with applause,The active merit and the bnsy toil

to " Of he,~ statesmen, and the bustling· sons

I,· Of public care. These have tbeir just reward,

,

: ; L , : . : , · , : : : . . In wealth, il l honours, and the well-earu'd fame.c 11,eir high achieve,neots bring, 'Tis il l this view

That vU-I l ie is her pmpe r recempcase e.

~. Wealth, as its natural Consequence, willllow

f Prom industry : toil with success is crown'd :

,;' From. splendid actions high renown will spriug :

" Such is the \1Iml Course of human til ings,t For \Vi.,dom infinite permits, that thus

Ii Effects 10 causes he proportionate,! t And.nattua1 ends.by natural means achiev'd,



60 .t>A V'JD AND cot.r.vrn : 61

P ..:JR T II.

SCENE--The Camp.

t~-.

~-.

To light vain minds: no, 'twas a doubtful joy,

Chastis'd by tim'rous virtue, Jest a .gift

So splendid and so daug'rous migltt destroy

Him it was meant to raise. lilly "Ide'! born,

Elinb, tall of stature, I presented ;

But God, who judges not by outward form,But tries the heart, forbade th" hdy prophet

To choose my eldest born. For Saul, he said,

Gave proof, that fair proportion, aad the grace

Of limb or re.~ture,ill repaid the want

Of virtue, All my other sons alike

By Samuel were rejected ; till, at last,

On m y young hoy, on David's chosen head,

The prophet pour'd the consecrated oil.

Yet ne'er did pride elate him, ne'er did SCOrn

For his rejected elden; swell his heart.

Not in such gentle charity to him

J- l is haugh tier brothers live, but all he pardons.

To meditation and to humble toil,

To pray'r and praise devoted, here he dwells,

Oh, may the graces which adorn retreat,

One day delight 3. court! record his name

"With saints and prophets, dignify his race;

And may the sacred songs his leisure frames,Instruct mall k in d , and sanctify a w orl d!

r .t

:r:LfAD.

STiLL is t h ' even t of this long war unecrtain ;

Still do the adverse hosts on either side,

Protract , . with l ing'rjn_g caution, a n e n co u nt er ,

Wl,ici, mus t to on e be fatal.

"'IlINA1>An.

This descent,

Tb IlS tn the very eonfines of our Iand,

Proclaims the sanguine bop" that fires the foe.

In Ephes-dammin boldly they encamp:

Th' uncireumcis'd Philistines pitch their tents

On Judah'a hallow'd earth,

);iLIA.D.

Full forty days

Has the insulting giant, proud 00 liath,

,: . : The champion of Philistia, 'f ie rc e ly Ch3neng 'd

Some Israelitish foe. But who so vain

1'0 dare s uch force unequal 1 who SO ben t

On sure destruction, to accept his terms,

t And rush on death, beneath the giant force

i ' O f his en orm o us b ulk ?



64 DAVID .AND GO~IATU:

Will) is lte1

DAl""ln4

Ra! what Philistine 1-

ELIAB.

V i'llere fo re in qu ire ~ what boots it thee I:Q kMW 1

Behold him there, great Abner fam'd in' a rms .

D~"'VID.

I bring thee, mighty Abllet. frommy father,(A simple shepherd swilla in yond:r vale.)

Such humble gifts as shepherd swains bestow.

ABNER ...

Thanks, gentle youth r ' . . . . itb pleasure I r~eive

The gratdal offering. Why does thy quick eye

Thus wander with unsatisfy'd delight 1

l)A't'fD.

, New 3S I am to all the trade of war,

Each sound has novelty, each thing I see

Attracts attention, every noise I hear

Awakes confus'd emotions, indistinct,

Yet full of charming tumult, sweet distraction.

'Tis all delightful hw-ry! ah! the joy

Of young ideas painted on the mind,

Inthe warm glowi,ng colours fancy spreads

On objects not yet known, when ull IS new, ! :"And aU is lovely! All! what warlike sound. ,'0'

Salutes m y ravish'd e~ 1 ( Sound <j IT"'''l ,et, l~~~

AU_N"Ena

'Tis the Philistine, .

Proclaiming by h is herald, .thro~gh the ranks,

His near approach. Each mormng he repeats

H is challenge to OUr bands.

i'

f

ELL-iB.

'Wherefore ask; for thy raw youthAnd rustic ignortl.nce, 't were fitter learn

Some rural art !some secret to prevent

Contagion in thy flocks; some better means

To save their fleece immaculate. These mean arts

or soft inglorious peace far better figit

Thy low obscurity, thun thus to seek

High tbings pertaining to exploits of arms..

iiIi

!I

Ii~nAVID.

Urg'u as I am, I will not answer thee,"Whoconquers his own spirit, 0 JUy brother!He is the only con<[uer()c.-Again

That shout mysterious! Pray y < m (Ill .dh",,,), tell Inewho

This ·proud Philistine is, who sends defianceTDIsrael's hurdy chieftains 1

StT an ge r youth T

3 D lovely and so mild is thy demeanour,

So gentle and so patient; such the air

Of candoar and of cou"",,,",,w hieh adorns

Thy blooming featares, thou hast won my loveAnd I will tell thee. .

~-:.

n..VlD.

l .\1ighty Abner, Ihan, ~,

l~



L ·DAVID... ~~I:

Beauteous Michal! i: ELI!.I).

It is indeed a boon which kings might strive for; r Braggard, hold!

AlId has none answer'd yet this bold defiance 1 ~, ABNER.

What! all t1,is goodly host of Israelite; ! ~~_~'.,God's own peculiar people! all afraid I take thee at thy word; and w il l, w ith speed,

-- Condud thee to my royal master's presence,T' assert God's injur'd honour and their OWlll ~_'_'--'-.'.,.'.n

~ yowlet tent tI", an..ious monarch waitsWhe r e is the king, who ill his early y\luth ~,'_Wrollght.deeds of fame t Where princely Jonathanl W - ~ '- Th' event of this day's cballen"o-e.

-Not!lO the gallant youth Philistia fear'd ~

At Bczez and.at Seoeh;· when the earth ~:" Noble Ahner,

Shook from her deep foundations, to behold ! t . Aeeept my thanks, Now to thy private ear,

The wondrous camage of his single hand t- H so thy grace permit, I Wlll unfold011 the uacircumeis'd, When he eaclaim'd ' i : - " My secret soul, and ease my lab'ring breast,

With glorious cQufideuce-" Shall numbers awe m el k , _ _ ~biclJ pants with bigh designs, and beats rOY glory.God will protect his own: with him to save, .i ' ; : ' .Itboots not, friends, by many or by few." r:Thi.~w as an. hero. W hy does he de l a y !-

To meet this boaster !;---For th y eourtesy, »;

Thrice noble AlmeJ", I am bound to thank thee. } ; ; . >~\,

f

68 DAVID AI'D GOLIATH'

69aBNER.

The royal Saul has promis'd 1 h a : t bold hero

'!,'Vh"should encounter and subdue Goliath,

All dignity and favour; tbat his house

Shall be se t free from tribute, :md ennobledWith the first honours Israel has to giro.

And for the gallant conqueror himself ,No less a recompease' than the fair princess,

Our monarch's peerless daughter.

~ 1Samuel, ltiv.

,;. Would'it thou camplete thy generous offices?I dare DDt ask it,~,

.ABN.Bn..~

- Speak thy wishe s f r" "ly ,! - - Illy soul inclines to serve thee.\'

Then, 0 Abner,Conduct me to the Iring! There js a causeWill justify this boldness !

DAVID.



72 D.\VID ANt) GOLIATH ~ 73

oit for that S p i T it which inflam'dmy breast i

With sudden fervour, when among the seers ,.

And. holy sages my prophetic voice ;

W;)S heard attentive, and tlr' astonish'd throng. i ,;

Woud'ring, excla.im'd,-" Is Saul among the pro· d :

phets ?" \'\Vllere's that bold arm which quen'd the Amalekite, t.And nobly spar'd fierce Agag and his flocks1

'Tis past! the light of Israel now is qllench'd:

Shorn of his beams, my sun of glory sets !

Rise l\'[oab, Edom. angry Ammon rise !

Come Gaza, Ashdod come! let Ekron boast,

And Askelrm rejoice, for Saul is-nothing J

. : \It:; ,'n;R.

I bring thee news, 0 king!

SAUL.

Mv valiant uIld~1What ean avail thy news 1 A soul oppress'd .

Refuses still to hear the charmer's voice,

Howe'cr enticingly he charms, W1lat news

Can sooth my sickly soul, while Gath's fell giant

Uepeats each morning to my frigbteD'd hosts

His daring challenge, Doneaccepting it 1

.A...Bl'lER.

It is accepted.- e s . . _ t U L .

Hal by whom' how, when?

What prince, what gen'ral, what illustrious hero,

What vetemn chief, what warrior of renown

Will dare to meet the haughty foe's defiance ~

Speak, my bnl.V.gEb'rn]! noble Abner, "peak'

ABSErt ..

No prince, no warrior, no illustrious chief,

No veteran hero dares accept the ehallenge ;

But what will move thy wonder, mighty k : i n g .

One train'd to peacefu I deeds, and new to arms,

A simple shepherd swain !

SAUL.

Oh mockery!

No more of this slight tale, it suits but ill

Thybearded gravity: or ",tl'ef tell it

To credulous age, or weak believing women:

They love whate'er is marvellous, and doat

On.deeds prodigious and incredible,Which sobel: reuse rejects. Ilaugh to think

Of tby extravagance. A shepherd's boy,Encounter him. whom nations dread to meet!

..!ll'NEll.

Is valour, then, peculiar to high birth 1

IfHeaven had 80 decreed, know, scornful king,

Tbat Salll the Beujamite bad never reign'd,

No: 'glnry darts her soul-pervading ray0 .. thrones and cottages, regardless still

Of all the artificial, nice distinctions

Vain human customs make.

W here is this yo u tll ?

.ABNER.

Without thy tent he waifs, SUI:h humhle sweet-

ness.Fir'd with the secret consclence of desart ;

74 nA vrn AKD {;or.l'\1"11,,A sacn i::.D nn_\; :u ,~. 75



76 DAVID AND c;OLUTn:

From an unknown, penurious, scanty source

Took its first rise. The forest oak. which shades

Thy sultry troops io maDY a . teilsome march,

Once an unheeded acorn lay. 0 king!

Who ne'er begins CaD never aught achieve

Of glorious. Th,m thyself wast once nakucwn,Till Iair occasion brought thy worth to light.

Far higher views inspire my youthful heart

Than human praise; I seek to vindicate

TIl' insulted honour of the God.I serve.

ABNER.

'T is n ob l Y said.

SAU_L.

I love thy spirit, youth:But dare not trust Illy inexperienc'd ann

Against a giant's might. The sight of blood.

Though brave thou feel'st when peril is not nigh,

Will pale thy ardent cheek.

DAVID.

Not so, 0 king tTbis youthful arm has been imbru'd in blood,

Though yet no blood of man has ever stain'd it.

Thy servant's occupation is a shepherd.With jealous care I watch'd my father's flock:

A brindled lion and a furious bear

"l:'orthfrom the thicket rush'd upon the fold,

Seized a young lamb, and tore their bleating spoil.

Urg'd by eompassion for my helpless charge,

1 felt a new-born vigour nerve my arm;

<'1.nd,eager, on the foaming monsters rush 'd.

" "ACREO nnAMA. 77

The famish'd lion by his i :F i&ly beard,

Eurag'd~.'I caught, and smote him to the ground,

The panting DIOnst.er, struggling in my gripe,

ShQokterribly his bristling mane, and lash'd

His ow n gaunt, gory sides ; fie rc el y h e ground

His gnaslting teeth, and roU'd his starting eye",Bloodshot with agony; then with a g<oan

That wak'd the echoes of the mountain, died.

Npr did his grimassociate 'scap" my arm.

Thy secvaDt slew the-lion and tile hear ;

I kill'd !hem both, and bore their sha.,<>gypoils

Intriumph home: and shall I fear to meet

Th' nneircumcis'd Philistine! No: that God

Who Sl!-v.'d m e (rom .th e b en t's destructive fang,

And hUDgty lion's jaw, will not he save me

From this idolater 1

SAUL.

He will, be will !

Go, noble youth! b e v al ia nt and be blest I

The God. thou serv'st will shield thee in the fi"ht

A n d nerve thy arm with more than mortal stJ:~n~lh.v

A.1I!lEII.

So the bold Nazurite '* a lion slew :

An . earnest of his victories o'er Philistia!

S..>\lll...

?o, Abner; see tl16 youth be well equipp'd

'W ith sh,eld and spear. Be itt II)' can to grace him

With all the lit acccutrements of war,



80 DAVID A~I'> COLIA.II:i·

·:El.lAll.

But what wild dreamHas ,ug'd thee to this deed of desperate rashness ~

Thnumean'st, ao I have learnt, to meet Goliath,His single arm to thine.

1)_-\l..11D.

An d \Y I[lit i.•death 1

! ( I i; it so terrible to die, my brother'

M 0,grant it terrible, is it for that

j< . The less inevitable 1 If, indeed,

r We could by stratilgem elude the blow,R WIlen some high duty calls us forth to die,

~: An(L thus for ever shun it, and "scap"

~ ,Toe universal lnt,-then fond self-love

Jll,~AB. f e , 'fit,,;, c}'utiaus prudence, boldly m[ght'proiluce

Go borne; return, for shame! . j;~The~r fine-spun argume.nts, II[(m learn'd harangues.

Nor madly draw destmction on tby head. : t : ! . Theil cobweb ruts, their phrase sophistical,

Thy doating father, when tlly shepherd's coat, : " " I ~ r : : T h e i r subtle doubts, and all the specious Did<Dreneh'd in thy blood, is brought him, will larnent, ;".'Of selfish cunning lab'ring for its end.

And rend his furrow'd cheek, and silver hair,: ::: .But since, howe'e" protr~cted, .. death : ' I l ' i l l come;As if some mighty loss had touclr'd his nge:. ,t W hy fondly stHdy, with lngel l10115 pmns,

And mourn e'en as the partial patriarch moura'd, .•.~~TQ pnt it run-To breathe a littlelonger

'When Joseph's bloody garment he ~eeiv'd f;;.IS'to defer our fate, hut not 10 shun it,

.From his less dear, not less deserving soru:.d'.>',Srnall gain! which Wisdom with indiff'rent eye

But whence that glittering ornament which hangs J'i;,,·Deh?l~s. Why wish to drink the bitter dregs

Useless upon thy thiglI1:N" Oflife. exhausted chalice, whose last runmngs,,~ ...:.E'en at the best, are vapid '1 'Vily not die

' . f ~ A I fHeav'n 80 will) in manhcod's op'ning"bloom,

it : W h e n nil tile fillSh of life is gay about u.;

:~,:Wllen ~'Prightly youth, with man)' a new-iJorn joy,

i i J { " Solicits every ~",,-.e1. So n!~ywe then:~..'Present a sacrifice, unmeet indeed,

.~:, (Ah, how unmeet l) but less unworthy far,

I~;rha~ the world's Ieavings , t~an a worn-out he...::t

J i ! ; p 1 Y V l c e enfeebled, and byYam desire;

~?;.SuDkand exhausted!

r :

UAV"1n.

'Tis 1 1 '1.3.tI purpose,E'en on this spot. E a c h moment I expect

His w;m'd approach.

DAVYl> ..

'Tis the king's gift.

But thou art right; it suits not me, my brother lNOT sword Imean to use, nor spear to poise,

Lest men shoufd say I put my trust in arms,

1\101 in the Lord of Hosts.

T he n th ou in de edArt bent I" S I l e x . thy death l '



84 D..:tVID J.,N& GG1..UTJi ~

Philistia's gods to Israel's. Sound, my herald-s-

Sound for the hattie straight.[ Hc lY lld 5 ot""d $ th e l'ru"'l'et.

lh\VID.

:Behottl thy foe!

GOJ..u.rH~

I se e 1 , 1 m 110t.

D. ...\li.D~

Behold him here!

GOl .fA , ' ] 'H- : .

Say. where ?

Direct my sighL I de not war with boys.

DAVID.

I stand prepar'd: thy siogle arm to mine.

GI.ILIAUT.

'Vhy this is mockery, minion! it may chance

To cost thee dear. Sport not with thing'Sabove thee! i

" B u t tell me who of ali this num'rous host ! .E:-:pects his death from me 1 ""hieb is the man ,l _

Who!'l Israel sends to meet my bold defiance 1

nAV:(D.

The eloction of illy sov'reign falls on me.

Gol.,tATII.

O n thee! On thee! By Dagon, 'tls too much,

Thou curled minion! thou a nation's champion 1

'1 'wo1l1d move my mirth at any other l ime;

But triffing's ont of tune. Begone, light boy 1

Ami tempt me not too far,

),(

!!

DAVID.

I do defy thee,

Thou foul idolater! Hast thou not scorn'd .

The armies of the living God I serve 1

By me he wil l avenge uP'Jn thy head

Thy nation's sins and. thine. .Arm'd with his nameUnshrinking, I dare meet the stoutest foe '

That ever bath'd his hostile "pe.aT in blood.

• GOLIATH (;,·~niC<llly).

Indeed ,! 'tl~wondrous well. N""" byllly gods,Tb e strt pliug plays the orator! Vain boy r

Keep dose 10 that same bloodless .nor of words,

Aml tho" .halt still be safe, To~gue-vaJi:rnt war-

rior!

,Yhere is Illy sylvan crook, with garlands hung

Of idle ~eld.-lloweT:'1 Where thy wanton harp 1

Thou dainty-finger d hero! Better strike

Its notes lascivious, or the lulling lute

TOll."]' softly,. than pruvoke the trumpet's rage.

I will not stain the honour of lR)" spear

With thy inglorious blood, Shill that fuir cheek

De searr'd with wounds unseemly 1 Rather g·o

ADd hold fon d dallian ce wilh th e Syrian m aids .

To wanton measures dance, and let them braid '

The bright luxurianc« of thy golden hair -

They for their lost Adonis may mistake '

Thy dainty form.

D.HIl>.

Peace, thou unhallow'd railer!

Oh, tell it not in Guth, no, let the sound

Reach Askelon, how once your slaughter'd lords



By mighty Samson ~ found on" common grave,

Wben his broad shoulders the firm pillars heav'd,

And to its base the totr'ring fuhrie shook.

(;OLL\nr.

Insulting boy 1 pedlaps thou hast not heard'Ilie infamy of that iDgl(}riQusday,

When your weak hosts at Ebeu-ezer t pitch'dTheir quick-abandon'd tents 1 Then, when your ark,

Your talisman, yonr charm, your boasted pledge

Of s u f e 1 . y and success, was tnmdy lost:

lind yet not tamely, since by me 'twas won,

'Wben with this good right arm I thinn'd yellr ranks,

And bravely crush'd, beneath a single blow,

'I'he chosen guardians of this vaunted shrine,Hophni and Phineas.r The [."n'd ark itself

1bore to Asbdod.

J)AV'lD ...

I rem em b er too,

Since thou provok'st the unwelcome truth, 11010 all

Your blushing priests beheld tIlei, idol's shame ,

"'hen pwstrate Dagon fell before the ark,

And yourfrail go d

was shiver'd. ThenPhilistia,

Idolutmus Philistia, flew for succour

To Israel's help, and all Iter smitten nobles

Confess'd the Lord was God; and the blest ark,

Glndly, with reverential awe restor'd,

l i l t Judges, zvi, t t Samuel, v,

j Corementarcrs s . . : . " \ y~ thnt dIe Chatdee Paraphrase mekesGoliarh bouat th~t. h l. ,' l"; u i k i ll e d Hcphui a nd P hie ea :i, ' i U E d

takeL 'l th e ark prisoner,

00l~I~'TII.

By A~hdorl '5 fane thou Iy'st_ Now will I mee t

thee,

Thouinsect warrior, since thou dar'st me thus!

A1reruIyl behold thy maugled limbs,

. D issever'd eneh from end" ere Ion g to feed

The t 1e rr e b lo od -s nu ff in g vul tu re , Mark we well,

Around m y s})ea" I'll twist th y shining_ locks,

And toss in air tllYhead, all g~h'd with wounds,

'loy lip yetqni,Jrillg" with 11Ie <lire com,,:lsioll

.Of recent dead. !-A.rt thou not terrified !

D _\ \''[D~

No:

Truecourase is nut mov'd by bre-ath of wor,js,\Vb; 1 0 th e ; n s l ! b ra ve L 'Y of boil; u g b lo o d ,

Im l,etnalls, know s no sottle<lllrinciple.

A fev'rish tide, it has its ebbs and Ilow~,

As spirits rise or fall, a. wine i~llilles,Or eireuuistau ces change: but inborn ("0 urage,

T he gen 'rous child of Fortitude a nd F aith ,

Holds it;;firm empire in the constant soul ;

And like tl.e stedfast P O I 1 } - 5 t : . U - , never once

From the same fixt and faithful point declines.

GOr.IJ."(,U.

The curses of Philistia's gods be on thee!

This nne-draWl' speech is meant to lengthen out

'i'hat little life thy words pretend to scorn.

DAVID.

Ha! :;ay'st thou so! Come on then. Mark us well.

87



90 f 'i

I'Ii

91H as lin 'd llIycrOWll, and straw 'd m y conch w ith thorns.

Each ray of op'ning merit I discern

Infriend or foe, distracts my troubled soul,

Lest he should prove m y ,-ival. But th is m orn ,

E'en my young champion, lovely as he.look'd

In blooming valour, struck me to the soul

Wi III Jealousy' s burh' d dalt. 0 Jealousy,Thou ugliest fieud of hell! th y deadly venom

Preys on my vitals, turns the healthful hue

O f m y fresh cheek to haggard sallow ness,

And driuks Jr')" spirit up.

[Afi"",.i,1< ~ t "Tru",pd~, £/"'''ti'''g, 4 , ; ·What sounds are those t

tt1 ;

~t

fl 'i;

t~.

King of Israel, hail! t

Now thou art King indeed, The youth has COn- tquer'd: I

Goliath's dead '

The combat is decided J Hark! again,

Those shouts proclaim it' Now, 0 God of Jacob,

Ifyet thou hast not quite withdrawn from SaulThy light and favour, prosper me this once!

But abnet come. I I dread tu hear he, talc !

Fair Hope, with smiling face but ling'ring foot,

Has long deceiv'd me.

$,,\UL ..

Oh speak thy ta le a ga in ,

Lest Illy fond ears deceive me!

Has slain the giant,

A13.~ER ..

T hy young champion

S.\UJ~.

Then God is g"raeiousstill,

In spit~ of my offences! BUl, good Abner!

How W1l< it I Tell me all. 'Where is my champion?

Quick let me pre"s him to my gmtefol heart,

Aud pa y him a king's thrmks. And yet, who knows,This forward friend may prove an active r o e I

No more of that. Tell me the whole, brave Abner!

A nd pain t the gloriou s acts of m y young hero!

AnN.KIt.

Full in the centre of the camp they stood!

Th' opposing armies rang'd on either side

Inproud 'may . 'l'he h au gh ty g io.u t stalk'd,

Stately across the valley. NCl1t, the youth

With modest confidence advanc'd, Nor pomp,

Nor ga y parade, nor martial ornament,

Hil l gzacefui form adorn'd, Goliath straight,

\Vith solemn state, besua the busv work

Of dreadful prel)aratio~. In one place

His closely jointed mail an ap'ning left

}'or air, and only one: the watchful youth

Mark'd that the beaver of his helm Will! up.

J\:[eanwhile the giant such a blow devis'd

As wonld have crush'd him, This the youth per.eeiv'd,

A nd from his w ell-directed sling quick hurl'd,

'Vitll dext'rous aim, a stone, which sunk, deep

lodg'd,

In th e capacious forehead of the foe.

Then, with a cry, asloud and terrible

lu; Libyan lions roaring for their young.



94 D.A'VID ANti GOL1;,.TU:

DAVID.

Rather say

TIll: God of Hosts deserves it.

T ell m e , youth,"'hat is thy name, and what thy father's house l

DAVlD ...

:My name is David; .T esse is m y sire;

An humble Bethlc'mite of Jud~b's tribe.

SAUl ••

David. the son of Jesse!sure that nameHas been familiar to me. Nay, tllYvoice,

Th y form, and features, I remember too.Though fa.mt and indi>tinctly.

In this hero

Behold thy sweet musician; he whos" harp

Espell'd the melancholy Send, whose pow'r

:Enslav'd thy spirit.

s..UI..~

This the medest youth

,nom, forhis skill and virtues, I preferr'dTo hem' m y armour 1

J),hVllJ.

I am he, 0 king!

s.w!..

\\"h\ ' this concealment? tell me, valiant David,

In;· d id st th ou . h id e thy birth an d name cillllo\>1

DAvYI>.

o king! I would not aught from favo-urclaim,

Or 011 remember'd services pIl'sume;

nut on the strength o( my own actions stand,

Ungr.tc'd and unsupported.

.A.D~.En.

Well he merits

The honours which await him, Why, 0 ~ing,

Desr thou dela.y to bless his doubting heart

, " " t i l his well earn'd rewards ~ 'Thy lovely daughter,

n y right of conquest his!

S~IIL ( t lO DA.Vln).True: thou bast won her,

She shan be thine. Yes," Icing'sword is past.

DAVIP.

o boundless blessing'! What! sball she be mine,

For whom contending monarchs might renounce

Their 31ighted crowns 1

[Sounds '!f musical ;I!sfrt""",It> hetl'frl. at a d's(rj"ee.

S J l r Ju li l l& m u t sineiu«, A p ' . r a . J J . d Procesrian. Chn-

..iLl of H w r t w T V : I I I : 0 . J "S,\!lL.

How's this 1 what sounds of joy

Salute my earsI What means this needless pomrl 1

This merry sound of tabret and of 11"'1'1

Wh~t mean these idle instruments of IriumI'll!

These women, who in lair procession move,

Makiug SWC1!t melody 1

A'&~~1t"

To ray due houour

To David are luey come,

95



PERSONS OF THE DRAIiltL

]3HSUII.Z~AR, King r r f &f> ,v1o ,z,NITocRrs, t/~ Quw,-lI ' lo t"eJ ' .

Cowne,., .&strolog«r., Pammeo,

DANIE1:-, ji,C J = i > 1 o Prophet,

C"ptillc Jew., < \ c . l T c .

SCE1.TE-Babylon. Time--Nigl.t.

-T lte S " lQ ectii ta k . .. from th e F ifth C llr lp tc r if th e Pm·ph.t D . m . ; el .

BELSHAZZAR.

l>ill~T J.

S c .flJ 1-N e u :r r he P aw"" qfDADYLOlf.

D.UHEL ( 1 . 1 1 ( 1 captive J>:ws.

J)A~IEL.

PARENT of Life and Light ISole source of Good !

Whose tender mercies through the tide of time,

In long successive order have sustain'd,

And sav'd the sons of Israel! thou, whose pow'r

. D eliver'd righteous N oah [rom the flood,

The whelming flood, the grave of human kind !

o ThUD, whose guardian care and out-streteh'd hand

lkseu'd yOlLng Isaac from the lifted arm,

&is'd, at thy bidding, 10 devote a son,

An only SOD, doom:d by his sire to die:

(0 saving faith, by such obedience prov'd;

o blest obedience, hallow'd thus by faith!)

T ho a, who in me rc y ! lIlv 'd st th ~ ChW l l!HfllC@,In the wild desert, and didst there sustain them

By wonder-working love, though they rebell'd

And murmur'd at tile miracles thal sav'd theDl!

Oh, hear thy servant Daniel! hear and help!

G ~



1 00 IUiLS n ...2.1.!\ II ~JJ, MenE!> Dll:JJ,)lJJ" 101

Dh, hear thy servants, and forgive us' Ioo!

!fby severe necasi.ty compell'd,

We worship here=-we have WI temple now,

Altar or sanctuary, none is left.

CJ10R"~ < i f Jaws,o In<W.! let tIty capt ive WIll; deplcre

Thy f;u.fum'd temple's DOW00 more!

Fall'n is tIt y sacred fane, thy glory g0 , 1 1 e!

FaIl'n is tby lemple, Solnmon;

N e ' e r did Barbaric kings bello ld,

With all their shining gems, their burnish'd gold,

A fane so perfect, hright, and fair ;

For God himseIf was Nun t t' inhabit there,

Be' "'ecn the Cb erubim his giorystood,

While the ], ig"--priest alone the dattling splendourview·..t.

Do.. {oruRydid the Tyri:uI artist slri.-e

His WlJlle to latest times shonld live!

Such wealth the str.mg-n wonder'd to behold .

Gold were the tablets, all..t the vases gold,

o r cedar such an ;lmplestore,&hausted Lebanon could yiel..t no mere,

Bending hfore the Ruler of the sky,

Well mighllhe royal founder cry,

FiIl'd with an . holy dread, a rev'ren ,d fear,

w m God ill v e r y deed inhabit ben! 1The beav'n of beav'ns beneath his r . . , t ,

Is f or th e b rig ht inbabitunt ntlll'lM!!

Archa ngcls pt-ostrate wait his big!. commands,

Aud will be deign to dwell in temples made with

hands!

Thou, wbose almighty pow'r did after ra ise

Su~cessive leaden; to deren.d our race :

Wbo sentest valiant Josh ua to the tiel,],

Thy people's champion, 10 th e conqu'riog field.

Where the revolving 1'1anet of the nigh t,

Suspomded in her radiant round, was Slay'd,

An d the b:right ann, arrested in his comse,

Stupc_ndous!y stood slilt !

CnOllllS .if JEws.'\'hal ailed thee, that tIrou stood's! still,

o Sun! nor did tIly f1,ulling orb , }Bc li ne ~

And thou, 0 Moon! in Ajnlon'. low vale,

Why didst thou long before thy period "hine 1

''iVas it at Joshua's dread command,The leader of the Israelitish hand 1

Yes-cn t a DIOrtal bidding both slOOIlstill :

'T...,.. Joshua's wonl, hnt 'roms Jehovah's will.

V o I ' b at a\kolllro!1ing band had roree

To s 10p e le rn ru Natute's eonsiant course 1The wand'ring moon to one fix'd spot confine,

But his w hose fiat ga ve them fu-st to shine 1

D.; \:O;I '£1 . . ,

o Thou! who ",heu thy disroolenle..t bost,

nc'd of Jehovah's rule, deoir'd a king,

In ang<!l gav'S! them Saul; and !hen aga inDidst wrest the regal ~ejltre from his band

T o give it David-David best belov'd !

DlustrioWl David! poet, propb et, king;TIl on who didst sulfer Solomon th e w ise

'1'0 b ni!.l a g-lorio-u s tem p le to thy uame,-



102

JU.:."'lEL.

Yes, Thou art ever present, Pow'r Supmne !

Not cireumscrib'd bytime. not lid to $puce,

Conf ln 'd 10 altars, nor to t~m pl~. bound.

InWl)al tb, in want,. in freedotn, or in chains,

Indungeons or 011 threnes, the faithfal : f i n d . thee!E' "" in (be bllrningcauldron thou wast near

To Shadraeh and lhe holy brothcrbood :

The unhnrt martyrs bless'd thee in the Hames ;

They sought, and r ound thee; call'd, and Th ou wast

them.

FUlST . . i .E"\v.

Howchaag'd our slate! Judah, tb y glory's fall 'n,

Thy joys for ham eapti v i ty e ; ,; c :h '< I I Ig 'd;

And thy sad s o n s breathe the polluld ai rO f Babylon, where deities obscene

Insult the li"ing God; ;u.d to h is servants,The priests or .w eIched idols m ade w ;th hands,

She w cen tn melious seorn,

llol.NlEL,

'Tis Heav'u's high will.

S~CONII JEW.

If forget !boo, 0 Jerusalem!

If WI fondly cherish thy lov'd image,

E'en ;n the giddy hour of thoughtless m irth :

IfInot rother view thy prostrate walls

Than ba"ghty Babylou's imperial tow'm.-

'The" rnay m y tougue refuse to (rome t h e strainsO f sw ec lr u; t harmony; roy r l l c l 1 1 righ t b an d

Forget, witl. seundssymphonious, to :weordThe harp of Jesse 's son to Sion's songs.

rlns-r .T E.W..

O f to .n E II Ph r.!.h :s ' e ve r v en t" " t banks,

W h ere dlO O l'ing w ino ' ... fllnII a m o urn fu l sh:ul:e,

W ith all the pride w hich prosp 'rous fortunes give,

And. al l th' un fe elin g m irth o f 1 o"I 'I 'Y m e n ,

Th' i1lSlllting Bah)' Icn ians ad a. song;Sneh songs a s e l'S l. in better days w ere snng.

By Korah's sons, Or heav'n-b.nght Asup I> set

To l ol li es t me3'>UJ'1'S' then ODr bursting hearts

Feel all their Wl!l6 afresh; the gal l i ng el.,.; nonl<mdage crushes then th.!! I 'ree~D soul

With w rith in g a ng uis h.; f r om tile twnbliug lip

Th' unfinish'd cadeneB falls; and tlll! hig tear,

While it relieves, betrays th e woe·rraught soul,

For w o o can vi"w ElIp.bntes~ pleasant stream,

I ts droop ing w illow s, and its v er da nt b an ks,

And not to 'vounded lIIemory Jecal

The p iDy gro ..... of fertil e Palestine,

The vales o r Solyma, and Jordan's stream.

DJ\.'NIEL~

Finn faith and deep submission to high Heav'o

Will teach US to endure, ,,'illlont" murmur,

W hat seem s so hard. T hink wbat the holy hoot

O f patriarchs, saints, and p rop he ts, h ave su stain 'd ,

Inthe blest cause of truth! And shall not w e,

o men of }wlab, dare what these b..-e dar'd,

A.nd boldly pass through the refining fin,

O f iie~ alllklio:n ~ Y es, be witness, Hea"',,!

O ld as I am, I w ill not s hr i n k (I I death,

Come in w hat sh ape it may, ifG od so w ill,

By perillo confum and prove my faith.

103



104 Bl:LSllAZlIAR;

()It! I would dare yon den of hungry lions,

Rather than pause to fill the task assign' d

By W:is<lomInfinito, Nor dUnk I boost,

Not il l myself; but in th y strellgt,h I trust,Spirit of God!

)~IR5" .JEll'.

Prophet, thy words ""pportAnd raise our sinking souls. -

Behold yon palace;There proud Belshazzar keeps his wanton court l

I knew it once beneath another lord,

ills gtanr\sire,· who subdu'd Jeheiachin,

And hither brought Bad Judah's captive tribes ;

And with them brought the rich and preC"iousrelicsOf OUT fam'd temple; all the boly treasure,

The golden vases, and the sacred cups,

Wllich grac'd, in happiw times, the sanctuary.

SECOND J :e :w.

l \>Iay lIe, to whose blest use they were devoted,

Preserve them from pol lUtiOl l ; an d once more,

In his Own gracious time, restore the temple!

DAN I1U...

I, with some tavonr'd youths of Jewish race,

Was lodg'd in the kinta palace, and instructed

Inall Ibe various leaming of the east;

But he, on whose great name our fnth~I 'l ll 'al l'dPreserv'd lIS from the perils of a court, '

Wam'd us II}guard om youthful al'petites.

A !!ACRED DRAMA. 105

And still with holy fortimde reject,

The pamp'ring v iands Luxury presented;

Fell Luxury! more perilous to youth

T h a n storms or quicksands, poverty or chains,

SEeON'D aw.

He who can guard 'gaillSt die low baits of sense,

Will find Temptation's arrows hurtless strike

Against the braun shield of Temperance,

Far 'tis tlr' inferior apl>etites enthral .The man, and quench the immortal light within han;

The senses take the soul all easy prey,

And s ink th' imprison'd sp i r i t into brute,

DAl'ifEL.

Twice,· hy the Spirit of God, did I expound

The virions of the king; his soul was toueh'd,

And twice did he r"P"llt. aud 1,rootmle fall

Delre the God of Daniel; yet agnin,

Pow'r, flatt'ry, and prosperity, nn~id him,

When from the lofty ramparts of hIS palace

He view'd the splendors of the royal city,

That ma,,"lUineof wealth, which prond Euphrates

Wafts from eacb distant corner of the carI ll;

When he beheld the adamantine tow'rs,The brazen gates, t:ltebulwarks of his strength.

The pendant gardeng, ~t's stupendous worl<,

The wonder of the w o r i d ! the proud Chil ldcun,Mad with th' intoxicating fumes which rise

When uneontrol'd amllitioll grasps at onee

of; D an ie l. i i. a nd v,



106BF.LSIIAZZ.A 11-:

Domin iOI l absolute and boundless wealth

Forgot h~ was a man, forgot his God ! •

,. T Iris m ig hty Babylon is mine," he cry'd ;

" My wondrous pow'r, my godlike rum aehiev'd it." I scorn submission; own no Deity

" Above my OWTI."-While the blasphemer spoke,Th~ ~~ ofH ""-v'n iD ffictcd instant ver.geance:Stripp d him of that bright reason he abus'd

:And drove bim from the cheerful haunts of men

A naked: wretched, hel pJess, s en se l e ss thing; •CO ID p a II. lO ll o f tb e brutes, his e qua l s n ow .

FlnST JEW.

N or does his impioru; gr:mdson, proud Belshau.aJ '

Fall short of'his offences' nay he wants 'The valiant spirit and tb~ <l.Cti~eoul

Of his progenitor: fo~Pleasure's slave

Though bound in silk"" chains, and o~y tied

Inflow'ry fettel'S, seeming light and loose,

Is IIlOte subdu'd than the rash casual victim

Of anger or ambition; these indeed

Bum with a fiercer bur a sIlor~liv'd fIre:

While Pleasure with a constant Dame consumes

War slays l ler thousands, but destructive PleasureMore fell, more fatal, her ten thousands' slays: '

The young luxuriouskiug- ohe fom U y Woos

Inwry shape of am'mus blillldishment.

With adulation smootb ensnares his sooi •

W itiliove b etrays h im , and with w i l lI ! i; l lam"".

Sh e strews her magic poppies o'er his coueh

And with delicious opiates charms him dow:.

Infatal slumbers bound. Though Babylon

.A SACRED DnAUA.

Is now invested by the warlike t r o o p s

o r roya1 Cyrus, Persia's valiant p rince ;

Wno, in eonjunction with the Median king,

Darius, fam'd for ('{Inquest, 110Wpreparl lS

To storm the city: not th' ilRpending horrors

Which ever wait a siege, have pow'r to wake

To thought or sense th' iatozicated king.

107

E'en in this night of cniversal dread;A mighty army threat'ning at tbe gates;

This very night, as if in scorn of danger,

The dissolute Belshazzar holds a feast

Magnificently impious, meant to honourBelus, the fav'rite Babylouish idol.

Lewd pUl"asi tes compose h is wanton court,

Whose impiolls !latl'rif'S SOIItl l b is m o nstro us crim e s;

They jllStify his vices, and extol .

His boastful phrase, as if he were some god.

What e'er be says, they say: what be commands,

Implicitly th.ey do; they echo back

His blasphemies with shouts of-loud acclaim;

And when he wounds the tortur'd ear of Virtue,They cry, "lUI hail! Belshazzar, live for ever!"

To-night a thousand nobles fill his hall,

Princes, and all the dames who grace tbe court:All but his virtuous mother, sage Nitocris :

Ah! how unlike the im pious kiug her son !She never mingles in the midnight fray,

Nor crowns the guilty banquet w i U I her presence.



lO S nELS" AZZAR ;

The_royal fuir is rich in wry virtue,

WInch can adorn the queen, Or grace tile woman,

But fOT the wisdom of her prudent counsels

This wretched empire had been long undone.

Not fam'd Semiramis, Assyria's pride,

Could boast a brighter mind or finn", soul •Beneath the gentle reign of I1Ierodacb,. '

Her royal lord, OM nation tasted peace.

Our captive menarch, sad Jehoiachin,

Grown grey in a dare prison's horrid gloom,

H e freed fm m bundng"; brou,ght the hoary king-

To taste once more the long,-forgotten sweets

Of lib..,r!yand light, sustain'd his age,

Ponr'd in hE wounds the lenient balm of kinduess

And blest 'lis setting hour of life with peace. •. [SQ l< lId 9l Tru mpe ts is hea td a t .. d isl, mc e.

PHIST .lE.W.

That sound proclaims the banquet is begun.

SECOND JEW.

Hark! the licentious IIproar grows mote loud.

Tlte vaulted roof resounds with shoats of mirth,

An.d the fum palace shakes! Retire, my friends!

This madness is not meet for sober ears.

Ifan y of our raee were f"nnd so nenr

'Twould hut expose US to the rude at~

Of ribaldry 0 t . . c . . > D ( J and impious jests,

~tQm these m ad SOl IS of Behal, m ore inH run' d10 deeds of riot by the wanton feast.

109

D..l .;(I:TEI..

Here part we then! out when again to meet, ;

Who knows, save Heav'n 1 Yet, 0 my friends! I

feel

An impulse more thaI! !ol.man stir U lY 1",o:)st,Rapt in prophetic Ylsion," I heholrl

Things hid as yet from mortal sight. I see

The dart o r vengeance tremble in the air,

Ere HlIIg to pierce the impious Iring. E'en !lOW

11~edesolating- angel stalks abroad,

And brand ishes aloft tile two-edg'd sword

Ofrelriblltion keen; he soon will strike,

And Babylon shall wap as Sian wept.

Pass but a Jjttle ,,,1ule, and yon shall seeThis queen of cities prostrate on the earth.

Tbis haughty mistress of the kneeling world,

How shall she sit dishonour'd in the dust,

In tamish'd pomp ami solitary woe!

How shall she shroud bur glorie!'lin the dark,

And in opprobrious silence hide her head !

Lament, 0 virgin daughter of Chaldea '

For thou "halt fall! jrnperial qlleen, shalt fall!

No more Sidonian robes situII grace tily Jim bs,To purple ga11nenl. sackcloth shall succeed ;

And sordid dust and ashes shall supply

The od'reus uard and cassia. Thou, wbo said'st

I am, and !bere is none beside me: thou,

E'en thou, imperial Babylon, shalt fall!

Thy glory quite eelips'd l Tbe ple."lSantsounn

Of viol and of harp shall charm no more ;

... S H: th e Prnpheeies of I:-__~b, ehap, xh"H. and Oth('T~.



110 JlEl-Sll"Zl:jl.JI.;

Nor so.ng of Syrian damsels shall be heard,Responsive 10 the lute's Iuzarieus DOte :

But tbe loud biu"",·. cry. the raven's croak,

The ht's fell.cream, tile lonely owl's dull plaint,

And ev'ry hid.ooUII bird, with ominous shiiel:,Shal l scare affr ighted S""dence limn thy vraJls :

While Desolation, snatchiD'" from th e hand

O f T ime th e scythe ofmin, ~.ntsaloft,Or sWb in dreadful majesty abroad;

I see th ' extennillating fiend advance,

.E'"" nmv Isee her glare with horrid joy,See tow'rs imperial mould'ring at her toucb ;

She glances W tit e broken battlement,

She eyes tile .=b1ing column, and enjoysThe w o n of 3.g<l' prostrate in th e dll!!l,.-

Then, pointing 10 tI,,~m ise hie fs sh e has ma.de,

ThaI ting cries, This once w as 13 abylon !

FliRT II.

Suru;-TIu: Om..1 " .! BELSIlA7.U;a.. TI", KING ...,jd

",. II ""'t:ni/iemt TI . . . m~. P T irw :o , N IIb le J, """ .tit-

tmdm.1.I:. LaQ"" of t11~ Cour t . i1f.,m.-,{ s u p mRm'fUd.

Frnar COUUTU;U (~.and la.uu).

H.1L, mi![hty king!

::5j,ECOND CO'Ull1'l Ell ..

Belshaesar, live for ever!

A SACRED Il1lA MA. III

TUIRl) COORTtEJt ...

Sun r n : Ill" wnrld, and light or killS'. 0.11hail!

f'OU R'ttt ceo RTI sn,

W ith ](JW ly rev'renee, such as best beromesThe humpiest cre..tur~·or imperial power,

Behold a tboasaad nobles Ileud beforethee!

Princes far ftun'd, and dames ()f high d=em!

Yct all this pride 0r ,yea.ith, this beast of beauty,

Sh rin k" ;"1 0 on ngb t before thine n wfnl- ~y" I

•..A nd Ii y es or dies a> tile k i ng frow0" or smiles!

n:El"sUt\Z2.An.

This is moo homage 3S becomes your love,

An d ! ! I I i . 1 S the mighty monMch of manlinlL

nFTH counrrzn.

The. bending world should prostrate thm: before

. thee;

An d pay not o nl y p ra ise but "dnratioa !

Bnr..sIIA'OU.R (rises " " d <l!lntilf"rward).

Ltt d ulJ . p hilo so ph y p re ach sel£-<l=ial ;

Wl'Jlyioos poverty and so nrling 3ge

Proudly·declaim against th c joys they know not.Le i the del uded Jews, who r e m l ly hope

Some fancied hea ,,'n fter.ean...r, m or ti fy,

And lose the :ocilla! blessings of this world,

. : .T o purehasc (llilern w hich m ay never CORle.

. O u r geds m i l Y l l r o m i s e l a S H , hut g iv e u s m o r e .

m could my mien! spirit be content

With m c a . , o > r e ..t>stinen~ and huu,,"l'j"hope.

Let those misjudging hr.Iel.iles, who ,"'-" t

The nimble spirits and the acti ve S O I I I ,



112 B:ELSI IAZliA. .f t. ;

Cal l their blunt feelings virtue: let them drudge

Inregula. progression, tlmlUgh the round

O f fo rm a l duty and of daily toil;

And, when they want the gemllS 10be bappy,

B elie ve th eir h arsh au ste rity is goodness,If there be gods, they m ean t we should en joy;

Why give us else these tastes and appetites;

And why the means to crown them with iadulgencel

T(I burst the feeble bonds w hich hold the vulgar,Is noble daring.

F.1nST C-OURTIl!:B ..

And is therefore worthyT he bjgh imperial spirit o f Be ls ha zz ar !

SECOND COUnTU,Il.

Behold a banquet which the gods might share!

J,lEr-SO'A:tZAft.

To-night, m y m ends, your monarch shill be bll 'S.!,I

,WIth ev'ry various joy; lo·night is ours;

NDr shull. the envious goits, who view our bliss,

And sieken as they view', to-night disturb us,

Bring all th e rich est o Jlicc s of th e East ;The od'rous cassia and the drooping myrrh,

Th e liquid amber and the frngrant gums,

Bob Gilead oiits. balms, Belshasear bids;

And leave th' Ambian groves witbout an odour.

l Iring freshest f!OW'rg, ex.h aust t he bJ~n g spring,Twrne the green myrtle with the sbort-liv'd rose;

AJld ever, as the blushing- garland fades,

We'll learn to s.natch the fugitive deligbt.

A SACD'6.D DRa.Ma.

AM grasp the flying joy ere it esca~ lIS.

Come-nil the smil ing goblet for the king ;

BeI.sb= will not let .. moment pass

Unmari'd by some enjoyment! The full bowl

Let "very guest partake !

113

[Cour t i e r s b...laIm d rill! .

FIRST <;O""TI1>II"

Here's to the king!

Ligbt o r the world, and glory of the earth,

Whos . : word. ill fate.!

.BEL.SIfA.Z.ZA. a.

Yes; weare l i l<e9t godsWhen we have pow')", and IlSI! it.. What is wealth

But the rich means to gratiFy desire!

I wiU not have a wish, a hope, a thought,

That shall not know fruition. What is empire 1

The privilege to punish and enjoy;

To feel ou r p ow ) " in Illilking ofu em fe ar it ;

To take of P le asu re's cu p till we grow giddy,

And think ourselves immo.rtal. This is empire!

My anoo;wp; scarce tasted of its.joys:Shu.t from the sprightly world and aU its.charms,

In cumbrous majesty, in sullen state. A nd dull unsocial dignity they liv'd;

Far from the sight (Ifau admiring world,

That world, wbose gaze makes half the charms of

greatness I

They nothing- knew of empire but the name,

Or uw it in the looks of trembling slaves ;

. A nd all they felt of royalty was care.."'But I will see and know it uf myself;

u

114 BELSHAZZA1\ :



A S...CUGU DnA " Il. 115

Th' ambitious Persian, that presumptuousl\Qy,

Whq rnshly dares e'en now invest OUt city,

And menaces the invincible Belsha ..zar.

[A c ;r a.fld CoIIC",.t r t f .lIImic, ' i f t l ? 1 ' wh ich « 1 . Ode.]

In vain shall Persian Cyrus daroWith great Belshazzar wage unequal war:

In vain Darius shall combine,

- Darias, leader of tbe Median line!

Whil~ fair Euphmtes' stream our waH protects,, '_,,'_'- great Belsha .. ur's self OUr (ate directs.

War and famine threat in vain,

W bile this demigod shall reign!

I.et Persia's prostrate king' confess his pow'r,

Aud Media' s ruonarch dread his vengeful bour.On Dur-a's. ample plain behold

',Immortal Belus.t whom the nations own ;

Sublime he stands in burnish'd gold,

Aud richest olTeringsobis bright ahars crown,

To-night his deity we here adore,

And due libations speak his mighty pow'r,

Yot Belus' sel r nut mere W e own

-Than great Belshaasar on Chaldea's throne.

Youth, wealth, and gIi'atness court me Inbe hleilt,.

And Pow'r and Pleasure draw with equal force

And sweet attraction- both I will embrace

In quick succession; this is Pleasure's day;

Ambition will have time to reign hereafter ;

Itis the proper appetite of age.

The lust of puw'r shall Iord it uneentrol'd,

'lilten nI l the goo'rons feelings grow obtuse,

And stern dominion holds with rigid hand

RiB iron rein, and sib; and sways alone.

But youlh is 1'1ea5Dro'S bout !

FIRST COtTnTIER.

Perish the sinve

"'ho, with officious counsel, would oppose

The king's desire; whose slightest wish is Jaw! .H.E.L.SU..I\ zZAlt.

Now strike the loud toa'd ll"Teand softer lute;

Let m e have music, witb the nobler aid

O f poesy, 'Vllere arc those cunning men .

Who boast, by chosen sounds, and measur'd ~t-

D " " " .To set the busy spirits in a Dame,

And cool them at their will 1 who know the art

'fo ~-alj the hidden power> of numbers forth,And make thar pliant instrument, the mind,

Yield Inthe pow'rful sympathy of $O\IIld,

Obedient to the master's artful hand 1

Such magic is in SlllIg! 'I'hen give me song j

Yet not at first such soul-dissolving strains

As melt the soften'd sense , but such bold measures

As m ay inflam e m y spirit w despise

• Pauicl, ill.

f s...." ""'l' Ii..., d.rocl'l,tl"n < lr the Temple ~ r tMs idol:---'.f'be (o"'rh,~..t{U:~:

or Brit CbiL!'de~mJO\"f'f !Utp~51.U!! rar

T l , I I l I Dorie T l ! n l p l G, w h iiI! th e [1~ul elli~f.R.ai~~d to their tlJundeTf'f frum th~ !5poiri o r wur,:Or that teetc, wll' l! :r t: ;tb' £ph(>si . .u bo, ,' ·d

To Diaul qu~n or heav'n, Eight tow'ra ertse:tach ..bove eaeh, i .UlU10! :5urkble Ileiptr,A mODument Itt cnee of Ll :'Iotfru pride,

And slavisb euperstirien, tu. J<l.dah B,,<t<lnd.

If 2



11\1 llEtEKHun:

G rea t B elsh ae aar lik e D o god,

R ules th e n atio ns wi til u nod!

T<l gteat Belshattar be the goble t erow n'd !

B elshazzar's n am e th e ecb oiog roofs reb ound !

llELSIf"'~UIt.

: :! :n ou gh ! th e 'ki odHn g ra pture fire s m y b rain ,

A .ndm y heart dances to th e fl att'rin g so un ds.

I feel m yself a god! Why not a god 1

W lutt w ere tile deities our fn lh exs w orsh ip p'd ~

VVhM Will! groat N im rod, our imperial founder1

-,"'hat g re at er Be l us . til whose pow'r divine

W e raise to-nigh t the banquet. and the Sting;

B-ut you th fu l he roes , mortal , like my.self,

W ho by their dan og ' e 1lIIl'd di v inil y 1

They were but m en : DII.y, !ome wert! !ellllihall 1I16D,T;l lD~h uow rever'd !ll!gods. W hat W l I . Il Anubis ,W h om E gyp t's sapient 8(1).'1 adore 1,-/1. dog!A .nd sha ll no t I, yau ng, valian t, and a k ing,Dare m ore ~ do m ore 1 exceed the boldest ili gh ts

o r m y p10geni\nr1 i1-F ill m e m ore w ine;

T ., cherish and exalt th e you ng idea! ( hB d l ink s)

N e'e r did O l ym p ian J up iter llim 5 elrQ 'Qal f's uc b immo rt al draughts.

Fllur cccnrnm,

W il lit co uld that C a n aall,

T liat heaven in hope, that nothing in possession-

'l 'l ia t a ir~ buil.t b lias o f th e delu ded J ew s,

That p rcm is'd land of m ilk and flow ing honey:

W hat could that faney'd paradise b~~tow

T ., m atc h th ese gen erou ~ ju ices!

A SACRED n itA" ' . .· •

.BELs:n~"Z:'/l,n..

. H old=-encugh I

hast rOlls'd a Ihongh t. By H eav 'n , I ....ll lin., joy it:

though I! w h ich w ill e xa l t to rapture

of tI Le b an q n et, an d bestowu nt as te d r el is h 0f de!igt t,

FIRST euu llTI£n ...

the kiug' 1

::aJ.:l,.-:iUAZZ,Art~

The Jews! saids; thou the Je 'W8~

l'lRST COURTlEn.

o f t ha i undone, th at o utca st p eo ple,

creatures of th y pow'r,

of tlLywill , w hose ve ry b reathtile sovereign pleasure of the king.

HB1.S-UAZZAH.

th ai a ban d on ' d race w as h ith er b ro ug ht,

the ch oiaest treasures of their Tem ple

to th elf God, and he! d 'Mit p recious.) .

spuils which grac'd N ebnssar's - trium ph,

d in Babylon 1

PIRS' l' COTJ RTiETIt

o king I they were.

SECON!) covn'l":I:tIl.

with su pc rstltlou s a w e , b eh el d

·~.rn. of N"n"ehadnruw.. Mt being redu,ible to. . adop,ed til 01 • f N .ba". r, on the autlloril'y 0 f

""d 1earIl.d anther of Judah l4stor.a.

117



lIS J)EUHA!LZAR!

T hese sacred sym bols of their ancien t win!Nor lw aaptivity abated aught _

T be rev'rend I ove th ey b ear th ese holy relics.

T ho' w e deride their law , and scorn the ir pemoos,Yet :never have we yet to hum an US B

Devote d th ese tich ves se ls s et a pa rtTo sacred purposes.

BllL8nuun.

I joy to hear it !Go-feteb them hither. They shall grace our ban-

quat.

Do os no en e stir 1 - B e l sh azzar disobey' d 1

And y e t you live 1 W hence o o l l l e ~ Ih i B strange re-

luctance 1

T his new -b orn rev 'ren ce for the. h elpless Jews 1

Th is fettr 10 in jure those w ho can 't revenge it 1Send to the sacred treasury in haste,

Let all be bither brought ,-who an sw ers, d ie s,

[They go (?ld,

T he :m a.n tling w ine a higher joy will yield,

Pour'd f l O m th e p ree ious flagon s w hich adoru 'd

Their far-fam'd Tem ple, now in ashe! laid.

911! 'I w i ll exnl t !e p leasure into IraDsport,

To gwl t ho se w h io in g, praying Israelites I

I lau gh to think what wild dismay will s eiz e th em ,Whe'I I they s ha 11learn t h e us e th a t has been IDad e

O f all th eir h ol y I T O I I lp er y 1 .

. [ T h e t> e s s e l . sa r e bt'''''il'~1 ,n ,

UOO!'"D covnrrsn.

Itcomes :

A goodly shew ( how bright w ith gold and gem s I.

A S"C~JlD 0RAMA•

- .f it t~ r f or a youthfu!mouarch'. board

th e coIl s n tine of an unheedi n g God,

BBLSBA1.'ll\ n,

1M that mQ~~y gobl~t to the br im .

A brah"-m ! let th y wretched mea ~xp~ct

le of their faith to be fu16U 'd ;. second Tem ple and their proJ?is'd k ing;

will they see the God they Vainly serve

to help ; for had he pow'.

~raot their pray'!, he would prevent

_ki ng i lg o il lg to drink , th,,,,dtr il/ ,wrd; ha

from. th ~ t n " , , , " , spill' " l 1 < U , d , ' " ', ," '' ·",rites

fh e "all 11ese '"'O rds , blENE, "£1']:;, T c~:;;~,

AI! S tN, He let!; fa 11 t1,~g ob let, , ,, ,d stanG J .,..

" if spoocldess iHw,or . AU slu"I, a", l l~em

1F IRST C 01 J nn ER (of t . . · " long F"Ule) ,

Oil, transcendent horror!

. . "l!CO)olD C(HI!l~')E"-,

. ma y th is m ean 1 The k iog is greatly m ov'd!

: TEu.nn dOunTIER.

is it strange-who unappall'd can view it1

sacred cups 1 I dou lit we've goo e 1M far!i?lllS't COUn.T]EH.~

the Iear-struck king! hiss tan;n!): eyes

horrib ly. Thrice he sssay'd to speak ,

ih rice h is to ng ue re i'w i'd.

13EL51I.Uu..n (in a lo w tr~mb lin g vo ic e).Y e m y stic w ord s!

119



"',_~ , DELSIIAZ'l:AlI.

,"""" for ,the 1""..,'< 1 ..W ho deals in W'",:" ,mllglCJans, "vuY!>(Ia-1!......... speU s and m ~"'; .. h .,

, ---..'" c arms.(Swnego..a.

How fans In n~5T COITRl:TJlA.

. ' Y lord the k. ing 1

Dl\LSI!AZ2AJt.

\Vbat ~r ha.-ve11 Ye I' ,Ant Ia kingl

PO _ " _ . . ,i:ouI~tr,aC,tillg s i g h t ' Y;b'II~'sl~ves, I am not.

"'=P" 'lis fan .• IS I t rea l ?Of m ad d i s t e cyall, O,r the wild dream

l'fllook " " " n " r ' l 1 U u : r e , tlte fumes of ...me'I . .r- no more-.80--- I' .<lilt a Ittn .& "aga in " n o w m weU !

il..Qdye t Illy eyes 'iJ"jd .i:!I<lW not fear ;

And fondly dwell W seek ~at fatal spot,A"";n ,. u pon lite ~.,.],t 1I t hi

> <>-, lIs tltere' 'j,. ~'(>. na asts tbem!1 iel! il still! 'tis' J •isnot Fan£y's work,

w n t te : n O n th e wall !

... ".ellEn ])11"'1<0A. 121

see the writing, but the viewl~ writer,

Who 1 what is he 1 0 h, horror! horror I horror!

Itcannot be the God of these poor Jew s ;

Fo r wha,t is He, that He ClUI thus alIIict1

:6 £CON D 0011 RT I .En . . .

Let not m y lo rd the king be thus dism "y 'd.

TBn~D COURTIER.

Let trot a pban tom, an inns.ive shad ~,

Disturb the peace ,0 f him who reiC B the world.

:JlEL i . .s l l :. ; \ZZ . . . .n,

No IDOI'II, ye I'm\ldlcd sycophants! no more !

, , The, sweetest note whick Ilatt'ry nOW can strike,Hanh a ru i discordant gmbls upoo my soul •

Ta lk n ot ·o f powe r to one so full of fear,

&I...eak, !iO. impotent! Look on that wall ;

Iflholl wooId'st sooth my soul, explain the writing,

And thea shalt be l11y oracle, my god 1

Oh. tell me whenee it came, and what iImeans,

And I'll believe I am again a I!.ing!

..Frrends I PrinCES! ease my trollhlcd breast, and say,

What do Ihe mystic characters portend'

PIRST CO'lJ'R Tl':&R, ..

'TIS !lot inus, 0 Icing. to ease thy spirit,

We are not skill'd in those mysterious arts

W I D e l l : wait the m i d n ig h t . s t u d i C 3 o r t h e ~"e.iBll t o f th e d ee p d iv in ers th ou sh(ll.t learn,

. The wise astrologers, the sage magician.,

Woo, of e..ellh Ullbo.m, take secret note,

Aod h ol d d .e ep co .n nn erce w il li th e u nse en w orld ,

122 A 9J\CREll nMUA .. 12 3



B:El.SU.AZZA,.n. :

.F.1ter &tm iog en , ~ci",..,. ~·t.qc.Bl!l.SH..\zz~o\n.

Approach, ye sages, 'tis the king commands !

_ [ T"e y ~7Iti.ASTEOI~OG

Ens...Hail, mighty king of BabylOll t

.o'£Li5HAZ:ZAR.

Nay, rise,I do not need yow: homage, bu t your help'

The W I l ri d may worship, Y O I l must counsel'me.

He who declares the secret of the king,

No common honours shall await his f;kill .

Our empire shall be t:u:' d for bis reward '

And he himself shall Dame the gift he wishes.A splendid scarlet robe shall grace his limbsHis neck a princely chain or gold adorn; •

Jl.feet ~OlIOurs for sueh wisdom; He shall rule

The dlird in rank throughout our Babylml.

S 4C O ND A .8 .'T R OL O G :I !: .n .

Such r < JCompeos e b ecomes Belshazzar's hounty.Let the king "peak th e secret of his soul '

Wbi~ bead, his humble creatures shalluuf<lld.

Bezsu AZZAR ( jHli f l ts to the lVall).

:Be't SO-look tllcre.--bebold those eharaeters t

Nay, do Dot start, (or I wi II know their me:miug!

Ha! answer; speak, or instant deat!' awaits you [

Wh.at, dumb! all dumb! where illyour boasted

rT1", ! ! con/"Keep them asun<!CT-IlO confederacy-_

. No 00Ill'(!I. plots to make yoIU tales agml•

Spe..t. slaves, and dare to let me know the worst l[They kneel.

FIRST A5i'nOLOGEn ..

Qt., ~r the king Corgive his faithful semw.lS!

S2llOND Jl.STROLO(; ~.n.

Oh, mitigate our threaten'd doom of death,

Ifwe decia"" with mingled grief and shame,

We canntlt tell the seeret of the king,

Nur what these [(I)%1ic eharnc ters portend!

Dr:unAZz.JI).f(~

()f ' I 1 1 i t b th~ir Mads! Ye shall not live an hour.

Cmse 00. YOil l ' shalknv arts, your lying science!

"I'is thus you practise 01 1 the creolulollS worM,, W IlD think you wise because tilenlBclve:; are w e,ak !

'But, miscreants ye shall die I the pow'r to punish

-Isull that I l,a.e left me of a king.

FIn.sT COQR"fIBR.

Great Sire, suspend their punishment awhile.

Behold Nitocris comes, thy royal mother!

Enter QlIEJlN.

QUEEN.

o mymisguided son!

Well may'sl thou wonder to behold m~ here :

For I have eve r shunn'd tins scene of I1{tI,Where wild intemperance and dishonour'd mirth

Hold festifal impure. Yet, 0 Delshanar I

1 could not hear _he wonders which befell,

1~4



U ELSH AZZA R :

And leave thee to the workings of despair ;

For, spite of all the anguish of my soul .

At thy oiFenllO;S, I'm thy mother still!

A{:ainst the solemn purpose I had form'd

Never to mil( in this unhaflow'd crowd,

T he w on dl'O as stoI} ' of the m y s l i c wri ting , . .Of stran"O'll and awful import, brings me here;

Ifhaply I may show some likely meansTo fathom this dark my.ttery.

n&t.SIU.ZZA R.

Speak, 0 queen!My llst'ning soul shall hang upon thy words,

And p romp t o bedi en ce follow them! '

QUEEN.

Then hear me,Among the captive tribes which hither eame

To gta.ce Nebassar's triumph. there was b:rought

A youth nam'd Daniel, favour'd by high Beav'nWith pow'r to look into the secret pageOf dim Futurity's mysterious volume,

TIle li}iirit of the' holy god" is in hinl i

No vision SO obscure, so deeply hid,

.No sentence so perplext, hut he can solve it,He can unfold th" dark decrees oHate,

Can trace each crooked labyrinth of thought,Each winding maze of doubt, and tnal;:e it dear

A nd palpable 10 sense. He twice explai u'd

The monarch'. mystic dreams. The holy See!'

Saw, with prephetie spirit, what befell

The king long aftu. For his wondrous skill

He was rewarded, honour'd, and caress'd;

. J\ 'AcnE» DltU'J\,

.•And with the rulers of Chaldea rank'd : ,

" 'Thougb now, alas! thrown by, his seTVUlCS

Forgotten Ill' neglected.

BJU.$HAZZAP...

Send witb speed

A message, to eemmand the itoly manTo me~t US on the instant.

2II1TOCIUS.

I already

. . . Bave sent to ask his presence at the palace :

And 10! inhappy season, see he comes,

Enttrr D4l'o'HlL.

DELSHA2.Z_AR.

Welcome thrice venerable sage! approach.

A r t thou th~t Daniel whom my great forefather

Brought hith er with th e . ,aprive tribes of Judah!

DANlJ!L.

I am , O'king!'

llJtLSR.\ZUR.

Then, pardon, holy prophet;

Nor let a just rl!Si!ntmen.tof thy wrongs

And long neglected men t shut th! hea~tAgainst a king's request, a supphant king,

D4III f;lo.

The Gad I wonhip teaches to forgive.

l J .J : - I4JI IJ \Z2J\ f t . . .

Then 1ettloy words bring co~0r.t to my soul,

;r've heard the spirit of the gods IS In thee ;



Thai thnu CIUISt 100.1;;ito the fate!; 01 meoW I t h pre;;cimee more than h 1 l ! D a l l !

Hold,. 0 king!

W1sdnl l " is fro m ab ov e; '!is God' . nwn gift;I o r myself am nothing; butli-om Him

T he little knowledge I possess, I hold :_

To Him be all th e glory !

B.RLSlI.Q%&B.

Then, 0 Daniel !Ifh ou in de ed dQ,lt boost th at w o nd ro us gift,'That faculty divine, look tbere and ~11 me!o say, what mean tbose mystie characters 1

Remove this load of terror Irom mysonl .•And honoms, ~lIcb as kings Can give, await thee,

'T ho u sh all be great beyond tily souP~ llIllbitiO!l,

ADd rieb above thy wildest d r eam of wealth :

Clad iu the scarlet robe our oob]es wear,

And'grnc'd with princely ensigns, th ou £ halt I ! tand

N ear our oWll throne , and third within ou r lllIlpire.

llANIIU..

o mighty king, thy gifts with tIo~er e m n i J : t , .And leI thy high Iewanb on olhers fall.

T he p rin ce ly eusign, IlOl" th e & e arl e! ro be ,.

N Or y~ to be the Ilrird within t b Y ....J""

Can 1000c!. the soul of Daniel. HO l IoU l'. f ame ,

All that the world calls great, th.yemwn itself,

Could never satisfy the vast ambilian .

Of an imm o doJ spirit: I aspire,

Bey ond th e p ow 'r of givillg; my high hopes

A SACllED "RAp ....

Reach also to a CI"OWIl-bot 'tis a cJOl'l'll

11nfuding: :and eternal,

FIR.ST n o . U RTI.GR ..

W "ndrous m nn!..•... O u.r priests teach no s ae h n otio ns .\ + . ' 1 "

D.ANIEt._

Yet, 0 king!

, 'Though !illnnmllv'd by grandeur or brgift,

I w iU unfuld the bigh decrees or Heav n,

A od straigh t d eclare th e m y stery.

II..ELS U.A..ZZAn.~

Speak, 0 prophet!

D ...."NI1n...

Prepa r e til hear whal t : . i o g s have seldGm heard ;

Prepa re to h ear ,vb at e ourtie rs se ldl> ~ tell ~

.fupare to bear--the tru th •.. The ! l"l Ighty ~>

'Wbo niles the sceptresand the hearts of ~gs,

Gay~ thy I1lnown'd foref~tbCI· ~ere to te,~.

. .Wil.b. ~ncb "".tent of empue, we>g~t of pow r,

~ g r e a tn e s s of domioi~n,. tbe WIde earth

Trembloo beneath the t.error ofbi~ name,

And kingdom s stood or feU ns be decreed.. ,Qb I dang&OWI pillnacl ~ of power supreme .

Who GUt st:r;nd o:afu cpon iS InAchcmus lop,

Behold tbegaziog~. wml~ t . . : J o w . .Whom depth an d d lSt an te l llU p i g m i e s d~rink,And not grow giddy1 Babylon's great t : . i o g

J.lol§Othe WM a man, a helpless man,

I Z 7

128 Hl<LSBA.ZZ An : 1> .SAc nED DOA»" 1> .. 129



S~bject to pain, and sin, and death, like others!

But wbo shall fight against Omnipotence 1

Or, who loath hardea'd h is obdurate heart

Agains t the majesty of Heav'n, and prosper'd 1

The God he had insulted was aveng'd s

From empire, from the joys of soeial life;He drove him forth.; exr.inguish'd Reasca's lamp;

Quench'd that bright spari. of deity within,

Compall'd bim with the f~rest brutes to roam

Fo r s rn nty p1l5ture ; and th e mO Ul l .t ai nd ew .Fell, cold and wei, on h i s de fe ncel e ss bead.

Till he confewd-let men, let mouarchs hear'

Till he confess'd, FIlIDE WA" NOT MADE POn MU!

lS'T<>CRI!.

011, awful instance of divine displeasure!

1l"£t . . sUA'Zz.an .

Proceed! my soul is wrap! in futt attention I

o king 1 thy grandsire not in ~ had sinn'd,

If, from h is error, thou hadst learnt the truth.

'The story of h is fa ll thou of t has t heard,But has iltaught thee wisdom 1 Thou, like h im ,

Hast been elate with pow'r, and mad with pride.L ik e h im , tholl hast druy'd the living God.

Nay, to bold thou(;ht5 hast added deeds more bold,

Thou hast au t .vrought the pattern he beq ueatll '4thee,

And quite oulgnne example; hast profan'd,

W iIh im p iou s han d, th e vesseh l of th e tem p le:

.'I'Itose vessels sanctified to holiest use,

, Thou b a , . < ; t polluted, "nth unhallow'd lips,

made the instruments of foul debauch.

Thou hast ador'd the god. of woad and stone,

" Vile, senseless deities, the work of hands,

, 'ButHE, rITE

KrsuOF 1[11<'(;S. ANI> LoI<1>

ofLORDS.

.. 'In whom exists thy life, thy soul, thy breath,

On wham thy being hangs, thou bast deny'd,

FrRST COURTiER ( lt li< le t o t l. e D l h e n ;) .

With what an boly boldness he reproves him!

s.£COND COURTIE.'R~

Sncil is the fearfess confidence of virtue!

.And SUeLl tbe righteous ecurage these maintain

", Who plead the cause of truth! The smallest W1)J11, He utters, had been deatl. to hal f the coort,

]n:..r.~t:r " ' Z Z A n .

Now let the mystic writing he ell'pla,n'(l,

Thrice venerable sage !

o mighty king!

, Hear then its awful import; !lP"y'n I IUS ,, , ,, , , iJel "d

Thy day. of rO'1alt~II' a ad S OO J • •• iIl e»d IJ":III,

O m - Gutlllll$ "",ig,.'d tI"", ill 1 1 1 1 : " m ' " " ' , / " ' ='qfhitrownholy 1m", anfiji",/.' Ih.. m,, , , I1J1g:

. : A n d 1 1 l 3 t , l i I,~ l I i/ lgdol l l s l u t / l 1 J £ ! lJ r e : l l e t l f r om t h e e , ;

'. And know t~.Me.ie amt Pe rs ia " s lu tll lJQS<1!s s it.

Bru.SII""""n ( li ia r l l' up) . ,

when shall th is be ~



130 l IEU.IIA.i<ZAn :

InGod's own time:Here my commission ends; I may not utter

More than !bou'st heard; but, oh l remember, k i n g . I

T hy da ys are umnber'd: hear, repent, and live!

llELliIlAUAU.

Say, prophet, ...hat can penitence avail '!

IfHunn's decrees inmllltably are 6x'<I.Call prayer.: avert OUT !ate 'I

DANIEL.

They change our hearts,And thus dispose Omnipotence to mercy.

"Tjs man that al ters; God is .till the same.

Ctmdilional are al l Hea.v'n's covenants :

ADd when th' uplifted thunder is wi!bheld,

'Yo pray'r that deprecates th' impending bolt.

Good Hezekiah's • days WIlTC unmber'd too :

But penitence and faith were mighty pleas,

Ai mercy's throne !bey never plead in vain.

[H e is g u i " : '

8Jt.l.5llAtzA R.

Slay, prophet, and receive !by promis'd gift;The scarlet rooo a n d prioccly chain are thine;

"\00 let my heralds pub l ish through tile WIdThat D:uriel sbJ>ds, in w.,"lIity and pow'r.

TIle third in Babylon . These j us t r ewa rds

'DIIIll well may'st claim, tho' sad. Ih y propheej-!

QUE"",.

Be nol deeeiv'd, my 501l! nor let thy soul

I Il' Chroft .kalil. Ta i ahJ x,x;niii.

It. S&CltED DRAIlJl. ..

Snatch an uncertain moment's treach'mus rest,

O n the dread briD k of that tremendous gUlf

Wh i ch yawns beneath thee,

131

DANIEL.

o un hap p y king!Know what ...mt happen once " ' ' ' y happen SOOIl.

R.!member that 'tis tem'ble to meet

Groat 0!riIs unprepar'd !and, 0 Belshuzaz rIa th e wild m.oment of dismay and death,

Remember thou wast warn'd ] and, 0 remember,

WarDi.llgsdespis'd, are condemnations then!

[&eWll DA!I1:EL and QlI.El:l<.

'Till welJ-my soul shakes 08' its load of care :'T is only the obscure ],; terrible.

JmagiDation frames events unknown.

In ,...ld fantastic shapes of hideous min :

And .. h i . 1 it fears creates! I Imow the won;t ;

And awful is that worst as fear could feign :

But distant are the ills I bave 10 dread :

Wba.t is remote ma y be uncertain too:

. M I I. ! P r in o e s ! hope breaks in I-This may Il.ot he.

FIlIST coUll TJEn..Perhaps this Dmiel is in league witb Persia;

Aad brib'd by Cyrus to report these burro"',To weaken and impede the miglity plans

·Oflby imperial mind!

llELSUAUEn.

'Tis very like.

t 2

IJEL"IiAZUR: 13 3



SECOND COUnrIER.

Return we to the banquet 1

DBLSHAnAR.

Dare we venture 1

THIllD CO""TIEll.

Let not this dreaming seer d i s t m b the ki1lg.

A g a . i : n s t the power of C yrus and tile MelleIs Baby !. ." , s ec ur e. Her brazen gates

Mock an alternpt'< I() force them. Proud Euphrate, .A walery bulwark, guards our ample city ,

From all assailants, And within the walls

Of this stupendous capital are lodg'd

Saeh vast provi.ions, such exhaustless stores,As a twice ten ye=' siege could never waste 1

BELlinAZZ"n (e m br a c e s kim).

'My better· genius! Safe in I !Uci. resources,

I mock the prophet-Turn We to tile banquet !

[A. they."." gu ing 10 "1!$ll7lUO the ir P l.u :e ; a t th e '&"qI'tI,

a dTf 'B.d jf i< lUp. . . . . . . U /,_.a, mnwu,tO!lS o n " i ' " " '

'Illarli1ro&"'1llI.. A ll st""d tvrifie d . .Enter & ld im , ..11lil l . t 1 J . f f ' T Sword. draum, Gild w.,.ni!ed. J

SOLDIER.

ou : helpless Bnh yl\l ll ! Q b.l w re tc he d ling!Chaldea is no more! the lHede has eonquer'd I

The vieior Cyrus, like a mighty tmTent,

C om es nlShing on, aad m arks his w ay with ruin !

Destruction is at hand; escape or perish.

B F.L SU A ZZ A.It-

Impossible !Villain and slave, thou ly'st !

,..E11phrate. and the brazen gates secure US,

.. While those remain, Bclsha.u.!lr laughs at danger.

SOLDIER.

Euphrates is illvertetl 'fromis course I

The h~n gates are hurst, the city's taken,

· '1 1 1" ., . • •. - ·. .. . ] ' . •• , ,' a pris'aer, and thy empire lost.

:B £LSIl A.1.'i.Io. n.

Oh prophet! I remember thee indeed!

Tilt'!!j/l1JimJ illthe ulm"" c'''ifusi,:m.]

FlBST JEw'.

He eemes, he comes! Ihe long predicted prince,

..Cyrm! the destin'd instrument of Heav'n,

.: , ·T o-free our captive nation, an d re stor e

. ·'JJi1ll1vAn's temple. Carnage marks his way,

~I l<i conquest sits upon his plnme-crown'd helm!

SECOND JEW.

What noise is that 1

F rnS'T J''E\V ~

Hark! 'tis Belshazaar's voice!

BCLSILj\i.i.A U (with.ut).

o soldier: spare my life, and aid my flight!

Such treasures sball reward the gentle deed

, As Persia nerer saw. I'll be thy slave,

134 BELSHAZZAR' A S.lCRED JJRAMA ..13 5



rn yield m y crow n to Cyrus! I'll adore

His gods and thine-I'll knccl. and kiss thy feet,

And worship thee. It is not much I ask-

I'll live in boBdage, beggary, and pain,

So thou but let me live.

SOLOl.EIC.

Die, tyr.l.Qt, die!

DEL"ElAZ'ZA R.

ODaniel! Daniel! Dani e1!

Enter SOLnxEll.

80LD1E:n.

BelshanllI's dead!

The wretched king breath'd out his furious soulIn that tremendous groan.

F1R.ST l"XW

Belshazzar's dead'-Then, Judah, art thou free I The tyratlt's faIl'n!

Jerusa.km! Jerusalem i. s free!

PAU1'III.

D!'NlliL~

Bu boweth down,'" and haughty Nebo stoops!

,"'file Ulo1s faD; the god and w orshipper

Tog" ther fall I togeth er IbllY bow dow-ntEach other, or themselves th~ycannot save,

, ,0 Babylon, where is thy refuge now 1

,Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, meant to save

Pervert thee! and til y blessing is thy bane !

• 'Whe re are thy brutC!11deities, Chaldea! . I:,'_Where are thy gods of gold 1-0 Lord DClIfe .

'Thou very God! so fall thy foes before thee!

.FI1IST J1~W~

. So feU beneath the terrors o r Thy name

", '',['he idnl Chemosb, Muab's eo'pty trust;

, Amm oniuSh Moloch sun1< befnre thee ;

, fell Philistine Dagon: so shall fall,

: ' '1 '0 time's remotest period, atl tit Y foes," <Triumpbaut Lord of Ho.ts !

DANIEL ..

H ow ehang'd ou r fate!

,N ot for myself . 0 J II lIan I but for thee,

, I shed these tears o( joy. For Ino more



136BELSJLU~,'IJZ ,

1\l1W view the c e d a r s which adorn the brow

or Syrian Lebanon; 11 0 more .!tall see

Tby, ple~nt stream, 0 Jordan; nor the £lochWlneh wluteD. all the mOUD.tailL~f Judea'

No more the.;e e y e s delighted shall revie"':Or Cannel's. !t~hts, Or Shal"On'sflo....ry vale&.I most remam In lkbylon! So Heav'n,

To whooe nward5 I bow me, has decreed.

1ne' et shal! see thee, S a (em! I am old;

And few and toilsome III'e my days to come,

But ....e shall meet in those ccles!ial el i mes

(Am~ ,dth which created glories ~ink;Where srnners shall hay" p(}w'r to harm no mare

~n ~ m nrly r' d vi rtue res ts her Weary head. ''Hough ere my day ofprorni"tl grace shall wme,1 shall be try'd by perils sbange and new.

Nor shall I taste of death so l,a"e I Ieam'd

Till I ltave seen the captive tribes restor'd. '

PJ1l,sr JEW.

And shall w e view, once more, thy ImUow'd tow'IlIImperial Salem? '

DANr£L.

Yes , m y Y(llithful friends!You shall behold a second temple rise-

With grate~1 ecstacy, but we, your~,

Now benl with hOMY :tge; we, WlUIS" d,a:rtU'd eyes

Dehold the matchl= glories 01 the JUst,

Should weep. rCl ll tm b 'r in g what we once l J i U I seen,'l 1,a t m od el o f- p er fe ct io n .

·~i.

Ii ~AC'nED Dn.Al1 A. 13 7

S.£{."OSD lEW.

Never more

Shallllllch II. wondrous structure grace the eartll,

DANIEL..

Well have you borne amiction, men (If .Judah !

Well h2ve susl3in'd ),our portion of distress;

,h,d nnrnpi Din;;, drank. the 10itter dregs

Of adverse forlnne! Happier days awa.il you,

o goa"l against the perils o f SuCC \O l S ,

Prosperity dissolves ti,e yielding soul,

And the brigbt sun of shining fortune melts

The r . rm est vi rtue dow n, Be ware , m y friends,He gyea t1Y C O lutious of prosperity !

Defend your sliding hearts; and, IJembling, tI,WHow those, wbo buffeted Allliction's waves

With vigorous virtue, sunk il l pleasure's calm,

,He," who or special grace had been allow'd,

To rea! the hallow'd fane 10 Israel's God,

, By wealth cerrupted, and by ease debauch'd,Ferseok the God to whom be rnis'd the fane;

And, s u r u : . in sensual sloth, consum'd his daysIn vile idolatrous riles !-Nor think, my sons,

That virtue in sequester' d sulin.d~

Is always found, Within the inmost soul

The hidden tempter lurks, ocr less betray,;

Inthe still seem;ng safety of retrea t,

Th~n where the world tIer snares ~ut"ngliDg "PTcn,h,

1 I - 1 0 r e visible to sense. Guard every tb~ug!ot ;

Who thinks h imse l f secure is half undone;

, .. S o lC I DDD ..

138 DELSUAiZA n,



For sin, unwateh'd, may reach the sl ll lc tu ar y :

'Tis n ot th e p lace l'rosel"V o.'S II&. R ight eoue Lot

S!emm'd the strong current of corruption's tide,E'en in polluted &dom; safe he liv'd,

While cite umspee tive Virtue'M watchful ~ye

Was anxiously awake; butinthe shade,F ar from the obrious perils w hich alarm

With palpable temptation, Secret sin

Ensnar'd his soul ; he trusted in himself!-Security betray' d him, and lie fell,

tiECONl) Jltw..

Thy prudent counsels inOur hearts shall live,As: if a pen of adamant bad gcav'd them,

PIBSt" .fEW ..

The dawn approache."; let us part, my friends-,

Secure of peace, since tyranny is fall'n,

nANHlL.

80 perish all tiline enemies, 0 Lord!

So, mighty God! shall perish all Who seek

C orrup ted p leasure s in th e tU l'b id w ave s

Of tire's polluted stream, and madly quit

The livin g fo un ta in of p ere nn ia l g ra ce 1

DANIEL.

• of ble 2nd the \Vkk.d'Th" Rightee"" io dch_ Ol1t trc>u. Sol ,

';"melb in h.. ,le.,). Provufu of ,,""', .

On pent desplm gnnds mj;;surpreudre la justice,

I ......pable£ de Immper110DDt peine "0 . ,'.d,appeT

D•• plegee de I'art.\fi"". .Un "",or noble DO peat ""'Pl'O"ner en a ..uul

LabM.eaae et la mnllee

Qu~jJ De sent po i ILt en lui.

&Ihu. TTlTgtdi. d. Radne.



PERSONS OF THE DRA.MA.

DARIUS, K;ng ifModi" a7ld Baby!~II.PH ABlI'ACB', } ,,_ .

S" " " . - h I l T s , Em",';.,,; til DAllIEr ..

OIB.NUS,

A''''BPES. a ylllwg Median LI>rd, Fl" ie l ld ",ui Com.wI

tv DAIIIEL.

D..sn'L .•

SCENE.--TII. City <!IBADYLO"N.

The & / d " " i, taken from tl••. Si.rtl. Chapter q f th« 1 ', . . _ ,

pM ! D a nie l.

DAN IE L.

PJl.P.T f.

PUAnNACF.6, S'lRANU8.

P[["R~ACES~

Y&s!-I,have noted witb a jealous eye,

The POW I of this new fav'rite. Daniel reigns,,', And BOt Darius t Daniel guides the springs

'Which move tllis mighty empire! High he sits.

'~;'.'''''''n_..nin favour both with l'<lllCC and people!

is the spirit of our Median lords,

to croucl. and bend the supple knee

new god! By lI1ithras. 'tis \00 much!

, great Arbaces' tace to Daniel oow!

,A foreigner, a captive, a.ud n Jew 1

Something must he devis'd, and that r ight soon,',To shate . his credit.

SOllANUS.

Rather hope to shake

'The mountain [line, whose twisting Jibres clasp

The earth, deep-rooted I Ratber hope to shake

The Scythian Taurus from bis central base l

N_Daniel sits too absolute ill pow'r.

142



Too linn in favour, fot dIe keenest shalt

O f n ie ely aiming ia . J 0 ' I I 5 Y IJJ re ach h im ,

PR.&B.N.iCEs.

Rather he sits to o bigh IQ sit securely,

Y C S _ I he has reach'd tha t pion a d e M pow' r ,W hich elosely lD n"h"" on Ik pJ 'ession 's verge_

Hast Ih ou th en liv'd in courts 1 Hast th ou gro wn g r e y

Beneath the mask a subtle statesman wears -

To bide his secret soul , and dost not k Im . . ..That o r aU lielle Fo!tum!'s transient g i I I . s • •

"Favour is most deceitIu.ll 'Tis a beam ,

Which darts uncertain brightness for a moment I

'J~e fain.t . precarious, sickly shine 0 f pow'r ;

Glv'n WIthout merit, by caprice withdrawn.No tri& is so small as what obtains,

S ave th at which l os es f a .. "" r; 'tis a b re at h,

'VlUch bangs upon a smile ! ..4 . look., a word,

A C ro W D , theair -huilt to....ro f fortune & h i ! . l r n s

And d.own the unsubstaatial fabric Calli ! '

Darius, jlISt. and denUon t ill! he is,

H I mistake nolo I IUly be wrought "po!!

By prudent wiles. By Flatt'1J'~p le as an t c up ,

Adm in is te r'd ...n th eaatinn, -

Bill tbe means 1For Daniel 's life (a ~ m ust gnnt him that.)Is _so ",pIlOte with goodo.ess, ,;0 adorn'd

W, th ~ye.y vi.rme, so exactly squar'd

By W isdo m ' a n ice st rule s, 'twill be most Iwd

To charge h im w ith the shadow of oB"ell£e .

. P u re is h is fa -m e a s S cy 1.l Iia 'sm o un ta in &UOW9,

J\. MCIIE» DIt. . '1A. 14 3

.. Wb,,!!neta breath pollutes Ihem r 0 Pharnaces,

. : £" 'e sC ann 'd thaactiens O lf h is d ail y Iife

Wilh all the industrious malice 0f a foe :

ADd nothing moots mine eye hot deeds or hODOIIT !

In . "like pnre; fur equitable ad.

RelIOwn'd, in justice and impartia1 troth,

The Grecian Them is is II(It m o re !! <Iv ere .

rn"(lN.lLCU...

By yoB hright S lID , t Il OB blaulD'31 fOn l l his praiseAs ifwith rnpture thou didst read "tile pageW h ere th ese fair de ed s are w ritte n !

Thou mistak'st,

Ion l y meant to shew what cause we haveTo hate and rear him. :£ b ut m e~t to paint

H is p op ul ar virt ues and e clip sin g m e ri I.

Theil for devotiou, and teligiol!5 zeal ,

W ho so reD OW D.'d as Da.o.iel1 O f his law

Observant ill th' ex t reme. T".i~" e ve ry day,

With prostrate rf!..erence he adores his God :

With s ap e rs .titia tL !! a w e his f ace he tU l "ns

Towards his beloy'd Jerusalem, as if

Some local, partial go d might th...., be foundTo hear his supplication. No a f f a i : r

Of state, no business SO importnDate,

No pleasure so alluring, no employOf luch high import, In seduce his zeal

From. this oh'lel"\=<:e due I

PDAOS.&tlIS.

There, tbere he falls !

Enough , • 1 D , r friend ! h is p ie ty d es tro ys him,

]44 DA.NIEL:145!J..tCRED Dn"MAr

Wrth ravish'd urs, to listen to hisIore :



'There, at the ve r y footstool of his God,

'Vbere he implores protection, there I'll crush him.

SOnANU$.

What, means Pharnaces '1

PHARNJ.CES ..

,hk not wlnLt I mean.

'The new idea floating in my brain

Has yet receiv'd no form.· 'Tis yet roo soon1 . " 0 give it body, circnm;;tante, or breath.

The seads of oUghty deeds are lnh'ring here

And struggling for a birth! "I'is near the hour

The king is wont to summon US to council:

Ere that. LItis big conception ormy mind

I'll shape to [onn and being. Thou meanwhile,

Convlme om chosen friends; Ior I shall need

The aid of all yom eounsels, and the weight

Of grave anthority.

Who shall he trusted t

PJJA.R}i;ACES4

"'lith Dill immediate motive none, excepb

A chosen band of friends, w bo o'IQSlr-epine

At Daniel's ezaltatien, But the schemeI meditate m1I51 be diselcs'd to all

Who bear high offiee ; all our Median rulers;

Princes and captains, presidents and lords;

All must assemble. "I'is a common cause :

AlI bnt the young Araspes; he inclines

To Daniel and h is God. He sits atteat,

With reverence names Jcrusalem, and readsThe volume of the law, No more be bo_

1 . " 0 hail the golden Ruler of the day,

Bllt looks for some great Prophet, grea1<lr far,

S o they pretend, than Mithras! - From him, there-

fore,

C o n c e a l whate'er of injn.ry is devis'd

'(},rinst Daniel. Be it too tby care to-da y,

To t~ him from the wllllCil. ItiORA.lo'.,S.

'Tis well thought.

. "rIa now about the hour of Daniel's pray'r :

.Maspes 100 is with him; and t o -dayl'bey will not sit in eouacil, Haste we then I

. Designs of bigh importance. once eonceiv'.l.

Should be accomplish'li GeniU3 which d i s ee r ns ,

Jmd eow-age _ w e l L achieves, despise the aid

o r lingering eircumspeetion, The keen spirit

Seizes the prompt eeeasion, males the thought

'(, Start into instant action, and at once

Plws an Ii performs, resolves and eseentes l

"

146 DAN[El. ;A SACRED DRAMs, 147



Pi1.RT II.

&ene-DANIEL'S H O U M .

DA><IEt., ARA51'E5.

....It.4.51'U.

P 110CEEO, proceed, thrice venerable sage !

Enlighten my dark mind with this new ray,

ThLq dawning of salvation! Ten m e more

Of this expected King! iJIIs Comferter l

'111i5Promise of the nations! this great HOlleOf anxious lsrdel! this unborn Prophet!

This Wonderful, this mighty Counsellor!This everlasting Lord! 'TIlis Prince of Peace!

This Balm of Gilead, which shall heal the woonds

Of universal nature! tills MESSIAH!

Redeereer, Saviour, BuK erer, V ictim , GO D!

DA:SrEL.

Enough to animate OUf faith, we know,But not enough to sooth tile curious pride

Of vain philosophy! Enough to cheer

o ur path we see, the rest is hid in clouds;

And Heav'n's own shadows rest upou the vi.....!

.AnA-SPES ..

Go on, blest sage 1 I could folrever hear,

Untir'd, tby admoninon I T eU me how

I sball obtain the favonr of that God

I but begin to know, but fain would serve.

DANIEl..

By deep huwility, by faith ~l~rcign:d,, , By hulydeeds, h~ proof o~IlVln~ fmth!

o faith,· thou wonder-working principle,

·Etemalsubstance of our present hope.

'Thou evidCImC of things invisible!

What cannot man sustain, sustain'd lly thee!

'The time would fail, and the brigbt star of day. ,Would quencll his b e n r i t s in =11, and resign

, . : H i s empire to the sil Vel" queen of nigJlt ;

· And she again descend the steep of heav'n,

·IfI should tell wbat wonders faith achiev'd

By Gideon, Barak, and lite bol~ seer,

• .EIbmah's son; the pions Gilead.tc, ,

. ill-fated Jephthah! He of Zol 'ah 100, t ..' In strength uneqnall'd : and the shepherd king,

· Who VUD.'luisb'd Gath's feUg iant! Need I tell, .Of holy propl.els, wbo, by COI1((U'ring faith,

.• Wnrught deeds incredible to mortal seuse ;

Vanquish'd contending kingdoms, quell'd the rageo r funoWl pestilence, utinguish'd fire!

· V ic tor ious faith I others by thee endor'd

. dis!mu:e, eapti vity, and death,

.. un~mplaining, b ore (D O r be it dEem'd

· T he meanest exercise of well-try'd faith)

'. T he cruel mocking, and the bitter taunt,

.. Fool obloquy, and undeserv'd reproach; ,

-.Despising shame. that death to human pride !

...B.-.tSPES_

1:Iow shall this faith be sought 1

• Hebrew s •• I.

148 DANIEL:149



DA'l'UBL,.

'By earnest pny'r

Solicit first the wisdom f r om above :

Wisdom, whose fruits are purity and peace !

WISdom! that bright intelligence, which sat

Supreme, when with his golden compasses '"'

Th' Eternal plann'd the fabric: o r the world,Predue'd his f a D - idea into light,

And !aid that all wall good! Wisdom, blest beam!

The brightness of the everlasting light!

The spotless mirror of the pow'r of God I

The rellex image of th' all-perfect Mind!A stream translucent, :Bowingfrom the 0 0 _Of glory infinite! a cloudless light!

Defilement cannot touch, nor sin polluteHer unstain'd purity! Not Ophir's gold,

Nor Ethiopia 's gem s can m atch her price,

The ruby Q f the mine is pale before her'

And.like the oil Elisha's bounty bless'd,

Sbe is a treasure which doth grow'by use.And multiply by spending! she cnntains.

Within herself, the sum of excellem:e .

Ifriches are desir'd, wisdom iswealth !

Ifprudence, where shall keen invention findArtificer more eunning1 Ifrenown,

In her tight hand it comes! Ifpiety,Ate not her labours virtues 1 If the lore

Which sage experience teaches, 10I she scans

Antiquity's dark truths; the past she knows,

Anticipa.e.'l the fulu.r<o; not by art.

• S,e Paradiae Ecat, book vii, li.n.225.

Forbidden, of Cbaldean sorcerer,

, Bllt from the piercing ken of deep foreknowledge,

, , 'From her sure science of the n 'W l l ;1n heart

weighs effects with caum:s, en~ with means;

Raolving all into the SOO'elelg'll will.

, 'For earthly blessings moderate be thy prayer,

, A n d qualify'd; for light, for strengtb, for grace,

Uubmmded thy petition.

A.RASlIll'J.

Now, 0 prophet!

Explain the secret doubts which rack my mind, .

, And my weal: sense eonfound, Give me some line

". To sound the depths of Providence! 0 say,

, . W h y the nng<:>dly prospe r? why their root, ,

" Shoots deep, and their thick branch~ flourish fair,'.' Lik e th e green bay tree 1 w~lytb~ nghteons, m an"'Like tender plants to shivering WIndS expos d,

•'Is stripp'd and torn, in na k ed rirtue bare,

A nd nipp'd by cruel Sorrow's bi~ng blast I

, ~lain. 0 Daniel, t1~ese(oystenollS ways

To m y taint apprehensIOn! FOl, ~ yet, m nch to lear,n.Fair Truth's Immortal sun

Is sometimes hid in clouds; not that her light

Isin itself defective; but ebscur'd

By my weak prejndice, imperfect Faith,

• ' A n d all the thousand causes which obstruct

, The growth of goodness,

DANIEL.

Follow me, Ar.:Ispes.

W'llhin thou sh alt p eru se the sacred page,

The book of life eternal! tllar will shew thee

150 DA1'IIl!L: 151S.\CP.E];) DRAMA.



The Ll"D of ttle ungodly 1 thou wilt own

How_short their longest period; wilt perceive

How black-a night succeeds their brightest day!

Thy purged eye will sec God is not slack,

A. men count sbeln=. to fulill his word,

Weigh wel l ilii.. book ; and rnay the Spirit of grace'Who stamp'd the seal of truth on the biess'd page

Descend into thy soul, remove thy doubts,

Clear the perplex'd. and solve the intricate,

Till faith be lost insight, and hope in joy)

PART III.

DARIUS DR h is TIi"o1la-PaAn"",cII5, SoIl._UiDlo

Prince:;, P .... itlmUf. and c . m - r l U r ~ .

PHARNACES.

ILIL, King Dwns!" live forever!

Weloomi!Welcome, my princes, presidents, and friends 1

Now tell me, has yonr wisdom aught devis'd

To aid the eommenweahh 1 InOlll' new empire,

Subdued Chaldea, is there aught xemains .

Your prudence can suggESt to serve the state,

To benefit the subject, to redress

And raise the injur'd, to assist th' oppte3S'd,

Alld humble the o-ppressur1 . If YOIl know,

Speak freely, prinees 1 my am I a king,

lUcept to poise the a wfu l se't1 le o r justice.Witb even band; to minister to want ;.

To bless Ui.enation. with a liberal rule,

VIcegerent of th' eternal Oroma.o;des1

PDA.1lN~CES ..

So absolute thy wisdom, mighty king,

All,munseL ,vere superflueus,

DA)lttH:~

Hold, Phamaces l

... No adulation ; 'tis the death of virtne!

.Wbo Batters is of:all mankind the lowest,

be who courts the flattery. Kings are men,

As feeble and as frail as IDose they ntle,. _"'ndborn, like them, to die. The Lydian:monurch,

. Unhappy Cn:esus, lately sat aloft,

Almost above mortality; oow see him!

81I~ to the vile oondioon of a slave,

.He swells the train of Cyrus! 1, like him,

'ro m i se ry am ohnoDons.. See this throne;

Th i s royal throne the gyeat Nebassar fill'd;

Yet hence his pride espell'd him 1 Yonder waIl,

_The dread terrific writing to the eyesOf prond Belshazzaz shew'd: sad monuments

oC Heaven's tremendeus vengeance! aad shall I,

Unwaro'd by such exam pies, cherish pride?

Yet to their dire calamities I owe

The brightest gem lila! gmt;'J}s in m y CfQWn.

& " o - e Daniel. If lDY speech have aught of worth,

Or i f m y life with aught of good he grac'd,

To bim alone lowe it.

152 DANIEl_. : ... SACRED nit... ...153



SoRA."VS ( f w l k tD P h a J 1 1 . t I U $ ) .

Now, P ham ace e,Will he run o'er, and dwell npon his praise.

A~ if we ne'er had heard it; nay, will swell

The nauseous catalogue with many a virtue

His ()W1l. fond fancy coins.

PII >I .Ul ACEII.

o great Darius!Let thine unwoI1hy servant's words find grace,

A nd meet accep ranee in his royal ear,

Who subjugates the east l Let nut the king

With ang..r hear my pray' t,

DAlHos.

Pharnaees, speak;I know thou lov'st me; I but meant to chide

Thy Battery, not reprove thee for thy zeal,

Speak boldly, friends. as man should speak to mail.

Perish the barbarous maxims of the East,Which'basely would enslave the free-born mind,

And plunder man of m e best gift of Heav'o,His liberty of soul.

lJ-nARNACRS.

Darius! hear me,!hY prie ces, and the captains of thy bands,

T hy presidents, the nobles w o o bear role

O'er provinces, and I, thine humble creature,

Less than the least in merit, but illlove.

In zeal, and duty, equal with the first,W e have devis'd 3 .measure to confirm

Th y infant empire, to establish firmly

. T hy pD..,'r j lDd new tlom illion , an d stC1II'"

. T hy growing greatnes$ past the pow'r of change.

OARIUS.

lam prepar'd to hear thee. SJ""'k, pilarnaces..

'f'DAlLNAC£S.

The wretched Babylonians long have gro3.11'd

..Bf'lIIeath the rule of princes, weak or rash,

·Tbe rod of pow'r w as sway'd alike amis.<l,

·l~y~bIe Merodaeh aD<~ierce Bel,;h-uzar.

... One let the 9lacken!d reins too loosely float

... U pOn the peDple's neck, and lost his pow'r

:;'By lWTeleSS rela.'Catioll. He. who foUow'a,·Beltl with a tyrant's hand the cruel curb,

And clJeck'd the groaning natiou till it bled;On dilFerent roch they met one common nun,

". Their edicts were irresolute, their laws

··Were feebly p1ann'd, their counsels ill advis'd;

·Now 00 relax'd and now so overstra.in'd,

That the tit'd ;eople, wearied wit~ the weight

They long ltave borne, will soon disdain con~l"· Tread on all rule, nnd spurn the hand that gmdes em.

DAOro"-

· But say what remedy 1

PIl 'A-n.. ."tACE$ . .

'Ihat too, 0 king!

Th y servants have provided. Hitherto

They bear the yoke submissive. But to fu c

· Thy pow'. and their obedieece, to ~uce

Al l h e ar ts to thy dominion, yet aVOId

154·nANTEL!

Those deeds of cruelty th y nature starts at,

Thou should'sr JJ:gio by some imperial act,

155.t SAC,RED nnAl\t.J.4

'rby people's w ants, w ith thine own liberal .hands

To bless thy suppliant "ubj~.cts! 0 Darius



Of absolute domiaion, yet unstain'd

By aught of barbarous. Yor know, 0 king!

W?olesome seventy, if wisely fram'd

WIth sober discipline, procures more reverence

Than ~l~tbe lenient coo.nsels and weak measures

O f frail 'T re< rolution. '

naams.

NOlI' p r o c e ed

Thou1t seem as bounteous as a giving god !

And reign in every: heart in Babylon

As well as Media! what a glorious state

To be the sov'reign Mbite>: of good 1

The fi-rst e ff icie nt c au se o f h ap pin ess !

To sc)l.tter mercies with a plenteous hand;And to be blest thyself in blessing others!

PrIARNACJ}S.

. . • Not 1, but all request it.Be thy =penal ed,et issued straight,

And let a firm decree be this day pass'd,

Irrevocable, as our Median laws.

Ordain that for the space of thirty daysNo subject in thy realm shan aught request

Oraod or man, =ptofthee, 0 king!

DARIUS.

'Wherefore this strange decr~e 1

1"HAll.NA,CJl;5.

'Twill fu: the erown-WillI lasting safety on thy royal brow,

And, .by a bl~ess means, preserve th' obedienceOfthi~ new emplrl-', . Think how much 't"'ill raiseThy h1gh renown! 'TwIll make tby name rever'dAnd popnlar hejoad example. What! '

To be .as Heav'n, dispell£ing good a"ndill

For tbirty days' With.tbine own ears ~()hear

Ill" IU-U5~

Is this the general wish ~

[P.rillCes lind Gour!ier» k"eel,

CHlEF PRE:SID:£~T.

O f one, of all.

Behold lily princes, presidents, and lords,

Thycounsellors, and captains! See, 0 king!

[p,_"_!ing the Ed·icL

Behold the instrument our ..eal has drawn;

The edict is -prepar'd • We only wait

'])J,ll con firm atio n o f thy gracious word,

And thy imperial signet.

D..I. \Rlt::B. ,

Say, Pharnaces,

What penalty awails the man who dares

Transgress our mandate !

l"UAUN.ACE5 ..

Instant death, 0 king 1

Tbis statute says, "Should any subject dare

" Petition,' for the space of thirty days,

•.•Of Go d o r man, el:cept of thee, -0 king 1

156 DANT.EL:

"He sball be t h r own into yon dreadful den

A SACRED DRJ,oMA.

Irrevoeahle. as 1 I1 e s tedfast law

Of Kede an d Persian, which can never cllaugc.

1 57



" 0f hllDgIy Eons!"

DAllllT s,

Hold! :fIlcthinks a deedOf wcb imparlance sbould be wisely weigh'do

PIIA RN ACES.

~e have revolv'd it, mighty king! with care,

WIth closest scrutmy. On us devolve

Whatever blame occurs!

DADI"8.

I'm satisfied.

Then to y<m1" wisdom I commit me, princes,

Behold the royaillignet: see, 'tis done.

PnARNACES (lZSid£).

'There Daniel Cell! That signet seal'd his doom.DA RID S (tiftttr a p aU Je ).

Let me retlect--8ure I have been too rash 1Wby such intemp'rate haste 1 but you are w lse ;

And would not counsel this severe decree

But fo r th e w is es t p urp os e. Yet m~thinks,

I might have weigh'd, and inmy mind revoll"d-

This statute, ere, the royal signet st.amp'd,

It had been pl lSt repeal. Sage Daniel too,!

My counsellor, my guide, m y well-try'd friend,He should have been consulted; he whose ",udom

I still have fooud oracular.

P1iA_B~ .C£5...

Migbty k ing I

'TIs as it should be. The decree is past

Those who observe it live, as is m ost m oot,

High in thy grace :-who violate it, die.

PART IV.

DANIEL, AR . ..sl'.p.s.

AR.ASPE.5.

Ou, holy Daniel! prophel, father, friend,

Icome. the Wl'etched messenger ofill!T hy f oes complot thy death. For what c : a n mean'This n ew made law, ut<>rte<l from the kingA lmos t by foree1 What can it mean, 0 Daniel,

Bui. to involve thee in tho: toils they spread

To s na re th y p re ci ou s l if e ~

J)ANlE.L ..

How [ was the king

C<mrenting to th.is edict 1

AllASP:;£S.

They snrprio'd

His easy nature; took him when his heartWas softened by their blanciishme>rts- They wore

The mask of pub};c virtue to deceive him

Beneath the specions nam e of gene:raJ good,

158DANll;.L :

ney w rought him to their purposes: no tim e

A s . \cn.:en DnAi'!.A.

In a U its frightful farms-, ruui tremblest now 1

159



Allow'd him to deliberate. One short hour,

Anotb er moment, and his soul jinx! g&in'dHer natural tone of virtue,

1)A.NI.2L.

That great Pow'r,W a D suffers evi i only to produce

Some unseen good, pennil3 that this .shollkl be:

_'l.nd, HE perm itting, I, welI pleas'd, resiJlIl.

Retire, my friend: this i s my second homOf daily pmyer. Anon we'll me~t again,

Here, in tim open face of that bright sun

Thy fathers wozsrupp'd, will I offer up,

- 4 . s is m y mle, p eti b on to OUl' G<><I ,

For thee, for me, for SOIY1141,or all !

. A. RA .$ P. E: S .. ..

Oh, stay! what mean'st thou l-sure thou hast no theard

The edict of the king 1 I thought, but now,

Thou knew'st i~ purport. It e>:pressIy,so1ys,

That no petition henceforth shall be made,

For thirty days, save only to the king ;

Nor prJ. yer nor iutereeosiou shall b" IIeard

Of any go d Or man, but of Darius.

DA.~I:S:t..

And think'st thou tben my reverence {orthe king,Good as he is, shall tempt me to renounce

1 I ' 1 y sworn allegiance to the King of kings 1

IIast thou ccmmandad ]egiung 1 ~tmve in baWe,

Ddy'c] the race of danger, mcck'd at death

_, Come. learn of I]'le; I'll teach thee to be bold,---Thou..h sword I never dmw! Fear not, Araspes,

The f:eble vengeance of a mortal man, .Whose breath is in his nostril. j for wherein

Is h e 1 :0 be accounted Gf~ but f~.

The awU.en'd vengean"" of the.hvmg Lord ;He who ron plunge the ever lastmg soul

1 1 1 infinite perdition!

ARASlJ ' l I - S . . .

TheD, 0 Daniel!

Ifthou I'~rsist to disobey the edict,

Retire and hide thee from tile prymg eyes

o r busy malice!

DANIEL.

He who is asham'd

To vindicate the honour of his 600, .,o r him the living Lord shall be asham d

Wben He shall judge the tribes !

.A.RASrl l: S . ..

Yet, Ob remember,

Oft have I heard tbee say, the secret heart

Is fair Devotion's Temple i. there the saint,

E'en on that living altar, l.ghts the Ha r n e

Of purest sacrifice, " rhieh burns unseen, .Not lInll.~1!pted.-I remember too,

When Syrian N aam an,*- by ~isha'" I ta:l d, .' Was eleans'd from f 0 1 l 1 pollution, and hISmind,

_Eulighten'd by the miracle, eonfess'd

• 2 m n ~ " ~ ,

160 })AN"IEL ~

The Almighty God of Jacob; that he deem'd it

N o A agrant violation of his fuitl.

A SACRED .DUAMA. 161



To belld at R:immcm's shrine; nor did the !B'r

Forbid the right external,

DANIEl-

KI(lW, Araspes,

lIeav'n deigns to sllit our trials to our strellgth~A recent convert, feeble in his faitb,

Naaman, perhaps, bad sunk beneath the weight

Of so severe a duty. Gracions Heav'n

Forbears to bruise the reed" or quench the flu

When feeble an d expiring, But shall I,

Shall Daniel, shall the servant Bf til" Lord,A veteran in his canse-long train'd to k n o WAnd do his will-I(lng exereis'd in wee,

Bred in captivi ty, and born til &LIfer;Shall I from known, from certain dllty shrink

To shun a threatea'd danger! 0 ArdSpes!

Shall I. advauc'd in age., in zeal dec l i ne 1

Gro~ careless as 1read) my journey's end!

And slacken in m J pace, th e goal in view 1

Perish discretion when it interferes -

With duty I Perish th e fu lse p olie y

Of human .wit, which would COllllDllle out safety

With. God's eternal honeur l Shall His law

Be set at nought, that I may live at ease 1

How would the heathen triumph, should I fall

Thro' coward fear ! How would God's enemies

Insultingly blaspheme!

J'l Q.4 SPES.

Yet think a moment.

No!-

Where evil may be (lime, 'tis ngllt to ponder j

Where only suffer'd, know, the shortest pause

Is much to o long. Had g-reat Darius paus'd,

o •• This ill had been prevented. _.But fBI me,

Araspes, to deb berate is to sin.

ARASP.E...';.

- Think of Illy I>O w'x, thy (avour with Darius:

Think of tby life's importance to the tribes

Searee yet return'd in safety. Live! Db live!

To !ICl'Ve the cause of God !

JlAN,IE.L.

G od w ill him sel rSU stain his righteous caase , _ H e know s to raise

Fit imst ruments t(l se rve tlim. Know, Araspes,

H e d 0(> 5 no t n e ed o ur crim e s to help his caw".

Nor does his equitable law permit

, A sinful act; from the preposterous p lea

nat go o d may follow it. For me, my friend,

The spacious earth holds not a bait 10 tempt me,

Wh:r t wculd it profit me, if r should gaiu

Imperial Eebatan, th ' extended land

Of fruitful Media, nay I"" world's wide empire,

Ifm ine eternal soul m ust be the price 1

. Farewell. my friend! time presses. I have 810l'n

Snme moments from my duty, to confirm

. And strengthen thy young faith I Let us fulbl

Wbat .Reav'n enjoins - and leave to Heav'n tl>'

event!

L

162 A . SACB£D DRA)I".

Ere halJ his pray'r was fi~'d. Young Anspes.

163



PART IV.

FJJ .IR,N ACES.

'TIS done-s-suecess has crown'd our scheme, Son·

DnEi;

And Daniel fall .. into the deep laid toils

Our prudence spread.

SGllANl;Is.

That he should fall so SO!PI,

Astonishes e'en me! What! not a 1 1 3 y !

Wbat I not a sin gle D >Om en t to defer

His rash devotiollS 1 Madly thus to rush

On certain peril, quite transcends belief']

Wh l lD . h ap p en 'd it, Phnm aees 1

PHUI ..aCE,.

On the instant

Scarce is the deed accamplish'd. As he made

His ostentatious prayer, e'en in the fu:eO f the b Ji"ro btG od o r d ay. all B ab ylo n

Beheld the insult olfer'd to Darius.

For, as in bold defiance of the law. t . :His windows were not clos'd. Our chosen bands, .

W hom w e had pl;).c·d to note him . straight rosh 'd in ,And " ,, ;, ,' d him. in the warm th of his b lind zeal, -

'W I th all the wild e xtrav ag an ce o f grief,Prays, w eeps, and threateas, Daniel s il en t s ta nd s; ·

lWith p a ti en t r es ign at ion , and prepares

J To 1 '0110. . them.-But see, th e J . i ng approaches !

SOBAIfVS.

How 's th is 1 deep sorm w sits IIpon hi s brow 1

AD d stem resentment firns hi s angry eye.

n'ARrUiS.

o deep-laid &tratagelll I 0 artfnl wile!To take Ine unprepar'd, to wumn i my heart,E 'en w here it fe els m o st te nd erl y, in"f rie nd sh ip ,

T o stab my fame! to hold me up a markTo future ages, for the perjur"d prince,

WIlDale", the friend he lo~d' 0 Daniel. Daniel,

W ho now shall trust Darius 1 Dot a slave

Inm y wide empire, from tJle Indian main

To the cold Caspian . but is more at ease

'I'hm I.his monarch: !Yes! I've done a deat

Will blot my honour with eternal stain!

Phamaees! 0 thou b oa ry s yo op ha nt !

T hou w ily politician! thon lust snar'd

Thy 1 I I I lI U 5 p l l C I i n master !

PIU Il" ACJIS,.

Great Darius,

Let DOt resenilneDt blind thy royal eyes.

Inwhat 1UD 1 to blame ~ Who could saspeetL 2;



1M DANIEl. ~

'I'h is obstinate resistance to the law

Who could foresee thai Daniel would perforceOppose I I I e ting's d eeree 1 .'

ns.arus,

Thou. t ho u f 015aw ' c< t it!

Thou knew'st h:is.rightoons soul wo"ld ne'er endure

So long an interval of prayer.. But I,

Deluded king! 'twas I should have Jeteseen

His stedfasl piety. I should have thought

Yow earnest warmth had some more secret souree,

Scm erhin.g that touch'd yo n nearer than your lose,

Your well-fei,,"1l'd Z J e a l for me--l should have b!v:wu,

When selfish politicians, hackney'd 10Dg

In fraud and artifice, affect a gluw

Of patriot fervor, Dr fond loyalty,

WIUcli =nsill show of interest, that's the mo·

meutTo W l 3 . tc h their c:rool:edprojects.-Well thou kqgw'sl

How dear I held him; how I pm'd his !roth!

Did I not choose him from a subject Wllrld, Inbless'd by fortune, and by birth un.grac'd. . ..;.

A captive ami a Jew 1 Did I not love h im!Was he not rieh in independent l I ' O r t I . 1

Ami great in native goodness! Toot undid him! IThere, there he fe ll '- Ifhe hail been Iess great,He had been safe. Th<lu could'.! not bear his b~lc

ness ,

Tim lustre of his virtues quite obscm'd, ,And dimm'd iliy fainter merit. Rash old !ruin! .

Go, and dey lse some means to set In C free

~ SAcrtrr. DRAMA. 165.

Fl1II' l this dread l o a d of guilt lGo, sct at wOIk

Thy plotting genins to redeem tbe I if e

Of venerable Daniel l

l'fi:AlL 1iI' I.C1is~

"Tis too late.

He has nffeOOed 'gainst the new decree;

Has dar'd to make petition to his God,

Although th e d>ea.dful sentence 0f the act

Full well he kDew. And by th' establish'd l11.w

OIMedia, by thllaw irrevocable

Which he has dar'd to violate, he dies I

DABI[!S~

Impiety I p :r. .s uro pt io n! mon str ou s law!I r reYoo:ab 1e1 Is there anght onearthDeserees that name 1 Th' eternal laws alone

Of Oromasdes are Wlchallgeable!

AU lm..man p ro je ct! ! a re so faintly £mm ' a .

So feebly plann'd, so liable to change,

So mU;'d with em u in their very form,That mutable and mortal ate the same.

Bnt whl!I1! is Daniell Wherefore comes be not

'1'0 loa.d me with reproa<:hcs 1 10 upbraid me

."''1ith ;ill the wrongs my barbarous haste has done him!

Where is he t'PILlR.t-:ACE.'3.

He prepares to meel his rate.

Th is beur he dies, for so the act decrees.

. bJl1l11J5.

Susp"ud th" bloody senteace. Bring him hither.

Or mber let me seek h im , aM implore

Ilis dying pardon, and his parting pra~.

1 6 6DA):il.EI. ~ }. SAcnAD' Dn"')JA ...

B less'd, N oah and his children, once :1 0 world I

1 6 7



'TIS to behold,. oil! r:tptlLle ttl roooeive !

Tbose 1ft: ha.ve~. and loYd, and lost. below!

Beld Azari"b, and the band of brothers,

W ho sought, in b loom of youth, tb .e sc orc hin g f la m es !

Nor shall we ......beroie m en akm e,

Champions who fought the fight o f rai l .h OJ! earth jBut h ea v'n ly eenqaerors, ange l i c hosts,

Mlchad and his bright legions, who snbdn'd

'I'he: foes of tnrth! To join tb eir b lest em ploy

O f l oY £ ! an d ptail;e! to the high m e ledies

O f c ho irs c el es tia l to attune m y voice,

Accordillg to th e golden harps of saints '

To join in blest Hosannahs 10 th eir K in g!

Whose fare ttl sao, whose glory to bwold,

Alone were H ea v'1l, th ou gh s ain t e r S iO l 'ttp hn on eShould m eet our sight, :lIld ouly God w ere th ere !

This is to die! Who would not die for this !

Who wo:q).d not. die, Iha t he might live for em- 1

PART VI.

&.:-D"'l!Il.E.l.'~ n-.D.un:r.. AB....pQ

.&.I I . .A.5l 'E!! : .

STlule1 me foUo.., thee; still let me hearThe voice of Wisdom. ere the silver cord

By D aath 'a cold hand he loos en 'd .

- Now rm ready'No grief; n~w~~'s ""'~ess, good A . r a s p e : s ! .

Tholl shonJd st :rqotce my pilgrimage is o'er,

.A .n dtb e b lest h av en of repose in view .

...n...sess,

And must I lese thee, Daniel t Must thou. die!

DA'NTEL..

Aod what is death, my friend, that I should felll"itlTo . r u . ! why 'tis to trinlllph: 'tis to join ..

The great ~bJy of the good and just;Immmt a l wurthie!l, heroes, prophets, sai:uts!Olo! 'tis to jam the band of holy mell,

Mail e p erfe ct by t hei r su l Ie r in , ,"S! 'l'is to mee t

My great progenitors! 'Tis to behold

Th'. illu s t r i D u s pat r ian :hs j they with whom th e lmd .Detgn'd hold I iuni l iar cnnverne! ' tUtu se e

.f>AIU1H.

Where is he ~ where isDaniel ~ Let me see him I

Let me embrace thd venerable f o r o > ,

WbiclI Iban doom'd to glut tbe greedy mawOf f u r i O l l i i l i O A S !

DANlf'_t...

King Darius, bail I

DA.rtUlSt,

Oh, iujur'd Daniel ~ c:;l'l 1 see thee Iilu',

168 DANIEL':

Thus uncom plain ing 1 C an I he'l' to h eiu -

. . 1 \ :B.GR:!.D DRAMA.

:My.elf will .e.:omp"!l5e, with even hand,

1 6 9



That when the ruffian ministers (If death

Stopp'd thy unfinisb'd pra.yer, thy pious lips

Had just invok'd a blessing On Darius,

00 him who sought thy life 1 Thy Jnllrdetel'S dropt

Tears or stra.oge pity. Look not on me thusWith mild benignity' Oh 1 I ""nld bear

The voice of keett reproach, or the stoong Hash

Of fierce resen tment ; bu t I caunot stand

That tooching silence, nor that patient eyeO f meek respect.

J}_ANIlH . •

Thou art my master still;

DArUTIS.

I am thy murderer ! I have sign'd thy death l

DANIEL.

I know Il,y bent of soul is honourable:

Thou hast been gracious still! Were it no t so,

I would have met the appointment of high lIeav'aWith humble acquiescenee ; bat to know

Thy will eeneurr'd not with thy servant's fate.Adds joy to resiguatinu.

n~I"l1S.

.Here Iswear,By him who sits enthron'd in yon bright &UIl,

Tby blood shall be atoo'd! 0 n these thy foes

Thou shalt have ample vengeance.

Hold, 0 king'V en ge an .c" is m in e, t!\' eternal Lord has said ,

The sinner far the sin. Tile wrath of man

Works not the righteousness of God.

namus,

I had hoped,We shanld have t rod this busy stage togetherA little longer, then I",,,,, sunk to test

Inhonourable age! Who new shall guide

My shatt;er'd hark in safo;ty' Who shall now

Direct me ~ Ob, unhappy slate of kings!

Tis well the robe of maj""'Y is gay,O r who would put it on 1 A crown! What is it?

It is to bear the miseries of a p"0],le!

To hear their murmu rs, feel their discontents,

And sink beneath a load of splendid care!

To have your best sIlJlC~SS userib'd til Fortune,

And Fortune's failures all ascrih'd to yuu!

It is to sit I lpon a joyl,,;;;; height,

To ""cry blast of changing fate expos'd !

Too high for hope; too great for happiness!

F or frien dship too much fear'd ~ To all the joys

O f social f reedom, and th' endearing c1l11I"1I1.

Of l iher al iow rcllange of sou l unknown ;

Fate meant me an ex~eption to the rest,

Anrl. tho' a monarch, bless'd me with a friend;

And l···:'have murder'd him!

DANIE'I. ..

My hour approaches,

Hate not my melOo.ry, king: protect A_r;u;pcs :

Enwurage Cyrus ill the holy "'erk

or building ruin'd Solyma. ,Farewell!

170 })AN1EL = . , .A . ! i . . l . . C J l . E : D Dn.A.MIl~

Sacl:but "" flute, O J" psaltery. shall eh"",,

171

}}ARI1J3_.



My ear, now dead to every note of juy!W;tb most religious strictness I'll f u 1 f i 1

T it Y last .equ est. A rasp"" shall be nut

1\1y th rone an d heart. I'amweIl! (Th~!I.~

Hear, future l . i n g : I ,

Ye nnbern rulers artlte nations, hear ILearn from my crime, from my misfortunes learnNever to trust to weak or wicked hands, '

TI ta J . de legat ed puwe; which Ommasdes

Invests in mouarc l ts fo r th e p nb lie good.

PART VII ..

&elle---Th"c"urt '!i!1!.. Pai4c~.-T"" S uq risin,.

DAIH1l5, AnASI'I\~.

,DARlVs..

0..good Ar..sp",,! what a nigb t of borrar I

To me the dawning day brings Dfl retam

Of c h ee rf u ln e ss or peace! No ba lmy sleep

H as•. s eal 'd th ese eyes, no nourishm ent has past

These loathing Iips, since Daniel '5 fate WlIS sign'd!Bear what my fruitl= penitence Ierolve'l--

The tl lirty d ay s my rashness had decreed

The edict 's fome should last, r wil l devoteTo mourning and repentance, fasting, prair,And all due rites of gri~f. For thirty daIs

N o pleasant sound of dulcim er or harp ,

4.ilA.SPI!S.

My Crief em know DO perioo!

DA.Unrs.

Sec that den!

There D:miel met the furious Iions' ruge!

Th~ were Ihe patient mmyr'~ mangled l i m O O

TOl ' l I p i O O l J I l e : U ! N ever bide tIly tears, Araspes!

'Tis v irtu ou s so rrow , unallay'd, l ik e m in e,

By guilt and fell remorse I Let us approach :

li\'lto k n ( ) W S but tha t drud P · O ' I ' I ' e £ to w h o m h e pray'd

So often and 00 f l !l '1 'en t ly • ba s h.eard him I .

[H s ~ !O J fh~""",,11 '!! th e a . . . . .ODaniel! senant or the living God !lh w hom thou ha.;t .erv'd so long. and loy'dso well,

From the devonring lion's f,unish'd jaw , .

Can He deliver thee 1

1 D"NUL ( f r o > n . th e b otto m if lhe den) .

He can-He has!

DA.lUV5.

M etbough t I hea r d him speak!

./Jt_.\$PES.

Oh! wondrous force

Of strong imagination! were thy voiceLoud as the trumpet's blast, it could not .. ake him

From that eternalsl~ep !

172.' SAcnE'D .Dlt..Ai'11A.r

Enter DAN'''''' iol/oU'frl by "",/!iu..des.

173



DANTEL (in. the den).

Hail r king Darius!The God I serve has shut t],,, lions' mouthTo vindicate m y innocenee, '

He lives I

DARIUS ..

He speaks!

Rail, grealDnius!

))A urns,

D O $t tho u live in deed;

And live unhurt 1

AUASl'£8.

Oh, miracle nf joy!Alt.ASP~S.

'Tis n o il lu si on ! 'tis the S OW ld

O f his known voice.

DARIUS.

Where are m y servan ts 1 H ade.

Fly , swift as l igh tiling, free him from the den ;

Release him, bring him hither! Break the seal'Which keeps him from me! See, Araspes, look!

See the charm'd lions ~-mar"k their mild demeanoor,

Atasp"" marl::!-they have no power to hart him!

See how they bang t11eir heads, and smooth their- f ie rc e ne s s,

At his mild aspect.

AnAS~£S.

Who that sees this sight,

Wh" that ill after-times shal] hear tllis toldCan doubt ifDaniel's God be GOD t n d e w ;

DARlUs..

Noue, none, Araspes!

"'UASl'ES.

Ah, he comes, he oemesl

J)"RIUS-

1 scarce can trust my eyes! how didst thou '.cape'

D_"N : rEL .

That bright and gioriallS Being who vauchsafd

presen.,.. divine. when the three..mar1:yr'd b~tbe",

Essay'd the c au ld ro n's f la m e, supported m e :E'en in the furious lions' dreadful den,

Theprioouer ofll ope, "ven there I tum'dTo the strong hold, the bulwark of my strength,

Ready to hear, and mighty to ",deem t

DlLUlIfS (to Au ASPBS).

Where is PhaInaces 1 Take the hnary trait".!

Take too S-oranus, and the chief abettors

Of this dire edict; Iet not one eseap e. .

The punishment their deep-laid hate devis'dFor holy Daniel, on their heads sh.all ~aJ1

Wlth tenfold vengeance. T" the .bon~ den

Ilooro his vile accusers' All their WIves,

Their children too, shall share one common fate!

Take care that none escap~.-Go, good Araspc,;. .[AnASPl'S go"> cur,

)74D.u:n:L; A .AcnED DIU..... 175

Fall'n is their insolence! With prayer.; and tears

And all the meanness of bigh-crested. pride,DA1'll£I..



When adverse fortune W W 1 ! S , tlleJ beg for life.

Araspe! will not hear. "You heard not me,"

He erie'. "wh.en I for Daniel's liCe implor'd ;

" His God protect.ed him I see now ifyoW"l l

" Will listen to your cries!"

DAllIUS.

Now heal.

P eop le an d uation s, 1 an .,"1 lilgllS, aD d realms,O'er whom I rule! Pence he witbin your wall. !

That I l Ilay banish from th e minds of men

T he rash decree g()ue out; hear me resolve

To OOUDteract its force by one mort: just.

Inev'ry kingdom of my wid.,.slnItcb'd rea lm,

F r om fair Cbaldea to th' estremest boundOf northern Media. bemy edict se.nt

And th ia m y statute known. My hernlds, haste,

And spread my roya l mandate t h rough the land,

That all m y subjects how the ready knee

To Daniel's GOl)--ror HE alone is LoRD•

Let aU adore, and tremble at his name,

"Who sits iD:glory nnapproochab IeAbove th e heav'ns--ilO O ve the heav' n of hell v 'ns!

His power is everlasting; and 111.5 throne,

Fouuded in equity and. troth. shall lastBeyond th e bounded reign of time and space.

Through wide eternity! With rrre right arm,

He saves, and who opposes'! HE defends,

And who shall iD:jure1 In the perilous dell

H e r"""u 'd Daniel from the Iions' Illmrth!

o th Not so, Darius!spare. ~ guiltless! spare the guilty 100I

Where 8lQ IS DOt, to pun;'h . .And

~ were unJust·where sin is, 0 ling'1. ' _ 1 1 t

S Ii ' ...ere '.....remo_upp eo the place of pWlishment !

DAll:.IUS~

My word is past! Not one lIest.No

more !Shalt thom e'er mal:' .rei! ,saYe this,A e In..am, Approncb. m hi

. r a s p e s has already spre ad th ~ tale ,Y ends i

And sec what crowds advanes ] '

PEOPW!.

Long live !!Teat ThuUeI wng li"e Darius !" .• too, th e p eo pl e's mend!

I>.!.RWs.

Drew De3.f, my KlIbjects. S e e this holy •D eath I.ad. no pow er to harm h i "y man .

Of famish'd I.ons, soften'd t!~m"gII on fell bandFo""""t tit • n lis 8. t,

. ,,- eU ' nature, and!!l"ew tam b r. •The mighty God . ., . e e,ore h i m . .

Th• ....... protects hIS servants thus 'e n gu te on s Ihns h . .

While ~ , . e r es cu es fIODl th e snare •In the ,:and s ~er hims..tI ~ha1J fall ! .

Tee p g _ n l f his wi!J arts deme

o snare the IIlll<lCellL

..l C01}D:I'fEn.

A __ To the same den

'--y= bears Pharnaeea aud h is friend3 . .I

176. DANIEL:

His common deeds are wond=; all ms mrrksO n eo :v er-d 1l ri1 !g e hain o f m i.< acl es !



Enfer An ... pes.

A.B,A, S'p'&s~

All hail, 0 kiog! Darius, live (or ever!IT oy all thy f D e s be as Phamaces is !

Araspl!S, speak!

AB:&SP,£,s,~

Oh, let me ~arn the tale,'Tis full of b OI I~r I D readful was th e sig-h t!

T IL e h un gr y Iions, greedy fa r th e ir prey,

Devour'd the wreb:hed princes otre tb.cy 'e ach ' dThe bottom ofthe den.

iDAnlas~

N(>w, DOW confess,"Twassoma superior hand ''' '' lmin'd their rage.And ta ro .:d tb eir furious appetites.

'Tis true.n,~God of Daniel is a mighty God :_

Ell: saves and HIl:destrejs,

Ani\S'pE.S~

o &lend! 0 Daniel !N (> w averiog doubts Can ever m ore dlsturl..",Iy settled faillI.

II.UH&1..

T 1 ) Goo be alilhe !; lory!

R.EF'LECTIONS

op

KING HEZEKIAH,

,

1



J

REFLECTIONS

OP

KING lIEZEKIAH,

Siln ! J i ~ ~itfine$$.

WIU.T! and no more?-Is this, my soul, said I,

Illy whole of being ?-Mnrt I surely die?

De robb'd at onceofh.<:a:lth,of strength, or lime,

O f youth's fair promise, and of p lem ;ure's prim e 1Shnll I no more behold the faee of IIIDl1l,.

The cheerful day-li .gnt, and the sprlog's return 1

.Must I the festive bow'" the banquet leave,

For tbe dull ch:unbcls of the darksome graV!) 1

Have I consider'd what it is to die1

In native dUl!tmlh kindred worms to lie;

To sleep in cheerless cold ntgl eetl to rot !

My body Ioath'd, my very name forgot!

N ot eneof all those pamsibls, who bendThe SIIpple bee, their manareh to attend !

What, 1 b O ! OI lem£Dd! No, oat an hireling slave

Shall hail gt<lUt lliZIilIlu.n ;n the grave,

Where'! he, w bo falsely claim 'd the D am e of GT& l11

Whose eye Wl)S terror, and whose rl'OWll was fute'

Who awd an . hundred nations from tb~ throne?

See l'I'here he lies, dumb, friendless, and nlone !

.. 2

J80 REPLE=IOI<S 0.'

,"Vbich grn in of d u st p ro cl aim s tile n ob le b irth ?

ILHfG HEz.EE..L&u.

O f p le as ur e 01 o f p ow 'r , such ""lXlS employ

181



Which is th e royal particle of earth 1

W'hen>are the marks, the princely ensigns where?

Which is l b J ; slave, and which great David's heirl

Alas! th e beggar's ashes are DGt known

Frum his, ~ho lately sat OD Israel 's lhrone 1

How stands my great aceouDt1 My soul, survey

'I1I." debt ><TED N.. L JO STICE bids thee pay!

Slrould I frail M e m ory 's r ec or ds s m ve to blDt ,

Wil1 Heav'n's tremendous reck.'ning be forgot 1

Ca ! I I, alus, the awful volume tear?Or rase one page of the dread register 1

" p.·epan !kg hD_, U,y heart in ttrde~tilt :

.. P r cp an < th e Jw1t:" '!t' H l'4 rll l a nd Ear th. to rned."

So spake the warning Prophet.-awful words!

Which fearfully my troubled soul records.

Am I prepared 1 and Cllul meet my doom,

Nor shudder ,at the dreaded wrat!l to com..1

J. all in order set, my house, my heart tDoes no besetting sin still claim a part 1

No c h.e ris h'd e rror, loth to quit its place,

Obstruct ....ihin my soul the work of graee 1

Did I each day for this great day prepare.

By righteous deeds, by sin-subduing pray'r 1

Did I each night, each day's offence repent,

. And each unhuly thought and word lament 1

Still have these ready hands th' aftlicted fed,And minister'd to Want her daily bread 1

The cause I knew not, did I well explore 1

Friend, advocate, and parent of the poor 1Did T, to gratify some sudden gust,

Of t ho up tI es s appetite,. ~II impioU51ust

A s would have fllls},'d pale PenucJ With jo y 1Did I in ~ves forbidden altars raise,

Or molten gods adore, or idols praise 1

Did my firm faith to Heav'n stiU point the way 1Did Charity to man my actions. sway 1

Did meek-ey'd Patience all my steps attend 1

Did gene rous CandOII) ' mark. me for her friend 1

Did.I unjlt.Stlyseek to build my name

O n the pi1'd ruins o r another's fame 1

Did tabhor, "" hell, th' insidious lie.

The low dee. .it, the unmanly calwnny 1

Did my fix'd sow the impious '';1 detest 1

Did m y firm virtue scorn theunhaDuw'djell;

The sneer profane, ;md tile poor ridicule

Of shallow Infidelity's dull school 1

Did I still Iive as bom one day to die.

Aod view th' eternal world with constant eye~

IfSO I liv'd, il'so I kept tlly word,

Inmercy "jew, in mercy hear me, Lonl l

For oh! hoyt's trict soe'er Ikept thy law,

From merey only all my hopes I draw;

My holiest deeds j l ldu igence will requi re ;

The best hut to furgi l'etJ.ess will aspire;

Ifhou roy purest services regard,

'Twill be with pardon only, not ","'am,

How imperfection's stamp'd on all below!How sin intrudes in all we say 01 d" !

Hnw late in all the insolence of health,

I chann'd tb' Assyrian· by my boast Ilf wealth !

• ThHisaa abu.bro.oisD:l, H~ did nGtohe.. hi. tr"".sures t o lh e A ss Jr i.a n titJ a f te r IU s l 'e c o- ve r .1 ft(lom his :! idcDe$! .

iIiti

II

I ·Ij

I

182 RRPl.EC'l'IONS' or

How fondly with elaborate pomp display'd

My glitt'ring I:rea:rures! with what triwnph laid

183

)\fore pleasure 1 hope not that, deluded king-!

For when dill a , , < r e increase of pleasure bring-!



My gold and gems before his dazz led eyes,A nd (oon(l a rich rew ard in his surprise 1

On! mean o f Soul! can wealth elate the heartW hich of tIte man himself is llnt a part! '

011, ~erty of pride' Oh, foul disgrace!~ R . ! : a s o n , blushing, hides her face ,

M~rtal, and proud! strange eoutradicting terrns, )

Pride for death's victim, for the prey of worms! I

or all the wonders which th' even.tful life IOf man presents; of all the mental strife

Of wn rr in g p a ss io n s J all th e rag in g f i res ' I iOffurious appetites and mad desires

Not one so strabge appears as th is al~ne

That man is pmud of what is not I.is own! iHow short is human life! the very breath lWhic~ frames. lOY words, accelerates my death,Of !lus short life haw huge a portion '8 fled! iTo what is gone I am already dead; Ii

As d~ad to all my years and minute s past,

As I, to what remains, shall be at last ,

Can I pam:mise ties so far forget,

T o view ~y van iiil l 'd years w ith fon d Tegret 1

Can I agam my worn-out fancy cheat 1

Ind a 1 g e fresh hope' solicit new deceit 1

Of all t he v an iti es weak man admires

'Which greatness gives, yenth hopes , 'or p rid e d es ire s,

Of these. my soul, which hast thou not enjoy'd ~

With each, wilh ill, thy sated powers are cloy'd.

Wbat can I then expect f rom length of days ~

lI'1:orewealth, more ~om, pleasure, health, or prlli""?

Is health, of years prolong'd, the common boast 1

And dear-earn'd Fame, is it not cheaply lost 1

Jl,forcWisdom! that indeed were happiness ;

That were a wish a king might well confess :

Dut when did W isdom covet length of days 1Or seek its bliss in pleasure, wealth, Or praise 1

No ;- W ISdom views with an indifferent eye

All lioite joys, all blessings born to die.

The soul on earth is lUI immortal guest,

Compell'd to starve at an unreal feast:

A spark, which upward tends by nature's force :.

A stream diverted from its parent sou= ;

A. drop dissever'd from the boundless sea;

A m om ent, parted (wm eternity;A pilgrim panting for the rest to come,An exile, amious for his native home_

Why ~ould I ask my forfeit fife to save!

Is Heav'n unjllllt which dooms me to the gr"ve 1

W as I with hope of endless days deceiv'd!

Or of lov'd life am I aloae bereav'd 1

LeI all the great, the rich, the Iearn'd, the wise"

Let all the shades ofJudah's monarchs rise,

And say, i f genius, learning. empire, wealth,

Youth, beauty, virtue, strength, renown, or bealth,H as onee revem 'd th' im r nn tah le d ec re e

On Adam pass'd, of man's mortality~

\Vhat-have these eyes ne'er seen the felon worm

The damask cheek devour, the finish'd form 1

• On the pale rose of blasted beauty feed,

And riot on the lip $0 lately red 1

184 IIBFLEC'rrO",$ OF i;UIG IlJ;ZEKlAII.

W he.e are ODr f uil ic l'S 1 - \¥ he re th' i ll us tr ious l in e

Orholy prophets, and of seers .mine? I



IiYe they for ever? I X > they sh.lIll1he graYe !

Or when did wisd om its professor save 1

WheD did th e brave escape 1 When did th e breath

o r EilXjUWe" ebarm the dnll ear of Death 1

'ibm didthecnnning argument itvail,'The polish'd period. or the varnish'<l tale;Ti'e eye of ljghtning. or th e soul 0 f lire,

Wluch tl,rongiog thoasands crowded to admire !

Fe Q while we praise the verse the poet din ;.'l.lld silent as his )yre great David lies,

Thou, blest Isaiah! who at Cod's command,

Now sp<l,u'st repentance to a goilty land,

Must die! as wise and good thou h:u1st not been,A. Nibnt's son, who laug!'t the land to siD.

And shall I then 00 spar'd 1 Db IlIOOstroU;s pride!Shalll =pe, ,vb.,n StJlomonhas died 1

_l f : l e l i the worth of all the sa; n IS were vam-Peace, peace, my troubled soul, I10r dare complain!

Lean, r submit, Complete thy gracious will!

F",. iI Thou slay me. I will tn:rnt Thee still.

Oh! be m y will so sw-allow'd up iathine,'111at I m~y do ruv wi II in doing '" ,,,••

jSENSIBILITY.:

AI<

EPISTLE

TO

THE HONORABLE MRS. BOSCAWEN.

- ~.,..----....:."WD "" 'I-~- --



SENSIBILITY;

EPISTLE

1'0 Tin'. HONORASLB MRS_ BOSCAWEJI'.

ikcEP"l. BoSCAWEl'I! these u .o po li sh 'd I :l }'! ',

N~ bbl!:re tDo mucl11lw ,w;;e yo n cannot praise.For you , fa r other buds hue w ak 'd !he string,

F a:!' o th er bards for you 'W e re WOllt to sin g,

Y et 011 the gale the ir parting m usic stea 1 .,

Y "t Y0II!" ehano'd ear the 10 ,,\1 im pre;sil ln feels ;

Y Oll beard the lyres of LlnL""""- IlJ Id Y GU NG,

And that a Grace, :md this a Seraph strung.

These rue no more! but not with these decline

TheAllie cbasteu.ss or the " ig 'r oW l l in e.

Still, .,.,L Elf";d4'. Pot!· "hall eomplain

S till, e ith er WARTON breathe h is classic stroin :

While, fo r th e orondem

o rth e G oth ic p .." o-e ,

OTRAm:O'$ fame shall vindicate t h", a ge .

Nor mmble lest t h e t un e r. ., l art expire,

W hile B",,"'E strikes allewold Sl'El<BEll'S Iyr~;H e best 10 paint the geauiu.. minstt'e l knew,

W ho from himself !h e living porUait drew.

~ ldil tog <aU' Euriyid .. &d Dca>""'. POO : .

188 S£NSlDCL.T Y

TIIO~gh Latinn bani" had gloried in his nam e,

When ill f..lI hrigbtoess bnrnt th e . I . a . 1 i a n fum e ;

sBN Sl'DIJ..ITY ..

Yes, $till for you ,our gentle stars disp"nseThe chan». oJ friendship and the fe3Sl of SCDSIl :

189



Yet lir'd wi tb loftier hopes thaD tmnsient b;ty&.

See LoWT, ." despise d,,' meed of mortal praise;

Spurn th e che!lp wre:uh by h u m a n sci.e.llCII) won!

Borne on the wing sublime ofA..os' son I

He sei.'d th e mantle as the prophet H ew ,And with loismaude caught h i s spiri t too,

To SlliLtchbright beanty &um devouring fate,And lengthen Dature's t rami to ry date ;

AI once the Critic's and the Painter's art,

With FaEM"'Y', skill and GUIno's gro.ce impart;

To form w ith code ecrrect the graphic s c h o o I,

And Ia..less fancy curb by sober rule;

To shew h ow g en ius f i r e : ; ; , bo w taste restrains,

While" .. hat botb are, 11.;. pencil best ezplains,

Have we not REY NOLns 1t live. not J1lJ'! n'a yet,To prove his lowest title was a wil1t

Though purer Hame s thy hallow'd zea l impme.Than ere were kindled at the Muse'. lire; -

Thee! mitred C n " " " : > : , , !~ all the Nine shall boast;And l~ -aot JOllNSON ours !himself an host!

. . 'lln>g Bishop lO r ulJdl)U.

t See Sir J05hD.s Rf!~~d.s":s very able DOtl'S. to . DII Firuno,'s~oe:m '! Q the Ar t of PilllJtm.!!. b'3.~r&.:Nl by M i " ~ Mii!I$OIIi..-A.l:.so,

hIS &ones of"DiscQl.tr'U.Ii ta t.he.llcndml:g, ...~c.h, tboQ~b writ.ttoll p r o f i l P " S ! e d r , . _ 00 tlle iubjttt e r P a i lLbo.;. cOBtuin rbe prilld'~

;lJre$ fJ f . g e . D _ f J - r a l az':t, a:o.d are d,f~i -esed w i t h : I U ' J much ~piel1.0'1)5 . q , ! l O d secee, ; B ! 3 i to he .admIrably caI~uhued (0 ! is. !in inrol 'tr l i .Jlg ure t :astc o f the ,S(!r..e-raj reader,

t Mr. ~1l~ Jeny... hl.d j~.tpuhl;'I,.d his ""rk On lhe .....j""'_ Eri<m>", < !f the C.....i<i=~.

t.A(t"rwudo Bishop o r .L<1ndoll.-S"; his odminbJ" P O O i ! I I<>uD_.

J

I

y(ImS is the bfiss, and Beav'n no dearer ~ds,

To call the wisest, hrightest, best, J I l . ' U f tnends.And wbile to thee I raise the vouve lm e, ..

o le t m e grat.efU I own these frie llds are m me :

Wi.thC ..lIll:fZl'I tI:UI': the w;t to Athens kaewn,

Or view in110"..., " 1 1 that " W i t our awn : .

Or mark, wel l pleas'd, C"",po,,,,'g instructive page,

Intent to raise the )lliInl:i of m e age :

Or boast inW..r.srxo IUl .. ,tbe vanuus power.

To cheer the lonely, grace the letter'd hour;

DJlL,wl!l' too ill ours, sereody bright, .WISdom's strong roy,and virtue's milder !.gbl :

And she who hIesi 'd the f r ieDd. iIIId~d the lays

Of poignant SWlFll, still gilds our social d~ys :Long, long, protruct tily light, 0 star be~gn .

Wbase setting beams with milder ~llSUeshme .

Nor B"'_Rll~OLD, shall "'Y gloWlDgheart refuse

·Its aibllie 10thy rirtu.es, or thy ru:us~ ;

Th is humh le merit shall at least be m~o",

T he Poet's chaplet for tby brow to twme ;

....- thy ~ 1ents to . th e wor ld sha.1I teach,l l _ y verse _.,.. -_And praise the geRius it desprut" to reach.

Yet w!tat is wit, and what the Poet's art 1

C an g en iu s !< h ie ld . the :vum~h. le he~1Ah no! where h"ght lIDaglDattoll .el~The fine wrought spirit reels Reuter PalllS,;

·W bere glow exalted sense and. taste ",fill~'There u..ner anguish rankles In the IIWld,

'Ihere, feelil lg is diifus'd through every part, .Thrills in each nel"Ye,aIld 1i~~ UI all the bend,

'II,

100SElilST81~lTT.

gt!IIUOUS souls each te ill" woUldnd t h O S A l whose

keep

!ioENSlBILITY •

The deep iJnpression long my heart shall fill,

And ev'ry fuinter trace he perfect still.

191



From others' eyes. are born themsd vea to weep.

C an all tile boasted pow ers of wit and song

O f l i f e . one pa.ng rem ove. one hour prolollfi 1

FallacIous hope' which daily truths deride'

For you, alas! have wept, an d GAnmClt did!o shades of Hampton! witness, as r motllIlCould wi~ ?r ! I O l l I l " elude )'WI' fay'rile', 'III'D l'

Tho11"..ft.linog "rirttte still J 1 l 1 I I " haunts endean,

Yet buried ~orth ~~a1JjWltifymy tears.

Who OOw with spmt keen, yet judgment cool,

The errors of my orptlan Muse shall rnle!

~ th keen acumen, how.his piercing eye

rhe £aul~, cQnceaJ'd from . ~ view, would spy"

While ~~ a generoWi warmth he strove to hide.

Nay, ~dlClte the fault hi s taste had spy'd.&pleas d, could he detect a happy lineTh.at he would fancy merit e'en in mine. '

His wit so pointed, it ne'er miss'd its end .

And s o well temper'd, i t ne'er loa! a friend. >

How ~~ keen eye, quick mind, and nrdent heart,Impov rished nature, and maus!ed art

A l l[use u f fo~ has sW Ig,'" if Afuse could trace,or v~ retne\'e th e evanescent gruel! !Haw ova] bards with rival stateso:um strove,

Who most sbould gain h is praise, or win hi a 10ve,Opposmg p:uties to one point he o m w ,'l'bus TULLY'S Alticus WUS C.o:IlAn's Woo

Tho' TIm e his m eU mving hanll across has stole

Soft'ning the tints of SOITOW on the . .. ul. •

• 1M : Mr. Sh<'{'dLO.·'Baulifl'd Mon,,<Iy.

Forgive. my friend, ifwounded memory melt,

You best can pardon who have deepest felt.

You, who for Britain'. Hero" and your own,

The deadliest pang which rends the soul have known;

YOn ....h . o have found bow mum the CeelingIleaI'!Shapes its own wouod. and points itself the dart;

Yau, who are eall'd the varied 1..>5 to mourn ;

You, who have clasp'd a son's nntimely urn ;

You, who &om frequent fond experience feel

The wounds such minds receive can never heal ;

That grief a th"usand entrances ean find,Where parts superior dignify the .m ind; ,

Yet would y"u change that sense acute, to gainA dear-bought absence from the poignant pain;

Cmnmuting e'l'eI1 grief thosa feelings gin,Inlovel_' joyless apathy to live1

F or tb _Q ugh in so uls w he re energies abousd,

Pam , thro1 1"oh its num erous avenues, can wound!

Yet the same avenues are.open still,

To casual blessings as to casual ill.

Nor is the trembling temper more awake

'fa every wound calamity can make,

Than is the 6nely fashion'd nerve alive

'fo every transport pleasure has to give.

Let DDt the vulgar read this pensive strain,Their jest3 the tender anguish wmdd I'rofa~e.

Yet these som e deero the happiest of their kind,

Wbose low enjoyments never reach the mind;

192 "!:Nl!rOIUTY.

Who ne'er a pain but for themselves have known,

·Who ne'er have felt a 5m71lW but theU: own ;

1935E>tSIIULITY.

Th~ ye have never known-then take your partor sordid joy, which Dever toaclr'd the heart,

You who have melted in bright gllJry's Hame,



' ' ' ' 1 1 0 deem romantic every liner thoughtConeeiv'd by pity, Or by friendship wrought,

Whose iuslllated MlilB ne'er feel the pqw'r

O f generous "y"'pa:thy's eGtatic hour:Whose diseonneeted hearts ne'er taste the bJi~s

Extracted from another's happiness ;

Who ne'er the high heroic duty know,

For public good the private to forego.Then wherefore happy 1 ''fhere's the kindred mind ~

"Where the large soul which takes in human lrind 1

Yes,-'tis the untold IIOlIOW to explain,

To m i t i " o > a l e the but suspected pain ;The rule of holy sympathy to keep,

J o y foc the joyful, tears for them that weep:To these the virtuous half their pleasuleS owe,

Pleaseres th e scllish are not hom to mow;

Tbey never know, in all theiT ccarser bliss,

The saored rapture of a pain like this.

Then take, ye happy vulgar, take}'our part

or sordid joy wh ich IIeyer tooch'd the heart ;

Beneselenee, wh ich &e ldommys 10 ehuse,

Lest pausing prudence tempt bel to refuse ;

Friendship, which once determin'd, never swerves,

Weighs ere it trusts, hut weigits not ere it serves iAnd soft-ey'd pity, and forgivelll'SSbland,

And melting charity ""ith "l"11 hand;

And artless love, believing and believ'd,

And honest confidence which ne'er deo:eiv'd ;

And mercy stretching out ere want can speak,

To wipe the tear which stains aJllktion'" cheek;

Or felt the gratefol breath of well-eam'd fame ;

Or you, the chosen agents fro~ abo~,

Whose bounty vindicates AlOllghty love;

You who subdue the vain desire uf shew,Not to accumulate but to bestow ;

You, who the dreary baunt' of sorrow ~ek,Raise the sunk: heart, and Hush the fadmg c,heck;

YOil, who di"ide the joys, and share the ~,When merit triumphs, or, opp.ess'd, eomplaias ;

Y ou, w ho, w ith pensive p"trareh Jove to mourn,

Or weave the garland for Tibullus' urn ;

You, whose tOllch'd hearts with r e a l sonow swell,

Or feel, wben geniuo paints ~ SOm)WS well,

Would you renounce such elleJglel> as theseFm:vulgar pleasures. or b sr.lhh ease !Would yo u to'scape the pain, the joy forego,

And miss t b e transport to "'laid the woe 1

Would you the sense of actual pity lose,

And cease to share the monrnings of the Muse 1

No, GasvrLLE.· Dol Tby song, though steep'd in

t!!IUS,

Though all thy soul in all thy strain appears;

Yet woulds! thou all th y we.ll sung anguish ehuse,And all th' inglorious peace thou begg'.t refusc"

And while Discretion all our views should guIde,

Beware, lest secret aims and ends abe bide;

Though midst the crowd of virtues, 'tis her part,

Like a finn centinel-to guard the heart ,

• See her beautif, ,1 Ode 10 llldilf..-.",a..

"

1 94 s!<NSIBllJTY.

II e w are. l eo rt Pru den ca .e lf b e-c om e u nju st,

·W ho never w as deceiv-'d, I w ould IIOt trust;

195ENSI III l.lT¥ .

Justioo, a grnce qu.ite ob solete w e b old,

The feign'd.!.strea of an age of gold:



Prudeuee mnsI. nevez he Suspicion's sl.,""

The world's wise man is more ~an half a lmave.

And yon, nO~CAW~N, while you m ndly m el!,

InIap m res nO M bot m oth ers ever felt;

. A n d as yuu view, pmphetic, inyuur race,All LEVISON'S swoot:nesa, and all LlEAuroRr's gmce;

Yet dread what dange rs each mv'd child m.y share,

Th e yuuth, ifvaliant, O r the maid, if fa ir ;

Yon who 1 m ve telt, so f ra il : is ; mon a ! joy,

That" while w e clasp the phantom, we destroy;

That perils m ultip ly ns blessings 1101'1 ' ,

'I 'l ta t s o rr ow~ gnft .od an eD j oyment :s grow ;

That e lan d.. Im p en din g dim G\Il' b rig hte st v ie ws ,

That who have m ost 10 !ove, have m ost to lose;Y I I I from th ese fair p ossession " w aul d yon part,

To shel ter from een tingent i lls yOll ! ' lleart !

Wou ld yau f ore go th e objects o f y ou r p m y'r,

To save the dangers of a dislmltca:re 1 .

R en ouoC e tb e b righ tn ess op 'n in g to yoor view,

FO lr n il the safe ty dulness ever knew 1

Would you consent to shun the fe~ you prove,

:1'bal !h.ey should meri t Iess, or yOIl le ss lo ve 1

Yet wbile we claim the sympathy diriDe,

Which makes, 0 m an, !he woes of pthersthine -WlU le her fUr t r iumphs swell lit e m odish page, '

Sh e drive .s th e stern er virtues from Ih~ Gtagc :

'Whi le F:E!.LING boasts he r ev er tea:rM eye,

Fair truth,. f irm faith, and man l y justice .Il, ;

Jus t iee , prime good! f rnm whose prolific law,

All wllrt!l;, all v irtu e, th eir stro llg e sst!U C 1! d Jaw ..

The stafuLg attribute w e scuce ly own,While spurious Candor fills the r.u:anl thIOlle.

~t SIIN.UILlT¥! Thou secre t pow ;

Whoshcdd'li! thy gifts upon the natal hour ,

Like fuiry favom s ; art can ~ ...er s ei ze ;N or aifecU tion catch th y POW I to please :

Thy s nb ll e e ss en ce still e lades the chains

o [definition, and defeats her pains.S_t SP.,.wITLttrt thOD keen delight!

U nprom pted m oral I sudden sense of rigltt !

Perc ep tio n .e xq n .is it e! r ,,; r v il l. no r.s ee d!

T hrm quick precnroor of the Ijb 'r:al deed !

Thol l hasty conscieuce! n'asou:'s bluslrlng morn !

Instinctive kindnes en' reflectiOln's hom!Prom pt sense of equity 1 to th ee b el on gs

The .wift redress of upuamin'd WlOllgs!

Ea"aer to serv e,th e cause perh;tps ll.nll 'y'd,

But .uways apt to ehuse the sulfering side! .To ~ose who I:now thee D ot, D O w ord!! can palllt ,

And those w ho know thee, know all wurili. a re f ain t!

8h, does n ot re d thy pow'r w ho b oa sts th y f lame ,

And rouuds h er every pe.riod with thy name ;

Nm- s he w o o ~ en t! l h er d is pro po rtio n'd s i~ bs

W-i~ pining Usbia, wh~ her 3pan'Ow di~ :

Nor she who m elts when hapless $bf1l '£ expIreS,

While real mis'fY unreiiav'd retire. !\Vho thinks feign 'd sorrow s ali her team dl'se.nr e,

And weeps o 'e r W"nTP .J l. while h . ... c hil dre n s ta rv e.

oM words are but th' e .ncma l m arls to teU

The fair ideas illthe mind tb.at dwell ;

196 lIi BJ'lSPJILITY f

And o.o.ly Me o .f lhio:s tho: ouraard sign.

And IIJlt the thiDgs then1Sel.ves th"y but define .

00 exclamation, t..nder tones, fond tears, ,

:s£:N Sl:8 IL1TY4

Oo e s on .l -f cl t s ig h by p ow erle ss p ity g iv'n ,

Accepted i n£ense I s h a n asce nd to h l'lav'o !

Sin ce trifle s m :il::e the SUm n r burn a. n iliings,

19 7



And all the graceful drap'ty FEELING wears ;

These are her garb, not her, they but eqtress

Her lim n, h'7'" semblaore, . her approJ l l" ia te dress;

And these [au marls reluctant I relateThese lovely $yrn bo b rn a y be couuterl:,l.T he re are, w llo6 .1 1 . . . - i t . b brilliallt pla m b t h o : page,Ifa p e r u - l innet meet the gunner's n .,< re ;

There are, who for a d yi.og f'lll'D deplore,

. A . s if friend, p::rent, COUll try, were DO more;

Who boast, q~ rapture trembling in their eye,

1f from the splder's snare they snatch a :fly;

There ale, w hose w en sung plaints e ach b re ast in flam e ,

And break all hea.rts--bUl his from w hom they came '

He, Sl»rning life's low dnties.to attend,Writes odes on friendship, while he cheats Iris friend.Of jails and p l tDUhmenis he grieves to bear, '

And p e I l s : i . o n s prison'd virtue with a tear;

W h ile un paid bills h is c red it or presents,And min'd ~e his crime lamenf.!.

Not SO the. tender m oralist of Tw eed

His generous M~" of FI!2/ing ~s u;'deed.

o 1,0VB IIIVlNE! sole source 0 f Gh ruity!

?Io-re dear one genuine deed perform 'd for t h e eThan all the periods. FE:&tDlQ e'er could tum '

Than all tby tOl!ChiIl~ pag", perverted Sn:R 10::"I

Not thai by deeds alOIl." this l ov e 's exp re s s' d,

Ilso, the aI!Iuell.t ooly were the bless'd ..

O lle silen t w ish , one FlUy'r, Que soothi;g lVOrd,

The p~ of m e rcy Shall, well pleas'd , reeord ,

;

A nd half OIlI misery f r om. OIlI foibles spri 1 1 , , " 1 1 ;

S in ce l ife 's b est jo yso ou sis t in Pllaell an d ' e a . s e .

And: though bn t few can serve , .yet all m ay p le a s e ;

o let th' ungmt1e spirit learn & o m . hence,AS !I !a li u nk in dn es s is a great oifence.

To spread luge bouuties though we w ish in vain,

Y et all may shun the gailt of giving pain ;

T o b less mankind w i.l h t id es of £lowing wealth,

With I ' l I I l I : : to grace them , or tOCl'OWII with health,

Our little lo! denies, ytt lib'ral still,

He av 'u g iT es its oonute rpo ise to every ill;Nor let lIS IUIIl"IlIUf at our stinted paWlS,

W hen kindness" lo~e. and concord, m ay be ours.

T he g ift o f m i ..o .is t'r in g to others' ease,T n all her SOlIS inpartial :m e deceees ;

The gentle offices of pal io :u t l o v e .

:Beyond al i O atte zy , a nd all p ric e a bo ve ;

The m ild forbearance ala brother's fault,

The angry wo:rd suppress'd, t he t au nt in g thought;

SnhdIcing and subdll 'd, the petl y str i r " ,W hich clouob th.ecolO lll of domestic liIe ;

T he so be l- c om fo rt, all the peace w hieh springs

From the l l l lWl aggregate 0[ J ittle thi 1 I ,, "l l ;

00 these sma.l l cares of daughter. wife, Or frip.nd,

Theal .most sacred joys of H t m I J l d ep < 'l Irl ,

There, S2NSIBJ~IT"Y, thou best rnayst re,gn.R"..,.illthy tme legitimate domain.

A mlitaty blis. !.IIOU ne'er ennld'st lind.

Thy j - o y & with those thoulov'si a re iI Ite rt1 'l 'in 'd ;

, j

198 SJWSIBILl'T'I: •

And be w hose beJpful tendertta. removes

The raJill.ing thom which wounds the breast heloves,

,. SENSI HrLlTY • 199

But if REUGION 'S bias rule tbe soul,

Then S....5DlIUTV eralb the ..hole;

Sheds its sweet (;Uus b ine on the moral pa It,



Smooths not anothu's rugged path alone,

Bllt clears t h' e bs tr uc tW l I wrncl, impedes his own.

The b in t m a le vo le nt , the l oo k ob li qu e ,

The Gbvious satire of imply '< Im .l ik e ;The sneer equivocal. the harsh :reply,

And aU th e cruel laDguage of the e ye ;

The artful injury, w hose venom 'd dart.

Scaree woUilds the hearing, while it stabs the heart ,

The ~ed phrase, whose meaning kills, ye t told,The list'ner wonders how yon ( \I< l l lg t .t I t cold;

Small slights, negleet, IUUIDxt perhaps with hate,

Male up';" number what the, want in w e i . , _ o i : IL

1'he&e,. and a thousand griefs m ill 'l lte as Ih~,

Corrode our comfort, and d",,~oy our ease..A s Ff:.ELl" G tends to good, or leans tG ill,

It[;ives fresh force to vioo or princip le ;

'Tis not a gilt peculiar to the good,'Tis often but tile virtue of tbe blood:

And what would seem compassion's moral How,Is but a dn:nlatioo swift or slow ,

But to divert it 10 irs proper eourse,

There wisdom's pow'r appears, thare reason 's force ,

If,ill-directed,

it P ursne the w ron g,

~t adds new s tr en ,," 'I h to w bat b efo re was strong;Breaks out, in wi Id ilTegu lar desires,

Disorder'd passions, a nd il lic it fires ;

W ith em t d e£ on us th e m an ,de p.ray es within,

.4.nd m akes the work. of Go IIthe slave of sin.

N ot wastes on fa:ncy w 1.at should warm th e h eart,

Cold and inert. th e mental pow'IS w(ll I ld lie,

Without ~ qnick'oing spark of deity.

To melt th e rit:b materials from tne mine,To bid the mass of intellect refine,

To bend the finn, to an im ate th e co l d,

A nd H eav"n 's O \yn im age stamp on n ature 's gold;

T o I :,';v e i mm orta l M l1 'iD its iin es t to ne ,

o S.EMlllIt.TT'! is allihy own.

This is th' ethereal I!=e which lights and wwms,

luoong enchants as" and in action charms,

'Tis t . h l s . that makes the pensive stzaias of G nAY •

Wiu to the open heart their easy way;

!\lalLI'S the toach'd spirit glow with kindred fire,

When sweet &rena's Poet wakes the lyre;

.Makes PORTLANDS fare its b r i , , < > h t c s l . rapture wear,

'Then her large bounty smooths the bed ·ofcare;

'Tis tI.is that breathes thm' SIi">'IGNS'S fair page,

T hat n am e le ss grnee w hicl> so oth s a se co nd age;" 1 ' " . tb],; whose ebanos the soul reNtless seize,

.And gives Bosc''''? EN half herpow'rtc please.

- Yet why those terrors t Why tliataazious C O l l e 1

Since yoar wi hopet th e deathful;vat will daYe~

it Th~ i...m~f."t. of th e Ellgy in a Co~ffifry C1.n1rn:h...Yarft I'

of wbieh e"'1llhlte 1'0 .... &>!sUJtuty ll, po:rll'P3 .l,e ob ' T O ' "tei !ot i<: beau$J.

t V ....,., .. t F 4b no <>! h, A d< n in ol Bmoa,"",,'. o l > l , t l"e!!\';OlO;;

J _ _ SO_D_,_. . . . ._ t h _ " "_ i D _ . _ A _m _ . . . . . . . .i........ J I _ d . a . l . h . " . . . . .U .. " .. D. r. .L e I i n _ . _ s t c _ ~ . _ I ! ! I !! e : : ~

200 SBNSl1IrLlry.

Why dJead that energy ·afson! which leads

To dangerous g la ry b y hereie deeds 1W by mourn Inview his ardent soul aspiIe!



You fear the son b e c a u : > e you kne.. the sire,Hereditary valour you deplore,

, .And. dread, ye t wish to find one hero more.

THE END.

J. M 'e rcers, ~'ook,..,oart.Cba l : l c e ryJauf ' j LotidDIl.

Sacred Dramas by Hannah More

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Transcript of Sacred Dramas by Hannah More