AIR Coeval with man SECOND PROPHET RECITATIVE 'Tis thus that pride triumphant rears the head, AIR Ye wretches who, by fortune's hate, In want and sorrow groan; Come ponder his severer fate, Ye sons, from fortune's lap supplied, SECOND PROPHET RECITATIVE Behold his squalid corse with sorrow worn, 200 210 220 230 ISRAELITISH WOMAN AIR As panting flies the hunted hind, Thus we, O Lord, alike distress'd, For streams of mercy long; Those streams that cheer the sore oppress'd, FIRST PROPHET RECITATIVE But whence that shout? Good heavens! Amazement all! See yonder tower just nodding to the fall: See where an army covers all the ground, Saps the strong wall and pours destruction round; How low the great, how feeble are the strong! O God of hosts, the victory is thine! CHORUS OF ISRAELITES Down with her, Lord, to lick the dust; Let vengeance be begun; Serve her as she hath serv'd the just, And let thy will be done. FIRST PRIEST RECITATIVE All, all is lost. The Syrian army fails. SECOND PRIEST AIR Thrice happy, who in happy hour 240 250 FIRST PROPHET RECITATIVE Now, now's our time! ye wretches bold and blind, AIR O Lucifer! thou son of morn, Heaven, men, and all, Now press thy fall, And sink thee lowest of the low. SECOND PRIEST O Babylon, how art thou fallen! To wilds shall turn, Where toads shall pant, and vultures prey. FIRST PROPHET RECITATIVE Such be their fate. But listen! from afar And this way leads his formidable band. He comes pursuant to divine decree, To chain the strong, and set the captive free. CHORUS OF YOUTHS Rise to raptures past expressing, CHORUS OF VIRGINS Cyrus comes, the world redressing, 260 270 280 CHORUS OF YOUTHS AND VIRGINS Hail to him with mercy reigning, Who, from bonds our limbs unchaining, LAST CHORUS But chief to Thee, our God, our Father, Friend, O Thou, without beginning, without end Let us, and all, begin and end in Thee! VERSES IN REPLY TO AN INVITATION TO DINNER AT DR. BAKER'S 'This is a poem! This is a copy of verses?' YOU YOUR mandate I got, Had your senses been right, Or to put on my duds; So tell Horneck and Nesbitt And the Jessamy bride, When he comes to enlist. Your worships must know That a few days ago, An order went out, For the foot-guards so stout 290 10 20 To wear tails in high taste, But alas! your good worships, how could they be wiser, 30 LETTER IN PROSE AND VERSE TO MRS. BUNBURY MADAM, I read your letter with all that allowance which critical candour could require, but after all find so much to object to, and so much to raise my indignation, that I cannot help giving it a serious answer. I am not so ignorant, Madam, as not to see there are many sarcasms contained in it, and solecisms also. (Solecism is a word that comes from the town of Soleis in Attica, among the Greeks, built by Solon, and applied as we use the word Kidderminster for curtains from a town also of that name ;—but this is learning you have no taste for !)-I say, Madam, there are sarcasms in it, and solecisms also. But, not to seem an ill-natured critic, I'll take leave to quote your own words, and give you my remarks upon them as they occur. You begin as follows: 'I hope, my good Doctor, you soon will be here, Pray, Madam, where did you ever find the epithet 'good,' applied to the title of Doctor? Had you called me 'learned Doctor,' or 'grave Doctor,' or 'noble Doctor,' it might be allowable, because they belong to the profession. But, not to cavil at trifles, you talk of my 'spring-velvet coat,' and advise me to wear |