Yet the beat of every heart was still, The courage of Israel's bravest quail'd Though knowing the blood of their offering avail'd They felt 'twas the Spirit of Death had past, That the brightness they saw his cold glance had cast On Egypt's land that night: That his fearful eye had unwarn'd struck down, The hope of that empire, the pride of its crown, The lovely, the tender, the ardent, the gay, away, From the couches of slumber ten thousand cries Burst forth 'mid the silence dread The youth by his living brother lies The infant lies cold at its mother's breast, She awakens-his life hath fled! And shrieks from the palace-chambers break— And Pharaoh hath found his proud arm too weak Wail, King of the Pyramids! Egypt's throne Wail, King of the Pyramids! Death has cast No first-born of her's hath died Go, Satrap! command that the captive be free, Lest their God in fierce anger should smite even thee, On the crown of thy purple pride. DIRGE OF RACHEL. GENESIS, CHAP. XXXV. AND Rachel lies in Eprath's land, Beneath her lonely oak of weeping; With mouldering heart, and withering hand, ANON. The spring comes smiling down the vale, But Rachel never more shall hail The flowers that in the world are springing. The Summer gives his radiant day, And Jewish dames the dance are treading; But Rachel on her couch of clay, The Autumn's ripening sunbeam shines, The Winter sends his drenching shower, To break the slumber that hath bound her. KNOX. SIX SONGS FROM THE BOOK OF RUTH. THE SONG OF RUTH TO NAOMI. RUTH, CHAP. I. I WILL not leave thee, Mother, now that grief Strikes with a heavy hand thy widowed heart; The blooming flower shuns not the blighted leaf, Shall I, then, from thy woe-worn spirit part? For thee, will I forsake my native land, Where every tie hath bound me heretofore, With thee, I'll wend to Israel, hand in hand, Thy kindred I will claim, thy God adore! Where thou dost pillow, there my head shall lie; E'en as the dove doth seek its mother's nest, So, where thou layest thine aged form to die, There too will I take up eternal rest. For that, I now from kinsmen turn away, And leave their idols, they will curse me sore; This last sad look their years of love shall pay— THY Country I will claim,—thy GoD adore! SONG OF THE GLEANERS. CHAP. II. PRAISE the Lord for his bounty! while nations around, In vain seeks to reap when he lately hath sown ; Praise the Lord for his mercy! with meekness there came NAOMI AND RUTH. CHAP. III. NAOMI. My father land! O Canaan, I rejoice C |