Meres. See how the court's inflam'd! no soul'

exempt!

Curse on his shewy proud humility!

Aside.

King. Enough-now state affairs of moment

press:

The stubborn Israelite awaits his answer,

And dares on equal terms to treat of
Press'd by disasters to negociate,

peace:

With pride concealing ill his shatter'd strength, A treach'rous amity he could not force.

What say my lords? shall it be peace or war? Meres. I speak for war, oh king!—that race

accurs'd,

Who spurn the worship of almighty Baal,
And yet betray the god they would adore:
That nation fam'd for perfidy and guilt,
Whose specious lies, miraculously great,
Affect the sanction of o'er-ruling heav'n,
In every station, mark'd with every crime,
Or fix'd or wand'ring, or in camp or town,
Rebellious, weak, ungovernable, mean,
Who keep no pact; possess no common law;
Their faith, their rule, their deity their own!
Peace has no name with them, for peace is war!
They boast to raise a mighty capital,

That shall obscure this great Chaldean glory,
* This morning sun," imperial Babylon !
Jerusalem or Babylon must fall.

* Isaiah.

Zap. War-war!

Mit. So sycophants betray a people!
Meres. Think of your vast resources mighty

king:

Your ships bring home the produce of the world, And proud Euphrates rolls a golden wave: Your revenues increase with lengthen'd war, And past disasters swell the soldier's triumph : E'en the worn veteran burns to avenge his gods, And conquer those whom treaties cannot bind. King. The gen'ral voice is plain! alas! for kings,

When forc'd to war by counsels not their own, They must impose fresh burdens on their subSethar rises.

jects:

What says the aged Sethar-prudence guides

him.

Sethar. I own, great king, my spirits keep

no pace

With these too daring counsels-I rejoice

To find them alien to the royal breast.

Mit. The tongue he should have said-now

Meres smiles.

Aside.

Sethar. 'T may be the vice of age to wish for

peace,

And antedate the rest it near approaches:
Whate'er the wisdom, duty bids me speak,
For conscience cannot trifle round the grave:
King. What does the dotard mean?
Sethar. Why should we fight?
The highest feelings of a nation's pride

Aside.

Must sure be satisfied, when humbl'd foes
Send their ambassadors to sue for peace:
Mighty are your resources-mighty too
A kingdom's sway-your ports, your palaces,
Your royal state, your offices of rule,
Your splendid cities, glorious Babylon,
Commerce and arts, science, the works of taste,
Betray the dread effects of lengthen'd war:
Vast are your riches-grant the conquest sure,
Why rush to battle to acquire more?

Faithless be Judah's sons, and stain'd with crime :

Those who in abject language sue for peace,
Will scarcely break the treaties they implore:
Or be they broken-are we unprepar'd?
Are we turn'd cowards, by the foe's injustice?
And as our cause improves, must we decay?
Prove accusations of deep perjur'd guilt,
Against a race abandon'd, curs'd of heav'n:
What stronger cause to leave them to their
fate,

To civil broils and vengeance from the gods?
I pray and plead for peace-a lasting peace!
Meres. Perish such peace! the doating grey-
beard's sermon

Settling his audit with the angry gods.

Sethar. Rash lord !-be still, my soul; 'tis idle

rage;

Those gods are working for the kingdom's

safety.

Aside, looking to Araxes.

King. Speak you, Araxes: services so late Give your opinion weight:

Arax. My art is war:

I live to execute your high commands.
A soldier in debate takes little part;
He only furnishes a strong right arm.
Courtiers. War, war.

King. What potent influence attends the youth!

We wait the messengers-now, Judah, tremble!

Enter the Embassadors of JUDEA-preceded by

King.

officers of state.

Embassadors of Judah ! we have

weigh'd

Your specious offers, and consid'ring well
The various bearings of our puissant state,
Our vast prosperity, our conquering arms,
Our royal dignity, our faith allied,

With the concurrent voice of these our nobles,
Declare for a continuance of war:

We form no treaties but with tribute nations:
From the dark desarts of th' impervious north,
To where the sea washes the Syrian shore,
And far where Egypt spreads her teeming
plains,

Eternal Babylon shall reign alone :

This be our answer to your wand'ring tribes : Go, bid them tremble at a second bondage.

Amb. Insulting king, whose taunts and blasphemies

Rouse in our hearts such passions as thine

own,

Know we repose upon the living god:

Thee and thy graven idols we defy:

Our wand'ring tribes have fix'd an endless throne,

Immutable as holy Zion's base :

The day will come, when in his anger rous'd,
The great invisible shall stretch his arm,
And

"Midian's slaughter, by the rock of
Oreb,"*

Shall be but mock'ry to that dreadful day :
The east shall know one empire—that of Israel :
One house alone shall reign-the house of
Jacob:

King. To arms! and be the prize the con

queror's:

Descending from his throne. Where was the power that guards the house of

Jacob,

When Hamath, Arpad, and Sepharvaim fell : †
Was Baal impotent t'avenge his servants
When Kedar's valleys smok'd in patriot blood?
Sethar. (Aside) Mercy, ye powers, mercy
on mankind!

King. Zion shall tremble to it's utmost top, And prostrate shall her tow'ring cedars fall, When my arm'd myriads in their fell career, With fire and famine dogging at their heels, On horse or foot, or charioted shall pour

Isaiah, chap. 10.

+ See note at the conclusion.