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Forgot he was a man, a helpless man,

Subject to pain, and sin, and death, like others!
But who shall fight against Omnipotence?
Or, who hath harden'd his obdurate heart
Against the Majesty of Heav'n, and prosper'd?
The God he had insulted was aveng'd;
From empire, from the joys of social life,
He drove him forth; extinguish'd Reason's lamp;
Quench'd that bright spark of deity within;
Compell'd him with the forest brutes to roam
For scanty pasture; and the mountain dews
Fell, cold and wet, on his defenceless head,
Till he confess'd let men, let monarchs hear!
Till he confess'd, PRIDE WAS NOT MADE FOR MAN!
Nit. Oh, awful instance of divine displeasure!
Bel. Proceed! My soul is wrapt in fix'd attention!
Dan. O king! thy grandsire not in vain had sinn'd,
If, from his error, thou hadst learnt the truth.
The story of his fall thou oft hast heard,
But has it taught thee wisdom? Thou, like him,
Hast been elate with pow'r, and mad with pride.
Like him thou hast defied the living God.
Nay, to bold thoughts hast added deeds more bold.
Thou hast outwrought the pattern he bequeath'd thee,
And quite outgone example; hast profan'd,
With impious hand, the vessels of the Temple:
Those vessels sanctified to holiest use,

Thou hast polluted with unhallow'd lips,

And made the instruments of foul debauch.
Thou hast ador'd the gods of wood and stone,
Vile, senseless deities, the work of hands,

But HE, THE KING OF KINGS, and Lord of lords,

In whom exists thy life, thy soul, thy breath, On whom thy being hangs, thou hast denied. 1st Cour. [aside to the others.] With what a holy boldness he reproves him!

2d Cour. Such is the fearless confidence of virtue! And such the righteous courage those maintain Who plead the cause of truth! The smallest word He utters had been death to half the court.

Bel. Now let the mystic writing be explain'd, Thrice venerable sage!

Dan.

O mighty king!

Hear then its awful import: Heav'n has number'd
Thy days of royalty, and soon will end them.
Our God has weigh'd thee in the even balance
Of his own holy law, and finds thee wanting:
And last, thy kingdom shall be wrested from thee;
And know, the Mede and Persian shall possess it.
Bel. [starts up.] Prophet, when shall this be?
Dan.
In God's own time

Here my commission ends; I may not utter

More than thou 'st heard; but, oh! remember, king
Thy days are number'd: hear, repent, and live!
Bel. Say, prophet, what can penitence avail?
If Heav'n's decrees immutably are fix'd,

Can prayers avert our fate?

Dan. They change our heart And thus dispose Omnipotence to mercy. 'Tis man that alters; God is still the same. Conditional are all Heav'n's covenants: And when th' uplifted thunder is withheld, 'Tis pray'r that deprecates th' impending bolt.

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1st Cour. Perhaps this Daniel is in league with Persia;

And brib'd by Cyrus to report these horrors,

To weaken and impede the mighty plans

Of thy imperial mind!

Bel.

'Tis very like.

2d Cour. Return we to the banquet?

Bel.

Dare we venture?

3d Cour. Let not this dreaming seer disturb the

king.

Against the power of Cyrus and the Mede

Is Babylon secure. Her brazen gates

Mock all attempts to force them. Proud Euphrates,
A wat❜ry bulwark, guards our ample city
From all assailants. And within the walls
Of this stupendous capital are lodg'd

Such vast provisions, such exhaustless stores,
As a twice ten years' siege could never waste!
Bel. [embraces him.] My better genius! Safe in

such resources,

I mock the prophet. — Turn we to the banquet!

[As they are going to resume their places at the banquet, a dreadful uproar is heard, tumultuous cries and warlike sounds. All stand terrified. Enter soldiers with their swords drawn, and wounded.]

Sol. Oh, helpless Babylon! Oh, wretched king! Chaldea is no more! the Mede has conquer'd! The victor Cyrus, like a mighty torrent, Comes rushing on, and marks his way with ruin! Destruction is at hand; escape or perish.

Bel. Impossible! Villain and slave, thou best! Euphrates and the brazen gates secure us: While those remain, Belshazzar laughs at danger. Sol. Euphrates is diverted from its course. The brazen gates are burst, the city's taken, Thyself a pris'ner, and thy empire lost.

Bel. Oh, prophet! I remember thee, indeed. [He runs out. They follow in the utmost confusion.

Enter several Jews, Medes, and Babylonians. 1st Jew. He comes, he comes! the long-predicted prince,

Cyrus! the destin'd instrument of Heav'n,
To free our captive nation, and restore
JEHOVAH'S Temple. Carnage marks his way,
And conquest sits upon his plume-crown'd helm.
2d Jew. What noise is that?

1st Jew.

Hark! 'tis Belshazzar's voice.

Bel. [without.] O soldier! spare my life, and aid my flight.

Such treasures shall reward the gentle deed

As Persia never saw. I'll be thy slave;

I'll yield my crown to Cyrus; I'll adore

His gods and thine — I'll kneel and kiss thy feet,

And worship thee. It is not much I ask —
I'll live in bondage, beggary, and pain,

So thou but let me live.

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