Joc. Know this ark is charm'd With incantations Pharaoh ne'er employ'd; I twisted every slender reed together, And with a prayer did every ozier weave. Joc. Yet ere thou go'st, observe me well; When thou hast laid him in his wat'ry bed, Oh leave him not; but at a distance wait, And mark what Heaven's high will determines for him. Lay him among the flags on yonder beach, MOSES IN THE BULRUSHES. PART II. Enter MIRIAM, after having deposited the child. YES, I have laid him in his wat'ry bed, But ah! my mother! who shall soothe thy griefs? Their precious load; but it must sink ere long! Sweet babe, farewell! yet think not I will leave thee; No, I will watch thee till the greedy waves Devour thy little bark; I'll sit me down, And sing to thee, sweet babe; thou canst not hear, But 'twill amuse me, while I watch thy fate. [She sits down on the bank, and sings. SONG. Thou, who canst make the feeble strong, Not mine such notes as Egypt's daughters raise; II. Ye winds, the servants of the Lord, Oh spare the babe committed to your trust; III. Though doom'd to find an early grave, This infant, Lord, thy power can save, And he whose death's decreed by Phraraoh's hand, May rise a prophet to redeem the land. [She rises and looks out. What female form bends hitherward her steps, Of royal port she seems; perhaps some friend, Rais'd by the guardian care of bounteous Heav'n, To prop the falling house of Levi. - Soft! I'll listen unperceiv'd; these trees will hide me. [She stands behind. Enter the PRINCESS of EGYPT, attended by a train of Ladies. Prin. No farther, Virgins; here I mean to rest, [They all go out, except one. * The ancient Egyptians used to wash their bodies four times every twenty-four hours. [The PRINCESS looks out. Sure, or I much mistake, or I perceive Mel. [Exit Maid. Mir. [behind.] O blest, beyond my hopes! he is discover'd; My brother will be sav'd! who is this stranger? She must be cruel too; yet fame reports her Prin. Re-enter MElita. Well, Melita! Hast thou discover'd what the vessel is? Mel. Oh, Princess, I have seen the strangest sight! Within the vessel lies a sleeping babe, A fairer infant have I never seen! Prin. Who knows but some unhappy Hebrew woman Has thus expos'd her infant, to evade Mel. Should this be so, my Princess knows the danger. Prin. No danger should deter from acts of mercy. Mir. [behind.] A thousand blessings on her princely head! Prin. Too much the sons of Jacob have endur'd From royal Pharaoh's unrelenting hate; Too much our house has crush'd their alien race. Grind them by hard oppression? not enough Those structures which the world with wonder views, To much insulted Israel's patient race? To them his growing cities owe their splendour; Mel. I know thy royal father fears the strength Of this still growing race, who flourish more The more they are oppress'd: he dreads their numbers. Prin. Apis forbid! Pharaoh afraid of Israel! Yet should this outcast race, this hapless people, E'er grow to such a formidable greatness, (Which all the gods avert whom Egypt worships,) This infant's life can never serve their cause, Nor can his single death prevent their greatness. Mel. Trust not to that vain hope. By weakest means And most unlikely instruments, full oft |