University of Virginia Library

2. PART II.

SCENE I.

Asenath, Phanor, and Chorus of Egyptians.
CHORUS.
Hail , thou Youth by Heav'n belov'd!
Now thy wond'rous Wisdom's prov'd!
Zaphnath Egypt's Fate foresaw,
And snatch'd her from the Famine's Jaw.

Pha.
How vast a Theme has Egypt for Applause!
O Asenath, behold thy mighty Lord!
High on his gilded Car triumphant ride,
Whilst prostrate Multitudes that do him Honours,
Obstruct his Passage through the Streets of Memphis.
The raptur'd Virgins hail him in their Lays,
And gazing Matrons lift their grateful Hands,
Whilst hoary Sages rise, and bow the Head,
And Infants half articulate his Name.

Asen.
These Honours flow not from the Flatterers Lips,
Like those that lavish Stream in Fortune's Lap;
But from Sincere Benevolence, and Love,
And Bosoms glowing with a grateful Transport.

AIR.
Phan.

[Phan.]
He's Egypt's common Parent, gives her Bread;
He's Egypt's only Safety, only Hope;
Whilst Egypt's Welfare is his only Care.

CHORUS.
Blest be the Man by Pow'r unstain'd,
Virtue there itself rewarding!
Blest be the Man to Wealth unchain'd,
Treasure for the Publick hoarding!

Asen.
Phanor, we mention not his highest Glory,
Mark midst his Grandeur what Humility,
The Gift of that great God whom he adores.
Yet something seems of late to bear upon him,
And cloud his wonted Smile; not all his Splendor,
Th'Applause of Millions, or my studious Love,
Can yield him Comfort, or asswage his Grief.

Phan.
Perchance he wants to view his native Land,
Whose God and Laws are the Reverse of Egypt's.

Asen.
Phanor, 'tis true, he calls it oft' to mind,
And oft' in Silence sighs, and mourns his Absence;
Nor finds he Peace, save when his smiling Infants,
The Pledges of our Love, are in his Arms:
There will he grasp them—there, with ardent Look,
He eyes them—while, from 'midst his struggling Sighs,
Words burst like these—
AIR.
He then is silent, then again exclaims—
Inhuman Brethren! O unhappy Father!
What Anguish too much Love for me has cost thee!
Such are his Cares, nor have I yet discover'd
The fatal Cause—But once more I'll attempt it.

Phan.
“These Men of Canaan too, pretended Brethren,
“Who come to purchase Corn, give him Disquiet:
“One of them he detain'd in Bonds as Hostage
“For their Return with Proof they were not Spies;
“But their long Absence makes him doubt their Faith.
“I'll to my Lord, and learn this Prisoner's Fate.

[Exeunt severally.

SCENE II.

Simeon
in Prison.
Recitative accompany'd.
Where are these Brethren—Why this base Delay!
To let me languish a whole Year in Dungeons!
But are not Brethren base? O Joseph! Joseph!
That Thought is Hell—Remembrance scorches with it!
But was it I alone?—O no!—Then Heav'n
Has been at 'compt perchance with my Confederates,
Whilst the wild Beast, false-tax'd with Joseph's Death,
Has met 'em on the way, and ta'en his Vengeance.
AIR.

[Exit.

SCENE III.

Joseph and Phanor.
Phan.
This Hebrew Prisoner—

Jos.
Hither bring him, Phanor.
[Exit Phanor.
The wide Circumference of Egypt's Regions,
The vast Extent betwixt the Nile and Ocean
Given me to rule, is Slav'ry, not an Honour;
Not Rest, but Travel—
—“Ye departed Hours,
“What happier Moments have I seen!—O Hebron!
“What Peace enjoy'd amidst thy smiling Valleys!
“Might I review thee! might I careless tend
“Thy fleecy Herd; might I once more embrace
“My good old Sire; list to his sacred Lessons
“Of God's Creation, of Man's fatal Fall,
“The Race-preserving Ark, the Heaven-hung Bow,
“And Hope Divine of Abraham and his Seed—
“It cannot be—Tyrant, enslaving Greatness!
“Who'd languish in thy gilded Chains an Hour,
“That in the Courts of Quietness could dwell?
AIR.
But Simeon comes, Treach'rous blood-thirsty Brother!
Fain wouldst thou had my Life! Cruel! but hold—
I fear, O Heav'n! that some disastrous Death
Has snatch'd the other from me, and perhaps
Simeon's the only Brother left me now;
I'll touch thee not—the Image of our Father
Sits on thy Brow—nor shall thy Perfidy
Dissolve the sacred Ties of Love and Nature.
But I will speak such Daggers to thy Soul!—

SCENE IV.

To Joseph, Simeon.
Sim.
I tremble at his Presence.

Jos.
Thou Impostor!
Com'st thou before me, but to dare my Fury?
Where are thy Brethren—Brother-Traitors? Ha!
Did I not say it? Did I not foresee it?
Ye Serpent-Spies! under Pretext of Famine
Ye came to see the Nakedness of Egypt.
One Year has run its Course—not yet return'd!
Where is their Faith? Impostor, thou shalt pay
The Forfeit of their Guilt.

Sim.
My gracious Lord,
Our Testimony's true—By Famine driv'n,
We hither fled for Succour—We're Twelve Brethren,
Sons of one Father in the Land of Canaan.
Ten thou hast seen, and one is not; the youngest
Was to the Care of his old Father left.

Jos.
The Sight of him might dissipate my Doubts—
But where's your Promise?—Why is he not come?

Sim.
Paternal Love, my Lord, alone detains him.
What Anguish must it give the good old Sire,
To have this only Hope torn from his Bosom,
The Prop and Comfort of his falling Years?
How would it shake his poor old tott'ring Frame?
How wring his bleeding Heart!

Jos.
Peace, Nature, Peace!

[Aside.
Sim.
Grief for the Loss of his beloved Joseph,
Already reigns too cruel in his Heart;
No Sun or sets, or rises on the Earth,
That doth not find, and leave him too in Tears.

Jos.
[Aside.]
Great God sustain my Fortitude!— [To Sim.]
This Joseph,
How died he?

Sim.
A wild Beast, my Lord, devour'd him.

Jos.
Devour'd by a wild Beast! Have, have a care!
Didst thou then see his bleeding Arteries?
His mangled Limbs? Now, by the Life of Pharaoh,
I spy some Treachery—There are Men on Earth
More cruel, Simeon, than the wildest Beast.

Sim.
Dreadful Discourse!

[Aside.
Jos.
He trembles!

[Aside.
Sim.
Thy Suspicion—

Jos.
—Is just—know you not yet I can divine,
And view the dark Recesses of the Soul?
In vain from me you'd hide the Truth, Impostor!
[Ex. Jos.

AIR.
Sim.

[Exit.

SCENE V.

Joseph, Asenath.
Jos.
Whence, Asenath, this Grief that hangs upon thee,
And like a Morning Mist which hovers o'er
The Violet's Bed, bedews thy lovely Cheeks?

Asen.
Life of my Life, and Source of all my Bliss,
It is but to resemble thee the more.
When Zaphnath sighs can Asenath be gay?
Can Asenath enjoy, when Zaphnath suffers?
AIR.
Recitative.
Tell me, O tell me thy Heart's Malady,
That I may steal it from thee if I can.

Jos.
A slight Disorder—publick Cares—

Enter Phanor.
Phan.
My Lord,
The long-expected Strangers are arriv'd,
And with them comes a Youth of matchless Beauty.

Jos.
[Aside.]
My Benjamin! Thanks Heav'n! Straight make them enter.
[To Phan.
My Love, retire a while—Soon thou shalt know
The Business of my Heart—Permit me only
Some Moments more—

Asen.
Your Will, my Lord, is mine.

[Exit.

SCENE VI.

Phanor and Joseph's Brethren.
Phan.
Fear not—Peace be unto you—'twas your God,
That gave you Treasure in your Sacks, for me
I had your Money, and declare you Guiltless,
Nor think that Zaphnath bears so base a Soul
As to condemn you wrongfully—nor one
So cruel to refuse you farther Succour.

Judah.
Thy gracious Words revive my drooping Spirits;
And kindly Hope of being guiltless thought
Glows in my Heart, and kindles Life anew.
AIR.

Chorus of the Brethren.
Thus one with ev'ry Virtue crown'd,
For ev'ry Vice may be renown'd.

SCENE VII.

To them, Joseph, and Attendants.
Reuben.
Once more, O pious Zaphnath! at thy Feet
We pay due Homage, and implore thy Succour.

Judah.
Our Reverend Sire intreats thee to accept
A humble Off'ring of our Country's Fruits;
Not such as with thy Grandeur suits, but what
Our present wretched State hath left—O Zaphnath!
Our Fields lie desolate, and cover'd o'er
With naught but Horror, Barrenness and Drought,
Menacing the distress'd Inhabitant
With Death inevitable, whose pale Herald
Sits on his pining Cheeks—O Pity, Pity!
Our good old Father sues for Pity from thee;
For Pity we implore thee, and for Pity
Our youngest Brother lowly bows to kiss
Thy bounteous Hand.

Benj.
This Kiss, my gracious Lord,
Comes wash'd with Tears—O save my Country, save
My dear, dear Father—and may Abraham's God
For ever save my Lord.

Jos.
[Aside.]
How his Discourse
Melts down my Soul—Rise—is your-Father well?
[Aside.]
I had almost said Mine—The good old Man
Of whom ye spake—say, is he living still?

Judah.
My Lord, thy Servant lives, and lives in Health.

Jos.
And this his youngest Son?

Benj.
It is, my Lord,
My Name is Benjamin.

Jos.
Let me embrace thee—
And may that God, my Son, whom thou invok'st,
Watch o'er, and ever shed his Blessings on thee!

AIR.
Benj.

Jos.
[Aside.]
Sweet Innocence! Divine Simplicity!
Tears, by your Leave— [To Servants.]
Attend, prepare our Table—
—Instant—These Men shall eat with me to-day.

Benj.
Let not thy Mercy linger—Grief and Famine
Oppress our aged Father—Aught Delay
May fatal prove—We left him desolate.

Jos.
[Weeping.]
Nature will through the Vail—Anguish and Joy
Jointly demand my Tears.

[Exeunt Jos. Phan. and Attendants.
Reuben.
Didst thou observe him, Judah?—Mark his Looks!

Judah.
I did—canst thou interpret them?

Reuben.
I cannot.
Profound and inaccessible, O Judah,
Are all the inward Movements of the Great,
And never by the Countenance are known.

Judah.
May great Jehovah turn his Heart to Pity!

CHORUS.