University of Virginia Library

3. PART III.

Elisha, Women, and Gehazi.
RECITATIVE. Gehazi.
O grievous conflict! How the Prophet's soul
Labours within him! Nay, arise not yet,
Still keep that suppliant posture, and renew
Your fervent supplications. Not the lack
Of pity holds him mute, but pious dread,
Lest such a mighty and unwonted boon
Be not too much to ask. Again essay
In soft'ning strains to fix his wav'ring mind.

DUET. Elisha and Woman.
Woman.
Tho' mighty the request I make,
O let thy soft compassion wake
And for the mourner plead.

Elisha.
What words can human thought conceive,
What prayer can vital heat retrieve,
‘What cries, awake the dead?’

TRIO.—Woman, Gehazi, Elisha.
He at whose words chaotic night
Sprung into sudden heat and light,
While trembling darkness fled;
Who bade unnumber'd worlds arise,
Bright lamps of the unmeasur'd skies,
He can awake the dead.

RECITATIVE.
Elisha.
Rise, best of women, rise! and oh, withdraw
That fixed eye of woe, it smites my soul.

Gehazi.
Hope be thy comfort! still! the glist'ning drop
Of holy pity trembles in its orb.
And lo! his staff with look divine he views,
As tho' he would infuse some powerful charm.

Elisha.
Far as I dare, I will essay. Gehazi,
My faithful friend and servant, take my staff,
Speed thou to Shunem, and with rev'rend awe
Extend it on the bosom of the child.

Woman.
Nay, holy man of God, do not transfer
This work to other hands—come thou thyself,
And raise and thy pow'rful prayers in my behalf,
Or to her home thy suppliant ne'er returns,
But here remains, fix'd to this hallow'd spot,
An ever during monument of grief.
AIR.

RECITATIVE.
Elisha.
Thy sorrows have prevail'd. It shall be so.
I will to Shunem strait, and if the deed
Incur presumption's name, thy holy tears,
(Too strong for human bosom to resist)
Must plead for pardon at the throne of grace.

AIR, in Parts.
Woman.
May every blessing heav'n can shed,
Fall frequent o'er thy rev'rend head!
Due as morn shall greet mine eye,
For this my pray'r shall pierce the sky,
And Western vales receive the sun,
Or e're my grateful task be done.

Elisha.
Yet let not over-weening hope
Too far exalt thine ardent mind,
To God's decisive edict stoop,
Be patient, duteous, and resign'd.

Both.
May ev'ry blessing heav'n can shed,
Fall frequent o'er thy reverend virtuous head.

Woman.
You teach me how to frame my mind.

Elisha.
Exalt not then thine ardent mind.

Both.
Be patient, duteous, and resigned.

RECITATIVE.

Afflicted mother, come; abide the proof
With firmness. Fill'd with doubt and dread, I go.

AIR.
Gehazi.
As ye pursue your virtuous way
May roseate sweets beneath you rise
May softest breezes round ye play,
And gales of fragrance fill the skies!
May every charm that Nature yields,
Successive rise to glad your view;
For you may summer deck the fields,
And winter wear no frowns to you.

RECITATIVE.
Husband and Neighbours at Shunem.
Friend.
Nay, bury not in gloomy silence thus
Thy feelings, reverend Sire—Give sorrow vent,
Yet do not banish hope; thy wife may bring
Some pleasing tidings from the holy mount.

Husband.
Thence springs my greatest hope. Religion arms me
To bear the stroke of fate. My son is dead,
Such was the will of God, and to that will
Submissively I bend—But that high power,
Who for his favour'd race in Egypt's land
Wrought dreadful wonders! he can with a word,
Ev'n from the dreary mansion of the tomb,
Upraise my son, to laud his wond'rous name.

CHORUS.
Almighty God! thy pow'rful word,
Tremendous bade the thunders roll,
The lightning flash, the ocean rage,
And shake the world from pole to pole.
Who erst in Egypt wonders wrought,
And darkness brought at his command,
With fire mingl'd with the hail,
He swept destruction o'er the land.
In wat'ry heaps the red sea stood,
And made a path his race to save,
Which Pharoah and his host assay'd,
And in the trial found their grave.
The scatter'd host now floating lie,
Or to the bottom sink like stone;
'Twas thus proud Egypt's mighty host
By Israel's God was overthrown.

RECITATIVE.
Friend.
Lo, thy dear wife appears; with eager pace
She moves.

Husband.
And following near, that holy man,
The good Elisha comes. Immortal pow'rs!
What wond'rous worth is his! They gain the porch;
Greet him with silent awe; for, as I think,
His mind devoutly bent on her request,
Admits no other thought.

Woman.
Thou judgest right,
He seeks the bed of death, I cannot speak
What here I feel. A thousand mingled passions
Are struggling in my breast. My friends forbear,
Pursue him not, true piety demands
No witnesses, alone he would address
His fervent supplications.


AIR.
Air.
Let solemn silence reign,
No sound nor echo rude,
This awful hour profane,
This hour of working good.

A SOLEMN SYMPHONY to the following Supplication.
The Prophet with the Child alone.
Elisha.
O King of Kings! O Lord of Lords!
Thy gracious ear incline;
Forgive the bold presumptuous words,
That pierce the sacred shrine.
Thou at whose breath imprison'd light
Burst from the cave of ancient night.
Here extend thy wond'rous pow'r
This infant's life restore,
Returning warmth and strength impart,
And heal the pious parent's heart.

RECITATIVE.
Husband, Woman, and Neighbours.
Woman.
Am I deceiv'd? or did the Prophet's voice
Strike on my list'ning ear? ah me! my heart
Is cold, I know not what to hope or fear.

Husband.
The proof is nigh, the sacred door unfolds.

Friend.
Favour'd of women! lo, the Seer invites
With look inspir'd, our presence at the bed;
Kneel we around, and wait his holypurpose.

AIR.
Elisha.
Jehovah hears my ardent pray'rs,
Jehovah grants my boon;
Afflicted mother, dry thy tears,
Receive, receive thy son.

LOUD CHORUS of Neighbours.
Jehovah hears the Prophet's pray'rs,
Jehovah grants his boon;
Afflicted parents, dry your tears
Behold, behold your son.

RECITATIVE. Accompanied.
Son.
Forms angelic! visions bright,
Whither, whither are ye flown?
Scenes of wonder and delight,
Whither, whither are ye gone?
Where are now those lovely bowers,
Fragrant with a thousand flowers,
Throng'd with little beauteous boys,
Who in sweetly melting voice,
To music temper'd, seem to say,
‘Brother haste, and join our lay,
‘Here we keep our revels gay,
‘Come and share them, come away.’
AIR.

RECITATIVE.
Woman.
O fullness of delight? my dearest husband.
And thou, my new-recover'd blessing, kneel,
Kneel to this pious friend, this guardian saint;
And pour your souls in gratitude and praise.

Elisha.
Forbear, forbear, to me no thanks are due.
Let your adoring eyes to heav'n be rais'd,
'Twas God's own work; to him pour all your notes
Of gratitude, and let the gen'ral voice
Of Israel join to waft the swelling strain,
In sounds of triumph, to the throne of grace.

LAST HYMN AND CHORUS.
Elisha.
Awake the loud ecstatic lay,
To God eternal praises pay,
Who spoke creation into day,
For his greatness endureth for ever.

CHORUS.
For his greatness &c.

Gehazi.
To him whose span all being bound,
Whose hand the sun with splendor crown'd,
And wheel'd the glitt'ring planets round,
For his wisdom endureth for ever.

Husband.
Who guards us with a parent's eye,
Who pitying hears us when we cry,
And turns our sorrow into joy,
For his goodness endureth for ever.

Woman.
Who bids the weeper cease to mourn,
And, ev'n from the relentless urn,
Bids the rekindling soul return,
For his mercy endureth for ever.

Son.
Who deigns our little life prolong,
Nor scorns the pure and grateful song,
Tho' warbled from an infant's tongue,
For his kindness endureth for ever.

All.
Awake anew th' ecstatic lay,
To God eternal praises pay,
And shout to everlasting day,
That his glory endureth for ever.

CHORUS
That his glory, &c. Hallelujah!