 | Hannah |  |
17
ACT III.
SCENE I.
Hannah before the Tabernacle of the Congregation in Shiloh— Eli and other Ministers at some Distance.She speaks softly to herself.
Recitative accompany'd.
Hannah.
O Lord Almighty deign to hear my Vow,
Which on my bended Knees I make before Thee—
If thou indeed will look on my Affliction
And not forget thine Handmaid, but wilt give
A Son to bless her Wishes—here I swear
He shall be thine for ever—in thine House
To minister when yet a tender Child,
Nor shall a Rasor touch his sacred Head.
Eli.
Wine surely has impair'd this Woman's Wits
That mutters in her Speech and hesitates
For want of abler Senses, better Morals,
And more of Reverence for this holy Place.
Hannah.
Thy Handmaid is of a sublimer Nature,
And better Education than thou think'st.
I have not drank the Spirit of the Grape
To make myself a Child of Belial—
'Tis from th'Abundance of my Heart's Complaint,
My Grief has spoken hitherto and poured
My Soul before the Lord in stifled Murmurs.
And better Education than thou think'st.
I have not drank the Spirit of the Grape
To make myself a Child of Belial—
'Tis from th'Abundance of my Heart's Complaint,
My Grief has spoken hitherto and poured
My Soul before the Lord in stifled Murmurs.
18
With what I scorn upbraid me not,
Let Candour weigh my Cause;
Let loose no Thought her Fame to blot,
Whom purest Honour awes.
Let Candour weigh my Cause;
Let loose no Thought her Fame to blot,
Whom purest Honour awes.
Thy Handmaid from her early Youth,
No Tempter cou'd intice,
As nurtured in the Love of Truth,
And high Disdain of Vice.
No Tempter cou'd intice,
As nurtured in the Love of Truth,
And high Disdain of Vice.
Eli.
Go then in Peace, and if thou hast a Vow
The Lord accept thee, forward all thy Views,
And grant Thee thy Petition—I foresee
Thy sure Success in all thy Heart's Desire.
AIR.
The Lord accept thee, forward all thy Views,
And grant Thee thy Petition—I foresee
Thy sure Success in all thy Heart's Desire.
May He that can awake the Dead
Bless all thy future Life;
As when his holy Angel sped
To comfort Manoah's Wife.
Bless all thy future Life;
As when his holy Angel sped
To comfort Manoah's Wife.
All Things are void of Worth and Fruit
Till God his Blessing send,
Whose Voice can harmonize the Mute,
And make the Deaf attend.
Till God his Blessing send,
Whose Voice can harmonize the Mute,
And make the Deaf attend.
Hannah.
I feel the Truth of all thou say'st within me,
And sweet Forebodings fill my Heart with Joy.
And sweet Forebodings fill my Heart with Joy.
19
Accompanied with Priests and Virgins.
To Thee the King of Kings;
My Tongue has learnt a nobler Tone:
Mine Enemies despair,
While Record thus I bear,
“Salvation is of God alone.
Nor Vanity be proud,
For God th'Event of all Things weighs;
The Mighty now are meek,
But God has raised the Weak,
And strength'ned for eternal Praise.
She that on Dainties fed
Is now in want of Bread;
The Hungry has the Feast begun:
The fruitful Womb must fail,
The Barren shall prevail,
And reckon to the seventh Son.
The Lord exalts the Poor—
The lowly and obscure
Thro' him in royal Rank shall reign;
CHORUS.
He form'd with mighty Hand
Earth's Pillars, as they stand,
And all the Universe sustain.
The Lord's audacious Foe,
Shall have a fatal Blow,
By Thunder from his Region hurl'd;
The Nations of Mankind,
Shall be by Grace refin'd,
When God himself shall judge the World.
The Prince of Peace shall tow'r
In Glory, Strength, and Pow'r,
To whom all Flesh shall bend the Knee;
The Fame he shall atchieve,
I now, ev'n now believe,
And in the Spirit now foresee.
I.
My Heart with Transport springs,To Thee the King of Kings;
My Tongue has learnt a nobler Tone:
Mine Enemies despair,
While Record thus I bear,
“Salvation is of God alone.
II.
Let Talk no more be loud,Nor Vanity be proud,
For God th'Event of all Things weighs;
The Mighty now are meek,
But God has raised the Weak,
And strength'ned for eternal Praise.
III.
By a Virgin.She that on Dainties fed
Is now in want of Bread;
The Hungry has the Feast begun:
The fruitful Womb must fail,
The Barren shall prevail,
And reckon to the seventh Son.
20
IV.
Trio.The Lord exalts the Poor—
The lowly and obscure
Thro' him in royal Rank shall reign;
CHORUS.
He form'd with mighty Hand
Earth's Pillars, as they stand,
And all the Universe sustain.
V.
By a Levite.The Lord's audacious Foe,
Shall have a fatal Blow,
By Thunder from his Region hurl'd;
The Nations of Mankind,
Shall be by Grace refin'd,
When God himself shall judge the World.
VI.
Hannah again.The Prince of Peace shall tow'r
In Glory, Strength, and Pow'r,
To whom all Flesh shall bend the Knee;
The Fame he shall atchieve,
I now, ev'n now believe,
And in the Spirit now foresee.
21
SCENE II.
Enter Elkanah, and Attendants.Elkanah.
Thou art accepted in thy Soul's Request,
The Smiles of Hope are on thy lovely Face,
And all thy Looks angelically pleasant
Shew forth the Dawnings of a blest Event—
O welcome Rapture to my longing Heart,
And Pleasure now the dearer for Delay.
AIR.
The Smiles of Hope are on thy lovely Face,
And all thy Looks angelically pleasant
Shew forth the Dawnings of a blest Event—
O welcome Rapture to my longing Heart,
And Pleasure now the dearer for Delay.
No more the Dupe of vague Mischance,
Nor jest of proud deriding Foes,
I feel my Heart within me dance,
Each Vein with livelier Motion flows;
Past Ills the present Bliss inhance,
And all the Man to vaster Joy dispose.
Nor jest of proud deriding Foes,
I feel my Heart within me dance,
Each Vein with livelier Motion flows;
Past Ills the present Bliss inhance,
And all the Man to vaster Joy dispose.
Hannah.
I am receiv'd—it is the Voice of God,
That speaks internal Comfort and Assurance.
The First-fruits of our Love I have devoted
To serve his Maker only, and attend
From early Youth upon this holy Place.
AIR. By a Virgin attendant on Hannah.That speaks internal Comfort and Assurance.
The First-fruits of our Love I have devoted
To serve his Maker only, and attend
From early Youth upon this holy Place.
The Cherubs of the highest Sphere,
As little Children we esteem,
Whose Truth and Innocence endear
Their Presence to the great Supreme;
O may thy Gratitude prepare
Thy Heart for Zeal's transcendant Blaze,
And may the happy Hannah bear
The Fruit of everlasting Praise.
As little Children we esteem,
Whose Truth and Innocence endear
Their Presence to the great Supreme;
O may thy Gratitude prepare
Thy Heart for Zeal's transcendant Blaze,
And may the happy Hannah bear
The Fruit of everlasting Praise.
22
to Han.
'Twas well determined for a Son of Elkanah,
Who does confirm thee in thy good Intent,
And duteous Gratitude—the best Resolves,
Are those we form in Thankfulness to Heav'n,
Which fixes wav'ring Nature to itself,
By sure Rewards and never-failing Promises.
AIR and CHORUS.Who does confirm thee in thy good Intent,
And duteous Gratitude—the best Resolves,
Are those we form in Thankfulness to Heav'n,
Which fixes wav'ring Nature to itself,
By sure Rewards and never-failing Promises.
The Lord in highest Bliss above,
Himself alone is constant Love,
Whom Seraphims adore;
And thus their Concerts sing and play,
“The wond'rous Mercy of To-day,
“Endures for evermore.”
Himself alone is constant Love,
Whom Seraphims adore;
And thus their Concerts sing and play,
“The wond'rous Mercy of To-day,
“Endures for evermore.”
The tuneful Spheres that deck the Sky,
Still their sweet Influence supply,
And shine as heretofore;
And thus their Concerts sing and play,
“All hail the Mercy of To-day,
“Which is for evermore.”
Still their sweet Influence supply,
And shine as heretofore;
And thus their Concerts sing and play,
“All hail the Mercy of To-day,
“Which is for evermore.”
Eli.
The Signs are all propitious in your Favour—
Hannah to thee shall surely bare a Son,
And call him Samuel—he shall minister
As Priest in Childhood, and have high Esteem
From God and Man—and ere he shall be gather'd
Unto his People, shall anoint a King
O'er God's selected Nation—from whose Loins
Shall Shiloh come, Redeemer of Mankind—
Ye Levites, blow the Trumpets in the East,
Ye Damsels, smite the Timbrels and rejoice
In these my Words prophetic of Salvation.
Hannah to thee shall surely bare a Son,
And call him Samuel—he shall minister
As Priest in Childhood, and have high Esteem
From God and Man—and ere he shall be gather'd
Unto his People, shall anoint a King
O'er God's selected Nation—from whose Loins
Shall Shiloh come, Redeemer of Mankind—
Ye Levites, blow the Trumpets in the East,
Ye Damsels, smite the Timbrels and rejoice
In these my Words prophetic of Salvation.
23
To Thee stupendous in thy Ways,
To Jacob's God the Blessed Uncreate
Be all Dominion, Pow'r and Praise,
And Laud and Adoration in the Height.
FINIS.
| Hannah | |