University of Virginia Library

Scene II.

—Outside of Jacob's Tent.—Time, Noon.
Jacob and Joseph.
Jacob.
Keep thou this counsel sacred in thine ear,
For 'tis a treasure richer than a star.

Joseph.
Sir, I am prone to love it, apt to think,
To find fresh proofs; and I have wonder'd oft
How many tribes and nations overlook
God's greatness in His works, and cast the praise
Upon some lifeless object deified—
Out of the grossness of their earthward mind.
To me a simple flower is cloth'd with thoughts
That lead the mind to Heaven.

Jacob.
Why, that is much:
There is no work, the meanest on the earth,
Matter, or thing, but 'tis so nicely cast
By the great Master-hand, and so set off
In beauty's mask, or else consistent truth,
That he must have a mind that's all contempt,
Jealous, and crude, who could deny the task
To have been pattern'd by a Deity:
Or else his knowledge, aiming past the heavens,
Falls back upon his ignorance and dies.
Many there be who worship certain stars,
The ruling planet, or some lesser light,
Or some rude image wrought of their own hands,
Being brimful of self. Ill sense of being,
To scorn the giant and applaud the dwarf,
Because the first is greater than ourselves;
And keeps imagination in the slips,
While Faith, a prisoner wrapt about in chains,
Stands blind beside. Oh, lowly ignorance!
To think the Being, who could fashion us,
Give us impassion'd minds, affections strong,
Put fire into the sun, and poise the world,
Garnish the seasons, and clothe all the earth
Varied and beauteous, and over all
Cast such a canopy as this above,
Would meanly hide Him in an idol's shrine,
Dire object of His malediction!
Better to think in holiness and love
That God looks on our earth invisibly,
And fills the mighty space above our heads,
Splendid and glorious in His majesty,
More than the mind of man dare ape to think.

Joseph.
Late as I lay upon a shock of corn,
With musing eye following my dreamy thought,
Likening the clouds to cities far away,
A falcon sail'd majestic in my view:
This way and that he turn'd his peering head
(Like a besieger in a peaceful town),
Keen and sagacious, bent on shedding blood:—
Herein, said I, doth God proclaim Himself;
Blending His excellence in varied powers
All tending to some purpose apt and wise,
An object answer'd and an end attain'd;
Yea, more than man seeing can comprehend,
Or, comprehending, can admire enough,
Being a brighter image last design'd
And form'd to rule and govern; be obey'd
By all earth's creatures, subjects of His will.
I doubt not God's existence nor His power,
Am touch'd with reverence, and touch'd with love.
The golden mazes of the serpent's scales
Dazzling the light and foiling the sun's beams,
Odours of violets blooming in the spring,
The bird that chuckleth in the musky vale,
Silence and sound, the tranquil light and shade,
The orient sunflower, and the blossom'd spray,
The dell and mountain, waters bosom'd wide,
In wordless eloquence unto the heart
Speak of sweet grace, and power, and beauty rare.
God did descend to form such excellence;
We must ascend to comprehend it done.
Then what is He who mouldeth all these things,
Merely, as 'twere, for exercise of truth?
And what are we who look on them and die?
The children of His mercy? nor forlorn
And cold into our bosoms will return
Our mortal yearnings, seeing we're allied
To all the truth and beauty He has made;
For He who fashion'd us from forth His love,
Made us so fair, surrounded us with good,
Out of His love will think of us in death.

Jacob.
Joseph, my comfort, thou beguil'st mine ear—
Yea, and my eyes of some few gentle drops:
I bless thee from the middle of my heart.
Yet, Joseph, there is one thing far above
Matters extern and objects of the view;
It is, the mind of man, frank fellowship;
A fair affection brac'd and bounded in
By honesty and love, in word and deed—
Yea, more, in thought and look,—yea, further still,
E'en in the faintest limits of surmise:
Never to bear thy neighbour hard in hand,
Nor break thy faith, nor trespass on his peace;
So as thou hop'st the Power above will deal
With mercy to thine imbecility.
This must be thine; then will thy hours be glad,
Joyful thy days, thy years be long and full:
Calamity, the giant of the earth,
Will know thee free, and veil his iron club,
Saying to sorrow, ‘Visit not that man,
He looks beyond us:—Ill men fear his frown;
All good tongues drop of manna to his praise.’

Joseph.
Years and desire, conducting in their hands
Knowledge and wisdom, will sow full my time
With the fresh seeds of this most ruling truth;
And God, the master both of it and us,
Seeing a simple and a willing child,
As helpless as a flower in the blast,
Will give me patience to sustain those rubs
That stand betwixt a mortal and his grave.

Jacob.
Amen! Amen! Oh, Joseph! what a joy
Thy words diffuse over my latter life.
Thy voluble tongue, sweet as a viol play'd
To heavenward anthems in a mellow eve,
Lives in my contemplation with delight.
Thy tongue is but the scholar of thy heart,
Repeating faithfully what that records.

Joseph.
Sooth, there is no such merit in all this
(Though to do duty claimeth some fair praise);
For merit breedeth its own sweet reward,
As vice and folly do their sting and chains.
The little commerce I have had doth show
There is an honest beauty in the world,
Which he who loves, is lov'd again by it;
Reflecting, like an angel, in such sort
The merit, worth, and value of our deeds,
As evil never knows, nor e'er can taste:
Therefore 'tis wise and gainful to be just,—
Bringing so large a price as fair content
(A brooding dove within a patient heart).

Jacob.
Live faithful to this precept, and be great,—
Go to thy brethren (down in Shechem's vales
They keep their herds this day) and bring me word
How they have found the pastures and the springs;
And if their cattle thrive upon the ground.

Joseph.
Thy blessing.—I am gone.

[Exeunt Jacob and Joseph severally.