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THE CURSE OF CAIN.

Gen. iv. 15, 16.

KNOX.

O THE wrath of the Lord is a terrible thing!

Like the tempest that withers the blossoms of spring,
Like the thunder that bursts on the summer's domain,
It fell on the head of the homicide Cain.

And lo! like a deer in the fright of the chase,
With a fire in his heart, and a brand on his face,
He speeds him afar to the desert of Nod-

A vagabond smote by the vengeance of God.

All nature to him has been blasted and banned,

And the blood of a brother yet reeks on his hand;
And no vintage has grown, and no fountain has sprung,
For cheering his heart, or for cooling his tongue.

The groans of a father his slumber shall start,

And the tears of a mother shall pierce to his heart,
And the kiss of his children shall scorch him like flame,
When he thinks of the curse that hangs over his name.

And the wife of his bosom-the faithful and fair-
Can mix no sweet drop in his cup of despair;
For her tender caress, and her innocent breath,
But stir in his soul the hot embers of wrath.

And his offering may blaze-unregarded by Heaven;
And his spirit may pray-yet remain unforgiv'n;
And his grave may be closed-but no rest to him bring:
O the wrath of the Lord is a terrible thing!

THE TRANSLATION OF ENOCH.

Gen. v. 24.

MONTGOMERY.

SUBLIME, ineffable, angelic grace
Beam'd in his meek and venerable face;
And sudden glory streaming round his head,
O'er all his robes with lambent lustre spread:
His earthly features grew divinely bright,
His essence seem'd transforming into light.
Brief silence, like the pause between the
flash,

The King leapt foremost from his throne ;he drew

His battle-sword, as on his mark he flew; With an unerring, and tempestuous sound, The blade descended deep along the ground; The foe was fled, and, self-o'erwhelm'd, his strength

Hurl'd to the earth his Atlantean length; But ere his Chiefs could stretch the helping

arm,

He sprung upon his feet in pale alarm;

At midnight, and the following thunder- Headlong and blind with rage he searched

crash,

Ensued:-Anon, with universal cry,

The Giants rush'd upon the prophet-"Die!"

around,

But Enoch walk'd with God, and was not

found.

THE DELUGE.

Gen. vii. viii.

ROBARTS.

FROM the hill

Stout timber Noah fell'd, and shap'd the ark
Obedient: huge the vessel's bulk, and built
With spacious entrauce; nor was wanting

food

For cattle, or for man. God gave the word;
The Patriarch enter'd,and the door was clos'd.

Dilated, like one dark pavilion hangs,
Dreadful suspense! then barsts with all its

rage

Collected: cataracts of smoking rain
Their wild displeasure spend; earth-delving
spouts,

Swift hurricanes, hails, blasting vollies, land
Made sea, the sea one wide waste infinite.
Deep groan the heaving caverns: mineral
wrath

Sublim'd, with nitrous vapour from beneath
Ascends, and subterraneous thunder shakes

White shine the breaking billows, silver The solid centre of the teeming Earth.

foam,

Prognosticating storm; the screaming mew,
And rav'nous bittern skim along the brine
Low dropping, or their pinions half inclose
In the dark spray; bright spots of ruddy fire
Fiecker the azure vault, with dusky hue
Deep skirted, couriers of the storm-anon
With furious expedition falls the rain
Darting impetuous down; the scowling sky
Darkness invests, deep doleful shade, one
night,

Night palpable; save where athwart the
gloom

The glaring vollied lightning serv'd to shew
Sad piteous scenes of horror and dismay;
Despairing victims struggling up the elm,
Or ragged oak, and in a moment swept
By fury irresistible; some gain

The rock, and thence with haggard look
descry

Their wives, their panting children in mid
way

Pursu❜d, or dash'd against the pointed cliff,
Sad sport of whirlwinds. At thy stern re-

bukes

Lord of the roaring tempest, at thy voice
The waters swift ascend the rough steep cliff!
And in the bosom of the vale down sink
At once: and hark! the Ocean's thundering
gate

Has burst its hinge, and on the continent
Disgorg'd its might; while on the winged

storm

Terror triumphant rides. The dismal dash
Of wave on wave, loud howling winds, the
Earth

Rent to her centre by a thousand shocks,
Each shock, a ruin, only sounds the trump
Of elemental war, a pregnant cloud

The Spirit of the waters stalks abroad
Exulting in the storm, and drives the winds
Transverse along heaven's champaign, which
'gin blow

In hardy opposition. He with arm
Gigantic, and grim joy, troubles the deep,
Which rose from earth to heav'n: the lash-

ing surge

Impetuous rolls, and had a ship been there,
Devouring winds had torn the crackling

mast

To atoms piecemeal, or had blown it, light
As buoyant gossamer, between the ridge
Of riding waves; a horrible gulph and dark
Yawns ghastly, and at intervals displays
A grave of living horror.

Full forty nights, and forty days, the rain
Fell unremitted: mountains, rivers, rocks
Sunk in contentious waves. Thy ark alone
O Noah, (so the Sov'ran Architect
Ordain'd) surviv'd the wreck: nor did that

ark

Want sail, or steerage, by a hand divine
Guided invisible. Of cypress built

And gopher, buoyant wood, she won her way
Like some rich merchant's vessel, laden deep
With Macao's spicy freightage: naptha
sheath'd

The hulk, and close asphaltos, unctuous mass,
From chafing waves, from pungent salt se-

cure.

"Cease rain" pronounc'd th'Almighty ;— the rain ceas'd.

Again the fleecy cloud with orient pearl Was sown, and glowing sapphire. High

the sun

Rode in meridian glory; and the waves
Subsiding, sunk as if by gentle stealth
nsensible. On Ararat the ark
Stopt. From whose brow the patriarch sent
his dove,

Light courier; she nor green tree found nor
sand

To rest her printless foot, but hied her home
With ruffled breast, and plumage sprent

with dew.

What bodes her second embassy? a shoot
Of olive, cheerful green, upon her bill
Shines graceful: trembling haste, and eager
joy

Beam from the eye of Noah as he greets
The sure criterion of abated flood.

Again she prunes her wing; but not again
To beat her barriers, shall the bird return;
No; in the well-known mead, or grove, a
nest

She weaves, and warbles wild her artless

notes,

Or drinks ambrosial nectar from the rill.

Now was all nature drest in freshest green, Pure from the dregs of grosser earth, which wind

Fear not, O Earth: contentious waves no

more

With bitter blast shall sweep thy gallant sons,
Like trembling leaves, away! thy sure appeal
Is yon bright curve, thy sure protection, God.
Oft shall the bright reflection paint the lap
Of Arcady, where old Penëus curls
His silver wave translucent; there the swain
On sloping lawn, or level down, shall mark
The gaudy phantom melting into air,
Of pasture fresh, and gray unclouded dawn
Sure presage! oft shall God gladden the
groves

Of myrrh, and the sweet wilderness of balm
With showers, and from his gay enamelled
bow

Shed lucid fruitfulness; some aged spire
Shall rise behind in pensive ivy clad,
And awful silence crown the lovely scene.

Far o'er the horizon of the troubled sea, What time the storm retires, the bow shall dip

Its woof in sky-grain'd tincture, from the
back

Of some dun cloud emerging by degrees,
All bright, all vivid: this, Philosophy,

And wave had swept away. Mild Zephyr Deep musing maid, shall oft at eve descry,

sheds

Refreshing breezes, which the meadows'

down

And with her crystal prism contract, dilate
Its frangible and parti-coloured rays,
Thy boon, Astronomy's advent'rous child,
Sage Newton! this religion's votary
Shall greet with rapture, shall with pray'r
pursue;

Impress not, as they blow; so brave a world
It seem❜d, so passing fair, that the eye hung
Enamour'd of its charms. Thy cautious hand,
Good Patriarch, wide the lattice of the ark And to his progeny the cause explain.
Unfolded, curious dome; upon whose roof" Rejoice, my Son, and on thy heart pour-

Was etch'd the chronicle of month and day;
While the sun, quivering thro' her sable gate,
Reflects the gleam of thousand golden plumes
Star-spangled insects, eyes of living fire,
Darting their mingled radiance thro' the
gloom.

tray

Yon mystic characters, that stamp the cloud.
Once was the world degenerate, once was
sunk

In wasting waters; but by yon fair bow
The Almighty swore, that not again should
Man

With mind uprais'd, and firm, not hasty Provoke his vengeance to let tempests loose step,

The Patriarch disembarks: white shone his locks,

The pride of reverend age; and white his
beard

As the fresh snow on Rhodope: his look
Was joy, chastis'd by temperance and fear,
Fear, such as wisdom prompts, as angels feel.

Against this goodly earth. Hence in the

clouds

He checks the map of waters; hence re-
bukes

The roaring sea, if haply his proud surge
High swell impetuous; seals the vast abyss;
And locks the fountains of the unfathom'd
deep."

THE DEAD SEA.

Gen. xix. 24.

CROLY.

THE wind blows chill across those gloomy waves ;-
Oh! how unlike the green and dancing main !
The surge is foul as if it rolled o'er graves ;-
Stranger, here lie the cities of the plain.

Yes, on that plain, by wild waves covered now,
Rose palace once, and sparkling pinnacle;
On pomp and spectacle beamed morning's glow,
On pomp and festival the twilight fell.

Lovely and splendid all,-but Sodom's soul

Was stained with blood, and pride, and perjury;
Long warned, long spared, till her whole heart was foul,
And fiery vengeance on its clouds came nigh.

And still she mocked, and danced, and taunting, spoke
Her sportive blasphemies against the Throne :-

It came ! The thunder on her slumber broke :-
God spake the word of wrath! Her dream was done.

Yet, in her final night, amid her stood

Immortal messenger, and pausing Heaven
Pleaded with man, but she was quite imbued,

Her last hour waned, she scorned to be forgiven !

'Twas done!-down pour'd at once the sulphurous shower,
Down stoop'd, in flame, the heaven's red canopy.
Oh! for the arm of God in that fierce hour!-
'Twas vain, nor help of God or man was nigh.

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HAGAR IN THE DESERT.

Gen. xxi. 14, 20.

MRS. TIGHE.

INJURED, hopeless, faint, and weary, Sad, indignant, and forlorn, Through the desert wild and dreary, Hagar leads the child of scorn.

Who can speak a mother's anguish, Painted in that tearless eye, Which beholds her darling languish, Languish unrelieved, and die.

Lo! the empty pitcher fails her, Perishing with thirst he lies, Death with deep despair assails, her, Piteous as for aid he cries.

From the dreadful image flying,
Wild she rushes from the sight;
In the agonies of dying,
Can she see her soul's delight?

Now bereft of every hope, Cast upon the burning ground, Poor, abandoned soul! look up, Mercy have thy sorrows found.

Lo! the Angel of the Lord,

Comes thy great distress to cheer;
Listen to the gracious word,
See, divine relief is near.

"Care of Heaven! though man forsake thee,
Wherefore vainly dost thou mourn?
From thy dream of wo awake thee,
To thy rescued child return.

"Lift thine eyes, behold yon fountain,
Sparkling 'mid those fruitful trees;
Lo! beneath yon sheltering mountain
Smile for thee green bowers of ease.

"In the hour of sore affliction, God hath seen and pitied thee; Cheer thee in the sweet conviction, Thou henceforth his care shalt be.

"Be no more by doubts distressed, Mother of a mighty race!

By contempt no more oppressed, Thou hast found a resting place ;"

Thus from peace and comfort driven, Thou, poor soul, all desolate, Hopeless lay, till pitying Heaven, Found thee in thy abject state.

O'er thy empty pitcher mourning
'Mid the desert of the world,
Thus, with shame and anguish burning,
From thy cherished pleasures hurled :

See thy great deliverer nigh,
Calls thee from thy sorrow vain,
Bids thee on his love rely,
Bless the salutary pain.

From thine eye the mist dispelling,
Lo! the well of life he shews,
In his presence ever dwelling,
Bids thee find thy true repose.

Future prospects, rich in blessing,
Open to thy hopes secure;
Sure of endless joys possessing,
Of an heavenly kingdom sure.

JACOB AND PHARAOH. Gen. xlvii. 7-10.

GRAHAME.

PHARAOH, upon a gorgeous throne of state Was seated; while around him stood submiss His servants, watchful of his lofty looks. The Patriarch enters, leaning on the arm Of Benjamin. Unmoved by all the glare Of royalty, he scarcely throws a glance Upon the pageant show; for from his youth A shepherd's life he led, and viewed each night

The starry host; and still, where'er he went,
He felt himself in presence of the Lord.
His eye is bent on Joseph,-him pursues.
Sudden the king descends; and, bending,
kneels

Before the aged man, and supplicates
A blessing from his lips! the aged man

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