Thus did the beasts for man's rebellion die; God did on man a gentler medicine try, And a disease for physic did apply. Warm ashes from the furnace Moses took, The sorcerers did with wonder on him look, And smiled at the unaccustomed spell Which no Egyptian rituals tell. He flings the pregnant ashes through the air, And speaks a mighty prayer, Both which the minist'ring winds around all Egypt bear; As gentle western blasts, with downy wings Hatching the tender springs, To the unborn buds with vital whispers say, Ye living buds, why do ye stay? The passionate buds break through the bark their way; So wheresoe'er this tainted wind but blew, Swelling pains and ulcers grew; It from the body called all sleeping poisons out, And to them added new; A noisome spring of sores as thick as leaves did sprout. XI. Heaven itself is angry next; Woe to man when Heaven is vexed; With sullen brow it frowned, And murmured first in an imperfect sound; Till Moses, lifting up his hand, Waves the expected signal of his wand, And all the full-charged clouds in ranged squadrons move, And fill the spacious plains above; Through which the rolling thunder first does play, And opens wide the tempest's noisy way: And straight a stony shower Of monstrous hail does downward pour, Such as ne'er Winter yet brought forth, From all her stormy magazines of the north: It all the beasts and men abroad did slay, O'er the defaced corpse, like monuments, lay; The houses and strong-bodied trees it broke, Nor asked aid from the thunder's stroke: The thunder but for terror through it flew, The hail alone the work could do. The dismal lightnings all around, Some flying through the air, some running on the ground, Some swimming o'er the waters' face, Filled with bright horror every place; One would have thought, their dreadful day to have seen, The very hail and rain itself had kindled been. XII. The infant corn, which yet did scarce appear, Escaped this general massacre Of every thing that grew, And the well-stored Egyptian year Began to clothe her fields and trees anew; When, lo! a scorching wind from the burnt countries blew, And endless legions with it drew Of greedy locusts, who, where'er With sounding wings they flew, Left all the earth depopulate and bare, As if Winter itself had marched by there, Whate'er the sun and Nile Gave with large bounty to the thankful soil, The wretched pillagers bore away, And the whole Summer was their prey; Till Moses with a prayer, Breathed forth a violent western wind, Which all these living clouds did headlong bear (No stragglers left behind) Into the purple sea, and there bestow On the luxurious fish a feast they ne'er did know. With untaught joy Pharaoh the news does hear, And little thinks their fate attends on him and his so near. XIII.