'Midnight on the Euphrates. Cedars, palms, pines. Cain discovered sitting on the upper part of the ragged rock, where is cavern overlooking the Euphrates, the moon rising on the horizon. His soliloquy. The Beasts are out on the ramp--he hears the screams of a woman and children surrounded by tigers. Cain makes a soliloquy debating whether he shall save the woman. Cain advances, wishing death, and the tigers rush off. It proves to be Cain's wife with her two children, determined to follow her husband. She prevails upon him at last to tell his story. Cain's wife tells him that her son Enoch was placed suddenly by her side. Cain addresses all the elements to cease for a while to persecute him, while he tells his story. He begins with telling her that he had first after his leaving her found out a dwelling in the desart under a juniper tree etc., etc., how he meets in the desart a young man whom upon a nearer approach he perceives to be Abel, on whose countenance appears marks of the greatest misery . . . of another being who had power after this life, greater than Jehovah. He is going to offer sacrifices to this being, and persuades Cain to follow him--he comes to an immense gulph filled with water, whither they descend followed by alligators etc. They go till they come to an immense meadow so surrounded as to be inaccessible, and from its depth so vast that you could not see it from above. Abel offers sacrifice from the blood of his arm. A gleam of light illumines the meadow--the countenance of Abel becomes more beautiful, and his arms glistering--he then persuades Cain to offer sacrifice, for himself and his son Enoch by cutting his child's arm and letting the blood fall from it. Cain is about to do it when Abel himself in his angelic appearance, attended by Michael, is seen in the heavens, whence they sail slowly down. Abel addresses Cain with terror, warning him not to offer up his innocent child. The evil spirit throws off the countenance of Abel, assumes its own shape, flies off pursuing a flying battle with Michael. Abel carries off the child.' LINENOTES: [12] _moonlight_. Ah, why dost thou groan so deeply? MS. Bijou, 1828. [25] _with me?_ Is it because we are not so happy, as they? Is it because I groan sometimes even as thou groanest? _Then Cain stopped_, &c. MS. Bijou, 1828. [63-8] _by fire_: his hair was black, and matted into loathly curls, and his countenance was dark and wild, and _told_, &c. MS. Bijou, 1828. [87] _by the_ terrible groan the Earth gave _when_, &c. MS. Bijou, 1828. [92-3] _But ere they_ arrived there _they beheld_, MS. Bijou, 1828. [94] advancing] coming up MS. Bijou, 1828. [98-101] The face of Cain turned pale, but Enos said, '_Ere yet_, &c. MS. Bijou, 1828. [108-9] _Enos_ crept softly round the base of the rock and _stood before_ MS. Bijou, 1828. [114-16] _of a dream_; and ere he had recovered himself from the tumult of his agitation, _the Shape_, &c. MS. Bijou, 1828.