_Moses_.—The wisdom that would point thee to the path Of peace, of honor, and thy Maker's favor, Is lost on thee, and all appeals to justice As well were made unto the marble steps That base thy throne. But though thou fearest not now, Hereafter thou wilt tremble, and it may be, Own, when too late, the God thou now despisest. Once more I must address thee. King of Egypt, I charge thee in the name of High Jehovah, Let all the Hebrews quit thy land in peace, And bear their wives, their offspring, and their goods Far from thy utmost limits, never more To own thy sceptre, or to call thee Lord. Nor send them empty handed. Let them take From thine own subjects aught that may be needed For journeying in the desert. Sayst thou no? Then on thy country, from the king, who sits Upon his throne, down to the meanest peasant, The curse, the peril, and the plague will fall. Darkness and tempests, pestilence and death Shall triumph yet, and wring the very hearts Of men grown faint and sick with utter ruin. {676} Nor this the worst. If then thy haughty soul Experience cannot teach, or suffering bend, Th' outstretched arm of God himself will sweep Thee and thy legions from the earth forever. And when yon pyramids, the unsolv'd enigma Of future ages, rais'd by stripes and groans Of trampled Israel—piles which thou hast built, As if t' outlast the world on which they stand, Are batter'd by barbarians, or have crumbled Beneath the sure and silent hand of time, The story of thy overthrow shall be Had in remembrance, and the name of Pharaoh A living proverb in the mouths of men For harden'd heart and blind infatuation. _Pharaoh_.—And durst thou threaten me, thou sorcerer? Out of my presence—I defy thy magic, Disown thy God, and scoff at his commands. _Moses_.—Aye, wage thy puny strength against th' Almighty, And feel his power, whoso name thou dost blaspheme. See in what splendor rides the sun above us; Few moments more will blot it from thy sight. (_Raising his rod to Heaven_.) Shadows of night, arise! and let the gloom, That mantled space, before the stars of heaven Hail'd the first dawning of their God's creation, Envelope Egypt! Yea, let utter darkness, Intense as pride in this besotted prince, Black as their thoughts who counsel him to murder, Enduring, all-pervading, palpable, Even to the sense of feeling, rayless, cheerless, Be as a funeral pall upon this land! _Pharaoh_.—Another plague. Beware, or thou mayst find The faith I plighted to my sister fail, And but for that thou hadst been dead ere now. _Officers_.—Guard us from ruin, now, ye Gods of Egypt! See, Pharaoh! see, the deepest midnight rising Round heaven's extremest verge, and merging fast Towards the fading sun, whose sickly beams Flicker and die before the gathering horror. Great prince, relent, and let this people go; Should Egypt be destroy'd, to keep her slaves——