THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT.
181
The infant corn, which yet did scarce appear,
Escap'd this general massacre
Of every thing that grew,
And the well-stor'd 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 march'd 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
Breath'd 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.
Escap'd this general massacre
Of every thing that grew,
And the well-stor'd 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 march'd 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
Breath'd 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.
What blindness or what darkness did there e'er
Like this undocile king's appear!
What, e'er, but that which now does represent
And paint the crime out in the punishment?
Like this undocile king's appear!
What, e'er, but that which now does represent
And paint the crime out in the punishment?
