From whence thy wandering Nile begins his course Of this new Nile thou seest the sacred source; And, as thy land that does o'erflow, Take heed lest this do so! What plague more just could on thy waters fall? The river yet gave one instruction more; A loathsome host was quickly made, That scaled the banks, and with loud noise did all the country' invade. As Nilus when he quits his sacred bed (But like a friend he visits all the land With welcome presents in his hand) So did this Living Tide the fields o'erspread: To kill their noisome enemies; [arise. From the' unexhausted source still new recruits Nor does the earth these greedy troops suffice, The temples and the palaces, Nor Pharaoh, nor his gods, they fear; Both their importune croakings hear. Unsatiate yet, they mount up higher, Where never sun-born Frog durst to aspire, And in the silken beds their slimy members place; A luxury unknown before to all the watery race! The water thus her wonders did produce; But both were to no use; [cuse. As yet the sorcerers' mimic power served for ex Try what the earth will do,” said God, and lo! They strook the earth a fertile blow, And all the dust did straight to stir begin; [been; One would have thought some sudden wind 't had But, lo! 'twas nimble life was got within! And all the little springs did move, And every dust did an arm'd vermin prove, [find. Such as the magic-gods could neither make nor The wretched shameful Foe allow'd no rest Either to man or beast. Not Pharaoh from the' unquiet plague could be, With all his change of raiments, free; The devils themselves confess'd This was God's hand; and 'twas but just, To punish thus man's pride, to punish dust with dust. Lo! the third element does his plagues prepare, In vain 'tis day above, 'tis still beneath them night. And different arms they bore, And some, like Scythians, lived on blood, And some on green, and some on flowery food; And Accaron, the airy prince, led on this various 'Houses secure not men, the populous ill [host. Did all the houses fill: The country all around Did with the cries of tortured cattle sound; About the fields enraged they flew, And wish'd the plague that was to' ensue. From poisonous stars a mortal influence came And pining pains, and shivering sweats, Sink, and prevent the lifted blow: [head, The generous horse from the full manger turns his Does his loved floods and pastures scorn, Hates the shrill trumpet and the horn, Nor can his lifeless nostril please With the once-ravishing smell of all his dappled mistresses: The starving sheep refuse to feed, They bleat their innocent souls out into air; Thus did the beasts for man's rebellion die; He flings the pregnant ashes through the air, [bear. Both which the ministering winds around all Egypt 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 So, wheresoe'er this tainted wind but blew, [way; Swelling pains and ulcers grew; It from the body call'd all sleeping poisons out, And to them added new ; [sprout. A noisome spring of sores, as thick as leaves, did Heaven itself is angry next; (Woe to man, when Heaven is vex'd!) And murmur'd first in an imperfect sound: rons 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 downwards 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-body'd trees it broke; Nor ask'd aid from the thunders stroke; The thunder but for terror through it flew, .The hail alone the work could do. The dismal lightnings all around, [ground, Some flying through the air, some running on the Some swimming o'er the water's face, Fill'd with bright horror every place; One would have thought, their dreadful day to have seen, The very hail, and rain itself, had kindled been. grew, And the well-stored Egyptian year Gave with large bounty to the thankful soil, 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. What blindness or what darkness did there e'er Like this undocile king's appear! VOL. II. |