The
SHUNAMMITE
.
To
Mrs.
STANLEY
.
DEIGN
,
heav'nly
Muses
,
to
assist
my
Song
:
To
heav'nly
Muses
heav'nly
Themes
belong
.
But
chiefly
Thou
,
O
GOD
,
my
Soul
inspire
,
And
touch
my
Lips
with
thy
celestial
Fire
:
If
Thou
delight'st
in
flow'ry
Carmel's
Shade
,
Or
Jordan's
Stream
;
from
thence
I
crave
thy
Aid
:
Instruct
my
Tongue
,
and
my
low
Accents
raise
,
To
sing
thy
Wonders
,
and
display
thy
Praise
:
Thy
Praise
let
all
the
Sons
of
Judah
hear
,
And
to
my
Song
the
distant
Tribes
repair
.
So
pray'd
the
Shunammite
;
Heav'n
heard
the
Dame
;
The
distant
Tribes
around
her
list'ning
came
,
To
hear
th'amazing
Tale
;
while
thus
her
Tongue
,
Mov'd
by
some
heav'nly
Pow'r
,
began
the
Song
.
ATTEND
,
ye
Seed
of
ABRAM
,
and
give
Ear
,
While
I
JEHOVAH's
glorious
Acts
declare
:
How
Life
from
Death
,
and
Joy
from
Sadness
spring
,
If
He
assist
the
Muse
,
the
Muse
shall
sing
.
My
Lord
and
I
,
to
whom
all-bounteous
Heav'n
His
Blessings
with
no
sparing
Hand
had
giv'n
,
Like
faithful
Stewards
of
our
wealthy
Store
,
Still
lodg'd
the
Stranger
,
and
reliev'd
the
Poor
.
And
as
ELISHA
,
by
divine
Command
,
Came
preaching
Virtue
to
a
sinful
Land
;
He
often
deign'd
to
lodge
within
our
Gate
,
And
oft
receiv'd
an
hospitable
Treat
:
A
decent
Chamber
for
him
we
prepar'd
;
And
he
,
the
gen'rous
Labour
to
reward
,
Honours
in
Camp
,
or
Court
,
to
us
propos'd
;
Which
I
refus'd
,
and
thus
my
Mind
disclos'd
:
HEAV'N's
King
has
plac'd
us
in
a
fertile
Land
,
Where
he
show'rs
down
his
Gifts
with
copious
Hand
:
Already
we
enjoy
an
affluent
Store
;
Why
should
we
be
solicitous
for
more
?
Give
Martial
Camps
,
and
Kingly
Courts
to
them
,
Who
place
their
only
Bliss
in
fleeting
Fame
:
There
let
them
live
in
golden
Chains
of
State
;
And
be
unhappy
,
only
to
be
great
.
But
let
us
in
our
native
Soil
remain
,
Nor
barter
Happiness
for
sordid
Gain
.
Here
may
we
feed
the
Indigent
in
Peace
,
Or
cloath
the
Bare
with
the
superfluous
Fleece
,
And
give
the
weary
fainting
Pilgrim
Ease
.
This
we
prefer
to
Pomp
,
and
formal
Show
,
Which
only
serve
to
varnish
o'er
our
Woe
;
Refulgent
Ornaments
,
which
dress
the
Proud
,
Objects
of
Wonder
to
the
gazing
Crowd
;
Yet
seldom
give
Content
,
or
solid
Rest
,
To
the
vain
Man
,
by
whom
they
are
possess'd
.
ALL
Blessings
,
but
a
Child
,
had
Heav'n
supply'd
;
And
only
that
th'Almighty
had
deny'd
:
Which
when
the
holy
prescient
Sage
had
heard
,
He
said
,
and
I
before
him
strait
appear'd
:
And
,
as
my
Feet
approach'd
his
awful
Room
,
I
saw
his
Face
diviner
Looks
assume
;
Not
such
a
Wildness
,
and
fanatic
Mien
,
With
which
,
some
say
,
the
Delphic
Priests
are
seen
;
When
they
,
for
Mysteries
of
Fate
,
explain
The
odd
Chimera's
of
a
frantic
Brain
;
But
with
a
grave
majestic
Air
he
stood
,
While
more
than
human
in
his
Aspect
glow'd
;
Celestial
Grace
sat
on
his
radiant
Look
,
And
Pow'r
diffusive
shone
,
before
he
spoke
.
Then
thus
:
"
Hail
,
gen'rous
Soul
!
Thy
pious
Cares
"
Are
not
forgot
,
nor
fruitless
are
thy
Pray'rs
:
"
Propitious
Heav'n
,
thy
virtuous
Deeds
to
crown
,
"
Shall
make
thy
barren
Womb
conceive
a
Son
.
"
So
spake
the
Seer
;
and
,
to
complete
my
Joy
,
As
he
had
spoke
,
I
bore
the
promis'd
Boy
.
SOON
to
my
Friends
the
welcome
News
was
known
,
Who
crowded
in
apace
to
see
my
Son
,
Hailing
,
with
kind
Salutes
,
the
recent
Child
;
And
,
with
their
pious
Hymns
,
my
Pain
beguil'd
.
When
all
had
said
,
I
mov'd
my
joyful
Tongue
;
And
thus
to
Heav'n
address'd
my
grateful
Song
:
"
O
GOD
,
what
Eloquence
can
sing
thy
Praise
?
"
Or
who
can
fathom
thy
stupendous
Ways
?
"
All
Things
obey
at
thy
divine
Command
;
"
Thou
mak'st
a
fruitful
Field
of
barren
Land
:
"
Obdurate
Rocks
a
fertile
Glebe
shall
be
,
"
And
bring
forth
copious
Crops
,
if
bid
by
Thee
;
"
Arabian
Deserts
shall
with
Plenty
smile
,
"
And
curling
Vines
adorn
the
sterile
Soil
.
As
thus
she
spake
,
her
Audience
raise
their
Voice
;
And
interrupt
her
Song
,
as
they
rejoice
:
"
O
GOD
,
we
gladly
hear
thy
mighty
Pow'r
,
"
With
joyful
Heart
thy
gracious
Name
adore
:
"
All
Nature
is
subservient
to
thy
Word
;
"
And
shifts
her
wonted
Course
,
to
please
her
Lord
.
"
We
,
for
thy
Servant's
Joy
,
our
Thanks
express
;
"
As
grows
the
Child
,
so
may
her
Bliss
increase
:
duplicate
duplicate
"
And
may
the
Guardian
Angels
,
who
preside
"
Over
the
Bless'd
,
his
future
Actions
guide
;
"
Make
spotless
Virtue
crown
his
vital
Date
,
"
And
hoary
Honour
end
his
Life
but
late
;
"
Then
safely
bear
"
—
The
Dame
here
wav'd
her
Hand
;
The
People
straight
obey
her
mute
Command
:
All
silent
stand
,
and
all
attentive
look
,
Waiting
her
Words
,
while
thus
she
,
mournful
,
spoke
:
ALL
Pleasures
are
imperfect
here
below
;
Our
sweetest
Joys
are
mix'd
with
bitter
Woe
:
The
Draught
of
Bliss
,
when
in
our
Goblet
cast
,
Is
dash'd
with
Grief
;
or
spilt
,
before
we
taste
.
Ere
twice
four
Years
were
measur'd
by
my
Son
,
(
So
soon
,
alas
!
the
greatest
Blessing's
gone
)
In
Harvest-time
he
to
the
Reapers
goes
,
To
view
the
bearded
Sheaves
,
erect
in
Rows
,
Like
an
embattled
Army
in
the
Field
;
A
new
delightful
Prospect
to
the
Child
!
But
either
there
the
scorching
Sun
display'd
His
Heat
intense
,
and
on
his
Vitals
prey'd
;
Or
else
some
sudden
apoplectic
Pain
,
With
racking
Torture
,
seiz'd
his
tender
Brain
;
His
Spirits
fail'd
,
he
straight
began
to
faint
,
And
to
his
Father
vainly
made
Complaint
:
The
glowing
Rose
was
quickly
seen
to
fade
;
At
once
his
Beauty
,
and
his
Life
,
decay'd
.
SOON
,
at
my
House
,
the
dismal
News
I
heard
;
Soon
,
at
my
House
,
the
dying
Child
appear'd
:
T'embrace
him
I
,
with
fond
Affection
,
run
;
And
,
O
!
said
I
,
what
Pain
afflicts
my
Son
?
He
try'd
to
speak
;
but
,
fault'ring
,
gave
a
Groan
;
No
perfect
Word
proceeded
from
his
Tongue
;
But
on
his
Lips
the
broken
Accents
hung
.
All
Means
I
us'd
,
that
might
allay
his
Pain
;
All
Means
I
us'd
,
but
us'd
them
all
in
vain
.
Yet
,
while
he
liv'd
,
my
Soul
would
not
despair
;
Nor
,
till
he
ceas'd
to
breathe
,
I
ceas'd
my
Pray'r
:
Deluding
Hope
now
stopt
the
falling
Tears
;
Now
his
increasing
Pains
increas'd
my
Fears
:
By
Hope
and
Fear
alternate
was
I
toss'd
,
Till
Hope
,
in
a
sad
Certainty
,
was
lost
:
Short
,
and
more
short
,
he
drew
his
panting
Breath
,
(
Too
sure
Presage
of
his
approaching
Death
!
)
Till
soon
the
Blood
,
congealing
,
ceas'd
to
flow
;
He
dropt
his
Head
with
a
declining
Bow
:
Thrice
,
from
my
Breast
,
to
raise
himself
he
try'd
,
And
thrice
sunk
down
again
;
then
,
groaning
,
dy'd
.
THUS
,
when
with
Care
we've
nurs'd
a
tender
Vine
,
And
taught
the
docile
Branches
where
to
twine
;
An
Eastern
Gale
,
or
some
pernicious
Frost
,
Nips
the
young
Tree
,
and
all
our
Labour's
lost
.
WITH
Horror
chill'd
,
a-while
I
speechless
stood
,
Viewing
the
Child
,
and
trembling
as
I
view'd
:
My
Eyes
discharg'd
their
humid
Store
apace
,
And
Tears
succeeded
Tears
adown
my
Face
:
Scarcely
my
Heart
the
Load
of
Grief
sustain'd
;
At
length
,
recov'ring
Speech
,
I
thus
complain'd
:
O
fleeting
Joys
!
inconstant
as
the
Wind
!
Which
only
for
a
Moment
please
the
Mind
;
Then
fly
,
and
leave
a
Weight
of
Woes
behind
!
But
yet
in
vain
I
thus
lament
and
mourn
;
The
Soul
,
once
fled
,
shall
never
more
return
;
And
the
fair
Body
now
must
be
convey'd
To
Earth's
dark
Bosom
,
and
eternal
Shade
—
Yet
let
me
not
prescribe
a
Bound
to
Heav'n
;
'Twas
by
a
Miracle
the
Child
was
giv'n
;
Nor
can
I
think
the
Wonder
is
more
great
,
Should
the
departed
Soul
resume
her
Seat
.
What
if
I
to
Mount
Carmel
haste
away
,
To
him
who
did
his
mystic
Birth
display
?
His
pow'rful
Word
the
barren
fruitful
made
;
His
pow'rful
Word
,
perhaps
,
may
raise
the
Dead
.
The
famous
Tishbite
rais'd
a
Widow's
Son
;
ELISHA
has
as
wond'rous
Actions
done
.
When
he
to
Jordan's
rapid
Torrent
came
;
And
,
with
the
Mantle
,
smote
th'impetuous
Stream
;
Obsequious
to
the
Stroke
,
the
Waves
divide
;
And
raise
a
liquid
Wall
on
either
Side
!
At
Jericho
long
had
the
barren
Soil
Deceiv'd
the
Husbandman
,
and
mock'd
his
Toil
;
Yet
,
at
his
Word
,
it
grew
a
fertile
Field
,
And
pois'nous
Springs
did
wholsome
Waters
yield
.
Nor
can
he
only
such
great
Blessings
send
;
But
Curses
,
if
invok'd
,
his
Call
attend
:
Else
how
at
Bethel
brought
he
Vengeance
down
,
As
a
just
Scourge
,
on
that
opprobrious
Town
?
Again
,
when
Moab
Peace
with
Israel
broke
,
And
vainly
strove
to
quit
the
servile
Yoke
;
Our
pow'rful
Kings
led
forth
th'embattled
Host
Thro'
Edom's
sultry
Wilds
,
and
Air
adust
;
Where
the
confed'rate
Troops
no
Water
found
,
Dry
were
the
Springs
,
and
sterile
was
the
Ground
;
The
Captains
wonted
Strength
and
Courage
fail'd
,
When
Thirst
and
Foes
at
once
their
Host
assail'd
:
The
Kings
to
him
their
joint
Petitions
made
,
And
fainting
Soldiers
crav'd
his
timely
Aid
;
Nor
crav'd
in
vain
:
The
pow'rful
Word
he
spake
,
And
flowing
Waters
form'd
a
spacious
Lake
;
The
shining
Streams
advanc'd
their
humid
Train
,
Till
Edom's
Wilds
became
a
liquid
Plain
:
Not
in
more
Plenty
did
the
Waters
run
Out
of
the
Rock
,
when
struck
by
AMRAM's
Son
.
And
who
can
that
amazing
Deed
forget
,
Which
he
perform'd
to
pay
the
Widow's
Debt
?
Whose
Quantity
of
Oil
one
Pot
contain'd
;
Yet
num'rous
Vessels
fill'd
,
before
'twas
drain'd
.
Sure
he
,
who
such
stupendous
Acts
has
done
,
If
GOD
propitious
prove
,
can
raise
my
Son
.
So
saying
,
up
I
caught
the
Child
with
Speed
;
And
laid
him
on
the
sacred
Prophet's
Bed
;
Then
call'd
my
Servant
to
prepare
the
Steed
.
Pensive
and
sad
,
my
mourning
Husband
said
,
'Tis
now
in
vain
to
crave
ELISHA's
Aid
:
No
God
To-day
the
Prophet
does
inspire
;
Nor
can
he
answer
,
what
thou
wouldst
inquire
.
RATHER
than
sink
,
said
I
,
attempt
to
raise
My
Hopes
,
nor
talk
of
Ceremonial
Days
;
His
God
is
present
still
,
and
hears
him
when
he
prays
.
Thus
said
,
urging
my
Steed
with
eager
Haste
,
Swift
as
a
Mountain
Roe
,
the
Plains
I
pass'd
;
O'er
Hills
and
Dales
my
Journey
I
pursu'd
;
Nor
slack'd
my
Pace
,
till
Carmel's
Mount
I
view'd
;
On
whose
delightful
Brow
,
in
cool
Retreat
,
Among
the
curling
Vines
,
the
Prophet
sat
;
Whose
twining
Arms
a
verdant
Arbour
made
;
The
verdant
Arbour
form'd
a
grateful
Shade
;
The
fanning
Zephyrs
gently
play'd
around
,
And
shook
the
trembling
Leaves
,
and
swept
the
Ground
;
Down
humbly
at
his
Feet
I
prostrate
fell
,
Submiss
;
and
,
weeping
,
told
the
mournful
Tale
.
STRIVE
to
compose
thy
anxious
Soul
,
said
he
;
Tears
can't
revoke
JEHOVAH's
fix'd
Decree
:
We
live
and
die
,
and
both
,
as
He
thinks
fit
,
Who
may
command
;
but
Mortals
must
submit
.
This
Fate
the
King
,
as
well
as
Peasant
,
finds
;
Nor
is
it
evil
,
but
to
evil
Minds
—
Yet
if
from
Heav'n
I
can
my
Suit
obtain
,
Thy
lifeless
Son
shall
yet
revive
again
.
THUS
said
,
with
Looks
divine
,
his
Staff
he
views
,
As
if
some
pow'rful
Charm
he
would
infuse
:
Then
calls
his
Servant
hastily
,
and
said
,
On
the
Child's
Face
let
this
be
quickly
laid
.
O
Thou
,
said
I
,
on
whom
my
Hopes
depend
,
Do
not
this
Work
to
Servants
Care
commend
:
If
Thou
thyself
with
me
refuse
to
go
,
Here
,
to
the
list'ning
Vines
,
I'll
vent
my
Woe
;
Still
prostrate
lie
,
lamenting
for
my
Son
,
Till
ev'ry
Hill
prove
vocal
to
my
Moan
.
More
had
I
said
,
but
Grief
the
Words
supprest
;
Yet
Sighs
,
and
silent
Tears
,
explain'd
the
rest
.
At
length
he
from
his
verdant
Seat
arose
,
And
hastily
adown
the
Mountain
goes
:
To
Shunem
we
,
with
Speed
,
our
Way
pursue
;
The
City
soon
appears
within
our
View
;
And
the
obedient
Servant
,
at
the
Gate
,
Returning
sad
,
without
Success
,
we
met
:
The
beauteous
Child
by
Death
still
vanquish'd
lay
;
Still
Death
insulted
o'er
the
beauteous
Prey
;
Till
to
the
House
the
sacred
Seer
was
come
,
And
,
with
supernal
Pow'r
,
approach'd
the
Room
.
BY
the
dead
Child
,
a-while
,
he
pensive
stood
;
Then
from
the
Chamber
put
the
mourning
Crowd
:
That
done
,
to
GOD
he
made
his
ardent
Pray'r
,
And
breath'd
upon
the
Child
with
vital
Air
:
And
now
the
Soul
resumes
her
pristine
Seat
;
And
now
the
Heart
again
begins
to
beat
;
Life's
purple
Current
o'er
the
Body
spreads
,
While
Death
,
repuls'd
,
ingloriously
recedes
.
THUS
,
when
a
prowling
Wolf
has
stol'n
a
Lamb
,
He
sternly
guards
it
from
the
bleating
Dam
;
But
if
the
Keeper
comes
,
he
quits
his
Prey
,
And
low'ring
,
with
Reluctance
,
makes
away
.
AND
now
the
Prophet
,
to
my
longing
Arms
,
Resign'd
the
Child
,
with
more
than
wonted
Charms
:
The
blushing
Rose
shone
fresher
in
his
Face
,
And
Beauty
smil'd
with
a
superior
Grace
.
SO
,
when
Heav'n's
Lamp
,
that
rules
the
genial
Day
,
Behind
the
sable
Moon
pursues
his
Way
;
Affrighted
Mortals
,
when
th'Eclipse
is
o'er
,
Believe
him
more
illustrious
than
before
.
HERE
ends
the
Dame
;
and
the
promiscuous
Throng
,
With
Hallelujahs
,
thus
conclude
the
Song
:
"
Holy
and
good
art
Thou
,
Lord
God
of
Host
,
"
And
all
thy
Works
are
wonderful
and
just
:
"
Both
Life
and
Death
are
in
thy
pow'rful
Hand
;
"
Both
Life
and
Death
obey
thy
great
Command
:
"
By
thy
great
Pow'r
the
Heav'ns
and
Earth
are
aw'd
;
"
Then
let
the
Heav'ns
and
Earth
adore
their
GOD
.
"
Thou
glorious
Sun
,
that
measur'st
all
our
Days
,
"
Rising
and
setting
,
still
advance
his
Praise
:
"
Thou
Moon
,
and
ye
less
glitt'ring
Orbs
,
that
dance
"
Round
this
terrestrial
Globe
,
his
Praise
advance
:
"
Ye
Seas
,
for
ever
waving
to
and
fro
,
"
Praise
,
when
ye
ebb
,
and
praise
him
,
when
ye
flow
:
"
Ye
wand'ring
Rivers
,
and
each
purling
Stream
,
"
As
ye
pursue
your
Course
,
his
Praise
proclaim
:
"
Ye
Dews
,
and
Mists
,
and
humid
Vapours
,
all
,
"
Praise
,
when
ye
rise
;
and
praise
him
,
when
ye
fall
:
"
But
chiefly
Israel
,
who
dost
daily
view
"
His
pow'rful
Works
,
his
daily
Praise
renew
.
"