A father! Mercy to a parricide!

And suffer thee, when in my power, ť' escape,
And stir up fresh rebellions! Die, base youth!

ABSALOM.

O spare me, spare me for my father's sake!
I with repentant floods of tears will bathe
On bended knees his feet, and never more
Against his fond paternal goodness sin.

JOAB.

Thy death is now the sole atonement prince,
Which thou to justice and thy sire canst make.

ABSALOM.

O let me live, and I will be thy slave!

JOAB.

Die, whining coward! Thus thy blood I spill,
Unworthy of the source from whence it flowed.

[Joab and his band strike Absalom through with their darts.]

So perish all the foemen of the king!

Take down the rebel, and in yonder pit

His carcass cast; and o'er it pile on high

The mound, the monumental mound, of stones.—

Blow ye
the trump, and let the war-horn wake
The echoes of these blood-stained forest shades.
Sound a retreat, that our victorious host

No longer may pursue their vanquished brethren.
Swift-footed Cushi, haste thee hence, and bear
Glad tidings to the king. Tell him that God
Hath on our brows the wreath of conquest placed,
And ample vengeance given him o'er his foes.

SOLOMON'S JUDGMENT.

"Morning! the enthusiastic harp has swept
Thy praise in glowing numbers! Every age
Has poured the tribute of immortal song
To thee, that darting wide the welcome light
Breakest in beautiful succession round
Th' exulting sphere.-

The lyre of ages and the hymns of bards
Have welcomed thee, and still the nations bail
With wide acclaim thy birth."

CARRINGTON'S "Banks of Tamer."

"Where can I find such beauty? Where such grace, The soul of beauty? Where such winning charms? Where such a soft divinity of goodness?

Such faith? such love? such tenderness unequalled? Such all that Heaven could give?"

THOMSON'S "Edward and Eleonora."