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The miscellaneous works of Oliver Goldsmith, M. B. (v. 4)
The miscellaneous works of Oliver Goldsmith M B - v. 4 Author:Oliver Goldsmith Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE CAPTIVITY; OR AT OR I CM" (I) [Written in 1764, and now printed from the original manuscript, in Goldsmith's hand-writing, in the possession of Mr. Mur... more »ray. — See Life, ch. xiv.] THE PERSONS. First Jewish Prophet. Second Jewish Prophet. Israelitish Woman. First Chaldean Priest. Second Chaldean Priest. Chaldean Woman. Chorus Of Youths And Virgins. Scene.—The Banks of the River Euphrates, near Babylon. THE CAPTIVITY, ORATORIO. ACT I.—Scene I. Israelites sitting on the Banks of the Euphrates. First Prophet. Recitative. Ye captive tribes, that hourly work and weep, Where flows Euphrates, murmuring to the deep ; Suspend awhile the task, the tear suspend, And turn to God, your father and your friend : Insulted, chain'd, and all the world a foe, Our God alone is all we boast below. First Prophet. Air. Our God is all we boast below, To him we turn our eyes ; And every added weight of woe Shall make our homage rise. VOL. TV. G Second Prophet. And though no temple richly drest, Nor sacrifice is here; We'll make his temple in our breast, And offer up a tear. [The first stanza repeated by the Chorus. Second Prophet. Recitative. That strain once more: it bids remembrance rise, And brings my long-lost country to mine eyes. Ye fields of Sharon, dress'd in flowery pride ; Ye plains where Jordan rolls its glassy tide ; Ye hills of Lebanon, with cedars crown'd ; Ye Gilead groves, that fling perfumes around: These hills how sweet! those plains how wond'rous fair f But sweeter still, when Heaven was with us there. Air. O Memory, thou fond deceiver ! Still importunate and vain ; To former joys recurring ever, And turning all the past to pain; Hence, intruder, most distressing, Seek the happy...« less