AND

DAVID's LAMENTATION.

I SAMUEL XXxi. and 2 SAMUEL i. CHAPTER.

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SAUL RETURNING FROM ENDOR.

HE robe of darkness, which covers the

ΤΗ earth, is nothing to that gloom that

overspreads my foul. How dreadful are the denunciations of offended heaven? Like the timid deer on the mountains of Palestine, so ftarts my affrighted spirit at every breeze. Surely it was the demon of mifchief, who led me to that unhallowed roof of Endor's timeblafted forceress? In the haunts of iniquity, I have made shameful inquest after the fecrets of futurity. I have tried to unveil the cloud which conceals the fate of mortals; and the awful genuis of the venerable Samuel, has feverely chastised that overweening anxiety. By his rigid virtue, and his folemn appearance, my fpirit was overcome, and my warlike courage withered before him. Juft were his reproofs, when he declared the vengeance of Jehovah.

Pre

fumption, knocking at the gates of death, and foliciting oracles from the grave, deferved the feverest rebuke. Alas! melancholy knowledge. My foes must prevail; the fower of Ifrael's warriors must perish;

my

my fons muft fall by the defolating fword; my kingdom is affigned to my rival; and the ftrong hand of death is this day to blot me out of all remembrance! Then come, ye fiends, Distraction and Despair, and drive me, like a whirlwind, upon my enemies. Death, like a famifhed lion, fhall riot in the blood of the flain; and my last day hall be noted for deftruction and carnage, and, fince I muft fall, let me rufh like a ruinous thunderbolt to the tomb.

SAUL IN THE MIDST OF BATTLE.

WHAT a day is this of horror and calamity! Death rides triumphant on his dark commiffion. The angel of adverfity deals univerfal defolation to friends and foes. My people fall before Dagon's hated votaries, and perish by the hands of uncircumcifed barbarians. Ah! miferable! what do I behold? My valiant fons are fallen to the earth! A father's guilt has crushed their growing honours, and torn from the haplefs Saul his ornaments and pride. O! Death! How haft thou blasted the ftrength of the mighty, and thrown to the earth, in ruins, thofe columns of beauty, who were the boast of Ifrael's powerful tribes? But I will follow them to the dark kingdom, and one tragical tale fhall conclude the lives of Saul and his heroic fons.

Doeg, thou feeft the calamities that sweep my houfe from its foundations. The wea

pons, which flew my children, have pierced me to the heart. Obey my last command; draw the devouring fword, and flay thy King. Philiftia conquers; and my renown fets in difgrace. Like the fcathed oak, robbed of its honours, fo is my ftrength decayed. Defpondency overwhelms me: Pained to the foul, and galled with many a wound, I fain would lofe my agonies in death.

DOEG.

THOU great in arms! Thou pride of Jacob's race!--forgive: I dare not do a deed fo full of horror. The facred priests at Nob I flew, at thy command; but, to put forth my hand against Sovereignty, my mind abhors. Tell me to die, and I obey. But I, though ftained with crimes, never lodged the unhallowed thought of viola-. ting Majefty.

SAUL,

REACH me the fword, and from these fcenes, your King fhall clear a passage for himself.---O, Juftice! This is the weapon that flew the venerable fons of heaven, and now its point must pierce the heart, which plotted cruelly against the innocent. Your blood, ye holy men, is now avenged. O! defolating tyrant, Death, how dreadful is thy empire! How painful is the passage to thy dark domains.

DOEG.

DOEG.

PRINCE of warriors! Art thou fallen to the earth? I, too, will fhoot the gulf, and follow thee to a world unknown. Terrific King! to thee I yield myself a victim. Thou fubdueft the courage of the valiant; under thy fway the knees of the stubborn are made to bend.---By thee, O fword, did I flay the holy fervants of Jehovah. By thee, a King is fallen, whose rash command I obeyed; and now, the awful, but just Providence of heaven, by thee is twofold thus, an avenger of blood!

THE AMALEKITE.

WHEREVER I turn, the terrible triumphs of death are feen. The mountains of Ġilboa are drenched with blood. In all directions, the armies of Ifrael are put to flight. Seldom are the followers of Saul accustomed to run when an enemy purfues. Perhaps, fince the death of Samuel, their fage prophet, whofe prayers made their God propitious, he now permits the angel of adversity to chastise their armies, and to punish their cruel and haughty King.So it must be; for here is their gigantic Prince fallen, like a blasted Cedar, to the carth. No more will he, terrible in arms, put to flight the warriors of Gath, or chace before him the affrighted multitudes of Afcalon,

Afcalon. No more fhall he from the cloudy Ephraim call the valorous fons of Benjamin forth to victory and spoil. In vain do the daughters of Judah prepare their fongs of triumph; for the crown, alas! is fallen from the head of the valiant. In vain they anxious look for his return: The fhouts of victory, carried on the faithful breeze, fhall no more foretel his approach. The tribes of Ifrael fhall weep for thee, and the fons of Benjamin fhall lament their fallen leader. But I will be a wing-footed messenger to Bethlehem's afpiring warrior: The youthful hero will reward my hafte; and his eyes will gladly behold this fplendid diadem. O Saul! but yesterday, a fon of Amalek would have trembled in thy presence; but now I take from thee, without fear, the enfigns of thy royalty. Thou art no longer jealous of thy kingdom; the living only contend for dominion: Death makes the glories of a diadem of no estimation; and the grave requires no trappings of vanity. This bracelet and crown will approve my hafte to David, Prince of heroes,

DAVID.

WITH thefe demonftrations of forrow, from whence comeft thou in fuch hafte, and what is thy melancholy tale?

AMALEKITE.