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diality, and preffed him much to eat fuch delicacies as were moft fpeedily provided. But the fervant, willing to take advantage of fo fair an opportunity, and improve the moment of benevolence, declared his refolution to refufe food till he had told his errand. This meffage is delivered with the utmost perfpicuity, honefly, and exactnefs. After he had finished, he requested an immediate anfwer: And now, faid he, I beseech thee, deal kindly and truly with my mafter. Then the brothers of the damfel answer in a remarkable, but very affectionate manner: The thing proceedeth from the Lord, we cannot answer thee bad or good; i. e. it appears to be a predetermined matter of the Deity to refuse thee, therefore, might feem prefumptuous; and yet, as brothers, having no authority over the affections of the maid, whose happiness is dear to us, how fhall we speak abfolutely in thy mafter's favour? Perhaps, however, Abraham could not poffibly have dispatched a more trusty messenger; for, having received this ambiguous

reply,

reply, by which nothing was determined, he tries, in the next place, a stroke of policy worthy to be recorded. As foon as he had bowed himself in grateful acknowledgement to Heaven, for fo much good fortune, he very judiciously turns his efforts towards obtaining the confent of the virgin and he first begins his attack upon her vanity, from which, with all her courtesy, one cannot fuppofe her to have been totally exempt: he brought forth jewels of filver, and jewels of gold, and rayment, and gave them to Rebekah. The man discovered no fmall knowledge of human nature (ever operating, in many cafes, alike) in this conduct; and still more, when, defirous to get all the family on his fide, he gave precious things to the brother and mother. Surely an amour by proxy, was never better, or more skilfully carried on, from the beginning to the end. When he had made the presents, he did not improperly press for a direct reward, nor, indeed, fo much as mention the matter farther at that time; but leaving the damfel to meditate upon

her

her ornaments, he ate and drank, and paffed the night focially, and fufpended the delicate fubject. Here was a fagacity difplayed, to the despair of our dealers in romance, who prepofterously jumble together inconfiftencies, and deviate eternally from prudence, and nature. In the morning, however, he defired his anfwer. Whatever were the fentiments of the fair virgin, the brother and mother relented, and defiring her company a few days longer, they promised she should go. In this request there is a surprising sweetness: how the relation speaks in it? At any rate, she must abide with us a little while, at the least ten days: we cannot part without fome endearing preparations; it would break our hearts. pray thee therefore, allow thus much to our kindred feelings; and if thou findest the maid nothing reluctant, why, after that, she shall go back with thee to thy mafter and his fon. But poffibly, the fervant did not wish to trust the thing fo many days undecided ; and he might understand enough of human ficklenefs to apprehend strange

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ftrange changes of mind in the course of that time. However this be, he strongly urged an instant reply. The whole matter was drawing to a crifis. They called the damfel, and put to her the decifive question

and the refult was, her consent to the fuit in confequence of which, she fet off with the man, attended by a favourite fervant, (her nurfe) for the houfe of Abraham. In the mean time Ifaac was not indifferent to the event of the transaction; for, he went out in the field at even-tide,, to meditate, as we are told, but, more probably, to meet his deftined bride; and when he faw the camels were coming, he was, no doubt, much affected with the approaching interview.

There is great delicacy preferved in the character of Rebekah, in the defcription of this interview. As foon as the faw her future lord, the lighted off her camel; and when the fervant informed her it was Ifaac, with a modefty truly feminine, and beyond the mere force of cuftom, the covered her

felf

felf with a veil. When the fervant eommunicated to Ifaac the whole of the circumstances, he was charmed with her conduct; and the last verse of this interesting history represents the lover tenderly leading her into the tent of his mother; foon after which, he courted her heart, and she became his wife, and was beloved. What a noble poem, or rather, what a poetical fact, is here exhibited in a single leaf? Tenderness, sweetness, and the most delicate affemblage of images are judiciously blended, without the leaft appearance of affectation, or the smallest want of advantageous language.

Nor is the story of the loves of Jacob and Rachel lefs enchantingly related. This young woman, as Jacob was journeying eastward, happened to pass by him with her father's fheep, which it was her allotted employment to tend; and when he knew the damfel to be Rachel, he wept; telling her that he was her father's brother, and the fon of Rebekah: Laban, her father, rejoiced

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