THE CAPTIVITY: AN ORATORIO.1

[Though two autograph MSS. of this work exist, it was scarcely known in the author's lifetime. And even after his death it remained unprinted till 1820. It was set to music by R. J. S. Stevens (vide George Steevens's letter to Percy, Sept. 3, 1797), whose score has been lately (1880) added to the British Museum; but it does not appear to have been performed. Two extracted songs, however, got into print soon after the poet's death, and these (given at p. 83) have duly appeared in successive editions of the Poems." C The 'Oratorio' was first printed in the four vol. edition of the Works' dated 1820. The MS. of the version there given is supposed to bear date 1761. Some years later a second MS. turned up, and got printed in Prior's edition of the 'Works,' 1837. This latter is evidently a revised version of the first; and an accompanying document, dated 1764 (see Letters, &c., in vol. i.), shows that it was sold by Goldsmith to Dodsley for £10. Our text is from this second and corrected MS. The variations are from the first MS., some being erasures in that MS. The story of the oratorio is a combination of that of the captivity of the Jews under Zedekiah, B.C. 587, with that of their release at the destruction of Babylon by Cyrus, B.C. 538.-ED.]

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.

1 Both MSS. are untitled, though, as the extracted songs, given to the world soon after, if not before, Goldsmith's death, purport to be " From the Oratorio of The Captivity," it is clear The Captivity' was meant to be the title. When the original MS. was first printed in 1820 the work was merely titled 'An Oratorio.'-ED.

ACT I.

SCENE.-Israelites sitting on the banks of the Euphrates.

FIRST PROPHET.

Recitative.

1

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.

Air.

Our God is all we boast below,

To him we turn our eyes;

5

And every added weight of woe,
Shall make our homage rise.

10

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, 15
And calls my long lost country to mine eyes:
Ye fields of Sharon, dress'd in flowery pride,
Ye plains where Jordan 2 rolls its glassy tide,
Ye hills of Lebanon, with cedars crown'd,
Ye Gilead groves, that fling perfumes around :-

:

1 Var.-Suspend your woes awhile, the task, &c.-First MS. 2 Var.-Kidron.-First MS.

20

These hills how sweet! those plains how wond'rous fair!1 But sweeter still when Heaven was with us there! 2

Air.

O Memory! thou fond deceiver,
Still importunate and vain;

To former joys recurring ever,

And turning all the past to pain:

Hence, deceiver most distressing!

3

Seek the happy and the free:

The wretch who wants each other blessing,
Ever wants a friend in thee.*

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30

FIRST PROPHET.

Recitative.

Yet, why repine? What though by bonds confin'd,
Should bonds repress the vigour of the mind?
Have we not cause for triumph, when we see
Ourselves alone from idol worship free?
Are not, this very morn, those feasts begun,
Where prostrate error hails the rising sun?
Do not our tyrant lords this day ordain
For superstitious rites and mirth profane?

5

And should we mourn? Should coward virtue fly,
When impious folly rears her front on high?
No! rather let us triumph still the more,

And as our fortune sinks, our wishes" soar.

Air.

The triumphs that on vice attend
Shall ever in confusion end;

The good man suffers but to gain,

And every virtue springs from pain :

1 Var.-How sweet those groves! that plain, &c.—First MS.

2 Var.-How doubly sweet when, &c.-First MS.

3 Var.-Fly to.-Erasure, first MS.

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40

45

This song is one of the two that were re-written and published sepa

rately. See Poems, p. 83.-ED.

• Var.-head.-First MS.

5 Var.-vaunting.-First MS.

7 Var.-spirits.-First MS.

As aromatic plants bestow

No spicy fragrance while they grow;
But crush'd, or trodden to the ground,
Diffuse their balmy sweets around.

SECOND PROPHET.

But hush, my sons! our tyrant lords are near,
The sounds of barbarous mirth offend' mine ear;
Triumphant music floats along the vale,

Near, nearer still, it gathers on the gale;

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The growing sound their swift approach declares- 55 Desist, my sons, nor mix the strain with theirs.

Enter CHALDEAN PRIESTS attended.

FIRST PRIEST.

Air.

Come on, my companions, the triumph display,
Let rapture the minutes employ;

The sun calls us out on this festival day,
And our monarch partakes in the joy.

SECOND PRIEST.

Like the sun, our great monarch all rapture supplies,

Both similar blessings bestow :

The sun with his splendour illumines the skies,

And our monarch enlivens below.

A CHALDEAN WOMAN.

Air.

Haste, ye sprightly sons of pleasure,
Love presents its 2 fairest treasure,
Leave all other joys for me.

A CHALDEAN ATTENDANT.

Or rather, Love's delights despising,
Haste to raptures ever rising:

Wine shall bless the brave and free.

1 Var.-pleasure strike.-First MS. 2 Var.-the.-First MS.

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65

70

FIRST PRIEST.

Wine and beauty thus inviting,
Each to different joys exciting,
Whither shall my choice incline ?

SECOND PRIEST.

I'll waste no longer thought in choosing,
But, neither this nor that refusing,

I'll make them both together mine.

Recitative.

But whence, when joy should brighten o'er the land
This sullen gloom in Judah's captive band?
Ye sons of Judah, why the lute unstrung?
Or why those harps on yonder willows hung?
Come, take the lyre, and pour the strain along,
The day demands it; sing us Sion's song,
Dismiss your griefs, and join our warbling choir,
For who like you can wake the sleeping lyre?

SECOND PROPHET.

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80

Bow'd down with chains,' the scorn of all mankind,
To want, to toil, and every ill consign'd,
Is this a time to bid us raise the strain,

85

Or mix in rites that Heaven regards with pain?
No, never! May this hand forget each art
That speeds the power of music to the heart,2
Ere I forget the land that gave me birth,
Or join with sounds profane its sacred mirth!

FIRST PRIEST.

Insulting slaves! if gentler methods fail,
The whip and angry tortures shall prevail.3

[Exeunt CHALDEANS.

1 Var.-Chain'd as we are, &c.-First MS.

Var.-That wakes to finest joys the human heart.-First MS. 3 Var.-Rebellious slaves! if soft persuasion fail,

More formidable terrors, &c.-First MS.

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