XXXIV.

Jofeph tempted by his Miftrefs, he refuses her; is wrongfully accus'd,and imprifon'd.

VICE

ICE always is a Slave, but Virtue's free: Jofeph, tho' fold, enjoys his Liberty: His Mafter loves his Industry and Truth, His Lady views too oft his blooming Youth; Too foon a lawless Fire inflames her Breaft, Which robs her Mind of Peace, her Eyes of Reft: She looks, the fighs, the languishes in vain, The lovely Youth regardless of her Pain: In vain her Sex's well-known Arts the tries; He dares not truft himself, nor truft her Eyes, But fhuns her fight, and conquers whilft he flies. She ftill perfifts, fo wild her Paffion grown, Till Shame, the laft Referve of Virtue's gone: She feiz'd the Youth, attacks with Syrens Tears, And tells him what's unfit for virtuous Ears : In vain he Gratitude and Confcience prefs'd, Blind to her Charms, and Deaf to her Request, And twin'd at laft the Serpent from his Breaft. With other Fires the flighted Beauty burns, Defeated Luft to Hate and Vengeance turns: Seize,feize the Ravisher, aloud the cries, Refolv'd the guiltless Youth to facrifice : Silent he ftood, yet bold, with no Defence Befides his Confcience, and his Innocence;

Enrag'd his Lord commands, they drag him thence; Loaden with Chains to Dungeons deep convey, Remov'd from Heav'ns fweet Light, and leaft ap proach of Day

XXXIV.

GENESIS, Chap. XXXIX. from Ver. 7.

His mafters wife caft her eyes upon Jofeph; and fhe faid, Lie with me. But he refufed, &c. 11. And Jofeph went into the house to do bis bufinefs; and there was none of the men of the house there within.

12. And she caught him by his garment, Saving lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

13. And it came to pass, when fhe faw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth. That he called unto the men of her house, &c.

14.

XXXV.

Pharaoh's Dreams Joseph interprets them.

Ambition Links When to'ring to the skies

But humble Virtue from the Duft shall rife: Young Jofeph by his Chains illuftrious grown, Drawn from the Dungeon fhares great Pharaoh's Thither he comes to fave the finking State, (Throne. Forewarn'd by wondrous Dreams, and big with Fate: As on his Couch the Monarch flumb'ring lay Thefe Vifionary Scenes did Heav'n difplay: On Nilus's flimy Banks he thought he stood, And faw afcending from the Parent-Flood Sev'n large,and milk-white Kine,well flefh'd and fair, Which to the Meadows ran, and paftur'd there: A fecond Sev'n fucceeds deform'd and lean; And, while intent he view'd the wondrous Scene, Attack the former, them they foon o'rpow'r, The Sev'n deform'd the beauteous Seven devour,

A gen he dreams -- Seven Ears of Corn ascend, And with their weight the Stalk beneath 'em bend: Sev'n others them fucceed, not far behind, But thin, and blafted with the burning wind; Yet these with speed devour the Full and Fair. The King awakes, and feiz'd with anxious Care He both th' important Dreams to Jofeph told, And thus did he their myftic Sence unfold

The Dream is One, in various Figures drefs'd, Sev'n Years of Plenty are by both express'd : To thefe, Sev'n Years of Famine fhall fucceed, When Egypt all her boafted Stores will need: When Plenty comes, let Pharaoh then provide That thofe long barren Years may be with Corn fupply'd.

XXXV.

XXXV.

GENESIS, Chap. XLI. Ver. 14. to 36.

65

v. 15. Pharaoh Said unto Jofeph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard fay of thee, that thou canst understand a dream, to interpret it.

16. And Jofeph answered Pharaoh saying,it is not in me: God fhall give Pharaoh an answer of peace,&c. 26. The feven good kine are feven years; and the Seven good ears are feven years: the dream is one.

27. And the feven thin and ill-favoured kine that came up after them, are feven years; and the feven empty ears blafted with the east-wind, shall be seven years of famine, &c.

XXXVI.

Joseph's Preferment. His Marriage, and his Two Children.

HE Monarch hears with Joy and strange

TH Surprise,

Wondrous Young Man, belov'd of Heav'n, he cries,
Egypt's too poor a juft Reward to give,
Yet, what a grateful Nation can, receive,
My Viceroy thou, thro' all my Realms obey'd,
To thee their Saviour, be their homage pay'd.
With speed he bids the bright Regalia bring,
And him proclaim their Father, and their King.
He takes the Royal Signet from his Hand,
And with it gives unlimited Command :
Rich Chains of Gold his graceful Neck adorn,
Which an inglorious Iron weight had worn :
High on his stately Chariot rais'd he rode,
Admir'd, ador'd by all the fhouting Crowd.

Nor wants a Bride of beauteous Mind and Fase,
Proud of his Heart, tho fhe of Princely Race:
Two lovely Sons the did to Jofeph bear;
They Smile, and he forgets his former Care;
Of foregone Ills the very Trace remov'd,

Great without Envy, He, and without Flatt'ry lov'd.