The jaw of a dead afs, his fword of bone, A thousand fore-fkins fell, the flower of Palaftine, 145 Then by main force pull'd up, and on his fhoulders bore, Up to the hill by Hebron, feat of giants old, Like whom the Gentiles feign to bear up heav'n. 150 Thy bondage or loft fight, Prifon within prison Infeparably dark? Thou art become (O worst imprisonment!) The dungeon of thyself; thy foul 155 (Which men enjoying fight oft without caufe complain) Imprifon'd now indeed, In real darkness of the body dwells, Shut up from outward light, To incorporate with gloomy night; Puts forth no vifual beam. O mirror of our fickle ftate, 160 Since man on earth unparallel'd! 165 The rarer thy example ftands, By how much from the top of wondrous glory, Strongest of mortal men, To lowest pitch of abject fortune thou art fall'n. 170 Whom long descent of birth Or the sphere of fortune raises; But thee, whofe ftrength, whofe virtue was her mate, Might have fubdu'd the earth, Univerfally crown'd with highest praises. 175 SAM. I hear the found of words, their fense the air Diffolves unjointed ere it reach my ear. CHOR. He speaks; let us draw nigh. Matchless in The glory late of Ifrael, now the grief; [might, We come thy friends and neighbours not unknown, 18 Counfel or confolation we may bring, Salve to thy fores; apt words have power to fwage And are as balm to feiter'd wounds. 185 190 SAM. Your coming, friends, revives me; for I learn Now of my own experience, not by talk, How counterfeit a coin they are who friends Bear in their fuperfcription, (of the most I would be understood;) in profp'rous days They fwarm, but in adverfe withdraw their head, Not to be found, though fought. Ye fee, O friends, How many evils have inclos'd me round; 194 Yet that which was the worst now least afflicts me, Blindness; for had I fight, confus'd with fhame, How could I once look up, or heave the head, Who like a foolish pilot have fhipwreck'd My veffel trusted to me from above, Gloriously rigg'd: and for a word, a tear, Fool, have divulg'd the fecret gift of God To a deceitful woman? Tell me, friends, Am I not fung and proverb'd for a fool In every street? do they not fay, how well Are come upon him his deserts? yet why? Immeasurable frength they might behold In me, of wisdom nothing more than mean; This with the other should, at leaft, have pair'd: These two proportion'd ill drove me transverse. 200 205 CHOR. Tax not divine difpofal; wifeft men Have err'd, and by bad women been deceiv'd ; And fhall again, pretend they ne'er so wife. Deject not then fo overmuch thyfelf, 210 Who hast of sorrow thy full load besides ; Yet truth to fay, I oft have heard men wonder 215 Why thou shouldft wed Philiftian women rather At least of thy own nation, and as noble. SAM. The first I saw at Timna, and she pleas'd Me, not my parents, that I fought to wed 220 From intimate impulfe, and therefore urg'd The work to which I was divinely call'd. 225 That fpecious monfter, my accomplish'd snare. 230 Who, vanquish'd with a peal of words, (O weakness !) Gave up my fort of filence to a woman. 236 CHOR. In feeking just occafion to provoke The Philiftine, thy country's enemy, Thou never waft remifs, I bear thee witness: 240 SAM. That fault I take not on me, but transfer 245 [doer; The deeds themfelves, though mute, fpoke loud the But they perfifted deaf, and would not feem To count them things worth notice, till at length 250 255 Into their hands, and they as gladly yield me To th' uncircumcis'd a welcome prey, 260 Bound with two cords; but cords to me were threads. Touch'd with the flame: on their whole hoft I flew Unarm'd and with a trivial weapon fell'd Their choiceft youth; they only liv'd who fled. Whom God hath of his fpecial favour rais'd 265 270 How frequent to defert him, and at laft 275 To heap ingratitude on worthiest deeds? CHOR. Thy words to my remembrance bring Had dealt with Jephtha, who by argument, Not worse than by his fhield and spear, 285 For want of well pronouncing Shibboleth. SAM. Of such examples add me to the roll; 290 Me eafily indeed mine may neglect, But God's propos'd deliverance not so. CHOR. Juft are the ways of God, And juftifiable to men ; Unleis there be who think not God at all: 295 If any be, they walk obfcure; For of fuch doctrine never was their school, But the heart of the fool, And no man therein doctor but himself. Yet more there be who doubt his ways not juft, 300 As to his own edicts found contradicting, Then give the reins to wand'ring thought, Regardless of his glory's diminution ; 305 But never find felf- fatisfying folution. As if they would confine th' Interminable, And tie him to his own prefcript, Who made our laws to bind us, not himself, 310 Whom so it pleases him by choice From national obftriction, without taint Offin, or legal debt; For with his own laws he can best dispense. He would not elfe, who never wanted means, 315 Down, reason, then, at least vain reasonings down, Though reafon here aver, That moral verdi&t quits her of unclean: Unchafte was fubfequent, her ftain not his. 325 But fee here comes thy reverend fire With careful step, locks white as down, Forthwith how thou ought'ft to receive him. 330 With mention of that name, renews th' affault, MAN. Brethren and men of Dan, for fuch ye feem, Though in this uncouth place; if old refpect, As I fuppofe, towards your once glory'd friend, My fon, now captive, hither hath inform'd 335 Your younger feet, while mine caft back with age CHOR. As fignal now in low dejected state, 340 |