The measure of verfe used in the chorus is of all forts, called by the Greeks Monoftrophic for rather Apolelymenon, without regard had to Strophe, Antiftrophe, or Epod, which were a kind of ftanzas framed only for the mufic, then ufed with the chorus that fung; not effential to the poem, and therefore not material; or being divided into ftanzas paules, they may be called Allæoftropha. Divifion into act and fcene, referring chiefly to the flage (to which this work never was intended) is bere omitted.

It fuffices if the whole drama be found not produced beyond the fifth act. Of the style and uniformity, and that commonly called the plot, whether intricate or explicit, which is nothing indeed but such economy or difpofition of the fable as may ftand beft with verfimilitude and detorum; they only will beft judge, who are not unacquainted with

fchylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, the three tragic poets unequalled vet by any, and the best rule to all who endeavour to write tragedy. The circumfcription of time, wherein the whole drama begins and ends, according to ancient rule and best example, within the space of twenty-four hours.

The Persons.

SAMSON.

MANOAH, the Father of Samfon.

DALILA, his Wife.

HARAPHA of Gath.

Public Officer.

Meffenger.

Chorus of Danites.

The Scene before the Prison in Gaza.

SAMSON AGONISTES.

The Argument.

SAMSON made captive, blind, and now in the prifon at Gaza, there to labour as in a common workhoufe, on a feftival day, in the general ceffation from labour, comes forth into the open air, to a place nigh, fomewhat re. tir'd, there to fit awhile and bemoan his condition. Where he happens at length to be visited by certain friends and equals of his 'Tribe, which make the Chorus, who feek to comfort him what they can; then by his old father Manoah, who endeavours the like, and withal tells him his purpofe to procure his liberty by ranfom: laftly, that this feaft was proclaim'd by the Philistines as a day of thankfgiving for their deliverance from the hands of Saifon, which yet more troubles him. Manoah then departs to profecute his endeavour with the Philiftine lords of Samfon's redemption; who in the mean while is vifited by other perfons; and laftly by a public officer, to require his coming to the feaft before the lords and people, to play, or fhow Liftrength in their prefence: he at firft refufes, difmiffing the public officer with abfolute denial to come; at length perfuaded inwardly that this was from God, he yields to go along with him, who came now the fecond time with great threatnings to fetch him: the Chorus yet remaing on the place, Manoah returns full of joyful hope, to procure ere long his fon's deliverance, in the midst of which difcourfe an Hebrew comes in hafte, confafedly at firft, and afterwards more diftinctly, relating the catastrophe, what Samfon had done to the Philiftines, and by accident to himself: wherewith the tragedy ends.

SAMSON.

A LITTLE onward lend thy guiding hand

To thefe dark steps, a little further on;
For yonder bank hath choice of fun or fhade;
There I am wont to fit, when any chance
Relieves me from my task of fervile toil,
Daily in the common prifon elfe enjoin'd me,
Where I a prifoner chain'd, fcarce freely draw
The air, imprifon'd alfo, clofe and damp,
Unwholesome draught: but here I feel amends,
The breath of heav'n fresh blowing, pure and fweet,
With day-fpring born; here leave me to respire.
This day a folemn feaft the people hold
To dagon their fea-idol, and forbid
Laborious works; unwillingly this reft
Their fuperftition yields me; hence with leave
Retiring from the popular noise, I seek
This unfrequented place to find fome ease,
Eafe to the body fome, none to the mind
From reftlefs thoughts, that, like a deadly swarm
Of hornets arm'd, no fooner found alone,
But rush upon me thronging, and prefent
Times paft, what once I was, and what am now.
wherefore was my birth from heav'n foretold

Twice by an angel, who at last in fight
Of both my parents all in flames afcended
From off the altar, where an offering burn'd,
As in a fiery column charioting

His god-like prefence, and from fome great act
Or benefit reveal'd to Abraham's race;

Why was my breeding order'd and prefcrib'd
As of a perfon feparate to God,

Defign'd for great exploits; if I must die

Made of my enemies the fcorn and gaze;

Betray'd, captiv'd, and both my eyes put out,

To grind in brazen fetters under task

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With this heav'n-gifted strength? O glorious ftrength,

Put to the labour of a beaft, debas'd

Lower than bond-flave! Promife was that I

Should Ifrael from Philiftian yoke deliver:

Afk for this great deliverer now, and find him
Eyelefs in Gaza at the mill with flaves,
Himself in bonds under Philiftian yoke.
Yet ftay, let me not rafhly call in doubt
Divine prediction; what if all foretold

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Had been fulfill'd but through mine own default,
Whom have I to complain of but myself?

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Who this high' gift of ftrength committed to me,

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In what part lodg'd, how easily bereft me,
Under the feal of filence could not keep,
But weakly to a woman must reveal it,
O'ercome with importunity and tears.
O impotence of mind, in body strong!
But what is ftrength without a double share
Of wisdom? vast, unwieldy, burdenfome,
Proudly fecure, yet liable to fall

By weakeft fubtleties, not made to rule,

But to fubferve where wifdom bears command!
God, when he gave me ftrength, to show withal
How flight the gift was, hung it in my hair.
But peace, I must not quarrel with the will
Of higheft difpenfation, which herein
Haply had ends above my reach to know:
Suffices that to me ftrength is my bane,

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And proves the fource of all my miferies;
So many and fo huge, that each a part
Would ask a life to wail: but chief of all,
Olofs of fight, of thee I moft complain !
Blind among enemies: O worse than chains,
Dungeon, or beggary, or decripit age!

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Light, the prime work of God, to me is extinct,
And all her various objects of delight

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Annull'd, which might in part my grief have eas'd,
Inferior to the vileft now become

Of man or worm; the vileft here excell me;
They creep, yet fee; I dark, in light expos'd
To daily fraud, contempt, abufe, and wrong,
Within doors, or without, ftill as a fool,
In power of others, never in my own;

Scarce half I feem to live, dead more than half.
O dark, dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon,
Irrecoverably dark, total eclipse
Without all hope of day!

O firft created beam, and thou great word,
Let there be light, and light was over all;
Why am I thus bereav'd thy prime decree?
The fun to me is dark

And filent as the moon,

When the deferts the night,

Hid in her vacant interlunar cave.

Since light fo neceffary is to life,

And almost life itself, if it be true

That light is in the foul,

She all in every part; why was the fight

To fuch a tender ball as th' eye confin'd,

So obvious and fo eafy to be quench'd?

And not as feeling, through all parts diffus'd,

That the might look at will through every pore?
Then had I not been thus exil'd from light,

As in the land of darkness yet in light,
To live a life half dead, a living death,
And bury'd: but O yet more miferable!
My felf my fepulchre, a moving grave,
Bury'd, yet not exempt,

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ICO

By privilege of death and burial,

Froin wort of other evils, pains and wrongs,

Among inhuman foes.

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peace

I hear

But who are these? for with joint
The tread of many feet steering this way;
Perhaps my enemies, who come to ftare
At my affliction, and perhaps to infult,
Their daily practice, to afflict me more.
CHOR. This, this is he: foftly a while;
Let us not break in upon him:

O change beyond report, thought or belief!

See how he lies at random, carelessly diffus'd.
With languifh'd head unpropt,

As one pait hope abandon'd,

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And by himself given over;

In flavish habit, ill fitted weeds;

O'er-worn and foil'd:

Or do my eyes mifreprefent? Can this be he,
That heroic, that renown'd,

Irrefiftible Samfon? whom unarm'd

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No ftrength of man or fierceft wild beafts could with

itand;

Who tore the lion, as the lion tears the kid;

Ran on embattled armies clad in iron;

And, weaponlefs himself,

Made arms ridiculous,ufeless the forgery

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Of brazen shield and fpear, the hammer'd cuirafs,

Chalybean temper'd feel, and frock of mail

Adamantean proof;

But fafelt he who stood aloof,

When infupportably his foot advanc'd,

In feorn of their proud arms and warlike tools,

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Sparn'd them to death by troops. The bold Alcalonite

Fled from his lion ramp; old warriors turn'd

Their plated backs under his heel,

Or grov'ling foil'd their crefted helmets in the duft.
Then with what trivial weapon came to hand,

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