And with his winged will cuts through the yielding sky.

He pass'd through many a star, and, as he past, Shone (like a star in them) more brightly there Than they did in their sphere.

[last,

On a tall pyramid's pointed head he stopp'd at
And a mild look of sacred pity cast
Down on the sinful land where he was sent,
T'inflict the tardy punishment.
"Ah! yet," said he, "yet, stubborn king! repent,
Whilst thus unarm'd I stand,

[hand; Ere the keen sword of God fill my commanded Suffer but yet thyself, and thine to live:

Who would, alas! believe,
That it for man," said he,

"So hard to be forgiven should be, And yet for God so easy to forgive!"

He spoke, and downwards flew, And o'er his shining form a well-cut cloud he Made of the blackest fleece of Night, [threw, And close-wrought to keep in the powerful light, Yet wrought so fine it hinder'd not his flight; But through the key-holes and the chinks of doors,

And through the narrow'st walks of crooked pores,
He past more swift and free,

Than in wide air the wanton swallows flee.
He took a pointed pestilence in his hand ;
The spirits of thousand mortal poisons made
The strongly-temper'd blade,

[land.

The sharpest sword that e'er was laid Up in the magazines of God to scourge a wicked Through Egypt's wicked land his march he took, And as he march'd the sacred first-born strook Of every womb; none did he spare,

Is but like fire struck out of stone; So hardly got, and quickly gone,

That it scarce out-lives the blow. Sorrow and fear soon quit the tyrant's breast; Rage and revenge their place possess'd; With a vast host of chariots and of horse, And all his powerful kingdom's ready force, The travelling nation he pursues; [news. Ten times o'ercome, he still th' unequal war reFill'd with proud hopes, "At least," said he, "Th' Egyptian gods, from Syrian magic free, Will now revenge themselves and me; Behold what passless rocks on either hand, Like prison-walls, about them stand, Whilst the sea bounds their flight before! And in our injur'd justice they must find A far worse stop than rocks and seas behind; Which, shall with crimson gore

New paint the water's name, and double dye the shore."

He spoke; and all his host

Approv'd with shouts th' unhappy boast; A bidden wind bore his vain words away, And drown'd them in the neighbouring sea, means t' escape the faithless travellers spy And, with degenerous fear to die, Curse their new-gotten liberty.

No

But the great Guide well knew he led them right, And saw a path hid yet from human sight:

He strikes the raging waves, the waves on either side

Unloose their close embraces, and divide;
And backwards press, as in some solemn shew
The crowding people do

(Though just before no space was seen) To let th' admired triumph pass between.

ple heir.

The swift approach of endless night Breaks ope the wounded sleepers' rolling eyes; They awake the rest with dying cries,

And darkness doubles the affright; The mixed sounds of scatter'd deaths they hear, And lose their parted souls 'twixt grief and fear. Louder than all the shrieking women's voice Pierces this chaos of confused noise;

As brighter lightning cuts a way Clear and distinguish'd through the day: With less complaints the Zoan temples sound, When the adored heifer 's drown'd, And no true-mark'd successor to be found.

Whilst health and strength, and gladness, does [possess

The festal Hebrew cottages; The blest destroyer comes not there, To interrupt the sacred cheer That new begins their well-reformed year: Upon their doors he read and understood, God's protection, writ in blood; Well was he skill'd i' th' character Divine ; And, though he pass'd by it in haste, He bow'd and worship'd, as he past, The mighty mystery through its humble sign. The sword strikes now too deep and near, Longer with its edge to play;

No diligence or cost they spare

To haste the Hebrews now away,
Pharaoh himself chides their delay;
So kind and bountiful is fear!

But, oh! the bounty which to fear we owe,

The no-less-wondering waves like rocks of crystal stand:

They march'd betwixt, and boldly trod

The secret paths of God.

And here and there all scatter'd in their way
The sea's old spoils, and gaping fishes, lay
Deserted on the sandy plain:

The Sun did with astonishment behold
The inmost chambers of the open'd main;
For, whatsoe'er of old

By his own priests, the poets, has been said,
He never sunk till then into the Ocean's bed.
Led cheerfully by a bright captain, Flame,
To th' other shore at morning-dawn they came,
And saw behind th' unguided foe
March disorderly and slow.
The prophet straight from th' Idumean strand
Shakes his imperious wand:

The upper waves, that highest crowded lie,
The beckoning wand espy;
Straight their first right-hand files begin to move,
And, with a murmuring wind,
Give the word "March" to all behind.
The left-hand squadrons no less ready prove
But, with a joyful, louder noise,
Answer their distant feilows' voice,
And haste to meet them make,

As several troops do all at once a common signal

take.

What tongue th' amazement and th'affright can

tell

Which on the Chamian army fell,

THE ARGUMENT

OF BOOK I.

The proposition. The invocation. The entrance into the history from a new agreement betwixt Saul and David. A description of Hell. The Devil's speech Envy's reply to him. Her appearing to Saul in the shape of Benjamin. Her speech, and Saul's to himself after she was vanished. A description of Heaven. God's speech: he sends an Angel to David: the Angel's message to him. David sent for, to play before Saul. A digression concerning music. David's psalm. Saul attempts to kill him. His escape to his own house, from whence being pursued by the king's guard, by the artifice of his wife Michal he escapes and flies to Naioth, the prophets' college at Ramah. Saul's speech, and rage at his escape. A long digression describing the prophets' college, and their manner of life there, and the ordimary subjects of their poetry. 'Saul's guards pursue David thither, and prophesy. Saul among the prophets. He is compared to Balaam, whose song concludes the book. ISING the man who Judah's sceptre hore In that right-hand which held the crook before; Who from best poet, best of kings did grow; The two chief gifts Heaven could on man bestow. Much danger first, much toil, did he sustain, Whilst Saul and Hell cross'd his strong fate in vain. Nor did his crown less painful work afford, Less exercise his patience or his sword: So long her conqueror, Fortune's spite pursued; Till with unwearied virtue be subdued

All home-bred malice, and all foreign boasts;
Their strength was armies, his the Lord of Hosts
Thou, who didst David's royal stem adorn,
And gav'st him birth from whom thyself wast born;
Who didst in triumph at Death's court appear,
And slew'st him with thy nails, thy cross, and
spear,

Whilst Hell's black tyrant trembled to behold
The glorious light he forfeited of old:
Who, Heaven's glad burthen now, and justest pride,
Sitt'st high enthron'd next thy great Father's
side

(Where hallow'd flames help to adorn that head
Which once the blushing thorns environed,
Till crimson drops of precious blood hung down
Like rubies to enrich thine humble crown)
Ev'n thou my breast with such blest rage inspire,
As mov'd the tuneful strings of David's lyre!
Guide my bold steps with thine own travelling
flame,

In these untrodden paths to sacred fame!
Lo, with pure hands thy heavenly fire to take,
My well-chang'd Muse I a chaste vestal make!
From Earth's vain joys, and Love's soft witch-
craft, free,

I consecrate my Magdalene to thee!
Lo, this great work, a temple to thy praise,
On polish'd pillars of strong verse I raise !
A temple, where, if thou vouchsafe to dwell,
It Solomon's and Herod's shall excel.
Too long the Muses' land hath heathen been;
Their gods too long were devils, and virtues sin;
But thou, Eternal Word! hast call'd forth me,
Th' apostle to convert that world to thee;
T'unbind the charms that in slight fables lie,
And teach, that truth is truest poesy.

The malice now of jealous Saul grew less,
O'ercome by constant virtue and success:

He grew at last more weary to command
New dangers, than young David to withstand
Or conquer them; he fear'd his mastering
fate,

And envy'd him a king's unpowerful hate.
Well did he know how palms by oppression
Victorious, and the victor's sacred meed! [speed
The burthen lifts them higher. Well did he know
How a tame stream does wild and dangerous grow
By unjust force; he now with wanton play
Kisses the smiling banks, and glides away;
But, his known channel stopp'd, begins to roar,
And swell with rage, and buffet the dull shore;
His mutinous waters hurry to the war,
And troops of waves come rolling from afar:
Then scorns be such weak stops to his free source,
And overruns the neighbouring fields with violent

course.

This knew the tyrant, and this useful thought His wounded mind to health and temper brought. He old kind vows to David did renew, Swore constancy, and meant his oath for true : A general joy at this glad news appear'd, For David all men lov'd, and Saul they fear'd. Angels and men did peace and David love, But Hell did neither him nor that approve; From man's agreement fierce alarms they take, And quiet here, does there new business make.

Beneath the silent chambers of the Earth, Where the Sun's fruitful beams give metals birth

Where he the growth of fatal gold does see,
Gold, which above more influence has than he;-
Beneath the dens where unfletcht tempests lie,
And infant winds their tender voices try;
Beneath the mighty ocean's wealthy caves;
Beneath th' eternal fountain of all waves,
Where their vast court the mother-waters keep,
And, undisturb'd by moons, in silence sleep;
There is a place, deep, wondrous deep, below,
Which genuine night and horrour does o'erflow;
No bound controls th' unwearied space but Hell,
• Endless as those dire pains that in it dwell.
Here no dear glimpse of the Sun's lovely face
Strikes through the solid darkness of the place;
No dawning morn does her kind reds display;
One slight weak beam would here be thought
the day:

No gentle stars with their fair gems of light
Offend the tyrannous and unquestion'd Night.
Here Lucifer, the mighty captive, reigns;
Proud 'midst his woes, and tyrant in his chains;
Once general of a gilded host of sprites,
Like Hesper, leading forth the spangled nights;
But down like lightning, which him struck, he

came;

[cite,

And roar'd at his first plunge into the flame:
Myriads of spirits fell wounded round him there;
With dropping lights thick shone the singed air;
Since when, the dismal solace of their woe
Has only been weak mankind to undo;
Themselves at first against themselves they ex-
(Their dearest conquest and most proud delight)
And, if those mines of secret treason fail,
With open force man's virtue they assail;
Unable to corrupt, seek to destroy, [ploy,
And, where their poisons miss, the sword em-
Thus sought the tyrant-fiend young David's fall,
And 'gainst him arm'd the powerful rage of Saul:

He saw the beauties of his shape and face,
His female sweetness, and his manly grace:
He saw the nobler wonders of his mind,
Great gifts! which for great works he knew de-
sign'd:

He saw (t' ashame the strength of man and Hell) How by his young hands their Gathite champion fell;

He saw the reverend prophet boldly shed
The royal drops round his enlarged head;
And well he knew what legacy did place
The sacred sceptre in blest Judah's race,
From which th' eternal Shilo was to spring;
A knowledge which new hells to Hell did bring!
And, though no less he knew himself too weak
The smallest link of strong-wrought Fate tu
break,

Yet would he rage and struggle with the chain;
Lov'd to rebel, though sure that 'twas in vain.
And now it broke his form'd design, to find
The gentle change of Saul's recovering mind;
He trusted much in Saul, and rag'd, and griev'd
(The great deceiver !) to be himself deceiv'd.
Thrice did he knock his iron teeth, thrice howl,
And into frowns his wrathful forehead roll:
His eyes dart forth red flames, which scare the
Night,

And with worse fires the trembling ghosts affright;

A troop of ghastly fiends compass him round,
And greedily catch at his lips' fear'd sound.

"Are we such nothings then!" said he, "our

will

Crost by a shepherd's boy! and you yet still
Play with your idle serpents here? dares none
Attempt what becomes furies? Are ye grown
Benumb'd with fear, or virtue's spiritless cold,
You, who were once (I'm sure) so brave and
bold?

Oh! my ill-chang'd condition! oh, my fate!
Did I lose Heaven for this?"
[breast,
With that, with his long tail he lash'd his
And horribly spoke out in looks the rest.
The quaking powers of Night stood in amaze;
And at each other first could only gaze;
A dreadful silence fill'd the hollow place,
Doubling the native terrour of Hell's face;
Rivers of flaming brimstone, which before
So loudly rag'd, crept softly by the shore;
No hiss of snakes, no clank of chains, was knowr,
The souls, amidst their tortures, durst not

Envy, the worst of fiends, herself presents, Envy, good only when she'herself torments.

66

Spend not, great king! thy precious rage," said she,

"Upon so poor a cause; shall mighty we
The glory of our wrath to him afford?
Are we not Furies still, and you our lord;
At thy dread anger the fixt world shall shake,
And frighted Nature her own laws forsake:
Do thou but threat, loud storms shall make re-
ply,

And thunder echo't to the trembling sky;
Whilst raging seas swell to so bold an height,
As shall the fire's proud element affright:
Th' old drudging Sun from his long beaten way
Shall at thy voice start, and misguide the day;
The jocund orbs shall break their measur'd pace
And stubborn poles change their allotted place;
Heaven's gilded troops shall flutter here and
there,

Leaving their boasting songs tun'd to a sphere;
Nay, their God too-for fear he did, when we
Took noble arms against his tyranny,
So noble arms, and in a cause so great,
That triumphs they deserve for their defeat.
There was a day! oh might I see't again,
Tho' he had fie:cer flames to thrust us in!
And can such powers be by a child withstood?
Will slings, alas! or pebbles do him good?
What th' untam'd lion, whet with hunger too,
And giants could not, that my word shall do:
I'll soon dissolve this peace; where Saul's new
love

It was the time when silent night began T'enchain with sleep the busy spirits of man; And Saul himself, though in his troubled breast The weight of empire lay, took gentle rest: So did not Envy; but with haste arose ; And, as through Israel's stately towns she goes, She frowns, and shakes her head; "Shine on" says she,

"Ruins ere long shall your sole monuments be." The silver Moon with terrour paler grew,

And neighbouring Hermon sweated flowery dew;
Swift Jordan started, and straight backward fled,
Hiding among thick reeds his aged head:
Lo, at her entrance Saul's strong palace shook;
And nimbly there the reverend shape she took
Of father Benjamin; so long her beard,
So large her limbs, so grave her looks, appear'd,
Just like his statue, which bestrid Saul's gate
And seem'd to guard the race it did create.
In this known form she' approach'd the tyrant's
side;

And thus her words the sacred form bely'd:

"Arise, lost king of Israel! canst thou lie Dead in this sleep, and yet thy last so nigh? If king thou be'st, if Jesse's race as yet Sit not on Israel's throne! And shall he sit? Did ye for this from fruitful Egypt fly? From the mild brickkiln's nobler slavery? For this did seas your powerful rod obey? Did wonders guide, and feed, you on your way? Could ye not there great Pharaoh's bondage

bear,

prove,

Before their Sun twice more be gone about,
I and my faithful snakes would drive it out.
By me Cain offer'd up his brother's gore,
A sacrifice for worse than that before;
I saw him fling the stone, as if he meant
At once his murder and bis monument,
And laugh'd to see (for 'twas a goodly show)
The earth by her first tiller fatter'd so:

I drove proud Pharaoh to the parted sea;
He and his host drank up cold death by me:
By me rebellious arms fierce Corah took,
And Moses (curse upon that name!) forsook;
Hither (ye know) almost alive he came
Through the cleft Earth; ours was his funeral
flame:

By me-but I lose time, methinks, and should
Perform new acts whilst I relate the old.
David's the next our fury must enjoy :
Tis not thy God himself shall save thee, boy!
No, if he do, may the whole world have peace;
May all ill actions, all ill fortune, cease,
And banished from this potent court below,
May I a ragged contemn'd Virtue grow!"

She spoke; all star'd at first, and made a
pause;

But straight the general murmur of applause Ran through Death's courts; she frown'd still, and begun

To envy at the praise herself had won.
Great Beelzebub starts from his burning throne
To 'embrace the fiend, but she, now furious
grown

To act her part, thrice bow'd, and thence she fled;

The snakes all hiss'd, the fiends all murmured.

Cast not on Saul's, on mine, and Israel's, name!
Why was I else from Canaan's famine led?
Happy, thrice happy, had I there been dead,
Ere my full loins discharg'd this numerous race,
This luckless tribe, ev'n crown'd to their dis-
grace!

Ah, Saul! thy servant's vassal must thou live?
Place to his harp must thy dread sceptre give?
What wants he now but that? canst thou for

get

(If thou be'st man thou canst not) how they met The youth with songs? alas! poor monarch!

you

Your thousand only, he ten thousand, slew! Him Israel loves, him neighbouring countries fear;

You but the name and empty title bear.
And yet the traitor lives, lives in thy court;
The court that must be his; where he shall sport
Himself with all thy concubines, thy gold,
Thy costly robes, thy crown. Wert thou not told
This by proud Samuel, when at Gilgal he
With bold false threats from God affronted thee?
The dotard ly'd; God said it not, I know;
Not Baal or Moloch would have us'd thee so.
Was not the choice his own? did not thy worth
Exact the royal lot, and call it forth?
Hast thou not since (my best and greatest son!)
To him, and to his perishing nation, done
Such lasting benefits as may justly claim
A sceptre as eternal as thy fame?
Poor prince! whom madmen, priests, and boys
invade;

By thine own flesh, thy ungrateful son betray'd!
Unnatural fool! who can thus cheated be

By friendship's name,against a crown and thee!