befides his hair: and the beauty of that is only implied in its quantity; which was indeed prodigious! weighing, upon the lowest computation, at least three pounds: which might be easily estimated, by weighing what was cut off, in his annual polling, (for we are told he polled it annually on account of its exceffive weight) and examining, what proportion that bore, to what remained. And although a good deal of this may be accounted for, both from the ufage of long hair, and the great quantity of oyl, then in ufe, which added both to the growth and weight; yet it is evident from the text, that there must have been fomething in it, accounted very fingular, even at that time.

ABSALOM had, it must be owned, a very fingular excellence of form; but with that, nothing truly estimable, that we know of. His character feems nearly allied to that of Aurelia Oreftilla, mentioned by Saluft, who had nothing praiseworthy about her, befides her beauty.

THIS vain young man, weary with being fo long detained in that confinement and obfcurity, fo mortifying to his pride, and fo unfriendly to his popularity, fent a messenger

to

;

to Joab, to defire to speak with him; in order to prevail upon him, to folicit his interceffion with the king, to be admitted to his prefence. And, on his not coming upon the first meffage, he fent a fecond. And when he found no better fuccefs from his fecond meffage, he ordered his fervants to fet a field of barley, which Joab had contiguous to his own, on fire and they did accordingly: which Joab refenting, went immediately to expoftulate with him, upon the injury done him--Abfalom answered, That finding the meffages he had fent him, ineffectual, he took that method to bring him to him; and gain an opportunity of sending him to the king, to intercede for permiffion to be admitted to his prefence. For if that could not be obtained, To what purpose was it for him to return from Gefbur? He might as well have continued there in exile ftill. In fhort, he infifted with Joab, that he must see the king, at any rate: Now therefore, faith he, let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me. His impetuofity prevailed: Joab was once more fent to intercede with the king for him; his interceffion fucceeded; and Abfalom was admitted

admitted to the royal prefence, where he did obeifance, humbling himself before the king, with his face to the ground. And the king was reconciled, and kiffed him.

THE reader little versed in courts, is apt to be surprised, (as at first fight I own I was) to see Joab so zealous to get Abfalom recalled from exile, and to observe him afterwards fo cold and indifferent, to have him re-established in his father's favour.

THE truth is, when Joab had greatly gratified the king, and gained credit with him, by bringing back Absalom to Jerufalem, he had little reason, as a minister, to be solicitous to bring him about the king's perfon, and restore him to full favour; because, in that cafe, he might naturally apprehend, that Abfalom's intereft with his father might impair his own. This the young man's ambition could but ill endure; and therefore he took this extraordinary step, to be fet right with his father. A step, which shewed him determined to go any lengths, rather than fall fhort of his ambitious aims. He that could set his friend's field on fire, barely to be admitted to court, would little fcruple to fet his country in a flame, (if I may be allowed

allowed the expreffion) to be raised to a crown although, poffibly, this injury to Joab might have been, in fome measure, an artifice, to prevent the king's fufpicion of their combination, and Joab's too great attachment to the intereft of his fon.

;

As to Abfalom's resolution of being brought to the king, even at the hazard of his life it feems to be much less the effect of fortitude, than prefumption upon his father's fondness. Amnon's most heinous injury to Tamar, being irreparable, well deferved death. And Abfalom well knew, his father would not be extreme, for punishing it, as it deferved, out of form. The provocation was too grievous, not to excufe great irregularity in revenging it; especially not to exexceedingly beloved.

cuse it, in a fon, fo

And therefore Abfalom might fafely offer himself as a victim to his father's vengeance, fecure not to be facrificed to it.

CHA P.

CHA P. VII.

A

DAVID falls fick about this time. Digreffion, fhewing, that his Distemper was, probably, the Small-pox.

'HAT David, at fome part of his

TH

upon

life, was afflicted with a grievous diftemper, which he confidered as the chaftisement of GoD upon him for his fins, feems fufficiently evident, from many paffages in his Pfalms, particularly, xxxviii *. xxxix. xl. and xli. That this calamity fell him about the time that a dangerous and rebellious confpiracy was formed against him, appears from the fame Pfalms. And forafmuch as we hear of no more than one confpiracy of that kind formed against him, it follows, that his fickness fell upon him about this time. And that his diftemper was that which is now known to us, us, under

* O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath, neither chaften me in thy hot difpleasure.

Ver. 2. For thine arrows fick fast in me, and thy hand prefeth me fore.

+ Ver. 4. I faid, Lord, be merciful to me : heal my foul; for I have finned against thee.

the