"Me verò primùm dulces ante omnia Musæ, "Quarum facra fero ingenti percuffus amore, Accipiant, Coelique vias ac Sidera monftrent." VIRG. Georg. II.

The Propofition. The Invocation. The entrance into the history from a new agreement betwixt Saul and David. A defcription of hell. The Devil's speech. Envy's reply to him. Her appearing to Saul in the fhape of Benjamin. Her fpeech, and Saul's to himfelf after she was vanished. A defcription of heaGod's fpeech: he fends an Angel to David: the Angel's meffage to him. David fent for, to play before Saul. A digreffion concerning mufic. David's pfalm. Saul attempts to kill him. His efeape to his own houfe,, from whence being purfued

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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 fpeech, and rage at his efcape. A long digreffion defcribing the Prophets' college, and their manner of life there, and the ordinary fubjects of their Poetry. Saul's guards purfue David thither, and prophefy. Saul among the prophets. He is compared to Balaam, whose song concludes the book.

I Sing the man who Judah's fceptre bore

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In that right-hand which held the crook before;
Who from best poet, beft of kings did grow;
The two chief gifts Heaven could on man bestow.
Much danger firft, much toil, did he fuftain,
Whilft Saul and Hell crofs'd his ftrong fate in vain.
Nor did his crown lefs painful work afford,
Lefs exercife his patience, or his sword;
So long her conqueror, Fortune's fpite pursued;
Till with unwearied virtue he fubdued
All home-bred malice, and all foreign boasts;
Their ftrength was Armies, his the Lord of Hofts.
Thou, who didst David's royal ftem adorn,
And gav'ft him birth from whom thyself waft born;
Who didst in triumph at Death's court appear, 15
And flew ft him with thy nails, thy cross, and spear,
Whilft Hell's black tyrant trembled to behold
The glorious light he forfeited of old;

Who, heaven's glad burden now, and jufteft pride,
Sitt'ft high enthron'd next thy great

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(Where

(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 fuch bleft rage inspire,
As mov'd the tuneful ftrings of David's lyre;
Guide
my bold steps with thine own travelling flame,
In thefe untrodden paths to facred fame!

Lo, with pure hands thy heavenly fire to take,
My well-chang'd Muse I a chafte Vestal make!

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From Earth's vain joys, and Love's soft witchcraft, free, I confecrate my Magdalene to thee !

Lo, this great work, a temple to thy praise,

On polish'd pillars of strong verfe I raise !

It Solomon's and Herod's fhall excel.

A temple, where, if thou vouchfafe to dwell,

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Too long the Mufes' 'land hath heathen been

Their gods too long were Devils, and virtues Sin;
But thou, Eternal Word! has call'd forth me,
Th' apoftle to convert that world to thee;
T'unbind the charms that in flight fables lie,
And teach, that Truth is trueft poefy.

The malice now of jealous Saul grew less,
O'ercome by conftant virtue and fuccefs;
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' oppreffion speed,
Victorious, and the victor's facred meed !

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The

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The burden lifts them higher. Well did he know
How a tame ftream does wild and dangerous grow
By unjust force; he now with wanton play
Kiffes the fmiling banks, and glides away;
But, his known channel ftopp'd, begins to roar,
And fwell with rage, and buffet the dull fhore;
His mutinous waters hurry to the war,
And troops of waves come rolling from afar :
Then fcorns he fuch weak ftops to his free fource,
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 conftancy, 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 filent chambers of the earth,
Where the fun's fruitful beams give metal's birth-
Where he the growth of fatal gold does fee,
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 vaft court the mother-waters keep,
And, undisturb'd by moons, in filence sleep;

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There

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There is a place deep, wondrous deep, below,
Which genuine Night and Horror 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 fun's lovely face
Strikes through the solid darkness of the place;
No dawning morn does her kind reds display;
One flight weak beam would here be thought the day:
No gentle stars with their fair genis of light
Offend the tyrannous and unquestion'd night.
Here Lucifer, the mighty captive, reigns;
Proud 'midft his woes, and tyrant in his chains;
Once general of a gilded host of sprites,
Like Hefper, leading forth the fpangled nights;
But down like lightning, which him ftruck, he came ;
And roar'd at his first plunge into the flame:
Myriads of fpirits fell wounded round him there;
With dropping lights thick fhone the finged air;
Since when, the dismal folace of their woe
Has only been weak mankind to undo ;
Themselves at first against themselves they' excite,
(Their dearest conquest and most proud delight)
And, if those mines of fecret treason fail,
With open force man's virtue they affail;
Unable to corrupt, feek to destroy,

And, where their poifons mifs, the sword employ.
Thus fought the tyrant-fiend young David's fall,
And 'gainst him arm'd the powerful rage of Saul:
He faw the beauties of his shape and face,
His female sweetness, and his manly grace:

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