But what is strength without a double share 55 By weakest subtleties, not made to rule, But to fubferve where wisdom bears command! God, when he gave me ftrength, to show withal 60 65 Annull'd, which might in part my grief have eas'd, Of man or worm; the vileft here excel me, Without all hope of day! 70 75 80 O first created Beam, and thou great Word, Why am I thus bereav'd thy prime decree ? And filent as the moon, When the deferts the night Hid in her vacant interlunar cave. 85 Since light fo neceffary is to life, 90 And almoft life itself, if it be true That light is in the soul, 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? 95 And not, as feeling, through all parts diffus'd, To live a life half dead, a living death, By privilege of death and burial 100 From worst of other evils, pains and wrongs, 105 But made hereby obnoxious more To all the miseries of life, Life in captivity Among inhuman foes. But who are thefe? for with joint pace I hear 110 At At my affliction, and perhaps t' insult, CHOR. This, this is he; foftly a while, O change beyond report, thought, or belief! As one past hope, abandon'd, 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, Irrefiftible Samfon? whom unarm'd 115 320 125 No ftrength of man, or fierceft wild beaft could withstand; Who tore the lion, as the lion tears the kid, Ran on imbattel'd armies clad in iron, And weaponlefs himself, Made arms ridiculous, useless the forgery Of brazen fhield and fpear, the hammer'd cuirafs, Adamantean proof; But fafeft he who stood aloof, When infupportably his foot advanc'd, In fcorn of their proud arms and warlike tools, 130 135 Spurn'd them to death by troops. The bold Afcalonite 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 dust. 140 The The jaw of a dead afs, his fword of bone, A thousand fore-fkins fell, the flower of Palestine, 145 Then by main force pull'd up, and on his shoulders bore Up to the hill by Hebron, feat of giants old, Thy bondage or loft fight, Heaven. 150 Prifon within prifon Infeparably dark? Thou art become (O worst imprisonment!) 155 The dungeon of thyfelf; thy foul (Which men enjoying fight oft without caufe complain) Imprifon'd now indeed, In real darkness of the body dwells, Shut up from outward light T' incorporate with gloomy night; For inward light alas Puts forth no vifual beam. O mirror of our fickle state, 160 165 The rarer thy example stands, By how much from the top of wondrous glory, Strongest of mortal men, To lowest pitch of abject fortune thou art fall'n. For him I reckon not in high estate 170 Whom long descent of birth Or the fphere of fortune raises ; But But thee whofe ftrength, while virtue was her mate, Might have fubdued the earth, Univerfally crown'd with highest praises. 175 SAMS. I hear the found of words, their fense the air Diffolves unjointed ere it reach my ear. CHO. He speaks, let us draw nigh. The glory late of Ifrael, now the grief; Matchlefs in [might, We come thy friends and neighbours not unknown 180 From Efhtaol and Zora's fruitful vale, To vifit or bewail thee, or if better, Counfel or confolation we may bring, Salve to thy fores; apt words have pow'r to swage 185 And are as balm to fefter'd wounds. SAMS. Your coming, Friends, revives me, for I Now of my own experience, not by talk, [learn How counterfeit a coin they are who friends 190 I would be underftood); in profp'rous days Yet that which was the worst now least afflicts me, 195 200 Am |