But what is ftrength without a double fhare By weakeft fubtleties, not made to rule, But to fubierve where wildom bears command! 55 63 65 Annull'd, which might in part my grief have eas'd, Of man or worm; the vileft here excel me, 70 75 80 O first 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, ༡༠ And almoft life itfelf, 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 so easy to be quench'd? 95 To live a life half dead, a living death, By privilege of death and burial From worst of other evils, pains and wrongs, But made hereby obnoxious more To all the miseries of life, Life in captivity Among inhuman foes. But who are these? for with joint pace I hear 100 105 110 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 115 120 125 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 weaponless himself, Made arms ridiculous, ufelefs 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; 140 Or grov'ling foil'd their crested helmets in the dust, Then with what trivial weapon came to hand, The The jaw of a dead afs, his fword of bone, A thousand fore-fkins fell, the flower of Paleftine, 145 Then by main force pull'd up, and on his fhoulders bore The gates of Azza, poft, and maffy bar, Up to the hill by Hebron, feat of giants old, No journey of a sabbath-day, and loaded fo; Like whom the Gentiles feign to bear up Heaven. 150 Which fhall I first bewail, Thy bondage or loft fight, Prifon within prifon Infeparably dark ? Thou art become (O worst imprisonment!) The dungeon of thyfelf; thy foul 155 (Which men enjoying fight oft without caufe complain) 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 sense the air Diffolves unjointed ere it reach my ear. CHO. He fpeaks, 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 fwage 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 190 I would be understood); in profp'rous days Yet that which was the worst now leaft afflicts me, 195 200 Am |