Living or dying thou haft fulfill'd The work for which thou waft foretold They only fet on sport and play Their own deftruction to come speedy upon them. So fond are mortal men Fall'n into wrath divine, As their own ruin on themselves t' invite, And with blindnefs internal ftruck. 2 SEMICHOR. But he, though blind of fight, Despis'd and thought extinguish'd quite, With inward eyes illuminated, His fiery virtue rots'd 1680 1685 1690 From From under afhes into fudden flame, And as an evening dragon came, Affailant on the perched roofts, And nefts in order rang'd MAN. Come, come, no time for lamentation now, Nor much more caufe; Samfon hath quit himself 1710 A life heroic, on his enemies Fully reveng'd, hath left them years of mourning, Through all Philiftian bounds, to Ifrael Honor hath left, and freedom, let but them 1715 1720 Nothing Nothing is here for tears, nothing to wail Will fend for all my kindred, all my friends, With filent obfequy and funeral train 1725 1730 1735 Home to his father's houfe: there will I build him 1740 CHO. All is beft, though we oft doubt, 1745 What th' unfearchable dispose Of highest wisdom brings about, And ever best found in the clofe. Oft he seems to hide his face, 1750 F And And to his faithful champion hath in place Borne witness gloriously; whence Gaza mourns, And all that band them to refift His uncontrolable intent; His fervants he with new acquist Of true experience from this great event 1755 END OF SAMSON AGONISTES. |