Their own destruction to come speedy upon them. So fond are mortal men, Fallen into wrath divine, As their own ruin on themselves to invite, And with blindness internal struck. Semichor. But he, though blind of sight, Despised, and thought extinguished quite, With inward eyes illuminated, His fiery virtue roused From under ashes into sudden flame, And as an evening dragon came, Assailant on the perched roosts And nests in order ranged Of tame villatic fowl, but as an eagle His cloudless thunder bolted on their heads. So Virtue, given for lost, Depressed and overthrown, as seemed, Like that self-begotten bird, In the Arabian woods embost, That no second knows nor third, And lay erewhile a holocaust, From out her ashy womb now teemed, Revives, reflourishes, then vigorous most When most unactive deemed ; And, though her body die, her fame survives, A secular bird, ages of lives. 1690 1700 Man. Come, come; no time for lamentation now, Nor much more cause. Samson hath quit himself Like Samson, and heroicly hath finished A life heroic, on his enemies 1710 Fully revenged-hath left them years of mourning Through all Philistian bounds; to Israel VOL. III. L 1720 To himself and father's house eternal fame ; With silent obsequy and funeral train, 1730 Home to his father's house. There will I build him A monument, and plant it round with shade Of laurel ever green and branching palm, Chor. All is best, though we oft doubt What the unsearchable dispose Of Highest Wisdom brings about, And ever best found in the close. Oft He seems to hide his face, 1740 But unexpectedly returns, And to his faithful champion hath in place Bore witness gloriously; whence Gaza mourns, 1750 And all that band them to resist His servants He, with new acquist Of true experience from this great event, With peace and consolation hath dismissed, And calm of mind, all passion spent. THE END. |