Which, if he jumbles to one line of fenfe,
Indict him of a capital offence.
In fire-works give him leave to vent his fpite,
Thofe are the only ferpents he can write;
The height of his ambition is, we know,
But to be mafter of a puppet-show;
On that one stage his works may yet appear:
And a month's harveft keeps him all the year.
Now ftop your nofes, readers, all and fome,
For here's a tun of midnight-work to come,
Og from a treafon-tavern rolling home.
Round as a globe, and liquor'd ev'ry chink,
Goodly and great he fails behind his link;
With all this bulk there's nothing loft in Og;
For every inch that is not fool, is rogue :
A monftrous mafs of foul corrupted matter,
As all the devils had fpew'd to make the batter.
When wine has given him courage to blafpheme,
He curfes God, but God before curs'd him;
And, if man could have reafon, none has more,
That made his paunch fo rich, and him fo poor.
With wealth he was not trufted, for Heaven knew
What 'twas of old to pamper up a Jew;
To what would he on quail and pheafant fwell,
That c'en on tripe and carrion could rebel?
But tho' Heaven made him poor, with rev'rence
fpeaking,
He never was a poet of God's making;
The midwife laid her hand on his thick full,
With this prophetic bleffing-"Be thou dull;
Drink, fwear, and roar; forbear no lewd delight
Fit for thy bulk; do any thing but write:
Thou art of lafting make, like thoughtless men;
Aftrong nativity-but for the pen!
Eat opium, mingle arfenic in thy drink,
Still thou mayft live, avoiding pen and ink:
I fee. I fee, 'tis counfel given in vain,
For treafon botch'd in rhyme will be thy bane:
Rhyme is the rock on which thou art to wreck,
'Tis fatal to thy fame and to thy neck:
Why should thy metre good king David blast?
A pfalm of his will furely be thy laft.
Dar'ft thou prefume in verfe to meet thy foes,
Thou whom the penny pamphlet foil'd in profe?
Doeg, whom God for mankind's mirth has made,
O'ertops thy talent in thy very trade;
Doeg to thee, thy paintings are fo coarse,
A poet is, tho' he's the poet's horse.
A double noofe thou on thy neck doft pull
For writing treafon, and for writing dull:
To die for faction is a common evil;
But to be hang'd for nonfenfe is the devil.
Hadft thou the glories of thy king exprefs'd,
Thy praifes had been fatire at the best;
But thou in clumfy verfe, unlick'd, unpointed,
Haft fhamefully defied the Lord's anointed:
I will not rake the dunghill of thy crimes,
For who would read thy life that reads thy rhymes?
But of king David's foes be this the doom,
May all be like the young man Abfalom!
And for my foes, may this their bleffing be,
To talk like Doeg, and to write like thee!"
Achitophel each rank, degree, and age,
For various ends neglects not to engage;
The wife and rich for purfe and council brought,
The fools and beggars for their numbers fought :
Who yet not only on the town depends,
For ev'n in court the faction had its friends;
Thete thought the places they poffefs'd too small,
And in their hearts with'd court and king to fall:
Whofe name the Mufe difdaining, holds i'th dark,
Thruft in the villain herd without a mark;
With parafites and libel-fpawning imps,
Intriguing fops, dull jefters, and worse pimps.
Difdain the rafcal rabble to purfue;
Their fet cabals are yet a viler crew:
See where involv'd in common fmoke they fit;
Some for our mirth, fome for our fatire fit:
Thefe gloomy, thoughtful, and on mischief bent,
While thofe for mere good fellowship frequent
Th' appointed club, can let fedition pafs,
Senfe, no fenfe, any thing, t' employ the glass;
And who believe in their dull honeft hearts,
The reft talk treafon but to fhew their parts;
Who ne'er had wit or will for mifchief yet,
But pleas'd to be reputed of a fet.
But, in the facred annals of our plot,
Induftrious Arod never be forgot:
The labours of this midnight magiftrate
May vie with Corah's to preferve the ftate.
In fearch of arms he fail'd not to lay hold
On war's most pow'rful, dangerous weapon, gold,
And laft, to take from Jebufites all odds,
Their altars pillag'd, stole their very gods.
Oft would he cry, when treafure he furpris'd,
'Tis Baalifh gold in David's coin difguis'd;
Which to his houfe with richer relics came,
While lumber idols only fed the flame:
For our wife rabble ne'er took pains t'enquire
What 'twas he burnt, fo 't made a roufing fire.
With which our elder was enrich'd no more
Than falfe Gehazi with the Syrian's ftore;
So poor, that when our choofing-tribes were met,
Evin for his ftinking votes he ran in debt;
For meat the wicked, and, as authors think,
The faints he chous'd for his electing drink;
Thus ev'ry thift and subtle method past,
And all to be no Zaken at the laft.
Now, rais'd on Tyre's fad ruins, Pharaoh's
Soar'd high, his legions threat'ning far and wide.
As when a battering ftorm engender'd high,
By winds upheld, hangs hovering in the sky,
Is gaz'd upon by ev'ry trembling fwain;
This for his vineyard fears, and that his grain;
For blooming plants, and flow'rs new opening,
For lambs yean'd lately, and far-labouring bees:
To guard his ftock each to the gods does call,
Uncertain where the fire-charg'd clouds will fall:
Ev'n fo the doubtful nations watch his arms,
| With terror each expecting his alarms.
Where, Judah, where was now the lion's roar?
Thou only couldft the captive lands restore :
But thou, with inbred broils and faction preft,
From Egypt need'ft a guardian with the rest.
Thy prince from fanhedrims no trust allow'd,
Too much the reprefenters of the crowd,
Who for their own defence give no supply,
But what the crown's prerogatives must buy:
As if their monarch's rights to violate
More needful were, than to preferve the state!
From prefent dangers they divert their care,
And all their fears are of the royal heir;
Whom now the reigning malice of his foes,
Unjudg'd would fentence, and ere crown'd depofe;
Religion the pretence, but their decree
To bar his reign, whate'er his faith shall be !
By fanhedrims and clam'rous crowds thus preft,
What pallions rent the righteous David's breaft!
Who knows not how t' oppofe or to comply,
Unjust to grant, and dang'rous to deny !
How near in this dark juncture Ifrael's fate,
Whofe peace one fole expedient could create,
Which yet th' extremeft virtue did require,
Ev'n of that prince whose downfall they confpire!
His abfence David does with tears advise
T'appcafe their rage: undaunted he complies.
Thus he who, prodigal of blood and cafe,
A royal life expos'd to winds and feas,
At once contending with the waves and fire,
And heading danger in the wars of Tyre,
Inglorious now forfakes his native fand,
And, like au exile, quits the promis'd land!
Our monarch fearce from preffing tears refrains,
And painfully his royal ftate maintains,
Who now embracing on th' extremeft shore
Almoft revokes what he enjoin'd before :
Concludes at laft more truft to be allow'd
To ftorms and feas than to the raging crowd!
Forbear, rafh Mufe, the parting fcene to draw,
With filence charm'd as deep as theirs that faw!
Not only our attending nobles weep,
But hardy failors fwell with tears the deep!
The tide reftrain'd her courfe, and more amaz'd
The twin-ftars on the royal brothers gaz'd:
While this fole fear-
Does trouble to our fuffering hero bring,
Left next the popular rage opprefs the king!
Thus parting, each for th' other's danger griev'd,
The fhore the king, and feas the prince receiv'd.
Go, injur'd here, while propitious gales,
Soft as thy confort's breath, infpire thy fails;
Well may the truft her beauties on a flood,
Where thy triumphant fleets fo oft have rode!
Safe on thy breaft reclin'd her rest be deep,
Rock'd like a Nereid by waves afleep;
While happieft dreams her fancy entertain,
And to Elyfian fields convert the main !
Go, injur'd hero, while the fhores of Tyre
At thy approach fo filent shall admire,
Who on thy thunder ftill their thoughts employ,
And greet thy landing with a trembling joy.
On heroes thus the prophet's fate is thrown,
Admir'd by ev'ry nation but their own;
Yet while our factious Jews his worth deny,
Their aching confcience gives their tongue the
Ev'n in the worst of men the nobleft parts Confefs him, and he triumphs in their hearts, Whom to his king the best respects commend Of subject, soldier, kinfman, prince, and friend;
All facred names of moft divine esteem,
And to perfection all fuftain'd by him;
Wife, juft, and constant, courtly without art,
Swift to difcern and to reward defert;
No hour of his in fruitiefs ease destroy'd,
But on the nobleft fubjects ftill employ'd:
Whofe fteady foul ne'er learnt to feparate
Between his monarch's int'reft and the state;
But heaps thofe bleffings on the royal head,,
Which he well knows must be on fubjects fhed.
On what pretence could then the vulgar rage
Against his worth and native rights engage?
Religious fears their argument are made,
Religious fears his facred rights invade {
Of future fuperftition they complain,
And Jebufitic worship in his reign:
With fuch alarms his foes the crowd deceive,
With dangers fright which not themselves believe.
Since nothing can our facred rights remove,
Whate'er the faith of the fucceffor prove:
Our Jews their ark shall undisturb'd retain,
At least while their religion is their gain;
Who know, by old experience, Baal's commands
Not only claim'd their confcience but their lands;
They grudge God's tithes, how therefore fhall they
An idol full poffeffion of the field? [yield
Grant fuch a prince enthron'd, we must confefs
The people's fufferings than that monarch's lefs,
Who muft to hard conditions ftill be bound,
And for his quiet with the crowd compound;
Or, fhould his thoughts to tyranny incline,
Where are the means to compafs the defign?
Our crown's revenues are too short a ftore,
And jealous fanhedrims would give no more,
As vain our fears of Egypt's potent aid,
Not fo has Pharaoh learnt ambition's trade;
Nor ever with fuch measures can comply,
As fhock the common rules of policy;
None dread like him the growth of Ifrael's king,
And he alone fufficient aids can bring;
Who knows that prince to Egypt can give law;
That on our stubborn tribes his yoke could draw,
At fuch profound expence he has not flood,
Nor dyed for this his hands fo deep in blood; [take,
Would ne'er thro' wrong and right his progrefs
Grudge his own reft, and keep the world awake,
To fix a lawless prince on Juda's throne,
First to invade our rights, and then his own:
His dear-gain'd conquefts cheaply to defpoil,
And reap the harvests of his crimes and toil.
We grant his wealth vaft as our ocean's fand,
And curfe its fatal influence on our land,
Which our brib'd Jews fo num'rously partake,
That ev'n an hoft his penfioners would make;
From thefe deceivers our divifions fpring,
Our weakness, and the growth of Egypt's king;
Thefe, with pretended friendship to the state,
Our crowd's fufpicion of their prince create;
Both pleas'd and frighten'd with the fpecious cry,
To guard their facred rights and property;
To ruin thus the chofen flock are fold,
While wolves are ta'en for guardians of the fold;
Seduc'd by these we groundlessly complain,
And loath the manna of a gentle reign:
Thus our forefathers' crooked paths are trod;
We truft our prince no more than they their God.
But all in vain our reas'ning prophets preach
To those whom fad experience ne'er could teach,
Who can commence new broils in bleeding fears,
And fresh remembrance of inteftine wars;
When the fame household mortal foes did yield.
And brothers ftain'd with brothers' blood the field;
When fons' curft fteel the fathers' gore did ftain.
And mothers mourn'd for fons by fathers flain!
When thick as Egypt's locufts on the fand
Our tribes lay flaughter'd thro' the promis'd land,
Whofe few furvivors with worfe fate remain,
To drag the bondage of a tyrant's reign:
Which fcene of woes, unknowing, we renew,
And madly, ev'n thofe ills we fear, purfue;
While Pharaoh laughs at our domeftic broils,
And fafely crowds his tents with nations' fpoils.
Yet our fierce fanhedrim in restless rage
Against our abfent hero ftill engage;
And chiefly urge, fuch did their phrenfy prove,
The only fuit their prince forbids to move;
Which till obtain'd they ceafe affairs of state,
And real dangers wave for groundless hate.
Long David's patience waits relief to bring,
With all th' indulgence of a lawful king,
Expecting till the troubled waves would ceafe,
But found the raging billows ftill increafe.
The crowd, whole infolence forbearance fwells,
While he forgives too far, almost rebels.
At laft his deep refentment filence broke,
Th' imperial palace thook while thus he fpoke:
Then Juftice wake, and Rigour take her time,
For, lo! our mercy is become our crime.
While halting Punishment her ftroke delays,
Our fov reign right, heaven's facred truft, decays!
For whofe fupport ev'n fubjects' intereft calls,
Woe to that kingdom where the monarch falls!
That prince who yields the leaft of regal sway,
So far his people's freedom does betray.
Right lives by law, and law fubfifts by pow'r;
Difarm the shepherd, wolves the flock devour.
Hard lot of empire o'er a ftubborn race,
Which Heaven itself in vain has tried with grace!
When will our reafon's long-charm'd eyes unciofe,
And Ifrael judge between her friends and foes?
When fhall we fee expir'd deceivers fway,
And credit what our God and monarchs fav?
Diffembled patriots, brib'd with Egypt's gold,
Ev'n fanhedrims in blind obedience hold;
Thofe patriots falfehood in their actions fee,
And judge by the pernicious fruit the tree;
If aught for which to loudly they declaim,
Religion, laws, and freedom, were their aim;
Our fenates in due methods they had led,
T'avoid thofe mifchiefs which they feem'd to dread;
But firft ere yet they propp'd the finking ftate,
T'impeach and charge, as urg'd by private hate;
Proves that they ne'er believ'd the fears they prefs'd,
But barb'roufly deftroy'd the nation's reit!
O! whither will ungovern'd fenates drive,
And to what bounds licentious votes arrive?
When their injuftice we are prefs'd to fhare,
The monarch, urg'd t'exclude the lawful heir;
Are princes thus diftinguish'd from the crowd,
And this the privilege of royal blood?
But grant we should confirm the wrongs they press,
His fufferings yet were than the people's lefs;
Condemn'd for life the murdering fword to wield,
And on their heirs entail a bloody field:
Thus madly their own freedom they betray,
And for th' oppreffion which they fear make way;
Succeflion fix'd by Heaven, the kingdom`s bar,
Which once diffolv'd admits the flood of war:
Watte, rapine, fpoil, without, th' affault begin;
And our mad tribes fupplant the fence within.
Since then their good they will not understand,
'Tis time to take the monarch's pow'r in hand;
Authority and force to join with skill,
And fave the lunatics against their will.
The fame rough means that 'fuage the crowd, ap-
peafe
Our fenates raging with the crowd's difcafe.
Henceforth unbials'd measures let them draw
From no falfe glofs, but genuine text of law;
Nor urge thofe crimes upon religion's fcore,
Themfelves fo much in Jebufites abhor.
Whom laws convict, and only they, fhall bleed;
Nor Pharifees by Pharifees be freed.
impartial juftice from our throne shall show'r;
All thall have right, and we our fov'reign powr.
He faid: th' attendants heard with aw fuos,
And glad prefages their fix'd thoughts empor
From Hebron now the fuffering heir return,
A realm that long with civil difcord mourn d;
Till his approach, like fome arriving God,
Compos'd and heal'd the place of his abode;
The deluge check'd that to Judea spread,
And ftopp'd fedition at the fountain's head.
Thus in forgiving David's paths he drives,
And, chas'd from Ifrael, Ifrael's peace contrives.
The field confefs'd his pow'r in arms before,
And feas proclaim'd his triumphs to the there,
As nobly has his fway in Hebron fhewn,
How fit t' inherit godlike David's throne.
Through Sion's reets his glad arrival's fprend,
And confcious faction fhrinks her fnaky head;
His train their fufferings think o'erpaid, to see
The crowd's applaufe with virtue once agree.
Succefs charms all, but zeal for worth diftreft
A virtue proper to the brave and beft;
Mought whom was Jothran, Jothran always bent
To ferve the crown, and loyal by defcent;
Whole conftancy fo firm, and conduct juft,
Deferv'd at once two royal masters' truft;
Who Tyre's prond arms had maufully withfood
On feas, and gather'd laurels from the flood;
Of learning yet no portion was denied,
Friend to the Mules, and the Mofes' pride.
Nor can Benaiah's worth forgotten lie,
Of deady foul when public forms were high;
Whofe conduct, while the Moor fierce onfets made,
Secur'd at once our honour and our trade.
Such were the chiefs who moft his fufferings
mourn'd,
And view'd with filent joy the prince return'd;
While thofe that fought has abience to betray,
Preis firft their nauteous fulle refpects to pavi
Him ftill th' officious hypocrites moleft,
And with malicious duty break his reft.
A prince fo form'd with earth's and heaven's
applaufe,
While real tranfports thus his friends employ.
And foes are loud in their diffembled joy,
His triumphs, fo resounded far and near,
Mifs'd not his young ambitious rival's car;
And as when joyful hunters' clamorous train
Some lumbering lion wakes in Moab's plain,
Who oft had forc'd the bold affailants yield,
And scatter'd his purfuels through the field,
Difdaining, furls his mane and tears the ground,
His eyes inflaming all the defert round,
With roar of feas directs his chafers' way,
Provokes from far, and dares them to the fray;
Such rage ftorm'd now in Abfalom's fierce breaft,
Such indignation his fir'd eyes confets'd;
Where now was the inftruétor of his pride?
Slept the old pilot in so rough a tide ?`
Whofe wiles had from the happy thore betray'd,
And thus on fhelves the credulous youth convey'd;
In deep revolving thought he weighs his state,
Secure of craft, nor doubts to baffle fate;
At least, if his ftorm'd bark must go adrift,
To baulk his charge, and for himself to shift,
In which his dext'rous wit had oft been fhewn,
And in the wreck of kingdoms fav'd his own.
But now, with more than common danger preft,
Of various refolutions ftands poffeft,
Perceives the crowd's unstable zcal decay,
Left their recanting chief the cause betray;
Who on a father's grace his hopes may ground,For, lo! the royal mandate iffues forth,
And for his pardon with their heads compound.
Him therefore, ere his fortune flip her time,
The ftatefiman plots t'engage in fome bold crime
Paft pardon, whether to attempt his bed,
Or threat with open arms the royal head,
Or other daring method, and unjust,
That may confirm him in the people's trust.
But failing thus t'enfnare him, nor fecure
How long his foil'd ambition may endure,
Plots next to lay him by, as paft his date,
And try fome new pretender's luckier fate;
Whole hopes with equal toil he would purfue,
Nor cares what claimer's crown'd except the true.
Wake, Abfalom, approaching ruin shùn,
And fee, oh fee, for whom thou art undone !
How are thy honours and thy fame betray'd,
The property of defperare villains made!
Loft pow'r and confcious fears their crimes create,
And guilt in them was little less than fate:
But why shouldst thou, from ev'ry grievance
free,
To triumph o'er crown'd heads in David's caufe:
Or, grant him victor, ftill his hopes must fail,
Who conquering would not for himself prevail;
The faction whom he trufts for future sway,
Him and the public would alike betray;
Amongst themselves divide the captive state,
And found their hydra-empire in his fate!
Thus having beat the clouds with painful flight,
The pitied youth, with fceptres in his fight,
So have their cruel politics decreed,
Muft, by that crew that made him guilty bleed!
For could their pride brook any prince's fway,
Whom but mild David would they choose t' obey?
Who once at fuch a gentle reign repine,
The fall of monarchy itfelf defign;
From hate to that their reformations spring,
And David not their grievance, but the king.
Seiz'd now with panic fear the faction lies,
Left this clear truth ftrike Abfalom's charm'd
eyes,
Left he perceive, from long enchantment free,
What all befide the flatter'd youth must see.
But whate'er doubts his troubled bosom swell,
Fair carriage ftill became Achitophel;
Who now an envious feftival enftals,
And to furvey their ftrength the faction calls,
Which fraud, religious worship too muft gild;
But oh how weakly does fedition build!
Forfake thy vineyards for their ftormy fea?
For thee did Canaan's milk and honey now;
Love drefs'd thy bow'rs, and laurels fought thy
brow;
Preferment, wealth, and pow'r thy vaffals were,
And of a inonarch all things but the care.
Oh fhould our crimes again that curfe draw down,
And rebel-arms once more attempt the crown,
Sure ruin waits unhappy Abfalom,
Alike by conqueft or defeat undonę;
Who could relentless fee fuch youth and charms
Expire with wretched fate in impious arms?
Dafhing at once their treafon, zeal, and mirth!
So have I feen difaftrous chance invade,
| Where careful emmets had their forage laid,
Whether fierce Vulcan's rage the furzy plain
Had feiz'd, engender'd by fome carelefs fwain;
Or fwelling Neptune lawlefs inroads made,
And to their cell of ftore his flood convey'd;
The commonwealth broke up, distracted go,
And in wild hafte their loaded mates o'erthrow:
Ev'n fo our fcatter'd guests confus'dly meet,
With boil'd, bak'd, roaft, all juftling in the street;
Dejecting all, and ruefully difmay'd,
For fhekel without treat or treafon paid.
Sedition's dark eclipfe now fainter fhews,
More bright each hour the royal planet grows,
Of force the clouds of envy to difperfe,
In kind conjunction of affifting stars.
Here, lab'ring Mufe, thofe glorious chiefs relate,
That turn'd the doubtful fcale of David's fate;
The rest of that illustrious band rehearse,
Immortaliz'd in laurel'd Afaph's verte:
Hard talk! yet will not I thy flight recal;
View heaven, and then enjoy thy glorious fall.
Firft write Bezaliel, whofe illuftrious name
Foreftals our praife, and gives his poet fame.
The Kenites' rocky province his command,
A barren limb of fertile Canaan's land;
Which for its generous natives yet could be
Held worthy fuch a prefident as he!
Bezaliel with each grace and virtue fraught,
Serene his looks, ferene his life and thought;
On whom fo largely nature heap'd her store,
There fcarce remain'd for arts to give him more!
To aid the crown and ftate his greatest zeal,
His fecond care that fervice to conceal :
Of dues obfervant, firm to ev'ry trust,
And to the needy always more than just :
Who truth from fpecious falfehood can divide,
Has all the gownfmen's skill without their pride;
Thus crown'd with worth from heights of ho-
Sees all his glories copied in his fon,
Whofe forward fame fhould ev'ry Mufe engage;
Whofe youth boasts skill denied to others age.
Men, manners, language, books of nobleft kind,
Already are the conquest of his mind;
Whofe loyalty before its date was prime,
Nor waited the dull courfe of rolling time;
The monster Faction early he difimay'd,
And David's caufe long fince confefs'd his aid.
Brave Abdael o'er the prophet's fchool was
plac'd ;
Abdael with all his father's virtue grac'd;
A hero, who, while stars look'd wond'ring down,
Without one Hebrew's blood reftor'd the crown.
That praife was his; what therefore did remain
For following chiefs, but boldly to maintain
That crown reftor'd and in this rank of fame,
Brave Abdael with the first a place must claim.
Proceed, illuftrious, happy chief! proceed,
Forefeize the garlands for thy brow decreed,
While th' infpir'd tribe attend with nobleft strain
To regifter the glories thou fhalt gain:
For fure the dew fhall Gilboah's hills forfake,
And Jordan mix his ftream with Sodom's lake;
Or feas retir'd their fecret ftores difclofe,
And to the fun their fcaly brood expose;
Or fwell'd above the clifts their billows raife,
Before the Mufes leave their patron's praise.
Eliab our next labour does invite,
And hard the task to do Eliab right:
Long with the royal wanderer he rov'd,
And firm in all the turns of fortune prov'd!
Such ancient service, and defert fo large,
Well claim'd the royal household for his charge;
His age with only one mild heiress bleft,
In all the bloom of fmiling nature dreft,
And bleft again to fee his flow'r allied
To David'stock, and made young Othniel's bride!
The bright reftorer of his father's youth,
Devoted to a fon's and fubject's truth:
Refolv'd to bear that prize of duty home,
So bravely fought, while fought by Abfalom.
Ah prince! th' illuftrious planet of thy birth,
And thy more pow'rful virtue, guard thy worth!
That no Achitophel thy ruin boaft!
Ifrael too much in one fuch wreck has loft.
E'en envy must confent to Helon's worth,
Whofe foul, though Egypt glories in his birth,
Could for our captive-ark its zeal retain,
And Pharaoh's altars in their pomp difdain :
To flight his gods was fmall; with nobler pride,
He all th' allurements of his court defied.
Whom profit nor example could betray,
But Ifrael's friend, and true to David's fway.
What acts of favour in his province fall,
On merit he confers, and freely all.
Our lift of nobles next let Amri
grace,
Whofe merits claim'd the Abethdin's high place;
Who, with a loyalty that did excel,
Brought all th' endowments of Achitophel.
Sincere was Amri, and not only knew,
But Ifrael's far.ctions into practice drew;
Our laws, that did a boundless ocean seem,
Were coafted all, and fathom'd all by him.
No rabbin fpeaks like him their myftic sense,
So juft, and with fuch charms of eloquence:
To whom the double bleffing does belong,
With Mo'es' infpiration, Aaron's tongue.
Than Shava none more loyal zeal have fhewn,
Wakeful as Judah's lion for the crown,
Who for that caufe ftill combats in his age,
For which his youth with danger did engage.
In vain our factious priefts the cant revive;
In vain feditious scribes with libel strive
T'inflame the crowd; while he with watchful eye
Obferves, and fhoots their treafons as they fly;
Their weekly frauds his keen replies detect,
He undeceives more faft than they infect.
So Mofes, when the peft on legions prey'd,
Advanc'd his fignal, and the plague was stay'd.
Once more, my fainting Mufe, thy pinions try,
And ftrength's exhaufted ftore let love fupply.
What tribute, Asaph, shall we render thee?
We'll crown thee with a wreath from thy own
Thy laurel grove no envy's flash can blast; [tree!
The fong of Afaph fhall for ever laft.
With wonder late pofterity fhall dwell
On Abfalom and falfe Achitophel:
Thy ftrain fhall be our flumb'ring prophets' dream,
And when our Sion virgins fing their theme,
Our jubilees fhall with thy verfe be grac'd;
The fong of Afaph fhall for ever last.
How fierce his fatire loos'd! restrain'd, how
How tender of th' offending young man's fame!
How well his worth and brave adventures ftyl'd!
Juft to his virtues, to his error mild.
No page of thine, that fears the strictest view,
But teems with juft reproof, or praife as true.
Not Eden could a fairer prospect yield;
All paradife without one barren field:
Whofe wit the cenfure of his foes has paft,
The fong of Afaph fhall for ever laft.
What praife for fuch rich strains shall we allow?
What juft rewards the grateful crown bestow?
While bees in flow'rs rejoice, and flow'rs in dew,
While stars and fountains to their course are true;
While Judah's throne and Sion's rock stand faft,
The fong of Afaph and the fame shall last.
Stil Hebron's honour'd happy foil retains
Our royal hero's beauteous dear remains;
Who now fails off with winds nor wishes flack,
To bring his fuff'rings' bright companion back.
But ere fuch tranfport can our fense employ,
A bitter grief must poison half our joy;
Nor can our coafts restor'd those bleflings fee
Without a bribe to envious deftiny!
Curs'd Sodom's doom for ever fix the tide
Where, by inglorious chance, the valiant died!
Give not infulting Afkalon to know,
Nor let Gath's daughters triumph in our woe!
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