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Persuasive, virgin majesty with mild

And sweet allay'd, yet terrible t' approach,
Skill'd to retire, and in retiring draw

160

Hearts after them tangled in amorous nets.
Such object hath the pow'r to soft'n and tame
Severest temper, smooth the rugged'ft brow,
Enerve, and with voluptuous hope diffolve, 165
Draw out with credulous defire, and lead
At will the manlieft, resolutest breast,
As the magnetic hardest iron draws.

Women, when nothing else, beguil'd the heart
Of wifest Solomon, and made him build,
And made him bow to the Gods of his wives.
To whom quick answer Satan thus return'd.
Belial, in much uneven scale thou weigh'st
All others by thyfelf; because of old

170

180

Thou thyfelf doat'dft on womankind, admiring 175
Their shape, their color, and attractive grace,
None are, thou think'st, but taken with such toys.
Before the flood thou with thy lufty crew,
False titled fons of God, roaming the earth
Caft wanton eyes on the daughters of men,
And coupled with them, and begot a race.
Have we not seen, or by relation heard,
In courts and regal chambers how thou lurk'ft,
In wood or grove by mossy fountain side,
In valley or green meadow, to way-lay
Some beauty rare, Califto, Clymene,

E

185

Daphne,

Daphne, or Semele, Antiopa,

Or Amymone, Syrinx, many more

Too long, then lay'ft thy scapes on names ador'd,
Apollo, Neptune, Jupiter, or Pan,

Satir, or Faun, or Sylvan? But thefe haunts
Delight not all; among the fons of men,

- 190

How many have with a smile made small account Of beauty and her lures, easily scorn'd

All her assaults, on worthier things intent? 195
Remember that Pellean conqueror,

A youth, how all the beauties of the east
He flightly view'd, and flightly overpafs'd;
How he firnam'd of Africa difmifs'd

200

205

In his prime youth the fair Iberian maid.
For Solomon, he liv'd at ease, and full
Of honor, wealth, high fare, aim'd not beyond
Higher defign than to enjoy his state;
Thence to the bait of women lay expos'd:
But he whom we attempt is wiser far
Than Solomon, of more exalted mind,
Made and fet wholly on th' accomplishment
Of greatest things; what woman will you find,
Though of this age the wonder and the fame,
On whom his leifure will vouchsafe an eye
Of fond defire? or fhould she confident,
As fitting queen ador'd on beauty's throne,
Defcend with all her winning charms begirt
T'enamour, as the zone of Venus once

210

Wrought

Wrought that effect on Jove, fo fables tell; 215
How would one look from his majestic brow
Seated as on the top of virtue's hill,
Discount'nance her defpis'd, and put to rout
All her array; her female pride deject,

Or turn to reverent awe? for beauty ftands 220
In th' admiration only of weak minds

Led captive; cease to' admire, and all her plumes
Fall flat and shrink into a trivial toy,
At every fudden flighting quite abash'd:
Therefore with manlier objects we must try 225
His conftancy, with fuch as have more show
Of worth, of honor, glory', and popular praise;
Rocks whereon greatest men have ofteft wreck'd;
Or that which only feems to satisfy
Lawful defires of nature, not beyond;

And now I know he hungers where no food
Is to be found, in the wide wilderness;

230

The reft commit to me, I shall let pafs

No' advantage, and his ftrength as oft afsay.

He ceas'd, and heard their grant in loud acclame;

Then forthwith to him takes a chosen band

Of Spirits likeft to himself in guile

To be at hand, and at his beck appear,

236

If cause were to unfold fome active scene

240

Of various perfons, each to know his part; Then to the desert takes with these his flight; Where ftill from fhade to fhade the Son of God

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Daphne, or Semele, Antiopa,

Or Amymone, Syrinx, many more

Too long, then lay'st thy scapes on names ador'd,
Apollo, Neptune, Jupiter, or Pan,

Satir, or Faun, or Sylvan? But these haunts
Delight not all; among the fons of men,

190

How many have with a smile made small account Of beauty and her lures, easily scorn'd

All her affaults, on worthier things intent? 195
Remember that Pellean conqueror,

A youth, how all the beauties of the east
He flightly view'd, and flightly overpafs'd;
How he firnam'd of Africa difmifs'd

200

In his prime youth the fair Iberian maid.
For Solomon, he liv'd at ease, and full
Of honor, wealth, high fare, aim'd not beyond
Higher design than to enjoy his state;
Thence to the bait of women lay expos'd:
But he whom we attempt is wiser far
Than Solomon, of more exalted mind,
Made and fet wholly on th' accomplishment

Of greatest things; what woman will you find,
Though of this age the wond

On whom his leifure will vo
Of fond defire? or fhould fr
As fitting queen ador'd on 1
Defcend with all her winni
T'enamour, as the zone c

d the fame,

Te an eye
ident,

's throne,
rms begirt

s once

Wr

205

210

215

Wrought that effect on Jove, fo fables tell;
How would one look from his majestic brow-
Seated as on the top of virtue's hill,
Discount 'nance her defpis'd, and put to rout
All her array; her female pride deject,

Or turn to reverent awe? for beauty ftands
In th' admiration only of weak minds

220

Led captive; cease to' admire, and all her plumes
Fall flat and fhrink into a trivial toy,

At every sudden flighting quite abash'd:
Therefore with manlier objects we must try 225
His conftancy, with fuch as have more show
Of worth, of honor, glory', and popular praise;
Rocks whereon greatest men have ofteft wreck'd;
Or that which only feems to fatisfy
Lawful defires of nature, not beyond;

And now I know he hungers where no food
Is to be found, in the wide wilderness;

230

The reft commit to me, I shall let pass

No' advantage, and his ftrength as oft afsay.

He ceas'd, and heard their grant in loud acclame;

Then forthwith to him takes a chofen band

Of Spirits likest to himself in guile

To be at hand, and at his beck appear,

236

If cause were to unfold fome active scene

240

Of various perfons, each to know his part; Then to the desert takes with these his flight; Where ftill from shade to fhade the Son of God

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