Persuasive, virgin majesty with mild
And sweet allay'd, yet terrible t' approach, Skill'd to retire, and in retiring draw
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
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,
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,
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
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
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;
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,
If cause were to unfold fome active scene
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
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,
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
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
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
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;
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,
If cause were to unfold fome active scene
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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