I shall be nam'd among the famousest
Of women, fung at folemn festivals,
Living and dead recorded, who, to fave
Her country from a fierce deftroyer, chofe
Above the faith of wedlock-bands, my tomb
With odors vifited and annual flowers;
Not lefs renown'd than in mount Ephraim

Jael, who with inhofpitable guile

985

Smote Sifera fleeping through the temples nail'd. 990 Nor fhall I count it hainous to enjoy

The public marks of honor and reward,

Conferr'd upon me, for the piety

Which to my country I was judg'd to' have shown. At this whoever envies or repines,

I leave him to his lot, and like my own.

995

CHо. She's gone, a manifeft ferpent by her fting Discover'd in the end, till now conceal'd.

SAMS. So let her go, God fent her to debase me, And aggravate my folly, who committed

To fuch a viper his most sacred trust

Of fecrefy, my fafety, and my life.

1000

CHо. Yet beauty, though injurious, hath ftrange

After offenfe returning, to regain

Love once poffefs'd, nor can be eafily

Repuls'd, without much inward paffion felt

And fecret fting of amorous remorse.

[power,

1005

SAMS. Love-quarrels oft in pleafing concord end,

Not wedlock-treachery indangering life.

CHO. It is not virtue, wisdom, valor, wit,

Strength, comeliness of shape, or ampleft merit

1010

That

That woman's love can win or long inherit;
But what it is, hard is to say,

Harder to hit,

(Which way foever men refer it)

1015

Much like thy riddle, Samfon, in one day

Or feven, though one should mufing fit.
If any of these or all, the Timnian bride
Had not fo foon preferr'd

Thy paranymph, worthless to thee compar'd,
Succeffor in thy bed,

Nor both fo loofly difally'd

Their nuptials, nor this last so treacherously
Had fhorn the fatal harvest of thy head.

1020

In choice, but ofteft to affect the wrong?

1030

Or was too much of felf-love mix'd,

Of conftancy no root infix'd,

That either they love nothing, or not long?

Whate'er it be, to wifeft men and best

Seeming at firft all heav'nly under virgin veil, 1035

Soft, modeft, meek, demure,

Once join'd, the contrary the proves, a thorn
Inteftin, far within defenfive arms

A cleaving mischief, in his way to virtue
Adverfe and turbulent, or by her charms
inflay'd

Draws him awry

1040

With

With dotage, and his sense deprav'd

To folly' and fhameful deeds which ruin ends.
What pilot fo expert but needs must wreck
Imbark'd with fuch a steers-mate at the helm? 1045

Favor'd of Heav'n who finds

One virtuous rarely found,

That in domestic good combines :

Happy that house! his way to peace is smooth:
But virtue, which breaks through all oppofition, 1050
And all temptation can remove,

Most shines and moft is acceptable above.

.Therefore God's univerfal law

Gave to the man defpotic power

But had we best retire, I fee a ftorm?

SAMS. Fair days have oft contracted wind and rain. CHO. But this another kind of tempeft brings. SAMS. Be lefs abstruse, my riddling days are past.

1066

CHO. Look now for no inchanting voice, nor fear The bait of honied words; a rougher tongue Draws hitherward, I know him by his stride, The giant Harapha of Gath, his look

Haughty as is his pile high-built and proud.

Comes he in peace? what wind hath blown him hither

I lefs conjecture than when first I faw

1071

The