Are princes thus diftinguish'd from the crow
And this the privilege of royal blood?
But grantwe shouldconfirm thewrongs they pr
His fufferings yet were than the people's lei
Condemn'd for life the murdering word to wi

Thus madly their own freedom they betray,
And for th oppreffion which they fear make w
Succeffion fix'd by Heaven, the kingdom's
Which once diffolv'd admits the flood of w
Wafte, rapine, fpoil, without, th' aflault begi
And our mad tribes fupplant the fence wit
Since then their good they will not underil
'Tis time to take the monarch's pow'r in hai
Authority and force to join with skill,
And fave the lunatics against their will.
The fame rough means that fuage the crowd,
peafe

Our fenates raging with the crowd's disease
Henceforth unbials'd measures let them dra
From no false glofs, but genuine text of law
Nor urge thofe crimes upon religion's score,
Themfelves fo much in Jebufites abhor.
Whom laws convict, and only they, fhall ble
Nor Pharifees by Pharifees be freed.
Impartial justice from our throne shall show
All thall have right, and we our fov'reign pov

Thus our forefathers' crooked paths are trod;
Wetruft 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 fcars,
And fresh remembrance of inteftine wars; And on their heirs entail a bloody field:
When the faine household mortal foes did yield,
And brothers ftain'dwithbrothers'bloodthefield,
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 scene 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' spoils.
Yet our fierce fanhedrim in reftless 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 ftate,
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 cease,
But found the raging billows ftill increase. He faid: th' attendants heard with awful j
The crowd, whofe infolence forbearance fwells, And glad prefages their fix'd thoughts empl
While he forgives too far, almoft rebels. From Hebron now the fuffering heir return
At iaft his deep refentment filence broke, A realm that long with civil difcord mourn
Th' imperial palace fhook while thus he spoke Till his approach, like fome arriving God,
Then Juftice wake, and Rigour take her time, Compos'd and heal'd the place of his abode
For, lo! our mercy is become our crime. The deluge check'd that to Jucea spread,
While halting Punishment her ftroke delays, And stopp'd fedition at the fountain's head.
Our fov'reign right, heaven's facred truft, decays! Thus in forgiving David's paths he drives,
For whofe fupport ev'n fubjects' interefi calls, And, chas'd from Ifrael, Ifrael's peace contriv
Woe to that kingdom where the monarch falls! The field confefs'd his pow'r in arms before
That prince who yields the leaft of regal fway, And feas proclaim'd his triumphs to the tho
So far his people's freedom does betray. As nobly has his fway in Hebron fhewn,
Right lives by law, and law fubfifts by pow'r; How fit t' inherit godlike David's throne.
Difarm the thepherd, wolves the flock devour. Through Sion's ftreets his glad arrival's pre
Hard lot of empire o'er a ftubborn race, And conscious faction shrinks her fnaky he
Which Heaven itfelf in vain has tried with grace! His train their fufferings think o'erpaid, to
Whenwillour reafon'slong-charm'deyesunclofe, The crowd's applaufe with virtue once agree
And Ifrael judge between her friends and foes?
When fhall we fee expired deceivers fway,
And credit what our God and monarchs fay?
Diffembled patriots, brib'd with Egypt's gold,
Ev'n fanhedrims in blind obedience hold;
Thofe patriots falsehood 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,
Tavoid thofemifchiefswhichthey feem'dtodread,
But fift ere yet they propp'd the finking ftate,
T'impeach and charge, as urg'd by private hate;
Provesthat theyne erbeliev'dthefears they prefs'd,
But barb'roufly destroy'd the nation's reft!
O whither will ungovern'd fenates drive,
And to what bound icentious votes arrive?
When their injuftice we are prefs'd to share,

- monarch urg'd t' ezclude the lawful heir;

Succefs charms all, but zeal for worth diftickt
A virtue proper to the brave and beft;
Mongft whom was Jothran, Jothran always be
To ferve the crown, and loyel by defcent;
Whofe conftancy fo firm, and conduct juti,
Deferv'd at once two royal master's truit;
Who Tyre's proud arms had manfully withfte
On feas, and gather'd laurels from the flood;
Of learning yet no portion was denied,
Friend to the Mufes, and the Mufes' pride.
Nor can Benaiah's worth forgotten lie,
Of steady foul when public forms were high
Whofeconduct, whilethe Moorfierce on fets made
Secur'd at once our honour and our trade.
Such were the chiefs who moft his fuffering

mourn'd,

And view'd with filent joy the prince retum'd
While thofe that fought his abience to betray
Prefs firft their naufeous falfe respects to pay

A prince fo form'd with earth's and heaven's

Totriumph o'er crown'd heads in David's caufe:
Or, grant him victor, ftill his hopes must fan,
Who conquering would not for himself prevail;
The faction whom he trufts for future fway,
Him and the public would alike betray;
Amongst themselves divide the captive ftate,
And found their hydra-empire in his fate!
Thus haviug 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 fpring,
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

To aid the crown and ftate his greatest zeal,
His fecond care that service to conceal:
Of dues obfervant, firm to ev'ry trust,
And to the needy always more than just:
Who truth from ípecious falsehood can divide,
Has all the gownfmen's skill without their pride;
'Thus crown'd with worth from heights of ho-

nour won,

See 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 noblest kind,
Already are the conqueft of his mind;
Whole loyalty before its date was prime,
Nor waited the dull courfe of rolling time:
The monfter Faction early he difmay'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 restor'd the crown.
That praife was his; what therefore did remain
For following chiefs, but boldly to maintain
That crown restor`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'infpied tribe attend with nobleft strain
To regifter the glories thou thalt gain:
For fure the dew fhall Gilboah's hills forfake,
Aud Jordan mix his stream with Sodom`s lake;
Or feas retir'd their fecret ftores difclose,
And to the fun their fealy brood expofe;
Or fwell'd above the clifts their billows raife,
Before the Mufes leave their patron's praife.
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 fervice, and defert fo large,
Well claim'd the royal household for his charge;
Ilis age with only one mild heiress bleft,
In all the bloom of fmiling nature dreft,
And bleft again to fee his How'r allied
ToDavid'stock,andmadeyoungOthniel's bride!
The bright restorer of his father's youth,
Devoted to a fon's aud 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 thyworth!
That no Achitophel thy ruin boast!

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 fimall; 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 list of nobles next let Amri grace,
Whose merits claim'd the Abethdin's high plac
Who, with a loyalty that did excel,
Brought all th' endowments of Achitophel.
Sincere was Amri, and not only knew,
But Ifrael's fanctions into practice drew;
Our laws, that did a boundless ocean feem,
Were coafted all, and fathom`d all by him.
No rabbin fpeaks like him their myftic fente
So juft, and with fuch charms of eloquence:
To whom the double bleffing does belong,
With Mofes' infpiration, Aaron's tongue.
Then Sheva none more loyal zeal have thew
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 prietis the cant revive;
In vain feditious feribes with libel strive
T'intame the crowd; while he with watchfule
Obferves, and fhoots their treasons as they fly
Their weekly frauds his keen replies detect;
He undeceives more fait than they infect.
So Mofes, when the pest on legions prey'd,
Advanc'd his fignal, and the plague was ftay

Once more, my fainting Mule, thypinions!
And ftrength's exhaufted ftore let love fupply
What tribute, Afaph, fhall we render thee?
We'll crown thee with a wreath from thy ov
Thy laurel grove no envy's flath can blaft: [tr
The fong of Afaph fhall for ever laft.
With wonder late pofterity fhail dwell
Ou Abfalom and false Achitophel :
Thyftrainfhall be ourflumb'ring prophet'sdrea
And when our Sion virgins fing their theme,
Our jubilees fhall with thy verfe be grac'd;
The fong of Ataph thall for ever laft. [tam

How herce his fatire loos'd! reftrain'd, ho
How tender of th' offending young man's fam
How well his worth and brave adventures ftyl
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:
Whole wit the cenfure of his foes has past,
The fong of Afaph fhall for ever laft.

What praife for fuch rich strains fhallwe allow
What juft rewards the grateful crown bestow?
While bees in flow'rs rejoice, and flow'rs in dev
While ftars and fountains to their courfe are tru
While Judah's throne and Sion's rock ftand fat
The fong of Afaph and the fame fhall laft.

Still Hebron's honour'd happy foil retains
Our roya! hero's beauteous dear remains;
Who now fails off with winds nor withes fack,
To bring his fuff 'rings' bright companion back
But ere fuch transport can our fenfe employ,
A bitter grief muft poifon half our joy;
Nor can our coafts reitor'd those bleflings fee
Without a bribe to envious destiny!
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
Nor

N

With David then was Ifrael's peace reftor'd; Crowds mourn'dtheirerror, and obey'dtheirlord. Key to Abfalom and Achitophel.

Pharaoh,

Rabfbeka,

Parliament.

Oliver Cromwell.

At his approach they rais'd a rueful cry,
And beat their breafts, and held their han

Sagan of Jerufalem, Dr. Compton, Bp. of Lon. Creeping and crying, till they feiz'd at la

Sanhedrim,

Saul,

Shimei,

Sheva,

Solymean Rout,

Tyre,

Uzza,

Zadoc,

Zaken,

Zimri,

Ziloah,

$28.

His courfer's bridle, and his feet embrac
Tell me, faid Thefeus, what and when

are,

And why this fun'ral pageant you prepar
Is this the welcome of my worthy deeds,
To meet my triumph in ill-omen'd weed
Or envy you my praife, and would destro
With grief my pleafures, and pollute my
Or are you injur'd, and demand relief?
Name your requeft, and I will eafe your

The most in years of all the mourning t
Began (but fwooned firit away for pain);
Then fcarce recover'd spoke: Nor envy v
Thy great renown, nor grudge thy victory
Palamon and Arcite: or the Knight's And fame has filled the world with thy fu
'Tis thine, O king, th' afflicted to redress,

Tale. DRYDEN.

BOOK I.

IN days of old, there liv'd of mighty fame,
A valiant prince, and Thefeus was his name:
A chief who more in feats of arms excell'd
The rifing nor the setting fun beheld.

Of Athens he was lord; much land he won,
And added foreign countries to his crown.
In Scythia with the warrior queen he ftrove,
Whom fift by force he conquer'd, then by love;
He brought in triumph back the beauteous dame,
With whom her fifter, fair Emilia, came.
With honour to his home let Thefeus ride,
With love to friend, and fortune for his guide,
And his victorious army at his fide.
I pafs their warlike pomp, their proud array,
Their fhouts, their fongs, their welcome on the
way:

But, were it not too long, I would recite
The fear of Amazons, the fatal fight
Betwixt the hardy queen and hero knight;
The town befieg'd, and how much blood it coft
The female army and th' Athenian hoft;
The fpoufals of Hippolita the queen;
What tilts and tourneys at the feaft were feen;
The ftorm at their return, the ladies' fear:
But thefe and other things, I must forbear.
The field is fpacious I delign to sow,
With oxen far unfit to draw the plough;
The remnant of my tale is of a length
To tire your patience, and to waste my ftrength;
And trivial accidents fhall be forborne,
That others may have time to take their turn;
As was at firft enjoin'd us by mine hoft,
That he whose tale is best, and pleases most,
Should win his fupper at our common cost.
And therefore where I left I will pursue
This ancient ftory, whether falfe or true,
In hope it may be mended with a new.
The prince I mention'd, full of high renown,
In this array drew near the Athenian town;
When in his pomp and utmost of his pride,
Marching he chanc'd to caft his eye afide,
And law a choir of mourning dames, who lay
By two and two across the common way:

}

We wretched women fue for that alone,
Which of thy goodness is refus'd to none
Let fall fome drops of pity on our grief,
If what we beg be juft, and we deserve re
For none of us, who now thy grace implo
But held the rank of fov'reign queen bef
Till, thanks to giddy chance, which never
That mortal blifs fhould last for length of y
She caft us headlong from our high eftate;
And here in hope of thy return we wait:
And long have waited in the temple nigh,
Built to the gracious goddefs Clemency. [t
But rev'rence thou the pow'r whofe nan
Relieve th' oppreft, and wipe the widow's t
I, wretched I, have other fortune seen,
The wife of Capancus, and once a queen:
At Thebes he fell; curft be the fatal day !
And all the reft thou feeft in this array,
To make their moan, their lords in battle l
Before that townbefieg'd byour confederatel
But Creon, old and impious, who comman
The Theban city, and ufurps the lands,
Denies the rites of fun'ral fires to those
Whose breathlefs bodies yet he calls his for
Unburn'd, unburied, on a heap they lie ;
Such is their fate, and fuch his tyranny;
No friend has leave to bear away the dead,
But with their lifelefs limbs his hounds are f
At this the fhriek'd aloud; the mournful tra
Echoed her grief, and grov'ling on the plain
With groans, and hands upheld, to move
Befought his pity to their helplefs kind! [min]

The princewas touch'd,his tears began to flo
And, as his tender heart would break in two
He figh'd: and could not but their fate deplor
So wretched now, fo fortunate before,
Then lightly from his lofty fteed he flew,
And raifing one by one the fuppliant crew,
To comfort each, full folemnly he fwore,
That by the faith which knights to knighthoo