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MANOAH.

Sad, but thou know'st to Israelites not saddest 1560.

The desolation of a hostile city.

MESSENGER.

Feed on that first, there may in grief be surfeit.

Relate by whom.

MANOAH.

MESSENGER.

By Samson.

MANOAH.

That still lessens

The sorrow, and converts it nigh to joy.

MESSENGER.

Ah Manoah, I refrain, too suddenly
To utter what will come at last too soon;
Lest evil tidings with too rude irruption
Hitting thy aged ear should pierce too deep.
MANOAH.

Suspense in news is torture, speak them out.
MESSENGER.

Take then the worst in brief, Samson is dead.

MANOAH.

The worst indeed, O all my hope's defeated To free him hence! but death who sets all free Hath paid his ransom now and full discharge. What windy joy this day had I conceiv'd Hopeful of his delivery, which now proves Abortive as the first-born bloom of spring

1576. Abortive as the first-born bloom of spring &c.] As Mr. Thyer says, this similitude is to be admired for its remarkable

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justness and propriety. One cannot possibly imagine a more exact and perfect image of the dawning hope which Manoah

Nipt with the lagging rear of winter's frost!
Yet ere I give the reins to grief, say first,
How died he; death to life is crown or shame.
All by him fell thou say'st, by whom fell he,

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What glorious hand gave Samson his death's wound? MESSENGER.

Unwounded of his enemies he fell.

MANOAH.

Wearied with slaughter then or how? explain.

By his own hands.

MESSENGER.

MANOAH.

Self-violence? what cause

Brought him so soon at variance with himself

Among his foes?

MESSENGER.
Inevitable cause

had conceived from the favourable answer he had met with from some of the Philistian lords, and of its being so suddenly extinguished by this return of ill fortune, than that of the early

bloom, which the warmth of a few fine days frequently pushes forward in the spring, and then it is cut off by an unexpected return of winterly weather. As Mr. Warburton observes, this beautiful passage seems to be taken from Shakespeare, Henry

VIII. act iii. sc. 6.

This is the state of man; to-day he puts forth

The tender leaves of hopes, to morrow blossoms,

And bears his blushing honours thick upon him;

The third day comes a frost, a killing

frost;

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And when he thinks, good easy man, full surely

His greatness is a ripening, nips his

root;

And then he falls, as I do.

Upon which Mr. Warburton remarks, that as spring-frosts are not injurious to the roots of fruittrees, he should imagine the poet wrote shoot, that is, the tender shoot on which are the young leaves and blossoms. The com parison, as well as expression of nips, is juster too in this reading. Shakespeare has the same thought in Love's Labour Lost.

Byron is like an envious sneaping frost

That bites the first-born infants of the spring.

See Warburton's Shakespeare, `vol. v. p. 413.

At once both to destroy and be destroy'd;
The edifice, where all were met to see him,
Upon their heads and on his own he pull❜d.
MANOAH.

O lastly over-strong against thyself!

A dreadful way thou took'st to thy revenge.
More than enough we know; but while things yet
Are in confusion, give us if thou canst,

Eye-witness of what first or last was done,

Relation more particular and distinct.

:

MESSENGER.

Occasions drew me early to this city, And as the gates I ́enter'd with sun-rise, The morning trumpets festival proclaim'd

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Through each high street: little I had dispatch'd,
When all abroad was rumour'd that this day
Samson should be brought forth, to show the people
Proof of his mighty strength in feats and games;
I sorrow'd at his captive state, but minded

1596. Occasions drew me early &c.] As I observed before, that Milton had with great art excited the reader's attention to this grand event, so here he is no less careful to gratify it by the relation. It is circumstantial, as the importance of it required, but not so as to be tedious or too long to delay our expectation. It would be found difficult, I believe, to retrench one article without making it defective, or to add one which should not appear redundant. The picture of Samson in particular with head inclined and eyes fixed, as if he was addressing himself to that

God who had given him such a measure of strength, and was summing up all his force and resolution, has a very fine effect upon the imagination. Milton is no less happy in the sublimity of his description of this grand exploit, than judicious in the choice of the circumstances preceding it. The poetry rises as the subject becomes more interesting, and one may without rant or extravagance say, that the poet seems to exert no less force of genius in describing than Samson does strength of body in executing. Thyer.

Not to be absent at that spectacle.

The building was a spacious theatre

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Half-round on two main pillars vaulted high,

With seats where all the lords and each degree
Of sort, might sit in order to behold;

The other side was open, where the throng

On banks and scaffolds under sky might stand;
I among these aloof obscurely stood.

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The feast and noon grew high, and sacrifice

Had fill'd their hearts with mirth, high cheer, and wine,
When to their sports they turn'd. Immediately
Was Samson as a public servant brought,

In their state livery clad; before him pipes
And timbrels, on each side went armed guards,
Both horse and foot, before him and behind

1604. absent at that spectacle] The language would be more correct, if it was absent from that spectacle.

1605. The building was a spa

cious theatre

Half-round on two main pillars

vaulted high, &c.] Milton has finely accounted for this dreadful catastrophe, and has with great judgment obviated the common objection. It is commonly asked, how so great a building, containing so many thousands of people, could rest upon two pillars so near placed together: and to this it is answered, that instances are not wanting of far more large and capacious buildings than this, that have been supported only by one pillar. Particularly, Pliny in the fifteenth chapter of the thirty-sixth book of his natural

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history, mentions two theatres built by one C. Curio, who lived in Julius Cæsar's time; e each of which was supported only by one pillar, or pin, or hinge, though very many thousands of people did sit in it together. See Poole's Annotations. Mr. Thyer further adds, that Dr. Shaw in his travels observing upon the eastern method of building says, that the place where they exhibit their diversions at this day is an advanced cloister, made in the fashion of a large penthouse, supported only by one or two contiguous pillars in the front, or else at the centre, and that upon a supposition therefore that in the house of Dagon, there was a cloistered structure of this kind, the pulling down the front or centre pillars only which supported it, would be attended with

Archers, and slingers, cataphracts and spears.
At sight of him the people with a shout
Rifted the air, clamouring their God with praise,
Who' had made their dreadful enemy their thrall.
He patient but undaunted where they led him,
Came to the place, and what was set before him,
Which without help of eye might be assay'd,
To heave, pull, draw, or break, he still perform'd
All with incredible, stupendous force,
None daring to appear antagonist.

At length for intermission sake they led him
Between the pillars; he his guide requested
(For so from such as nearer stood we heard)
As over-tir'd to let him lean a while
With both his arms on those two massy pillars,
That to the arched roof gave main support.
He unsuspicious led him; which when Samson
Felt in his arms, with head a while inclin'd,
And eyes fast fix'd he stood, as one who pray'd,
Or some great matter in his mind revolv'd:
At last with head erect thus cried aloud,
Hitherto, lords, what your commands impos'd
I have perform'd, as reason was, obeying,
Not without wonder or delight beheld :
Now of my own accord such other trial

I mean to show you of my strength, yet greater;
As with amaze shall strike all who behold.
This utter'd, straining all his nerves he bow'd,

the like catastrophe that happened to the Philistines. See Shaw's travels, p. 283.

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1619. cataphracts] Men or horses completely armed, from καταφρασσω armis munio.

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