My

ame perhaps among the circumcis'd

In Dan, in Judah, and the bordering Tribes,
To all pofterity may ftand defam'd,
With malediction mention'd, and the blot
Of falfhood moft unconjugal traduc'd:
But in my country where I most defire,
In Ecron, Gaza, Afdod, and in Gath
I shall be named among the famousest
Of Women, fung at folemn festivals,
Living and dead recorded, who to fave
Her country from a fierce destroyer, chofe
Above the faith of wedlock-bands; my tomb
With odours vifited and annual flow'rs;
Not lefs renown'd than in Mount Ephraim,
Jael, who with inhospitable guile

Smote Sifera Aeeping through the Temples nail'd.
Nor fhall I count it heinous to enjoy

The public marks of honour and reward
Conferr'd upon me, for the piety

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98

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Which to my country, I was judg'd t'have shewn. At this whoever envies or r

repines,

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

995

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

Samf. So let her g9; God fent her to debase me And aggravate my folly, who committed

To fuch a viper his most facred trust

Of secrecy, my safety and my life,

[pow'r,

Chor. Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange

After offence returning, t

to regain

Love once poffeft; nor can be eafily

1005

Repulft,

Repulft, without much inward paffion felt,
And fecret fting of amorous remorse.

Samf. Love-quarrels oft in pleafing concord end, Not wedlock-treachery endang'ring life.

Chor. It is not virtue, wisdom, valor, wit, 1010 Strength, comeliness of shape, or amplest merit, 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)

Much like thy riddle, Samfon, in one day
Or feven, though one should musing fit:
If any of these or all, the Timnian Bride
Had not fo foon preferr'd

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Thy Paranymph, worthless to thee compar'd, 1020 Succeffor in thy Bed,

Nor both fo loofly difally'd

Their Nuptials, nor this laft fo treacherously

Had fhorn the fatal Harvest of thy Head.

Is it for that fuch outward ornament

Was lavish'd on their Sex, that inward gifts

Were left for hafte unfinish'd, judgment fcant,
Capacity not rais'd to apprehend,

Or value what is best

1025

In choice, but oftest to affect the wrong? 1030 Or was too much of felf-love mixt,

Of constancy no root infix'd,

"

That either they love nothing or not long?

Whate'er it be, to wifest Men and best

Seeming at first all heav'nly under virgin Veil, 1035 Soft, modeft, meek, demure;

Once

Once join'd, the contrary she proves, a Thorn
Inteftine, war within defenfive arms,

A cleaving mischief, in his way to virtue
Adverse and turbulent; or by her charms
Draws him awry, enflav'd

With dotage, and his fenfe deprav'd

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To folly and shameful deeds which ruin ends. What Pilot fo expert but needs must wreck, Embark'd with such a Steers-mate at the Helm? 1045

Favour'd of Heav'n, who finds

One virtuous rarely found,

That in domeftic good combines :

Happy that house! his way to peace is smooth:

But virtue, which breaks through all oppofition,
And all temptation can remove,

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Moft fhines, and moft is acceptable above.

Therefore God's univerfal Law

Gave to the Man defpotic power

Over his Female in due awe,

Nor from that right to part an hour,
Smile fhe or lower:

So fhall he leaft confufion draw

On his whole life, not fway'd

By female ufurpation, nor difmay'd.

But we had best retire, I see a storm.

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Samf. Fair days have oft contracted wind and rain, Cbor. But this another kind of tempest brings. Samf. Be lefs abstruse, my riddling days are past. Chor. Look now for no inchanting voice, nor fear The bait of honied words; a rougher tongue 1066 Draws hitherward, I know him by his stride,

The

The Giant Harapha of Gatb, his look.
Haughty, as is a pile high-built and proud.
Comes he in peace? what wind hath blown him hither
Llefs conjecture, than when firft ›I fawn
The fumptuous Dalila floating this way : 63 dalis)
His habit carries peace, his brow defiance.

Samf. Or peace or not, alike to me he comes. `
Cher. His fraught we foon fhall know," he now

arrives. 1075 Har. I come not, Samfos, to condole thý chance, * As thefe perhaps, yet wish it had not been, Though for no friendly intent. I am of Gath, Men call me Harapba, of stock renown'd, As Og or Anak, and the Emims old.

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10:

2,བ

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That Kiriathaim held; thou knowft me now,
If thou at all art known. Much I have heard >:
Of thy prodigions might and feats perform'd
Incredible to me, in this difpleas'd,n?
That I was never present on the place:
Of those encounters, where we might have try'd
Each other's force in camp or lifted field:
And now am come to fee of whom fuch noife
Hath walk'd about, and each limb to furvey, 15
If thy appearance answer loud report.

Samf. The way to know were not to fee but taste.^

Har. Doft, thou already, fingle me ?› I thought Gieves and the Mill had tam'd thee. : 4O1that fortune^ Had brought me to the Field, where thou art fam'd T' have wrought such wonders with an Afs's Jaw; I should have forc'd thee foon with other arms, `1096” Or left thy carcafe where the Ass lây thrown:

So had the glory of Prowels Been recover'd
To Paleftine, won by a Philistin ! && 2»
From the unføreskin'd race, of whom thou bear't
The highest name for valiant Acts that honour 1101
Certain to have won by mortal duel from thee,'

I lofe, prevented by thy eyes put out.

[but do
Sams. Boast not of what thou wouldst have done,
What then thou wouldst thou feeft it in thy hand.1105
Har. To combat with a blind Man I difdain ;
And thou haft need much washing to be touch'd.
Samf. Such ufage as your honourable Lords
Afford me, affaffinated3and betray'd ;

Who durft not with their whole united pow'rs 1110
In fight withstandime single and harm'a,

Nor in the house with chamber Ambushes

Close-banded durft attack me, no, not neeping,
JE O 1.
Till they had hir'd a woman with their gold
Breaking her Marriage Faith, to circumvent me. 1115
Therefore without feign' Thifes let be affignTMd'
Some narrow place enclos' &, where fight may give thee,
Or rather flight, no great advantage on me;
Then put on all thy gorgeous arms, thy Helmet
And Brigandine of brafs, thy broad Habergeon, 1120
Vant-brafs, and Greves, and Gauntlet, add thy Spear
A Weaver's beam, and feven times folded shield;~
I only with an Oaken staff will meet thee,
And raife fuch out-cries on thy clatter'd Iron, 1124
Which long shall not withhold me from thy head';'>
That in a little time while breath remains thee,
Thou oft fhalt with thyself at Gaib, to boast
Again in fafety what thou wouldst have done