comes unlefs extorted.

But I can be fatisfied on

more easy terms: if I happen to please the more moderate fort, I fhall be fure of an honest party, and, in all probability, of the best judges: for the leaft concerned are commonly the least corrupt. And I confefs I have laid in for thofe, by rebating the fatire, where juftice would allow it, from carrying too fharp an edge. They who can criticife fo weakly, as to imagine I have done my worst, may be convinced at their own coft that I can write feverely, with more eafe than I can gently. I have but laughed at fome men's follies, when I could have declaimed against their vices and other men's virtues I have commended, as freely as I have taxed their crimes. And now, if you are a malicious reader, I expect you should return upon me that I affect to be thought more impartial than I am: but if men are not to be judged by their profeffions, God forgive you commonwealth'smen for profeffing fo plaufibly for the government. You cannot be fo unconfcionable as to charge me for not fubfcribing my name; for that would reflect too grofly upon your own party, who never dare, though they have the advantage of a jury to fecure them. If you like not my poem, the fault may poffibly be in my writing; though it is hard for an author to judge against himself. But more probably it is in your morals, which cannot bear the truth of it. The violent on both fides will condemn the character of Abfalom, as either too favourably or too hardly drawn. But they are not the violent whom I defire to pleafe. The fault on the right hand is to extenuate, palliate, and indulge;

indulge; and to confefs freely, I have endeavoured to commit it. Befides the refpect which I owe his birth, I have a greater for his heroic virtues; and David himself could not be more tender of the young man's life, than I would be of his reputation. But fince the moft, excellent natures are always the most eafy, and, as being such, are the fooneft perverted by ill counsels, especially when baited with fame and glory; it is no more a wonder that he withstood not the temptations of Achitophel, than it was for Adam not to have refifted the two devils, the ferpent and the woman. The conclufion of the story I purposely forbore to profecute, because I could not obtain from myself to fhew Abfalom unfortunate. The frame of it was cut out but for a picture to the waift; and if the draught be fo far true, it is as much as I designed.

Were I the inventor, who am only the hiftorian, I fhould certainly conclude the piece, with the reconcilement of Abfalom to David. And who knows but this may come to pafs? Things were not brought to an extremity where I left the story: there seems yet to be room left for a compofure; hereafter there may be only for pity. I have not fo much as an uncharitable wish against Achitophel; but am content to be accused of a good-natured error, and to hope with Origen, that the devil himself may at laft be faved. For which reafon, in this poem, he is neither brought to fet his houfe in order, nor to difpofe of his perfon afterwards as he in wifdom fhall think fit. God is infinitely merciful; and his vicegerent is only not fo, because he is not infinite.

The

The true end of fatire is the amendment of vices by correction. And he, who writes honeftly, is no more an enemy to the offender, than the phyfician to the patient, when he prefcribes harsh remedies to an inveterate difeafe; for thofe are only in order to prevent the chirurgeon's work of an Enfe refcindendum, which I with not to my very enemies. To conclude all; if the body politic have any analogy to the natural, in my weak judgment, an act of oblivion were as neceffary in a hot diftempered ftate, as an opiate would be in a raging fever.

ABSALOM AND ACHITOPHEL.

IN

N pious times ere prieftcraft did begin,
Before polygamy was made a fin;

When man on many multiply'd his kind,
Ere one to one was curfedly confin'd;
When nature prompted, and no law deny'd
Promiscuous ufe of concubine and bride;
Then Ifrael's monarch after heaven's own heart
His vigorous warmth did variously impart
To wives and flaves; and wide as his command,
Scatter'd his Maker's image through the land.
Michal, of royal blood, the crown did wear;
A foil ungrateful to the tiller's care:
Not fo the reft; for feveral mothers bore
To god-like David feveral fons before.
But fince like flaves his bed they did afcend,
No true fucceffion could their feed attend.

of

Of all the numerous progeny was none
So beautiful, fo brave, as Abfalom:
Whether infpir'd by some diviner luft,
His father got him with a greater gust:
Or that his confcious deftiny made way,
By manly beauty to imperial fway.

Early in foreign fields he won renown,
With kings and states ally'd to Ifrael's crown :
In peace the thoughts of war he could remove,
And feem'd as he were only born for love.
Whate'er he did, was done with fo much ease,
In him alone 'twas natural to please :
His motions all accompany'd with grace;
And paradife was open'd in his face.
With fecret joy indulgent David view'd
His youthful image in his fon renew'd :
To all his wifhes nothing he deny'd;

And made the charming Annabel his bride.
What faults he had, for who from faults is free?
His father could not, or he would not fee.

Some warm exceffes which the law forbore,
Were conftrued youth that purg'd by boiling o'er;
And Amnon's murder by a fpecious name,

Was call'd a juft revenge for injur'd fame.
Thus prais'd and lov'd, the noble youth remain'd,
While David undisturb'd in Sion reign'd.
But life can never be fincerely bleft:

Heaven punishes the bad, and proves the best.
The Jews, a headstrong, moody, murmuring race,
As ever try'd th' extent and stretch of grace;

God's

God's pamper'd people, whom debauch'd with ease,
No king could govern, nor no God could please;
Gods they had try'd of every shape and fize,
That godsmiths could produce, or priests devise :
Thefe Adam-wits too fortunately free,

Began to dream they wanted liberty;

And when no rule, no precedent was found,
Of men, by laws lefs circumfcrib'd and bound;
They led their wild defires to woods and caves,
And thought that all but favages were flaves.
They who, when Saul was dead, without a blow,
Made foolish Ifhbofheth the crown forego;
Who banish'd David did from Hebron bring,
And with a general fhout proclaim'd him king:
Thofe very Jews, who at their very best
Their humour more than loyalty expreft,
Now wonder'd why fo long they had obey'd
An idol monarch, which their hands had made;
Thought they might ruin him they could create,
Or melt him to that golden calf a state.

But these were random bolts: no form'd design,
Nor intereft made the factious crowd to join:
The fober part of Israel, free from stain,
Well knew the value of a peaceful reign;
And, looking backward with a wise affright,
Saw feams of wounds dishonest to the sight:
In contemplation of whofe ugly fears,
They curft the memory of civil wars.
The moderate fort of men thus qualify'd,
Inclin'd the balance to the better fide;

And