Prifon within Prifon Infeparably dark? Thou art become (O worst imprisonment!) The Dungeon of thy felf; thy Soul [plain'd) (Which Men enjoying fight oft without cause com Imprifon'd now indeed, In real darknefs of the body dwells, Shut up from outward light T'incorporate with gloomy night; For inward light alas Puts forth no visual beam. O mirror of our fickle state, Since man on earth unparallel'd? The rarer thy example stands, By how much from the top of wond'rous glory, To lowest pitch of abject fortune thou art fall'n. For him I reckon not in high estate Whom long descent of birth Or the fphear of fortune raises; But thee whofe ftrength, while virtue was her mate, Might have fubdu'd the Earth, Univerfally crown'd with highest praises. Sams Samf. I here the found of words, their sense the air Diffolves unjointed e'er it reach my ear. Chor. He fpake, let us draw nigh.Matchless in might The glory late of Ifrael, now the grief, We come thy friends and neighbours not unknown From Efhtaol and Zora's fruitful Vale To vifit or bewail thee, or if better, Counsel or confolation we may bring, Salve to thy Sores, apt words have pow'r to swage The tumours of a troubl'd mind, And are as Balm to fefter'd wounds. Samf. Your coming, Friends, revives me, for I learn Now of my own experience, not by talk, How counterfeit a coin they are who friends Bear in their Superfcription (of the most I would be understood) in profp'rous days They fwarm, but in adverse withdraw their head Not to be found, though fought. Ye fee, O friends, How many evils have enclos'd me round; Yet that which was the worst now leaft afflicts me, Blindness, for had I fight, confus'd with shame, How could I once look up, or heave the head, Who like a foolish Pilot have shipwreck'd My My Veffel trusted to me from above, Chor. Tax not divine difpofal: wifeft Men Who haft of forrow thy full load besides; Yet truth to fay, I oft have heard men wonder Why thou shouldft wed Philiftian Woman rather At least of thy own Nation, and as noble. That ་་་ That what I mention'd was of God; I knew Thou never waft remifs, I bear thee witnefs: Samf. That fault I take not on me, but transfer Acknow Acknowledg'd not, or not all confider'd Us'd no ambition to commend my deeds, The deeds themselves, though mute, spoke loud th But they persisted deaf, and would not feem [doer To count them things worth notice, till at length Their Lords the Philiftins with gather'd pow'rs Enter'd Judea feeking me, who then Safe to the rock of Etham was retir'd, Not flying, but fore-cafting in what place upon them what advantag'd best; Mean while the men of Judah to prevent Into their hands, and they as gladly yield me Bound with two cords; but cords to me were threds |