himself. But more probably 'tis in your morals, which cannot bear the truth of it. The violent on both fides will condemn the character of Abfalom, as either too favorably or too hardly drawn. But they are not the violent whom I defire to please. The fault on the right hand is to extenuate, palliate, and indulge; and to confess freely, I have endeavoured to commit it. Befides the respect 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 most excellent natures are always the most easy, and, as being fuch, are the fooneft perverted by ill counfels, especially when baited with fame and glory; 'tis 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 ftory I purposely forbore to profecute, because I could not obtain from myself to shew Abfalom unfortunate. The frame of it was cut out but for a picture to the wafte; and if the draught be fo far true, 'tis as much as I defigned.

Were I the inventor, who am only the hiftorian, I should certainly conclude the piece, with

the reconcilement of Abfalom to David. And who knows but this may come to país? Things were not brought to an extremity where I left the ftory: there feems 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 last be faved. For which reason, in this poem, he is neither brought to fet his house in order, nor to difpofe of his perfon afterwards as he in wisdom shall think fit. God is infinitely merciful; and his vicegerent is only not fo, because he is not infinite.

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 physician to the patient, when he prescribes harfh remedies to an inveterate difeafe; for those are only in order to prevent the chirurgeon's work of an Enfe refcindendum, which I wish 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 diftemper'd ftate, as an opiate would be in a raging fever.

ABSALOM

AND

A CHITOPHE L.

N pious times ere prieftcraft did begin,

IN

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
Promifcuous 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 all the numerous progeny was none
So beautiful, fo brave, as Abfalom:
Whether infpir'd by fome diviner lust,
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 ftates 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 so 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 wishes 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 conftru'd youth that purg'd by boiling o'er
And Amnon's murder by a fpecious name,
Was call'd a just 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 blest :
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 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 size,
That godsmiths could produce, or priests devise :
These 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 Ishbofheth the crown forego;