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And what in me seems wanting, but that I
May also in this poverty as foon

Accomplish what they did, perhaps and more?
Extol not Riches then, the toyl of Fools,

450

The wife man's cumbrance, if not snare, more apt To flacken Virtue, and abate her edge, 455 Than prompt her to do aught may merit praise. What if with like averfion I reject

Riches and Realms? yet not, for that a Crown, Golden in fhew, is but a wreath of thorns, Brings dangers, troubles, cares, and sleepless nights To him who wears the Regal Diadem,

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461
When on his shoulders each man's burden lies:
For therein stands the Office of a King,
His Honour, Virtue, Merit and chief Praise,
That for the Publick all this weight he bears.
Yet he who reigns within himself, and rules
Paffions, Defires, and Fears, is more a King;
Which ev'ry wife and virtuous man attains:
And who attains not, ill afpires to rule
Cities of men or head-strong multitudes,
Subject himself to Anarchy within,

Or lawless Paffions in him, which he ferves,
But to guide Nations in the way of truth
By faving Doctrine, and from error lead

470

To know, and knowing worship God aright, 475
Is yet more Kingly; this attracts the Soul,
Governs the inner man, the nobler part:
That other o'er the body only reigns;
And oft by force, which to a gen'rous mind

So reigning, can be no fincere delight.

Befides, to give a Kingdom hath been thought
Greater and nobler done, and to lay down
Far more magnanimous, than to affume.
Riches are needless then, both for themselves,

480

And for thy reafon why they should be fought, 485 To gain a Scepter, ofteft better mifs'd.

The End of the Second Books

PARADISE REGAIN'D.

BOOK III.

O fpake the Son of God; and Satan stood A while as mute, confounded what to fay,

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What to reply, confuted and convinc'd Of his weak arguing, and fallacious drift: At length collecting all his Serpent wiles, With foothing words renew'd, him thus accofts: I fee thou know't what is of ufe to know, What best to say canft fay, to do canft do: Thy actions to thy words accord, thy words To thy large heart give utterance due; thy heart to Contains of good, wife, juft, the perfect shape. Should Kings and Nations, from thy mouth confult, Thy Counfel would be as the Oracle Urim and Thummim, thofe oraculous gems On Aaron's breaft, or tongue of Seers old Infallible; or wert thou fought to deeds That might require th'array of war, thy skill Of conduct would be fuch, that all the world

15.

Could

Could not fuftain thy Prowess, or fubfift

In battle, though against thy few in arms.
Thefe God-like Virtues wherefore doft thou hide,
Affecting private life, or more obscure

In favage Wildernefs? wherefore deprive
All Earth her wonder at thy Acts, thyself
The fame and glory; glory, the reward
That fole excites to high attempts, the flame
Of most erected Spirits, moft temper'd pure
Ætherial, who all pleasures else despise,
All treasures and all gain esteem as drofs,
And dignities and pow'rs all but the highest ?
Thy years are ripe, and over-ripe; the fon
Of Macedonian Philip had ere these
Won Afia, and the Throne of Cyrus held

20

25

30

At his difpofe; young Scipio had brought down
The Carthaginian pride, young Pompey quell'd 35
The Pontic King, and in triumph had rode.
Yet years, and to ripe years judgment mature,
Quench not the thirst of glory, but augment.
Great Julius, whom now all the world admires,
The more he grew in years, the more enflam'd 40
With glory, wept that he had liv'd fo long
Inglorious: But thou yet art not too late.

To whom our Saviour calmly thus reply'd.
Thou neither doft perfuade me to feek wealth
For Empire's fake, nor Empire to affect
For glory's fake, by all thy argument.
For what is Glory but the blaze of Fame,
The People's praise, if always praise unmix'd?
And what the People but a herd confus'd,

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49

A

A miscellaneous rabble, who extol

[praise Things vulgar, and well weigh'd scarce worth the They praise and they admire they know not what ; And know not whom, but as one leads the other : And what delight to be by fuch extol'd,

To live upon their tongues, and be their talk,

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Of whom to be difprais'd were no small praife?

His lot who dares be fingularly good..

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Th' intelligent among them and the wife
Are few, and glory scarce of few is rais'd.
This is true glory and renown, when God
Looking on th' Earth, with approbation marks
The just man, and divulges him through Heav'n
To all his Angels, who with true applause
Recount his praises; thus he did to Job,
When to extend his Fame through Heav'n and Earth
(As thou to thy reproach mayst well remember)
He ask'd thee, haft thou seen my fervant Job?
Famous he was in Heav'n, on earth less known;
Where glory is false glory, attributed

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To things not glorious, men not worthy of fame.
They err, who count it glorious to subdue
By Conqueft far and wide, to over-run
Large countries, and in field great Battles win,
Great Cities by affault: What do these Worthies,
But rob and spoil, burn, slaughter, and enslave 75
Peaceable Nations, neighbouring, or remote,
Made Captive, yet deferving freedom more
Than thofe their Conquerors, who leave behind
Nothing but ruin wherefo'er they rove,

And all the flourishing works of peace deftroy; 80

Then

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