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,
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,
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
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,
And for thy reafon why they should be fought, 485 To gain a Scepter, ofteft better mifs'd.
The End of the Second Books
O fpake the Son of God; and Satan stood A while as mute, confounded what to fay,
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
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
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,
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,
Of whom to be difprais'd were no small praife?
His lot who dares be fingularly good..
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
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
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