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Then give the reins to wand'ring thought,
Regardless of his glory's diminution;
Till by their own perplexities involv'd
They ravel more, ftill lefs refolv'd,

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But never find self-fatisfying solution.

As if they would confine th' Interminable,

And tie him to his own prescript,

Who made our laws to bind us, not himself,

And hath full right t' exempt

Whom so it pleases him by choice

From national obftriction without taint

Of fin, or legal debt;

For with his own laws he can best dispense.

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He would not elfe who never wanted means, 315 Nor in respect of th' enemy just cause

To set his people free,

Have prompted this heroic Nazarite,

Against his vow of strictest purity,

To seek in marriage that fallacious bride,
Unclean, unchafte.

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Down reason then, at least vain reasonings down, Though reafon here aver

That mortal verdict quits her of unclean:

Unchafte was fubfequent, her ftain not his.

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But fee here comes thy reverend Sire With careful step, locks white as down, Old Manoah: advise

Forthwith how thou oughtft to receive him.

Samf.

Samf. Ay me, another inward grief awak'd 330 With mention of that name renews th' affault.

Man. Brethren and men of Dan, for fuch ye feem, Though in this uncouth place; if old respect, As I suppose, tow'ards your once glory'd friend, My Son now captive, hither hath inform'd 335 Your younger feet, while mine caft back with age Came lagging after; say if he be here.

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Chor. As fignal now in low dejected state, As earst in high'est, behold him where he lies. Man. O miserable change! is this the man, 340 That invincible Samson, far renown'd, The dread of Ifrael's foes, who with a ftrength Equivalent to Angels walk'd their streets, None offering fight; who single combatant Duel'd their armies rank'd in proud array, Himself an army, now unequal match To fave himself against a coward arm'd At one fpear's length. O ever failing trust In mortal strength! and oh what not in man Deceivable and vain? Nay what thing good 350 Pray'd for, but often proves our woe, our bane? I pray'd for children, and thought barrenness In wedlock a reproach; I gain'd a son, And fuch a fon as all men hail'd me happy; Who would be now a father in my stead? O wherefore did God grant me my request, And as a bleffing with fuch pomp adorn'd?

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Why

Why are his gifts defirable, to tempt

Our earnest pray'rs, then giv'n with folemn hand
As graces, draw a fcorpion's tail behind? 360
For this did th' Angel twice defcend? for this
Ordain'd thy nurture holy, as of a plant
Select, and facred, glorious for a while,
The miracle of men; then in an hour
Infnar'd, assaulted, overcome, led bound,
Thy foes derifion, captive, poor and blind,
Into a dungeon thruft, to work with flaves?
Alas methinks whom God hath chosen once
To worthiest deeds, if he through frailty err,
He should not so o'erwhelm, and as a thrall 370
Subject him to fo foul indignities,

Be it but for honor's fake of former deeds.

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Samf. Appoint not heav'nly difpofition, Father; Nothing of all these evils hath befall'n me

But juftly; I myself have brought them on, 375
Sole author I, fole caufe: if ought seem vile,
As vile hath been my folly, who' have profan'd
The mystery of God giv'n me under pledge
Of vow, and have betray'd it to a woman,
A Canaanite, my faithless enemy.
This well I knew, nor was at all furpriz'd,
But warn'd by oft experience: did not she
Of Timna first betray me, and reveal
The fecret wrested from me in her highth
Of nuptial love profefs'd, carrying it ftrait

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385

Το

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To them who had corrupted her, my spies,
And rivals? In this other was there found
More faith, who also in her prime of love,
Spousal embraces, vitiated with gold,
Though offer'd only, by the fent conceiv'd
Her fpurious firft-born, treason against me?
Thrice she affay'd with flattering pray'rs and sighs,
And amorous reproaches, to win from me
My capital fecret, in what part my ftrength 394
Lay ftor'd, in what part fumm'd, that she might
Thrice I deluded her, and turn'd to sport (know;
Her importunity, each time perceiving

How openly, and with what impudence

She purpos'd to betray me, and (which was worse
Than undiffembled hate) with what contempt 400
She fought to make me traitor to myself;

Yet the fourth time, when must'ring all her wiles,
With blandish'd parlies, feminine assaults,
Tongue-batteries, fhe furceas'd not day nor night
To storm me over-watch'd, and weary'd out, 405
At times when men seek most repose and rest,
I yielded, and unlock'd her all
my heart,
Who with a grain of manhood well refolv'd
Might easily have shook off all her snares :
But foul effeminacy held me yok'd
Her bond-flave; O indignity, O blot
To honor and religion! fervile mind
Rewarded well with servile punishment!

P

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The

The base degree to which I now am fall'n,
These rags, this grinding is not yet so base
As was my former servitude, ignoble,
Unmanly, ignominious, infamous,

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True flavery, and that blindness worse than this, That faw not how degenerately I serv'd.

Man. I cannot praise thy marriage choices, Son, Rather approv'd them not; but thou didft plead 421 Divine impulfion prompting how thou might'ft Find fome occasion to infeft our foes.

I ftate not that; this I am fure, our foes
Found foon occasion thereby to make thee

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Their captive, and their triumph; thou the fooner
Temptation found'st, or over-potent charms
To violate the facred truft of filence

Deposited within thee; which to have kept
Tacit, was in thy pow'r: true; and thou bear'st
Enough, and more, the burden of that fault; 431
Bitterly haft thou paid, and still art paying
That rigid score. A worse thing yet remains,
This day the Philistines a popular feast
Here celebrate in Gaza; and proclame

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Great pomp, and facrifice, and praises loud
To Dagon, as their God who hath deliver'd
Thee, Samfon, bound and blind into their hands,
Them out of thine, who flew'ft them many a flain.
So Dagon fhall be magnify'd, and God,
Befides whom is no God, compar'd with idols,

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