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By thefe the fprings of property were bent,
Andwound fo high,theycrack'dthe government.
The next for intreft fought t' embroil the state,
To fell their duty at a dearer rate,
And make their Jewish markets of the throne;
Pretending public good to serve their own.
Others thought kings an useless heavy load,
Who coft too much, and did too little good.
These were for laying honeft David by,
On principles of pure good husbandry.
With them join'dallth' haranguers of the throng,
That thought to get preferment by the tongue.
Who follow next. a double danger bring,
Not only hating David, but the king.
The Solymaan rout; well vers'd of old
In godly faction, and in treafon bold;
Cow'ring and quaking at a conqu'ror's fword,
But lofty to a lawful prince reftor'd;
Saw with difdain an Ethnic plot begun,
And fcorn'd by Jebusites to be outdone.
Hot Levites headed thefe; who pull'd before
From th'ark, which in the judge's days they bore.
Refum'd their cant, and with a zealous cry
Pursued their old belov'd theocracy:
Where fanhedrim and prieft enflav'd the nation,
And justified their fpoils by infpiration:
Fer who fo fit to reign as Aaron's race,
If once dominion they could found in grace?
Thefe led the pack, though not of furelt fcent,
Yet deepest mouth'd against the government.
A num'rous hoft of dreaming faints fucceed,
Of the true old enthufiaftic breed;

'Gainft form and order they their pow'r employ,
Nothing to build, and all things to deftroy.
But far more num'rous was the herd of fuch
Who think too little, and who talk too much;
Thefe out of mere inftinct, they knew not why,
Ador'd their fathers' God, and property;
And, by the fame blind benefit of fate,
The devil and the Jebufite did hate:
Born to be fav'd, ev'n in their own defpite,
Because they could not help believing right.
Such were the tools: but a whole Hydra more
Remains of fprouting heads too long to fcore.
Some of their chiefs were princes of the land:
In the first rank of thefe did Zimri stand;
A man fo various that he feem'd to be
Not one, but all mankind's epitome:
Stiff in opinions, always in the wrong;
Was ev'ry thing by ftarts, and nothing long;
But in the courfe of one revolving moon
Was chemift, fiddler, flatefman, and buffcon;
Then allforwomen,painting, rhyming,drinking,
Befites ten thoufand freaksthatdied in thinking.
Bleit madinan who could ev'ry hour employ,
With fomething new to with, or to enjoy.
Railing and praifing were his ufual themes:
And both, to thew his judgment, in extremes:
So over-violent, or over-civil,

That ev'ry man with him was God or Devil.
In fquandering wealth was his peculiar art:
Nothing went unrewarded, but defert ;
Beggar'd by fools, whom till he found too late;
He had his jeft, and they had his eftate:

He laugh'd himself from court; then fought
By forming parties, but could ne'er be ch
For, fpite of him, the weight of business i
On Abfalom and wife Achitophel:
Thus, wicked but in will, of means bereft
He left not faction, but of that was left.
Titles and names 't were tedious to rehe
Of lords, below the dignity of verse.
Wits, warriors, commonwealths-men, wei
best:

Kind husbands and mere nobles all the reft
And therefore, in the name of dulness, be
The well-hung Balaam and cold Caleb fre
And canting Nadab let oblivion damn,
Who made new porridge for the pascal lan
Let friendship's holy band fome names affu
Some their own worth, and some let scornfec
Nor fhall the rafcal rabble here have place,
Whom kings no title gave, and God no gr
Not bull-fac'd Jonas, who could ftatutes di
To mean rebellion, and make treason law.
But he, though bad, is follow'd by a worfe
The wretch who heaven's anointeddar'dtoc
Shimei, whofe youth did early promise bri
Of zeal to God, and hatred to his king,
Did wifely from expenfive fins refrain,
And never broke the Sabbath but for gain
Nor ever was he known an oath to vent,
Or curfe, unless against the government.
Thus heaping wealth by the most ready wa
Among the Jews, which was to cheat and p
The city, to reward his pious hate
Against his master, chofe him magistrate.
His hand a vale of juftice did uphold;
His neck was loaded with a chain of gold;
During his office treafon was no crime;
| The fons of Belial had a glorious time;
For Shimei, though not prodigal of pelf,
Yet lov'd his wicked neighbour as himself.
When two or three were gather'd to declair
Against the monarch of Jerufalem,
Shimei was always in the midst of them;
And, if they curs'd the king when he was b
Would rather curfe than break good company
If any durft his factious friends accufe,
He pack'd a jury of didenting Jews;
Whofe fellow-feeling in the godly caufe
Would free the fuff ring faint from human law
For laws are only made to punith those
Who ferve the king, and to protect his foes.
If any leifure time he had from pow'r,
Becaufe 'tis fin to mifemploy an hour,
His butinels was, by writing to perfuade
That kings were ufelefs, and a clog to trade:
And, that his noble style he might refine,
No Rechabite more fhunn'd the fumes of wine
Chafte were his cellars, and bis fhrieval board
The groffness of a city feast abhorr'd;
His cooks, with long difufe, their trade forgot
Cool was his kitchen, though his brains were hot
Such frugal virtue malice may accuse;
But fure 'twas neceflary to the Jews:
For towns, once burnt, fuch magiftrates require
As dare not tempt God's providence by fire.
With

We food he fed his fervants well, Battleth that made the Jews rebel: and Maes' laws he held in more account,

y days of fafting in the mount. peak the reft, who better are forgot, tire a well-breath'd witnefs of the plot. Corah, thou shalt from oblivion pass; ay, thou monumental brafs, the ferpent of thy metal made,

os ftand fecure beneath thy fhade. his birth were bafe, yet comets rife vapours ere they thine in skies. Ptions may as well be done fue, as by prince's fon. teftor for the public good, Le deed, ennobles all his blood. ever ak'd the witness's high race, thwith martyrdom did Stephen grace? a Levite; and, as times went then, e were God Almighty's gentlemen. ere his eyes, his voice was harsh and loud; he neither choleric was, nor proud: get in prov'd his wit; his faint-like grace vermilion, and a Mofes' face. mezory, miraculously great,

ts, exceeding man's belief, repeat; therefore cannot be accounted fies,

His looks, his geftures, and his words he frames,
And with familiar eafe repeats their names.
Thus form'd by nature, furnish'd out with arts,
He glides unfelt into their fecret hearts.
Then with a kind compaffionating look,
And fighs, befpeaking pity ere he spoke,
Few words he faid; but easy those and fit,
More flow than Hybla-drops, and far more sweet.
I mourn, my countrymen, your lost estate;
Though far unable to prevent your fate:
Behold a banish'd man, for your dear caufe
Expos'd a prey to arbitrary laws!
Yet oh! that I alone could be undone,
Cut off from empire, and no more a fon!
Now all your liberties a fpoil are made;
Egypt and Tyrus incercept your trade,
And Jebufites your facred rites invade.
My father, whom with rev'rence yet I name,
Charm'd into eafe, is careless of his fame;
And, brib'd with petty fums of foreign gold,
Is grown in Baththeba's embraces old;
Exalts his enemies, his friends destroys;
And all his power against himself employs.
He gives, and let him give my right away:
But why fhould he his own and yours betray?
He, only he, can make the nation bleed,
And he alone from my revenge is freed.
Take then my tears (with that he wip'd his
eyes),

wit could never fuch devife. are truths are mingled in his book; tere the witness fail'd, the prophet fpoke; things like vifionary flights appear; caught him up the Lord knows where; ve him his rabinnical degree, to foreign university. ment yet his memory did excel; pierc'd his wond'rous evidence fo well, ed to the temper of the times, Apaing under Jebusitic crimes.

sfoes fufpect his heavenly call,
judge his writ apochryphal;
for fuch affronts have forfeits made:
this life who takes away his trade.
vielf in witnefs Corah's place,
tch who did me fuch a dire difgrace
het my memory, though once forgot,
k him an appendix of my plot.
to Heaven made him his prince defpife,
ad his perfon with indignities.
lpeculiar privilege affords,

- latitude to deeds and words :
ah might for Agag's murder call,
Ys as coarfe as Samuel us'd to Saul.
others in his evidence did join,

that could be had for love or coin, 's own predicament will fall; Witnefs is a common name to all. ounded thus with friends of ev'ry fort, Abfalom forfakes the court: ent of high hopes, urg'd with renown, poffeffion of a crown, crowd are dazzled with furprife, goodly perfon feed their eyes. conceal'd, he fets hinfelf to fhow;

ird with near

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each ide bowing popularly low:

'Tis all the aid my prefent pow'r fupplies: No court-informer can thefe arms accuse; Thefe arms may fons against their fathers use: And 'tis my with the next fucceffor's reign May make no other Ifraelite complain.

Youth, beauty, graceful action, feldom fail;
But common int'reft always will prevail:
And pity never ceafes to be shown
To him who makes the people's wrongs his own.
The crowd, that ftill believe their kings opprefs,
With lifted hands their young Meffiah blefs:
Who now begins his progress to ordain
With chariots, horfemen, and a numerous train;
From east to weft his glories he displays,
And, like the fun, the promis'd land furveys.
Fame runs before him as the morning star,
And fhouts of joy falute him from afar :
Each houfe receives him as a guardian god,
And confecrates the place of his abode.
But hofpitable treats did moft commend
Wife Iffachar, his wealthy western friend.
This moving court,that caught the people's eyes,
And feem'd but pomp, did other ends difguife;
Achitophel had form'd it, with intent

To found the depths, and fathom where it went
The people's hearts,diftinguish friends from foes,
And trytheir ftrength before they came toblows.
Yet all was colour'd with a fimooth pretence
Of fpecious love and duty to their prince.
Religion, and redrefs of grievances,
Two names that always cheat and always please,
Are often urg'd; and good king David's life
Endanger'd by a brother and a wife.
Thus in a pageant fhow a plot is made;
And peace itself is war in mafquerade.

Oh

Oh foolish Ifrael! never warn'd by ill!
Still the fame bait, and circumvented ftill!
Did ever men forfake their prefent ease;
In midft of health imagine a difeafe;
Take pains contingent mifchiefs to foresee;
Make heirs for monarchs, and for God decrce?
What fhall we think? Can people give away,
Both for themfelves and fons, their native fway?
Then they are left defenceless to the sword.
Of each unbounded arbitrary lord:
And laws are vain, by which we right enjoy,
If kings unqueftion'd can thofe laws deftroy.
Yet if the crowd be judge of fit and juft,
And kings are only cheers in trust,
Then this refuming cov`nant was declar'd,
When kings were made, or is for ever barr'd.
If those who gave the fceptre could not tie
By their own deed their own pofterity,
How then could Adam bind his future race?
How could his forfeit on mankind take place?
Or how could heavenly justice damn us all,
Who ne'er confented to our father's fall?
Then kings are flaves to those whom they com-
mand,

And tenants to their people's pleasure stand.
Add, that the pow'r for property allow'd
Is mischievoutly feated in the crowd:
For who can be fecure of private right,
If fovereign fway may be diffolv'd by might?
Nor is the people's judgment always true:
The moft may err as grofsly as the few;
And faultlefs kings run down by common cry,
For vice, oppreflion, and for tyranny,
What ftandard is there in a fickle rout,
Which, flowing to the mark, runs fafter out?
Nor only crowds, but fanhedrims may be
Infected with this public lunacy,
And thare the madnefs of rebellious times,
To murder monarchs for imagin'd crimes.
If they may give and take whene er they please,
Not kings alone, the Godhead's images,
But government itfelf, at length muft fall
To nature's ftate, where all have right to all.
Yet, grant our lords the people kings can
make,

What prudent men a fettled throne wouldfhake?
For whatfoe'er their fufferings were before,
That change they covet makes them fuffer more.
All other errors but difturb a state;
But innovation is the blow of fate.
If ancient fabrics nod, and threat to fall,
To patch their flaws, and buttrefs up the wall,
Thus far 'tis duty; but here fix the mark;
For all beyond it, is to touch the ark.
To change foundations, caft the frame anew,
Is work for rebels, who bafe ends purfue,
At once divine and human laws controul,
And mend, the parts by ruin of the whole.
The tamp ring world is fubject to this curfe,
To phytic their difeafe into a worse.

Now what relief can righteous David bring?
How fatal 'tis to be too good a king!
Friends he has few, to high the madness grows;
Who dare be fuch muft be the people's foes.

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Yet fome there were, ev'n in the worst of Some let me name, and naming is to pra In this fhort file Barzillai first appears; Barzillai, crown'd with honour and with Long fince, the rifing rebels he withflood In regions wafte beyond the Jordan's floo Unfortunately brave to buoy the itate; But finking underneath his master's fate In exile with his godlike prince he mou For him he fuffer'd, and with him retur The court he practis'd, not the courtier: Large was his wealth, but larger was hiWhich well the nobleft objects knew to c The fighting warrior, and recording Mu His bed could once a fruitful issue bouft; Now more than half a father's name is lo His eldeft hope, with ev'ry grace adorn") By me (to Heaven will have it) always m And always honour'd, fiatch'd in man: B' unequal fates.and providence's crime:{ Yet not before the goal of honour won, All parts fulfill'd of fubject and of fon: Swift was the race, but fhort the time to r ¡Oh narrow circle, but of pow'r divine, Scanted in fpace, but perfect in thy line By fea, by land, thy matchlefs worth was k Arms thy delight, and war was all thy o Thy force infus'd the fainting Tyrians po And haughty Pharaoh found his fortune Oh ancient honour! oh unconquer'd hu Whom foes unpunith'd never could wit But Ifael was unworthy of his name: Short is the date of all immod'rate fime. It looks as Heaven our ruin had defign'd, And durft not truft thy fortune and thyr Now, free from earth, thy ditencumber Mounts up, and leaves behind the clouds ftarry pole:

From thence thy kindred legions may’fi bring,

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To aid the guardian angel of thy king
Hereftop,my Mule, here ceafe thy paint
No pinions can purfve immortal heig,'t
Tell good Barzillai thou canft fing
And tell thy foul the thould have red b
Or fled the with his life, and left this ver
To hang on her departed patron's hearfe?
Now take thy fteepy flight from heaven, and
If thou can't find on earth another he:
Another he would be too hard to find;
See then whom thou canft fee not far behin
Zadoc the pricft, whom, fhunning pow'r
place,

His lowly mind advanc'd to David's grace.
With him the Sagan of Jerufalem,
Of hofpitable foul, and noble flem;
Him of the western dome, whofe weighty f
Flows in fit words and heavenly eloquence.
The prophet's fons, by fuch example led,
To learning and to loyalty were bred:
For colleges on bounteous kings depend;
And never rebel was to arts a friend.
To thefe fucceed the pillars of the laws;
Who beft can plead, and beft can judge, a cat

N

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hemmin of loyal peers afcend;

ry Adriel, the Mules' friend, Me: in fanhedrims debate this pince, but not a flave of state; David's love with honours did adorn,

is ditobedient fon were torn. fpercing wit, and pregnant thought, by nature, and by learning taught, emblies, who but only tried Anile, then chofe the better fide: , but turn'd the balance too; taght of one brave man can do.

end of David in diftrefs; ms of manly ftedfaftnets: paties he inform'd his youth, xperience to his native truth. ae fupplied the wanting throne; th, but bounteous of his own: condutt when exchequers flow; the talk to manage well the low: * pow'r is too deprefs'd or high, Care forc`d to fell, or crowds to buy. elabour more, my weary Mufe, who can Amiel's praile refuse ? me by birth, but nobler yet worth, and without title great: arm long time as chief he rul'd, guided, and their paffion cool'd: was he in the crown's defence, *d to speak a loyal nation's fenfe, reir band was Ifrael's tribes in small, be to reprefent them all. der charioteers the feat afcend,

e careers his fteady skill commend:
th' unequal ruler of the day,
he feafons, and mistake the
way;
Withdrawn at their mad labours imiles,
As the fabbath of his toils.

techiet,a fmall but faithfulband
in the breach who dar'd to ftand,
th' united fury of the land.
they view'd fuch pow'rful engines

down the lawful government:

tion, with pretended frights, as to plume the regal rights; fucceffor from the court remov'd;

hireling witneffes improv'd. hey faw, and, as their duty bound, wd the king the danger of the wound: Cruce fionsfromthethrone would pleafe, es fomented the difeafe: alom, ambitious of the crown, ate the lure to draw the people down: Achitophel's pernicious hate the plot to ruin church and fate; solent, the rabble worfe :

aught Jerufalem to curfe. Thathee los is of injuries oppreft,

iving in his careful breaft tof things, at last his patience tir'd, bir yol throne, by heaven intpir'd, A David fpoke, with awful fear *** their Maker in their mafter bear:

Thus long have I, by native mercy fway'd,
My wrongs diffembled, my revenge delay'd:
So willing to forgive th' offending age;
So much the father did the king affuage.
But now fo far my clemency they flight,
Th' offenders queftion my forgiving right:
That one was made for many, they contend;
But 'tis to rule; for that's a monarch's end.
They call my tenderness of blood my fear;
Though manly tempers can the longest bear.
Yet, fince they will divert my native course,
'Tis time to fhew I am not good by force.
Thote heap'd affronts thathaughty fubjectsbring
Are burdens for a camel, not a king.
Kings are the public pillars of the state,
Born to fuftain and prop the nation's weight:
If my young Samfon will pretend a call
To thake the column, let him fhare the fall:
But, oh! that yet he would repent and live!
How eafy 'tis for parents to forgive!
With how few tears a pardon might be won
From nature, pleading for a darling fon!
Poor, pitied youth, by my paternal care
Rais'd up to all the height his fame could bear:
Had God ordain'd his fate for empire born,
He would have given his foul another turn:
Gull'd with a patriot's name, whofe modern
fenfe

Is one that would by law fupplant his prince;
The people's brave, the politician's tool;
Never was patriot yet but was a fool.
Whence comes it that religion and the laws
Should more be Abfalom's than David's caufe?
His old inftructor, ere he loft his place,
Was never thought endued with fo much grace.
Good heavens! how faction can a patriot paint!
My rebel ever proves my people's faint.
Would they impofe an heir upon the throne,
Let fanhedrims be taught to give their own.
A king's at least a part of government;
And mine as requifite as their confent
Without my leave a future king to choose,
Infers a right the prefent to depose.
True, they petition me t' approve their choice:
But Efau's hands fuit ill with Jacob's voice.
My pious fubjects for my fafety pray;
Which to fecure, they take my pow'r away.
From piots and treasonsheaven prefervemy years,
But fave me moft from my petitioners!
Untatite as the barren womb or grave,
God cannot grant fo much as they can crave.
What then is left, but with a jealous eye
To guard the finall remains of royalty?
The law fhall still direct my peaceful fway,
And the fame law teach rebels to obey:
Votes thali no more establish'd power controul,
Such votes as make a part exceed the whole.
No groundless clamours fball my friends remove,
Nor crowds have pow'r to punith ere they prove;
For Gods and godlike kings their care exprefs,
Still to defend their fervants in diftrefs.
Oh, that my pow'r to laving were confin'd!
Why am I forc'd,like heaven, ginft my mind,
To make examples of another kind ?

Muft

Muft I at length the fword of justice draw?
Oh curft effects of neceffary law!
How ill my fear they by my mercy scan!
Beware the fury of a patient man.
Law they require, let law then fhew her face;
They could not be content to look on grace,
Her hinder parts, but with a daring eye
To tempt the terror of her front, and die.
By their own arts 'tis righteously decreed,
Thofe dire artificers of death fhall bleed;
Against themselves their witneffes will fwear,
Till, viper-like, their mother plot they tear;
And fuck for nutriment that bloody gore,
Which was their principle of life before.
Their Belial with their Beelzebub will fight:
Thus on my foes my foes fhall do me right.
Nor doubt th' event: for factious crowds engage,
In their first onfet, all their brutal rage.
Then let them take an unrefifted courfe:
Retire, and traverse, and delude their force:
But when they ftand all breathlefs, urge the fight,
And rife upon them with redoubled might:
For lawful pow'r is ftill fuperior found;
When long driv'n back, at length it ftands the
ground.

While pamper'd crowds to mad fedition
And monarchs by indulgence are undon
Thus David's clemency was fatal grown,
While wealthy faction aw'd the wanting t
For now their fovereign's orders to conte
Was held the charter of Jerufalem;
His rights t' invade, his tributes to refu
A privilege peculiar to the Jews;
As if from heavenly call this licence fell,
And Jacob's feed were chofen to rebel!

Achitophel with triumph fees his crim
Thus fuited to the madness of the times
And Abfalom, to make his hopes fuccee
Of flatt'ring charms no longer ftands in
While, fondof change,tho'ne'er fo dearlyb
Ourtribesoutstriptheyouth's ambitious the
His fwifteft hopes with fwifter homage m
And crowd their fervile necks beneath his
Thus to his aid while preffing tides repai
He mounts, and fpreads his ftreamers in t
The charms of empire might his youth m
But what can our befotted Ifrael plead ?
Sway'd by a monarch whofe ferene comm
Seems half the bleffing of our promis'd la
Whofe only grievance is excess of eafe;
Freedom our pain, and plenty our difeaf
Yet, as all folly would lay claim to fente,
And wickedness ne'er wanted a pretence
With arguments they'd make their treaton
And righteous David's felf with flanders
That arts of foreign fway he did affect,
And guilty Jebufites from law protect,
Whole very chiefs, convict, were never fi
Nay, we have feen their facrifices bleed!
Accuiers' infamy is urg'd in vain,
While in the bounds or fenfe they did co
But foon they launch'd into th' unfathom
In the year 1680, Mr. Dryden undertook the And in the depths they knew disdain'd to
poem of Ajalom and Achitopbel, upon the defire of For probable difcoveries to difpenfe
king Charles II. The performance was epplauded Was thought below a penfion'd evidence
by every one; and feveral perfons preling him to Mere truth was dull, nor fuited with tie
write a Second Part, be, upon declining it himself, Of paraper'd Corah when advanc'd to cou
Spoke to Mr. Tate to write one, and gave him his No less than wonders now they will imp
advice in the direction of it: and that part begin-
ning with

He faid: th' Almighty nodding gave confent;
And peals of thunder thook the firmament.
Henceforth a series of new time began,
The mighty years in long proceffion ran:
Once more the godlike David was refior'd,
And willing nations knew their lawful lord.

PART II.

"Si quis tamen hæc quoque, fi quis
"Captus amore leget-"

"Next thefe, a troop of bufy fpirits prefs," and ending with

And projects void of grace or fenfe difce Such was the change on pious Michal brou Michal that ne'er was cruel even in thou The beft of queens, and most obedient wit "To talk like Doeg, and to write like thee," Impeach'd of curft defigns on David's life containing near two hundred verses, was entirely Tis fcarce fo much his guardian angel's ca His life, the theme of her eternal pray`r, Mr. Dryden's compofition, befides fome touches in Not fummer morns fuch mildness can ditch other places. The preceding lines, upwards of three The Hermon fily, nor the Sharon rofe. hundred in number, were written by Mr. Tate. Neglecting each vain pomp of majesty, The poem is here printed complete. Tranfported Michal feeds her thoughts on h ABSALOM AND ACHITOPHEL. Quits heavenfometimes to blefs the world be She lives with angels, and, as angels do, SINCE men, like beafts, each other's prey were Where,cherifh'dbyherbounty'spicateo made; Reviving widows fimile, and orphans fing Since trade began, and priesthood grew a trade; Oh! when rebellious Ifrael's crimes at he Since realms were form'd, none fure fo curft as Are threaten'd with her lord's approachi The piety of Michal then remain In Heaven's remembrance, and prolong his re

thofe

That madly their own happinefs oppofe; There Heaven itfelf, and godlike kings in vain show'r down the manna of a gentle reign;

Lefs defok tion did the nest pursue That from Dan's limits to Beertheba flew,,

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