Some gracious signs of thy good pleasure send; Which, lo! with souls resign'd, we humbly here attend.'
"He spoke, and thrice he bow'd, and all about Silence and reverend horror seized the rout; The whole tent shakes, the flames on the' altar by In thick dull rolls mount slow and heavily; The seven lamps wink; and, what does most dismay,
The' oraculous gems shut-in their natural day :
The ruby's cheek grew pale; the emerald by
Faded; a cloud o'ercast the sapphir's sky;
The diamond's eye look'd sleepy; and swift night
Of all those little suns eclipsed the light:
Sad signs of God's dread anger for our sin ;-
But straight a wondrous brightness from within
Strook through the curtains; for no earthly cloud
Could those strong beams of heavenly glory shroud;
The altar's fire burn'd pure, and every stone
Their radiant parent the gay sun outshone;
Beauty the' illustrious vision did impart
To every face, and joy to every heart;
In glad effects God's presence thus appear'd,
And thus in wondrous sounds his voice was
[but Us "This stubborn land sins still, nor is it Thee, (Who 'ave been so long their King) they seek to cast off thus;
Five hundred rolling years hath this stiff nation
[love. To' exhaust the boundless stores of our unfathom'd Be't so then; yet once more are we resolved to try To' outweary them through all their sins' variety:
Assemble, ten days hence, the numerous people
[bear. To draw the royal lot which our hid mark shall Dismiss them now in peace; but their next crime shall bring
Ruin without redress on them, and on their king.' "The' Almighty spoke: the' astonish'd people
With various stamps impress'd on every heart:
Some their demand repented, others praised;
Some had no thoughts at all, but stared and gazed.
"There dwelt a man, named Cis, in Gibeah town,
For wisdom much, and much for courage, known;
More for his son; his mighty son was Saul,
Whom nature, ere the lots, to' a throne did call.
He was much prince, and when, or wheresoe'er,
His birth had been, then had he reign'd, and there.
Such beauty, as great strength thinks no disgrace,
Smiled in the manly features of his face;
His large black eyes, fill'd with a spriteful light,
Shot forth such lively and illustrious night,
As the sun-beams, on jet reflecting, show;
His hair, as black, in long curl'd waves did flow;
His tall straight body amidst thousands stood,
Like some fair pine o'erlooking all the' ignobler
wood.
Of all our rural sports he was the pride;
So swift, so strong, so dexterous, none beside.
Rest was his toil, labours his lust and game;
No natural wants could his fierce diligence tame,
Not thirst nor hunger; he would journeys go
Through raging heats, and take repose in snow.
His soul was ne'er unbent from weighty care;
But active as some mind that turns a sphere.
His way once chose, he forward thrust outright,
Nor stepp'd aside for dangers or delight.
Yet was he wise all dangers to foresee ;
But born to' affright, and not to fear, was he.
His wit was strong, not fine; and on his tongue
An artless grace, above all eloquence, hung.}
These virtues too the rich unusual dress
Of modesty adorn'd, and humbleness;
Like a rich varnish o'er fair pictures laid,
More fresh and lasting they the colours made.
Till power and violent fortune, which did find
No stop or bound, o'erwhelm'd no less his mind,
Did, deluge-like, the natural forms deface,
And brought forth unknown monsters in their place.
Forbid it, God! my master's spots should be,
Were they not seen by all, disclosed by me!
But such he was; and now to Ramah went
(So God disposed) with a strange, low intent.
Great God! he went lost asses to inquire,
And a small present, his small question's hire,
Brought simply with him, to that man to give,
From whom high Heaven's chief gifts he must
receive :
Strange play of Fate! when mightiest human things Hang on such small, imperceptible strings! "Twas Samuel's birth-day; a glad annual feast All Rama kept; Samuel his wondering guest With such respect leads to it, and does grace With the choice meats o' the' feast, and highest place;
Which done, him forth alone the prophet brings, And feasts his ravish'd ears with nobler things: He tells the mighty fate to him assign'd,
And with great rules fill'd his capacious mind;
Then takes the sacred vial, and does shed
A crown of mystic drops around his head;
Drops of that royal moisture which does know
No mixture, and disdains the place below.
Soon comes the kingly day, and with it brings
A new account of time upon his wings.
The people met, the rites and prayers all past,
Behold! the heaven-instructed lot is cast;
'Tis taught by Heaven its way, and cannot miss ;
Forth Benjamin, forth leaps the house of Cis:
As glimmering stars, just at the' approach of day,
Cashier'd by troops, at last drop all away;
By such degrees all men's bright hopes are gone,
And, like the sun, Saul's lot shines all alone.
Even here perhaps the people's shout was heard,
The loud long shout, when God's fair choice ap-
pear'd:
Above the whole vast throng he' appear'd so tall,
As if by Nature made for the' head of all;
So full of grace and state, that one might know
"Twas some wise eye the blind lot guided so :
But blind unguided lots have more of choice
And constancy than the slight vulgar's voice.
Ere yet the crown of sacred oil is dry,
Whilst echoes yet preserve the joyful cry,
Some grow enraged their own vain hopes to miss,
Some envy Saul, some scorn the house of Cis:
Some their first mutinous wish, 'a King!' repent,
As if, since that, quite spoil'd by God's consent:
Few to this prince their first just duties pay;
All leave the old, but few the new obey.
Thus changes man, but God is constant still
To those eternal grounds that moved his will;
And, though he yielded first to them, 'tis fit
That stubborn men at last to him submit.
"As midst the main a low small island lies, Assaulted round with stormy seas and skies, Whilst the poor heartless natives, every hour, Darkness and noise seem ready to devour; Such Israel's state appear'd, whilst o'er the west Philistian clouds hung threatening, and from the' All nations' wrath into one tempest joins, [east Through which proud Nahash like fierce lightning Tygris and Nile to his assistance send, [shines; And waters to swoln Jaboc's torrent lend; Seir, Edom, Soba, Amalek, add their force; Up with them march the three Arabias' horse; And, 'mongst all these, none more their hope or pride,
Than those few troops your warlike land supply'd.
Around weak Jabesh this vast host does lie,
Disdains a dry and bloodless victory.
The hopeless town for slavery does entreat;
But barbarous Nahash thinks that grace too great;
He (his first tribute) their right eyes demands,
And with their faces' shame disarms their hands.
If unrelieved seven days by Israel's aid,
This bargain for o'er-rated life is made.
Ah, mighty God! let thine own Israel be
Quite blind itself, ere this reproach it see!
"By' his wanton people the new king forsook,
To homely, rural cares himself betook;
In private plenty lived, without the state,
Lustre, and noise, due to a public fate.
Whilst he his slaves and cattle follows home,
Lo! the sad
from Jabesh come,
messengers,
Implore his help, and weep, as if they meant
That way at least proud Nahash to prevent.
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