"Almighty God, to whom all men that be "Owe all they have, yet none so much as we; 295 "Who, though thou fill'st the spacious world alone, "Thy too-small court, hast made this place thy "throne; "With humble knees, and humbler hearts, lo! here, "Blest Abraham's seed implores thy gracious ear: "Hear them, great God! and thy just will inspire; "From Thee, their long-known King, they' a King "desire. "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 seiz'd the rout; 305 "The whole tent shakes, the flames on th' altar by "In thick dull rolls mount slow and heavily; "The seven lamps wink; and, what does most dismay, "Th' oraculous gems shut-in their natural day : "The ruby's cheek grew pale; the emerald by 310 "Faded; a cloud o'ercast the sapphir's sky; "The diamond's eye look'd sleepy; and swift night "Of all those little suns eclips'd the light: "Sad signs of God's dread anger for our sin :"But straight a wondrous brightness from within 315 "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 th' illustrious vision did impart " То every face, and joy to every heart; "In glad effects God's presence thus appear'd, 320 "And thus in wondrous sounds his voice was "heard: "This stubborn land sins still, nor is it Thee, but Us (Who 'ave been so long their King) they seek to "cast off thus; 325 "Five hundred rolling years hath this stiff nation "❝ strove [love. "Texhaust the boundless stores of our unfathom'd "Be 't so then; yet once more are we resolv❜d to try "Toutweary them through all their sins' variety: "Assemble, ten days hence, the numerous people [bear. ❝here, "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. "Th' Almighty spoke; th' astonish'd people part "With various stamps imprest on every heart: 335 "Some their demand repented, others prais'd; "Some had no thoughts at all, but star'd and gaz'd. "There dwelt a man, nam'd Cis, in Gibeah town, "For wisdom much, and much for courage, known; "More for his son; his mighty son was Saul, 340 "Whom nature, ere the lots, t'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, "Smil'd in the manly features of his face; 345 "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, 350 "Like some fair pine o'erlooking all th' ignobler "wood. "Of all our rural sports he was the pride; "So swift, so strong, so dextrous, none beside. "Of modesty adorn'd, and humbleness; 361 "More fresh and lasting they the colours made. "Till power and violent fortune, which did find 370 "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, disclos'd by me! 375 "But such he was; and now to Ramah went a (So God dispos'd) with a strange, low intent. "Great God! he went lost asses to enquire, "And a small present, his small question's hire, Brought simply with him, to that man to give, 380 "From whom high Heaven's chief gifts he must "receive: 66 "Strange play of Fate! when mightiest human things Hang on such small, imperceptible strings! 66 "'T was Samuel's birth-day; a glad annual feast "All Rama kept; Samuel his wondering guest 385 "With such respect leads to it, and does grace "With the choice meats o' th' 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, 390 "And with great rules fill'd his capacious mind; "Then takes the sacred vial, and does shed "A crown of mystick drops around his head Drops of that royal moisture which does know "No mixture, and disdains the place below. 395 "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; ""T is taught by Heaven its way, and cannot miss; "Forth Benjamin, forth leaps the house of Cis: 401 "As glimmering stars, just at th' 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. 405 "Ev'n 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 th' head of all; 415 "So full of grace and state, that one might know 410 ""T was 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 enrag'd 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; 420 "All leave the old, but few the new obey. "Thus changes man, but God is constant still "To those eternal grounds that mov'd his will; "And, though he yielded first to them, 't is fit "That stubborn men at last to him submit. 425 "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 "th' east 431 |