SEMICHORUS.

But he though blind of sight,

Despis'd and thought extinguish'd quite,

With inward eyes illuminated,

His fiery virtue rous'd

From under ashes into sudden flame,

And as an evening dragon came,

Assailant on the perched roosts,
And nests in order rang'd

Of tame villatic fowl; but as an eagle

His cloudless thunder bolted on their heads.
So virtue giv'n for lost,

Depress'd, and overthrown, as seem'd,

Like that self-begotten bird

In the Arabian woods imbost,

That no second knows nor third,

And lay ere while a holocaust,

From out her ashy womb now teem'd,

Revives, reflourishes, then vigorous most

When most inactive deem'd,

And though her body die, her fame survives

A secular bird ages of lives.

MANOAH.

Come, come, no time for lamentation now,

Nor much more cause; Samson hath quit himself
Like Samson, and heroicly hath finish'd

A life heroic, on his enemies

Fully reveng'd, hath left them years of mourning,
And lamentation to the sons of Caphtor

Through all Philistian bounds; to Israel
Honour hath left, and freedom, let but them
Find courage to lay hold on this occasion;
To' himself and father's house eternal fame ;
And which is best and happiest yet, all this
With God not parted from him, as was fear'd,
But favouring and assisting to the end.
Nothing is here for tears, nothing to wail

Or knock the breast, no weakness, no contempt,
Dispraise, or blame, nothing but well and fair,
And what may quiet us in a death so noble.
Let us go find the body where it lies

Soak'd in his enemies blood, and from the stream
With lavers pure and cleansing herbs wash off
The clotted gore. I with what speed the while
(Gaza is not in plight to say us nay)
Will send for all my kindred, all my friends,
To fetch him hence, and solemnly attend
With silent obsequy and funeral train

Home to his father's house: there will I build him
A monument, and plant it round with shade
Of laurel ever green, and branching palm,
With all his trophies hung, and acts inroll'd
In copious legend, or sweet lyric song.
Thither shall all the valiant youth resort,

And from his memory inflame their breasts
To matchless valour, and adventures high :
The virgins also shall on feastful days
Visit his tomb with flow'rs, only bewailing
His lot unfortunate in nuptial choice,
From whence captivity and loss of eyes.

CHORUS.

All is best, though we oft doubt,
What th' unsearchable dispose

Of highest wisdom brings about,
And ever best found in the close.

Oft he seems to hide his face,
But unexpectedly returns,

And to his faithful champion hath in place

Bore witness gloriously; whence Gaza mourns

And all that band them to resist

His uncontrollable intent;

His servants he with new acquist

Of true experience from this great event
With peace and consolation hath dismist
And calm of mind, all passion spent.