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SAMSON AGONISTES.
Then with what trivial weapon came to hand,
The jaw of a dead afs, his i'word of bone,
A thoufand forefkins fell, the flow'r of Paleftine,
In Ramath-lechi famous to this day.
Then by main force pull'd up, and on his moulders
bore
The gates of Azza, poft, and marly bar,
Up to the hill by Hebron, feat of giants old,
No journey of a fabbath-day, and loaded fo;
Like whom the Gentiles feign to bear up Heaven.
Which fhall I firft bewail,
Thy bondage or loft fight,
Prifon within prifon
Infeparably
dark ?
Thou art become (O worft imprifonment!)
The dungeon of thyfelf ; thy foul
(Which men enjoying fight oft without caufe com-
plain)
Imprifon'd now indeed,
In real darknefs of the body dwells,
Shut up from outward light
T incorporate with gloomy night;
For inward light alas
Puts forth no vifual beam.
O mirrour of our fickle ftate,
Since man on earth unparallell'd !
The rarer thy example ftands,
By how much from die top of wond'rous glory,
Strongeft of mortal men,
To loweft pitch of abject fortune thou art fall'n.
For him I reckon not in high eftate