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12(5 SAMSON AGONISTES.
Strength, comelinefs of lhape, or amplcft merit
That woman's love can win or long inherit}
But what it is, hard is to fay,
Harder to hit,
(Which way foever men refer it)
Much like thy riddle, Samfon, in one day
Or fev'n, though one mould mufing lit.
If any of thefe or all, the Timnian bride
Had not fo foon preferr'd
Thy paranymph, worthlefs to thee compar'd,
Succeflbr in thy bed,
Nor both fo loofely difally'd
Their nuptials, nor this lalt fo treacheroully
Had Ihorn the fatal harvelt of thy head.
Is it for that fuch outward ornament
Was lavilh'd on their fex, that inward gifts
Were left for halte unfinilh'd, judgment fcant ;
Capacity not rais'd to apprehend
Or value what is bell
In choice, but oftelt to affect, the wrong?
Or was too much of felf-love mix'd,
Of conltancy no root infix'd,
That either they love nothing, or not long?
Whate'er it be, to wifelt men and bell
Seeming at firll all heav'nly under virgin veil,
Soft, modell, meek, demure,
Once join'd, the contrary Ihe proves, a thorn
Interline, far within defenlive arms
A cleaving mifchief, in his way to virtue
Adverfe and turbulent, or by her charms
Draws him awry inllav'd