תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

David, born to him seventh; the six births pass'd
Brave trials of a work more great at last.

Bless me! how swift and growing was his wit!
The wings of Time flagg'd dully after it.
Scarce pass'd a child, all wonders would he sing
Of Nature's law, and power of Nature's king.
His sheep would scorn their food to hear his lay,
And savage beasts stand by as tame as they;
The fighting winds would stop there, and admire,
Learning consent and concord from his lyre;
Rivers, whose waves roll'd down aloud before,
Mute as their fish, would listen towards the shore.
""Twas now the time when first Saul God for-
sook,

God Saul; the room in 's heart wild passions took :
Sometimes a tyrant Phrensy reveled there,
Sometimes black Sadness, and deep, deep Despair.
No help from herbs or learned drugs he finds,
They cure but sometime bodies, never minds:
Music alone those storms of soul could lay;
Not more Saul them, than music they, obey.
David's now sent for, and his harp must bring;
His harp, that magic bore on every string:

When Saul's rude passions did most tumult keep,
With his soft notes they all dropped down asleep :
When his dull spirits lay drown'd in death and
night,

He with quick strains raised them to life and light.
Thus cheer'd he Saul, thus did his fury 'swage,
Till wars began, and times more fit for rage.
To Helah plain Philistian troops are come,
And war's loud noise strikes peaceful music dumb.
Back to his rural care young David goes;

For this rough work Saul his stout brethren chose :

He knew not what his hand in war could do, Nor thought his sword could cure men's mad

ness too.

Now Dammin's destin'd for this scene of blood;
On two near hills the two proud armies stood,
Between, a fatal valley stretch'd-out wide,
And death seem'd ready now on either side;
When, lo! their host raised all a joyful shout,
And from the midst an huge and monstrous man
stepped out.

Aloud they shouted at each step he took ;

We, and the earth itself beneath him, shook, Vast as the hill, down which he march'd, he appear'd;

Amazed all eyes, nor was their army fear'd.

A

young tall 'squire (though then he seem'd not so) Did from the camp at first before him go;

At first he did, but scarce could follow straight,
Sweating beneath a shield's unruly weight,
On which was wrought the gods' and giants' fight,
Rare work! all fill'd with terror and delight.
Here a vast hill'gainst thundering Baal was thrown,
Trees and beasts on 't fell burnt with lightning down;
One flings a mountain, and its river too,

Torn
up with 't; that rains back on him that threw :
Some from the main to pluck whole islands try ;
The sea boils round with flames shot thick from sky;
This he believed, and on his shield he bore,

And praised their strength, but thought his own

was more.

The valley now this monster seem'd to fill;
And we, methoughts, look'd up to' him from our hill.
All arm'd in brass, the richest dress of war
(A dismal glorious sight!) he shone afar;

The sun himself started with sudden fright,
To see his beams return so dismal bright:
Brass was his helmet, his boots brass; and o'er
His breast a thick plate of strong brass he wore;
His spear
the trunk was of a lofty tree, [be;
Which Nature meant some tall ship's mast should
The' huge iron head six hundred shekels weigh'd,
And of whole bodies but one wound it made;
Able Death's worst command to overdo,
Destroying life at once and carcase too.
Thus arm'd he stood; all direful, and all gay,
And round him flung a scornful look
away:
So, when a Scythian tiger, gazing round,
An herd of kine in some fair plain has found,
Lowing secure, he swells with angry pride,
And calls forth all his spots on every side;
Then stops, and hurls his haughty eyes at all,
In choice of some strong neck on which to fall;
Almost he scorns so weak, so cheap a prey,
And grieves to see them trembling haste away.
Ye men of Jury, 'he cries, if men you be,
And such dare prove yourselves to fame and me,
Choose out 'mongst all your troops, the boldest
knight,

To try his strength and fate with me in fight:
The chance of war let us two bear for all,
And they the conqueror serve whose knight shall
fall.

At this he paused awhile: Straight, I defy [die?
Your gods and you; dares none come down and
Go back for shame, and Egypt's slavery bear,
Or yield to us, and serve more nobly here.
Alas! ye❜ave no more wonders to be done,
Your sorcerer Moses now, and Joshua, 's gone;

Your magic trumpets then could cities take,

And sounds of triumph did your battles make.
Spears in your hands and manly swords are vain;
Get you your spells and conjuring rods again.
Is there no Samson here? O that there were!
In his full strength, and long, enchanted hair;
This sword should be in the weak razor's stead;
It should not cut his hair off, but his head.

"Thus he blasphemed aloud; the valleys round, Flattering his voice, restored the dreadful sound: We turn'd us trembling at the noise, and fear'd We had behind some new Goliah heard. 'Twas Heaven, Heaven sure (which David's glory

meant

Through this whole act) such sacred terror sent
To all our host; for there was Saul in place,
Who ne'er saw fear but in his enemy's face;
His god-like son there in bright armour shone,
Who scorn'd to conquer armies not alone :
Fate her own book mistrusted at the sight;
On that side war, on this a single fight.
There stood Benaiah, and there trembled too,
He who the' Egyptian proud Goliah slew;
In his pale fright, rage through his eyes shot flame,
He saw his staff, and blush'd with generous shame;
Thousands beside stood mute and heartless there,
Men valiant all; nor was I used to fear.

"Thus forty days he march'd down arm'd to fight,
Once every morn he march'd, and once at night.
Slow rose the sun, but gallop'd down apace,
With more than evening blushes in his face :
When Jesse to the camp young David sent;
His purpose low, but high was Fate's intent ;

VOL. II.

X

For, when the monster's pride he saw and heard, Round him he look'd, and wonder'd why they fear'd.

Anger and brave disdain his heart possess'd, Thoughts more than manly swell'd his youthful

breast:

Much the rewards proposed his spirit enflame,
Saul's daughter much, and much the voice of Fame.
These to their just intentions strongly move,
But chiefly God, and his dear country's love.'
Resolved for combat, to Saul's tent he's brought,
Where thus he spoke, as boldly as he fought:
"Henceforth no more, great Prince, your sa-
cred breast

With that huge talking wretch of Gath, molest;
This hand alone shall end his cursed breath;
Fear not, the wretch blasphemes himself to death,
And, cheated with false weight of his own might,
Has challenged Heaven, not us, to single fight.
Forbid it, God! that, where thy right is try'd,
The strength of man should find just cause for
pride!

sway,

Firm like some rock, and vast, he seems to stand,
But rocks we know were oped at thy command:
That soul, which now does such large members
[away;
Through one small wound will creep in haste
And he who now dares boldly Heaven defy,
Το every bird of heaven a prey shall lie:
For 'tis not human force we ought to fear ;
Did that, alas! plant our forefathers here?
Twice fifteen kings did they by that subdue?
By that whole nations of Goliahs slew?

« הקודםהמשך »