TEXTS CHIEFLY ALLUDED TO IN BOOK II. “I said in my own heart, Go to now, I will prove thee "with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure." Eccl. ii. 1. "I made me great works, I builded me houses, I "planted me vineyards." Ver. 4. "I made me gardens and orchards; and I planted trees "in them of all kind of fruits." Ver. 5. "I made me pools of water, to water therewith the "wood that bringeth forth trees.” Ver. 6. "Then I looked on all the works that my hands had "wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: "And behold all was vanity, and vexation of fpirit; " and there was no profit under the fun.” Ver. 11. "I gat me men-fingers and women-fingers, and the de"lights of the fons of men, as musical instruments, "and that of all forts." Ver. 8. "I fought in mine heart to give myself unto wine (yet "acquainting mine heart with wisdom) and to lay "hold on folly, till I might fee what was that good "for the fons of men, which they should do under "Heaven, all the days of their life.” Ver. 3. "Then I faid in my heart, As it happeneth unto the "fool, fo it happeneth even unto me; and why was "I then more wife? Then I said in my heart, that "this alfo is vanity." Ver. 15. "Therefore I hated life, because the work that is wrought "under the fun is grievous unto me." Ch. ii. ver. 27. "Dead flies cause the ointment to fend forth a stinking "favour: fo doth the little folly him that is in repu"tation for wisdom and honour." Chap. x. ver. 1. "The memory of the just is blessed, but the memory of "the wicked fhall rot." Proverbs, ch. x. ver. 7. PLEASURE: THE SECOND BOOK. THE ARGUMENT. Solomon, again feeking happinefs, enquires if wealth and greatnefs can produce it: begins with the magnificence of gardens and buildings, the luxury of mufick and feafting; and proceeds to the hopes and de fires of Love. In two epifodes are fhewn the follics and troubles of that paffion. Solomon, ftill difappointed, falls under the temptations of Libertinifin and Idolatry; recovers his thought; reafons aright; and concludes, that, as to the purfuit of pleafure and fenfuaf delight, All is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit. RY then, O man, the moments to deceive, TR That from the womb attend thee to the grave: For weary'd-nature find some apter scheme : Where study brings thee; from the endless maze, To To jocund mirth, foft joy, and careless ease: And make thy reafon subject to thy sense. I commun'd thus: the power of wealth I try'd, Or rofe through figur'd ftone, or breathing gold; The marble brought, erects the fpacious dome, 15 20 25 On which the planted grove, the penfile garden, grows. To gild the turret, and to paint the wall; 35 A thou. A thousand artists fhew their cunning power, That on her coaft the Murex is no more; Till from the Parian ifle, and Libya's coaft, The mountains grieve their hopes of marble lost; To my new courts fad thought did still repair; Stalk'd through my gardens, and pursued my ways, Yet take thy bent, my foul; another sense Or power of found prevail upon the foul. 40 45 5.0 65 * The Murex is a fhell-fish; of the liquor whereof a purple colour is made. Often our feers and poets have confest, That Mufic's force can tame the furious beaft; His wrath to Man, and lick the Minstrel's feet. I fpake my purpose; and the chearful choir Scenes of repofe, and images of rest: Yet ftill in vain; for mulic gather'd thought: Lightly receiv'd, were eafily forgot; The folemn violence of the graver found Knew to ftrike deep, and leave a lafting wound. The fickly luft of the fantastic eye; Ilow the weak organ is with feeing cloy'd, And now (unhappy fearch of thought!) I found 7 70 75 80 90 95 Condemn'd |