No longer now does my neglected Mind
It's wonted Stores, and old Ideas find.
Fix'd Judgment there no longer does abide,
To take the True, or fet the False afide.
No longer does fwift Mem'ry trace the Cells,
Where springing Wit, or young Invention dwells;
Frequent Debauch to Habitude prevails:
Patience of Toil, and Love of Virtue fails.
By fad Degrees impair'd my Vigor dyes;
Till I Command no longer ev'n in Vice.
The Women on my Dotage build their Sway:
They ask; I grant: They threaten; I obey.
In Regal Garments now I gravely ftride,
Aw'd by the PERSIAN Dam'fel's haughty Pride.
Now with the loofer SYRIAN dance, and fing,
In Robes tuck'd up, opprobrious to the King.
Charm'd by their Eye, their Manners I acquire;
And shape my Foolishness to their Defire.
Seduc'd and aw'd by the PHILISTINE Dame,
At DAGON's Shrine I kindle impious Flame.
With the CHALDEAN's Charms her Rites prevail;
And curling Frankincense afcends to BAAL.
To each new Harlot I new Altars drefs;
Quotque arfi Nymphas, colui tot facra Deofque.
Quo fugit Ratio, fenfus delufe? paterni
Quo fefe eripuit Majeftas ardua regni?
Quò fugere facræ Virtutis Dogmata, vivo
Quæ data fonte DEUS primis mihi tradidit annis;
Dum veneror cæcas Phariâ monftrante puellâ
Effigies, nuper Cælo data numina, quorum
Fana fuis hos ante dies haud viderat oris
Judæa; infames Superos, armenta Deorum
Turpia, Ofirin, Apin, pronum pecus; & fua thura
Et ritus habet obfcænos latrator Anubis.
Quin marmor vetitâ fylvofi montis in umbrâ
Cædebam in varias facies, cæfoque ferebam
Ipfe preces fupplex: mediâque palude, nefandâ
· Religione ardens, colubras muscasque verebar.
Nec non & Plantæ virgultaque vilia cultus
Accepere fuos, timuique quod ante ferebam:
Omnia honore facro donans Animalia, folum
Præterii, cælum & terras Qui numine torquet.
Per cæcam hanc animi nubem triftefque per umbras Tenuia cæperunt jam tandem albefcere lucis Semina; nafcentis radii nova flammula fpargi
Per nubem, optatæ præftans promiffa diei...
And ferve Her God, whofe Person I caress.
Where, my deluded Senfe, was Reason flown? Where the high Majefty of DAVID'S Throne? Where all the Maxims of Eternal Truth,
With which the Living GOD inform'd my Youth? When with the lewd EGYPTIAN I adore
Vain Idols, Deities that ne'er before
In ISRAEL'S Land had fix'd their dire Abodes,
Beastly Divinities, and Droves of Gods:
OSIRIS, APIS, Pow'rs that chew the Cud,
And Dog ANUBIS, Flatt'rer for his Food:
When in the Woody Hill's forbidden Shade
I carv'd the Marble, and invok'd it's Aid:
When in the Fens to Snakes and Flies, with Zeal
Unworthy human Thought, I prostrate fell:
To Shrubs and Plants my vile Devotion paid;
And set the bearded Leek, to which I pray'd:
When to all Beings Sacred Rites were giv'n;
Forgot the Arbiter of Earth and Heav'n.
Thro' these fad Shades, this Chaos in my Soul, Some Seeds of Light at length began to roll; The rifing Motion of an Infant Ray
Shot glimm'ring thro'the Cloud,and promis'd Day. And
Mente potens mecum jam pauca revolvere, Regem
Defpectum vidi: tardè mea juffa Miniftri
Egerunt, fugitque facri Reverentia vultus.
Vidi etiam unanimes populos opprobria Regis
Certatim proferre, fuifque obducere nubem.
Davidis oravit generi meliora Sacerdos,
Et fermone vago latè mea crimina pandit..
Dum Pater erranti vitæ per lubrica nato
Monftraret vitiorum exempla miferrima; mores
Ille meos, & me, celato nomine, pinxit.
Hoc Cuftos iterum atque iterum memoravit Alumnis;
Principe deliro Sanus præftantior Infans.
In me converti Rationis lumen, & imam
Altiùs ut mentem fcrutabar, plura dolebam;
Me latè dominantem, in terris Numinis inftar,
Agnofcunt Gentes, vultuque & voce moventur;
Vincula libertafque, infamia turpis, honorque,
Et Fata à noftro pendent trepidantia nutu.
Heu! nimiùm jactat fefe mea gloria; Regem
Judææ innumeri cogunt fervire Tyranni :
Multa cohors Venerum & Vitiorum infana Caterya
Principis everfæ menti dominantur; & Ipfe,
Quem decuit leges libertatemque tueri,
Ipfe jugo turpi fubmittit colla, protervi
And now one Moment able to reflect,
I found the King abandon'd to Neglect,
Seen without Awe, and ferv'd without Respect.
I found my Subjects amicably joyn,
To leffen their Defects, by citing Mine.
The Prieft with Pity pray'd for DAVID's Race;
And left his Text, to dwell on my Difgrace.
The Father, whilft he warn'd his erring Son,
*The fad Examples which He ought to shun,
Defcrib'd, and only nam'd not SOLOMON.
Each Bard, each Sire did to his Pupil fing,
A Wife Child better than a Foolish King.
Into My felf my Reafon's Eye I turn'd;
And as I much reflected, much I mourn'd.
A mighty King I am, an Earthly God:
Nations obey my Word, and wait my Nod;
I raise or fink, imprison or fet free;
And Life or Death depends on My Decree.
Fond the Idea, and the Thought is vain:
O'er JUDAH's King ten thousand Tyrants reign.
Legions of Luft, and various Pow'rs of Ill
Infult the Mafter's Tributary Will:
And He, from whom the Nations fhould receive
Juftice and Freedom, lyes Himself a Slave,
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