New messengers twice more the tyrant sent,
And was twice more mock'd with the same event:
His heighten'd rage no longer brooks delay ;
It sends him there himself: but on the way
His foolish anger a wise fury grew,

And blessings from his mouth unbidden flew :
His kingly robes he laid at Naioth down,
Began to understand, and scorn, his crown ;
Employ'd his mounting thoughts on nobler things,
And felt more solid joys than empire brings;
Embraced his wondering son, and on his head
The balm of all past wounds, kind tears, he shed.
So covetous Balaam, with a fond intent
Of cursing the bless'd seed, to Moab went:
But as he went, his fatal tongue to sell,
His ass taught him to speak, God to speak well.
"How comely are thy tents, O Israel !"
(Thus he began)" what conquests they foretel!
"Less fair are orchards in their autumn pride,
Adorn'd with trees on some fair river's side;
Less fair are valleys, their green mantles spread!
Or mountains with tall cedars on their head!
"Twas God himself (thy God who must not fear?)
Brought thee from bondage to be master here.
Slaughter shall wear out these, new weapons get,
And death in triumph on thy darts shall sit.
When Judah's lion starts up to his
prey,
The beasts shall hang their ears, and creep away;
When he lies down, the woods shall silence keep,
And dreadful tigers tremble at his sleep.
Thy cursers, Jacob! shall twice cursed be;
And he shall bless himself that blesses thee!"

THE

SECOND BOOK

OF

THE DAVIDEIS.

DAVIDEIS.

BOOK II.

The Argument.

The friendship betwixt Jonathan and David; and upon that occasion a digression concerning the nature of Love-A discourse between Jonathan and David; upon which the latter absents himself from court, and the former goes thither, to inform himself of Saul's resolution-The feast of the New Moon; the manner of the celebration of it; and therein a digression of the history of AbrahamSaul's speech upon David's absence from the feast, and his anger against Jonathan-David's resolution to fly away; he parts with Jonathan, and falls asleep under a tree-A description of Phansy; an angel makes up a vision in David's head; the vision itself, which is, a prophecy of all the succession of his race till Christ's time, with their most remarkable actions-At his awaking Gabriel assumes an human shape, and confirms to him the truth of his vision.

BUT now the early birds began to call

The morning forth; up rose the sun and Saul;
Both, as men thought, rose fresh from sweet repose;
But both, alas! from restless labours rose:
For in Saul's breast, envy, the toilsome sin,
Had all that night active and tyrannous been:
She' expell'd all forms of kindness, virtue, grace;
Of the past day no footstep left or trace;
The new-blown sparks of his old rage appear,
Nor could his love dwell longer with his fear.
So near a storm wise David would not stay,
Nor trust the glittering of a faithless day;