The history of The Old Testament In verse With One Hundred and Eighty sculptures: In Two Volumes. Vol. I. From the Creation to the Revolt of the Ten Tribes from the House of David. Vol. II. From that Revolt to the End of the Prophets. Written by Samuel Wesley ... The Cuts done by J. Sturt |
 | I, II. |
 | The history of The Old Testament In verse |  |
CXI. Judges, Chap. XVI. from Ver. 23. to Ver. 30.
Samson's Death.
Happy Affliction, by whose welcom Rod
We learn at once to know ourselves, and God!
Samson by this the truest Freedom gains,
Smiles in his Dungeon, and enjoys his Chains;
And his purg'd Soul's endu'd with inward Light,
Which more than pays his Loss of sensual sight:
His haughty Lords less free than him they bind,
By their own Pride and Vice enslav'd and blind;
Who now a joyful Feast around proclaim,
To spread their mighty Fishes glorious Name;
Their two-form'd God, who to Philistia gave
Samson, their once dread Foe, but now their Slave:
The Feast and Noon grew high, for him they send,
And at his sight with Shouts the Heavens they rend:
His gifted Strength their Scorn, which late their Dread,
Thro' all their Streets in shameful Triumph led:
Their spatious Theatre was crowded round,
And with the Flow'r of wealthy Gaza crown'd:
The vaulted Roof two massy Columns bear,
Samson, as tir'd, sues to repose him there;
Betwixt whose Bases by his Leader plac'd,
This his Right hand, and that his Left embrac'd.
Straining his utmost nervous Force, he bends,
The Pillars from their firm Foundations rends,
With burst of Thunder strait the Roof descends,
Crushing at once the shrieking Crowd beneath,
At once confounded in one Grave and Death:
Samson among the rest contented fell,
And smiles to think his Eyes reveng'd so well.
We learn at once to know ourselves, and God!
Samson by this the truest Freedom gains,
Smiles in his Dungeon, and enjoys his Chains;
And his purg'd Soul's endu'd with inward Light,
Which more than pays his Loss of sensual sight:
His haughty Lords less free than him they bind,
By their own Pride and Vice enslav'd and blind;
206
To spread their mighty Fishes glorious Name;
Their two-form'd God, who to Philistia gave
Samson, their once dread Foe, but now their Slave:
The Feast and Noon grew high, for him they send,
And at his sight with Shouts the Heavens they rend:
His gifted Strength their Scorn, which late their Dread,
Thro' all their Streets in shameful Triumph led:
Their spatious Theatre was crowded round,
And with the Flow'r of wealthy Gaza crown'd:
The vaulted Roof two massy Columns bear,
Samson, as tir'd, sues to repose him there;
Betwixt whose Bases by his Leader plac'd,
This his Right hand, and that his Left embrac'd.
Straining his utmost nervous Force, he bends,
The Pillars from their firm Foundations rends,
With burst of Thunder strait the Roof descends,
Crushing at once the shrieking Crowd beneath,
At once confounded in one Grave and Death:
Samson among the rest contented fell,
And smiles to think his Eyes reveng'd so well.
Happy the Man who thus his Fame regains,
And by so fair a Death, can loose his Country's Chains!
And by so fair a Death, can loose his Country's Chains!
| The history of The Old Testament In verse | |