CLXIV. 1 Kings, Chap. XI. from Ver. 1. to Ver. 14.
Solomon's Wives in his old Age seduce him to Idolatry.
Fatal
Prosperity! How fond, how blind!
Thou sweetest, deadliest Poison to Mankind!
Unjustly we of adverse Fate complain;
That has its Thousands sav'd, and thou Ten thousands slain:
But, ah! when Women on thy side engage,
How swift the Death, how strong the Philtres Rage!
What Potent Kings, what Heroes Great and Wise,
Have at thy Altars faln a Sacrifice?
But none like Solomon to future Times,
Transmit thy Conquests and transmit their Crimes:
Behold his Wisdom sunk, his Lustre fade,
His Glory clouded in how deep a Shade?
A thousand Women to his Court he brings,
(Almost too many for a thousand Kings!)
They steal his Scepter while he drags their Chain,
And wears in solid Sloth a shameful Reign:
From various Nations his Seraglio stor'd,
Their mungril Faith as various Gods ador'd:
Th'uxorious King to gain a quiet Life,
Almost a diff'rent God must serve for ev'ry Wife.
A fair Sidonian made him first decline,
And brought him to her own Astarte's shrine;
With Pharaoh's Daughter she unites her Claim,
Th'Egyptian sacred Heifer was the same:
To Chemosh then he bow'd his hoary Head,
By Moabitish Charms to Ruin led:
At Moloch's sanguine Altar next he's seen,
To please his beauteous Ammonitish Queen:
God's sacred Temple now neglected lies,
No Incense there, no Pray'rs, or Sacrifice:
On either side his pow'rful Rivals grown,
The Demons as of old, insult his Throne.
Was it for this, for this he twice appear'd
To Solomon, when his dread Voice he heard?
What Blessings promis'd to his pious Care?
How strictly charg'd of Idols to beware?
But all in vain; he's lost, his Heart is gone,
He and his Kingdom ruin'd and undone;
For his Ingratitude and Folly curs'd,
New Foes are rais'd, and Hadad is the First:
Fierce Edom conquer'd and his Father dead,
To Pharaoh's Court the Youth for Refuge fled;
Receiv'd with Grace and Princely welcom there,
Nor that proud Pharoah did for Hadad care,
But Israel's Scourge secur'd in Edom's Heir;
For this did he his dubious Title own,
And made an Exile Kinsman to the Throne:
How firm, how gen'rous in his weighty Trust,
How faithful (to his Int'rest) and how Just!
Thence like a Vultur hov'ring from afar,
For plenteous Death he hopes, and waits for War;
Ready to stoop and plague the guilty Land,
When Israel's Sins so dire a Scourge demand:
Rezon the next,—but greater Mischief rose
From anger'd Fav'rites, and intestine Foes:
To Jeroboam, diligent and brave,
The God of Israel, Israel's Scepter gave:
Whom jealous Solomon attempts in vain,
To spoil of Life, and of his fated Reign;
When Dust himself, he shall his Throne enjoy,
For none cou'd ever yet his Successor destroy.
The End of the First Volume.
[Vol. II.]
