In the Arabian woods imbost,

That no second knows nor third,
And lay ere while a holocaust,

From out her ashy womb now teem'd,
Revives, reflourishes, then vigorous most
When most unactive deem'd,

And though her body die, her fame survives

A secular bird ages of lives.

1700

1705

MAN. Come, come, no time for lamentation now, Nor much more cause: Samson hath quit himself Like Samson, and heroically hath finish'd A life heroic, on his enemies

1710

Fully reveng'd, hath left them years of mourning,
And lamentation to the sons of Caphtor
Through all Philistian bounds. To Israel
Honour hath left and freedom, but let them 1715
Find courage to lay hold on this occasion,
To himself and father's house eternal fame;
And, which is best and happiest yet, all this
With God not parted from him, as was fear'd,
But favouring and assisting to the end.
Nothing is here for tears, nothing to wail

1720

Or knock the breast, no weakness, no contempt,
Dispraise, or blame, nothing but well and fair,
And what may quiet us in a death so noble.
Let us go find the body where it lies

1725

1700 imbost] Sandy's Psalms, p. 65. Lord! as the hart imbost with heat.' Quarles's Emblems, p. 290, 'imbost doth fly.' Marino's Slaugh. of the Innocents, p. 61. Whiting's Albino and Bellama, p. 107.

Soak'd in his enemies' blood, and from the stream With lavers pure and cleansing herbs wash off The clotted gore. I with what speed the while, Gaza is not in plight to say us nay,

Will send for all my kindred, all my friends, 1730 To fetch him hence, and solemnly attend

With silent obsequy and funeral train

1735

Home to his father's house: there will I build him
A monument, and plant it round with shade
Of laurel ever green, and branching palm,
With all his trophies hung, and acts inroll'd
In copious legend, or sweet lyric song.
Thither shall all the valiant youth resort,
And from his memory inflame their breasts
To matchless valour and adventures high:
The virgins also shall on feastful days
Visit his tomb with flowers, only bewailing
His lot unfortunate in nuptial choice,
From whence captivity and loss of eyes.
CHOR. All is best, though we oft doubt,
What th' unsearchable dispose

Of highest wisdom brings about,

And ever best found in the close.

Oft he seems to hide his face,

But unexpectedly returns,

1733 Home] See Par. Reg. iv. 638.

Home to his mother's house private return'd.'

1740 high] Hawes's Past. of Pleasure, 1554. ch. xxxii. Right high aduentures unto you shall fall.'

1740

1745

1750

Todd.

And to his faithful champion hath in place Bore witness gloriously; whence Gaza mourns And all that band them to resist

His uncontrollable intent:

His servants he, with new acquist

Of true experience from this great event,
With peace and consolation hath dismiss'd,
And calm of mind, all passion spent.

1755

1755 acquist] Heath's Chron. of Civil Wars, fol. p. 402, 'his unjust acquists.' Todd.

Note] It was the custom of the scholars who lived in the age just previous to that of Milton, and who possessed a command of poetical language, to form dramas in Latin verse from scripture Histories. Besides the two volumes of the 'Dramata Sacra;' there is the Abramus' of Th. Beza, the 'Parabata Vinctus' of Thuanus, the Christus Patiens,' the Sophom-paneas,' and the Adamus Exsul,' of Grotius, the 'Jephthas,' and Baptistes' of Buchanan, the Herodes Infanticida' of Dan. Heinsius. These I have read, probably there are others with which I am not acquainted; there are also many Italian Dramas formed on the sacred history, and our old mysteries. The Greek translation of this play by G. H. Glasse, has been pronounced to be 'a work constructed with such precision, and expressed with such elegance, as never appeared in Europe since the revival of learning.' Parr's Letters, i. P. 637.

COMUS, A MASK.

PRESENTED AT LUDLOW CASTLE.