Paradise Regain'd

That no fecond 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 furvives,
A fecular bird ages of lives.

Man. Come, come, no time for lamentation now, Nor much more caufe; Samfon hath quit himself Like Samfon, and heroickly hath finish'd

A life heroick, on his enemies

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

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

Soak'd in his enemies blood, and from the stream
With lavers pure and cleansing herbs wash off
The cloded gore. I with what speed the while
Gaza is not in plight to fay us nay)
Will fend for all my kindred, all my friends
To fetch him hence, and folemnly attend

With filent obfequy and funeral train

Home to his father's houfe: 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 enroll'd
In copious legend, or sweet lyrick fong.
Thither fhall all the valiant youth resort,
And from his memory inflame their breasts
To matchlefs valour, and adventures high:
The virgins also fhall 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 beft, though we oft doubt
What th' unfearchable difpofe
Of highest wisdom brings about,
And ever best found in the close.
Oft he seems to hide his face,