John Dryden - Delphi Poets Series
Page 18
Immortalliz’d in Lawrell’d Asaph’s Verse:
Hard task! yet will not I thy Flight recall,
View Heav’n, and then enjoy thy glorious Fall. 940
First Write Bezaliel, whose Illustrious Name
Forestals our Praise, and gives his Poet Fame.
The Kenites Rocky Province his Command,
A barren Limb of Fertile Canaans Land,
Which for its gen’rous Natives yet cou’d be 945
Held Worthy such a President as He!
Bezaliel with each Grace, and Virtue Fraught,
Serene his Looks, Serene his Life and Thought,
On whom so largely Nature heapt her Store,
There scarce remain’d for Arts to give him more! 950
To Aid the Crown and State his greatest Zeal,
His Second Care that Service to Conceal;
Of Dues Observant, Firm in ev’ry Trust,
And to the Needy always more than Just.
Who Truth from specious falsehood can divide, 955
Has all the Gown-mens Skill without their Pride;
Thus crown’d with worth from heights of honor won,
Sees all his Glories copied in his Son,
Whose forward Fame should every Muse Engage:
Whose Youth boasts skill denied to others Age. 960
Men, Manners, Language, Books of noblest kind
Already are the Conquest of his Mind.
Whose Loyalty before it’s Date was prime,
Nor waited the dull course of rowling Time:
The Monster Faction early he dismaid, 965
And David’s Cause long since confest his Aid.
Brave Abdael o’re the Prophets’ School was place’d;
Abdael, with all his Father’s Virtue grac’d;
A Heroe, who, while Stars look’d wondring down,
Without one Hebrew’s Bloud restor’d the Crown. 970
That praise was His; what therefore did remain
For following Chiefs, but boldly to maintain
That Crown restor’d? and in this Rank of Fame,
Brave Abdael with the First a place must claim.
Proceed, illustrious, happy, Chief, proceed, 975
Foreseize the Garlands for thy Brow decreed,
While th’ inspir’d Tribe attend with noblest strein
To Register the Glories thou shalt gain:
For sure, the Dew shall Gilboah’s Hills forsake,
And Jordan mix his Stream with Sodom’s Lake; 980
Or Seas retir’d their Secret stores disclose,
And to the Sun their scaly Brood expose,
Or swell’d above the Clifts, their Billows raise,
Before the Muses leave their Patron’s Praise.
Eliab our Next labour do’s invite, 985
And hard the Task to do Eliab right:
Long with the royal Wanderer he rovd,
And firm in all the Turns of Fortune prov’d!
Such ancient Service and Desert so large,
Well claim’d the Royal Household for his Charge. 990
His Age with only one mild Heiress blest,
In all the Bloom of smiling Nature drest,
And blest again to see his Flow’r ally’d
To David’s Stock, and made young Othniel’s Bride!
The bright Restorer of his Father’s Youth, 995
Devoted to a Son’s and Subject’s Truth:
Resolv’d to bear that prize of Duty home,
So bravely sought (while sought) by Absalom.
Ah Prince! th’ illustrious Planet of thy Birth,
And thy more powerful Virtue guard thy worth; 1000
That no Achitophel thy Ruine boast;
Israel too much in one such Wreck has lost.
Ev’n Envy must consent to Helon’s Worth,
Whose Soul (tho’ Egypt glories in his Birth)
Cou’d for our Captive-Ark its Zeal retain, 1005
And Pharoah’s Altars in their Pomp disdain:
To slight his Gods was small; with nobler pride,
He all th’ Allurements of his Court defi’d.
Whom Profit nor Example cou’d betray
But Israel’s friend, and true to David’s Sway. 1010
What acts of favour in his Province fall
On Merit he confers, and Freely all.
Our List of Nobles next let Amri Grace,
Whose Merits claim’d the Abethdins high place;
Who, with a Loyalty that did excel, 1015
Brought all th’ endowments of Achitophel.
Sincere was Amri, and not only knew,
But Israel’s Sanctions into practice drew;
Our Laws, that did a boundless Ocean seem,
Were coasted all, and fathom’d all by Him. 1020
No Rabbin speaks like him their mystick Sense,
So just, and with such Charms of Eloquence:
To whom the double Blessing does belong,
With Mose’s Inspiration Aaron’s Tongue.
Than Sheva, none more loyal Zeal have shown, 1025
Wakeful as Judah’s Lion for the Crown.
Who for that Cause still combats in his Age,
For which his Youth with danger did engage.
In vain our factious Priests the Cant revive;
In vain seditious Scribes with Libels strive 1030
T’ enflame the Crow’d, while He with watchful Eye
Observes, and shoots their Treasons as They fly;
Their weekly Frauds his keen Replies detect,
He undeceives more fast than they infect.
So Moses, when the Pest on Legions prey’d, 1035
Advanced his Signal and the Plague was stay’d.
Once more my fainting Muse thy Pinnions try,
And Strengths exhausted store let Love supply.
What Tribute Asaph shall we render Thee?
We’ll crown thee with a Wreath from thy own Tree! 1040
Thy Lawrel Grove no Envye’s flash can blast.
The Song of Asaph shall for ever last!
With wonder late Posterity shall dwell
On Absalom, and false Achitophel:
Thy streins shall be our slumbring Prophets dream, 1045
And, when our Sion Virgins sing their Theam,
Our Jubilees shall with thy Verse be grac’t,
The Song of Asaph shall for ever last!
How fierce his Satyr loos’d, restrain’d, how tame
How tender of th’ offending Young man’s Fame! 1050
How well his worth, and brave Adventures still’d,
Just to his Vertues, to his Error mild.
No Page of thine that fears the strictest view,
But teems with just Reproof, or Praise, as due;
Not Eden cou’d a fairer Prospect yield, 1055
All Paradise without one barren Field:
Whose Wit the Censure of his Foes has past,
The Song of Asaph shall for ever last!
What Praise for such rich Strains shall we allow?
What just Rewards the grateful Crown bestow? 1060
While Bees in Flow’rs rejoyce, and Flow’rs in Dew,
While Stars and Fountains to their Course are true;
While Judah’s Throne and Sion’s Rock stand fast,
The Song of Asaph and the Fame shall last.
Still Hebron’s honour’d happy Soil Retains 1065
Our Royal Heroes beauteous dear remains;
Who now sails off, with Winds nor Wishes slack,
To bring his suff’rings bright Companion back,
But e’re such Transport can our sense employ
A bitter grief must poyson half our Joy; 1070
Nor can our Coasts restor’d those Blessings see
Without a Bribe to envious Destiny!
Curs’d Sodom’s Doom for ever fix the Tyde,
Where, by inglorious Chance, the Valiant dy’d.
Give not insulting Askalon to know, 1075
&n
bsp; Nor let Gath’s Daughters triumph in our Woe!
No Sailer with the News swell Egypt’s Pride
By what inglorious Fate our Valiant dy’d!
Weep, Arnon! Jordan weep thy fountains dry
While Sion’s Rock dissolves for a supply! 1080
Calm were the Elements, Night’s silence deep,
The Waves scarce murm’ring, and the Winds asleep;
Yet Fate for Ruine takes so still an hour,
And treacherous Sands the Princely Barque devour;
Then Death unworthy seiz’d a gen’rous Race, 1085
To Virtues scandal, and the Stars disgrace!
Oh! had th’ Indulgent Pow’rs vouchsaf’t to yield
Instead of faithless Shelves, a listed Field;
A listed Field of Heav’ns and David’s Foes,
Fierce as the Troops that did his Youth oppose, 1090
Each Life had on his slaughter’d heap retir’d,
Not Tamely, and Unconqu’ring thus expir’d:
But Destiny is now their only Foe,
And dying, even o’re that they tryumph too;
With loud last Breaths their Master’s Scape applaud, 1095
Of whom kind Force cou’d scarce the Fates defraud;
Who for such Followers lost, O matchless mind!
At his own Safety now almost repin’d!
Say Royal Sir, by all your Fame in Arms,
Your Praise in Peace, and by Urania’s Charms; 1100
If all your Suff’rings past so nearly prest,
Or pierct with half so painful Grief your Breast?
Thus some Diviner Muse her Heroe forms,
Not sooth’d with soft Delights, but tost in storms.
Not stretched on Roses in the Myrtle Grove, 1105
Nor Crowns his Days with Mirth, his Nights with Love
But far remov’d in Thundring Camps is found,
His Slumbers short, his Bed the herbless Ground:
In Tasks of Danger always seen the First,
Feeds from the Hedge, and slakes with Ice his Thirst. 1110
Long must his Patience strive with Fortunes Rage,
And long, opposing Gods themselves engage,
Must see his Country Flame, his Friends destroy’d,
Before the promis’d Empire be enjoy’d,
Such Toil of Fate must build a Man of Fame, 1115
And such, to Israel’s Crown, the God-like David came.
What suddain Beams dispel the Clouds so fast!
Whose drenching Rains laid all our Vineyards waste?
The Spring so far behind her Course delay’d
On th’ Instant is in all her Bloom array’d; 1120
The Winds breathe low, the Element serene,
Yet mark what Motion in the Waves is seen!
Thronging and busie as Hyblæan Swarms,
Or stragled Souldiers Summon’d to their Arms.
See where the Princely Barque in loosest Pride, 1125
With all her Guardian Fleet, Adorns the Tide!
High on her Deck the Royal Lovers stand,
Our Crimes to Pardon e’re they toucht our Land.
Welcome to Israel and to David’s Breast!
Here all your Toils, here all your Suff’rings rest. 1130
This year did Ziloah Rule Jerusalem,
And boldly all Sedition’s Syrges stem,
How e’re incumbred with a viler Pair
Than Ziph or Shimei, to assist the Chair;
Yet Ziloah’s loyal Labours so prevail’d 1135
That Faction at the next Election Fail’d,
When ev’n the common Cry did Justice Sound,
And Merrit by the Multitude was Crown’d:
With David then was Israel’s peace restor’d,
Crowds Mourn’d their Errour and Obey’d their Lord. 1140
Key to Both Parts of Absalom and Achitophel
(From Vol. II. of MISCELLANY POEMS, edition of 1716.)
Abethdin Lord Chancellor.
Abdael Duke of Albemarle.
Absalom Duke of Monmouth.
Achitophel Lord Shaftesbury.
Adriel Earl of Mulgrave.
Agag Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey.
Amiel Mr. Seymour, Speaker.
Amrl Lord Chancellor Finch.
Annabel Duchess of Monmouth.
Arod Sir W. Waller.
Asaph Mr. Dryden.
Balaam Earl of Huntingdon.
Balak Burnet.
Barzillai Duke of Ormond.
Bathsheba Duchess of Portsmouth.
Benaiah General Sackville.
Ben Jochanan Johnson.
Bezaliel Duke of Beaufort.
Caleb Lord Grey.
Corah Dr. Oates.
David King Charles II.
Doeg Settle.
Egypt France.
Eliab Earl of Arlington.
Ethnic Plot Popish Plot.
Hebrew Priests Church of England Ministers.
Hebron Scotland.
Helon Lord Feversham.
Hushai Earl of Rochester, Hyde.
Ishbosheth Richard Cromwell.
Ishban Sir R. Clayton.
Israel England.
Issachar T. Thin, Esq.
Jebusites Papists.
Jerusalem London.
Jonas Sir W. Jones.
Jotham Marquis of Halifax.
Jothran Lord Dartmouth.
Judas Ferguson
Mephibosheth Pordage.
Michal Queen Katharine.
Nadab Lord Howard of Escrick.
Og Shadwell.
Othniel Duke of Grafton.
Pharaoh French King.
Phaleg Forbes.
Rabshakeh Sir Thomas Player.
Sagan of Jerusalem Bishop of London.
Sanhedrim Parliament.
Saul Oliver.
Sheva Sir R. L’Estrange.
Shimei Sheriff Bethel.
Solymean Rout London Rebels.
Tyre Holland.
Uzza J. H.
Western Dome Dolben.
Zadoch Archbishop Sancroft.
Zaken Parliament-man.
Ziloah Sir J. Moor.
Zimrl Duke of Buckingham.
THE MEDALL
A Satyre against Sedition
Epistle to the Whigs.
For to whom can I dedicate this Poem, with so much justice, as to you? ’Tis the representation of your own Heroe: ’tis the Picture drawn at length, which you admire and prize so much in little. None of your Ornaments are wanting; neither the landscap of the Tower, nor the Rising Sun, nor the Anno Domini of your New Sovereign’s Coronation. This must needs be a gratefull undertaking to your whole Party: especially to those who have not been so happy as to purchase the Original. I hear the Graver has made a good Market of it: all his Kings are bought up already; or the value of the remainder so inhanc’d, that many a poor Polander who would be glad to worship the Image is not able to go to the cost of him: But must be content to see him here. I must confess I am no great artist; but Sign-post painting will serve the turn to remember a Friend by, especially when better is not to be had. Yet for your comfort the lineaments are true; and though he sate not five times to me, as he did to B., yet I have consulted History, as the Italian Painters do, when they would draw a Nero or a Caligula; though they have not seen the Man, they can help their Imagination by a Statue of him, and find out the Colouring from Suetonius and Tacitus. Truth is, you might have spar’d one side of your Medall: the Head wou’d be seen to more advantage, if it were place’d on a Spike of the Tower; a little nearer to the Sun. Which wou’d then break out to better purpose. You tell us in your Preface to the No-Protestant Plot, that you shall be forc’d hereafter to leave off your Modesty: I suppose you mean that little which is left you; for it was worn to rags when you put out this Medall. Never was there practis’d such a piece of notorious Impudence in the face of an Establish’d Government. I believe, when he is dead, you will wear him in Thumb-Rings, as the Turks
did Scanderbeg; as if there were virtue in his Bones to preserve you against Monarchy. Yet all this while you pretend not onely zeal for the Publick good; but a due veneration for the person of the King. But all men who can see an inch before them, may easily detect those gross fallacies. That it is necessary for men in your circumstances to pretend both, is granted you; for without them there could be no ground to raise a Faction. But I would ask you one civil question, what right has any man among you, or any Association of men, (to come nearer to you,) who out of Parliament cannot be consider’d in a publick Capacity, to meet, as you daily doe, in Factious Clubs, to vilify the Government in your Discourses and to libel it in all your Writings? Who made you Judges in Israel? or how is it consistent with your Zeal of the publick Welfare to promote Sedition? Does your definition of loyal, which is to serve the King according to the Laws, allow you the licence of traducing the Executive Power with which you own he is invested? You complain that his Majesty has lost the love and confidence of his People; and by your very urging it you endeavour what in you lies, to make him lose them. All good Subjects abhor the thought of Arbitrary Power, whether it be in one or many: if you were the Patriots you would seem, you would not at this rate incense the Multitude to assume it; for no sober man can fear it, either from the King’s Disposition, or his Practice, or even, where you would odiously lay it, from his Ministers. Give us leave to enjoy the Government and the benefit of laws under which we were born, and which we desire to transmit to our Posterity. You are not the Trustees of the Publick liberty: and if you have not right to petition in a Crowd, much less have you to intermeddle in the management of Affairs, or to arraign what you do not like: which in effect is everything that is done by the King and Council. Can you imagine that any reasonable man will believe you respect the person of his Majesty, when ’tis apparent that your Seditious Pamphlets are stuff’d with particular Reflexions on him? If you have the confidence to deny this, ’tis easy to be evinc’d from a thousand Passages, which I onely forbear to quote, because I desire they should die and be forgotten. I have perus’d many of your Papers: and to show you that I have, the third part of your No-Protestant Plot is much of it stolen, from your dead Authour’s Pamphlet, called the Growth of Popery, as manifestly as Milton’s defence of the English People is from Buchanan, de Jure regni apud Scotos, or your First Covenant and new Association, from the holy League of the French Guisards. Any one who reads Davila may trace your Practices all along. There were the same pretences for Reformation, and Loyalty, the same Aspersions of the King, and the same grounds of a Rebellion. I know not whether you will take the Historian’s word, who says it was reported that Poltrot, a Hugonot, murthered Francis, Duke of Guise, by the instigations of Theodore Beza : or that it was a Hugonot Minister, otherwise call’d a Presbyterian (for our Church abhors so devilish a Tenent) who first writ a Treatise of the lawfulness of deposing and murthering kings of a different Perswasion in Religion: But I am able to prove from the doctrine of Calvin, and Principles of Buchanan, that they set the People above the Magistrate; which if I mistake not, is your own Fundamental, and which carries your Loyalty no farther than your liking. When a vote of the House of Commons goes on your side, you are as ready to observe it as if it were pass’d into a Law: But when you are pinch’d with any former, and yet unrepealed Act of Parliament, you declare that, in same cases, you will not be oblig’d by it. The Passage is in the same third part of the No-Protestant Plot; and is too plain to be denied. The late Copy of your intended Association you neither wholly justify nor condemn; But, as the Papists, when they are unoppos’d, fly out into all the Pageantry’s of Worship; but in times of War, when they are hard press’d by Arguments, lie close intrench’d behind the Council of Trent; So, now, when your Affairs are in a low condition, you dare not pretend that to be a legal Combination, but whensoever you are afloat, I doubt not but it will be maintain’d and justify’d to purpose. For indeed there is nothing to defend it but the Sword: ’tis the proper time to say anything, when men have all things in their power.