THE POOR MAN's LAM B. A PARAPHRASE OF NATHAN'S PARABLE TO DAVID, AFTER THE MURDER OF URIAH, AND HIS MARRIAGE WITH BATHSHEBA. BY THE HONOURABLE ANNE, COUNTESS OF N WINCHILSEA. TOW spent the fallen king in amorous cares The hours of facred fong and holy prayers; In vain the altar waits his flow returns, Where unattended incenfe faintly burns; Who, at the treacherous fignal, soon withdrew; Nor to his rescue e'er return'd again, 'Till by fierce Ammon's fword they faw the victim flain. 'Tis pafs'd, 'tis done! the holy marriage knot, Too ftrong to be'unty'd, at last is cut. And now to BATHSHEBA the king declares, Nor Nor muft the days of formal tears fucceed, Till the fix'd time, tho' hard to be endur'd, And lo! he comes; the reverend bard appears, And his rough garment wet with falling tears. } The KING this mark'd, and confcious would have fled The healing balm that for his wounds was fhed; Join'd to the dove-like temper of his heart, } 1 "Hear me, the cause between two neighbours hear For him, who calls for fuccour from the throne. And greater by the shield, than by the sword." 1 This clears the doubt, and now no more he fears The cause his own, and therefore ftays and hears: When thus the prophet;-in a flowery plain A KING-LIKE man does in full plenty reign; Cafts round his eyes, in vain, to reach the bound, Which JORDAN's flood fets to his fertile ground: Counting his flocks, whilst LEBANON contains A herd as large, kept by his numerous swains, That fill with bellowings the morning air, And to the shade at fcorching noon repair. Near to this wood a lowly cottage stands, Built by the humble owner's painful hands; Fenc'd by a stubble-roof from rain and heat, Secur'd without, without all plain and neat. A field of fmall extent furrounds the place, In which one fingle EWE did fport and graze : This his whole ftock, till in full time there came To bless his utmost hopes, a snowy LAMB; Which, left the feafon yet too cold might prove, And northern blafts annoy it from the grove, Or tow'ring fowl on the weak prey might seize, (For with his ftore his fears muft too increase) He brings it home, and lays it by his fide, At once his wealth, his pleasure, and his pride; Still bars the door, by labour call'd away, And, when returning at the close of day, With one small mefs himself and that fuftains, And half his dish it shares, and half his gains. -When to the great man's table now there comes A LORD as great, follow'd by hungry grooms: For For these must be provided fundry meats, Extols the LAMB, 'twas nourish'd with fuch care, } Then, fays the prophet, clofing with the time, "THOU ART THE MAN, and thine th' ill-natur'd Nor think against thy place or state I err, A power above thee does this charge prefer: [crime. Urg'd Urg'd by whofe fpirit, hither am I brought, As winds of old, locufts to EGYPT's fea. Thy heart with love, thy temples with renown, } What more could craving man of GOD implore, Or what for favour'd man could GOD do more? Yet could not thefe, nor ISRAEL's throne fuffice Intemperate wishes, drawn thro' wandering eyes. One beauty, not thy own, and feen by chance, Defiles thy GRACE with one alluring glance; Chaces the spirit fed by facred art, And blots the title AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART! Black |