To triumph o'er crown'd heads in David's cause: 890 Or grant him victor, still his hopes must fail, Who, conquering, would not for himself prevail; The faction whom he trusts for future sway, Him and the public would alike betray; Amongst themselves divide the captive state, And found their hydra-empire in his fate! Thus having beat the clouds with painful flight, The pitied youth, with sceptres in his sight (So have their cruel politics decreed), Must by that crew, that made him guilty, bleed! 900 For, could their pride brook any prince's sway, Whom but mild David would they choose to obey? Who once at such a gentle reign repine, The fall of monarchy itself design: From hate to that their reformations spring, And David not their grievance, but the king. Seized now with panic fear the faction lies, Lest this clear truth strike Absalom's charm'd eyes, Lest he perceive, from long enchantment free, What all beside the flatter'd youth must see: 910 But whate'er doubts his troubled bosom swell, Fair carriage still became Achitophel, Who now an envious festival installs, And to survey their strength the faction calls,-- Which fraud, religious worship too must gild. But oh! how weakly does sedition build! For lo! the royal mandate issues forth, Dashing at once their treason, zeal, and mirth! So have I seen disastrous chance invade, Where careful emmets had their forage laid, 920 Whether fierce Vulcan's rage the furzy plain Had seized, engender'd by some careless swain; Or swelling Neptune lawless inroads made, And to their cell of store his flood convey'd; The commonwealth broke up, distracted go, And in wild haste their loaded mates o'erthrow: Even so our scatter'd guests confusedly meet, With boil'd, baked, roast, all justling in the street; Dejecting all, and ruefully dismay'd, For shekel without treat or treason paid. 930 Sedition's dark eclipse now fainter shows, More bright each hour the royal planet grows, Of force the clouds of envy to disperse, In kind conjunction of assisting stars. Here, labouring muse! those glorious chiefs relate, That turn'd the doubtful scale of David's fate; The rest of that illustrious band rehearse, Immortalized in laurell'd Asaph's verse: Hard task! yet will not I thy flight recall, View heaven, and then enjoy thy glorious fall. 940