Youth, beauty, graceful action seldom fail;
  But common interest always will prevail: 
  And pity never ceases to be shown
  To him who makes the people’s wrongs his own. 
  The crowd, that still believe their kings oppress,
  With lifted hands their young Messiah bless: 
  Who now begins his progress to ordain
  With chariots, horsemen, and a numerous train:  730
  From east to west his glories he displays,
  And, like the sun, the promised land surveys. 
  Fame runs before him as the morning-star,
  And shouts of joy salute him from afar: 
  Each house receives him as a guardian god,
  And consecrates the place of his abode. 
  But hospitable treats did most commend
  Wise Issachar, his wealthy western friend. 
  This moving court, that caught the people’s eyes,
  And seem’d but pomp, did other ends disguise:  740
  Achitophel had form’d it, with intent
  To sound the depths, and fathom where it went,
  The people’s hearts, distinguish friends from foes,
  And try their strength, before they came to blows. 
  Yet all was colour’d with a smooth pretence
  Of specious love, and duty to their prince. 
  Religion, and redress of grievances,
  Two names that always cheat, and always please,
  Are often urged; and good king David’s life
  Endanger’d by a brother and a wife. 750
  Thus in a pageant show a plot is made;
  And peace itself is war in masquerade. 
  O foolish Israel! never warn’d by ill! 
  Still the same bait, and circumvented still! 
  Did ever men forsake their present ease,
  In midst of health imagine a disease;
  Take pains contingent mischiefs to foresee,
  Make heirs for monarchs, and for God decree? 
  What shall we think?  Can people give away,
  Both for themselves and sons, their native sway? 760
  Then they are left defenceless to the sword
  Of each unbounded, arbitrary lord: 
  And laws are vain, by which we right enjoy,
  If kings unquestion’d can those laws destroy. 
  Yet if the crowd be judge of fit and just,
  And kings are only officers in trust,
  Then this resuming covenant was declared
  When kings were made, or is for ever barr’d. 
  If those who gave the sceptre could not tie,
  By their own deed, their own posterity, 770
  How then could Adam bind his future race? 
  How could his forfeit on mankind take place? 
  Or how could heavenly justice damn us all,
  Who ne’er consented to our father’s fall? 
  Then kings are slaves to those whom they command,
  And tenants to their people’s pleasure stand. 
  Add, that the power for property allow’d
  Is mischievously seated in the crowd;
  For who can be secure of private right,
  If sovereign sway may be dissolved by might? 780