Fla. O, sir! reflect, if thus The bare recital wounds your fancy now, A yet more dreadful pain may pierce your heart. Love may once more revive, vain hopeless love! When the dear object of your longing soul Lies mouldering in the dust. If so, the wretch Who, buried in a trance, returns to life, And walks distracted o'er the rattling bones Of his dead fathers, in the dreary vault Less horror feels, than sad remorse will raise Within your breast! Her. O Mariamne lost! To love for ever lost! to love and me!——— Fla. If the queen's false, My wife hath been officious to her crimes, [FLAMINIUS goes out, and returns imme- SCENE IX. HEROD to ARSINOE. Her. As heavenly peace Are thoughts there visible, like children's toys To them PHERORAS enters. Her. [To PHER.] Is Sohemus Secur'd for torture? Pher. Sir, he took the alarm, And fled for safety to the royal tower; The portal forc'd, the soldiers found him fallen May sooth your anguish, when the fluttering soul On his self-slaughtering sword, stretch'd on the Prepares to wing her last eternal flight; Assist my quiet, and resolve my doubts! Was Solemus admitted to the queen, Whilst I was gone to Rhodes? Arsi. Never, my lord. Her. Never? Arsi. His name's offensive to her ear; And for his person-no antipathy In nature can be stronger. Her. So I thought; But such factitious arts too oft conceal Criminal correspondence: they might write, And doubtless did. Arsi. That commerce could not 'scape My notice, who, by constant duty bound, Waited so near the queen. Her. What if she saw? Her interest then, and now her fear prevails Fla. Sir, not the frown Of majesty, nor brandished thunder, awes A Roman spirit, (such I hope she bears) To make it start from the plain tracks of truth, And deviate into falsehood. Her. Can the queen Pierce to the close recesses of the soul; ground Weltering in blood; he speechless there expir❜d. Was bound with thine, by striving to secure Mar. I pity and forgive Your violence of passion, which hath wrought Her. I ill deserve Thy pardon or thy pity.-Yet vouchsafe, Her. Thou shalt not die [They embrace. Thou art too young, too faultless, and too fair, Mar. The thick'ning shades child? Where is my Nar. My gracious lord! High-Pr. Good heaven, restore to wretched Her sole support and grace! Her. What minister [Raising himself. Of this dark realm art thou!—If 'tis thy post To guide the dead through this disastrous gloom, Lead to that mournful mansion, where the ghosts Of those abide, whom fatal beauty sent Untimely to the shades. See! see! she soars ;How bright a track she leaves along the sky; And looks with pity down. Oh see! she rests On the soft fleece of yonder purple cloud, Where angels fan her with their golden plumes; Stay, Mariamne, stay !— [He sinks into their arms, Pher. O! from his face Nar. His bosom heaves Her. Alas! forbear; ye but prolong the pains Receive this royal orphan, and implore Bring him, poor babe, to take a parting kiss!— Farewell!-I'm now at peace. High-Pr. In that soft sigh The gentle spirit soar'd. Arsi. Oh! dead, dead, dead! Her. Then, death, strike on! Fate, thou hast done thy worst. Pher. My royal brother! Oh! [She dies. EPILOGUE, SPOKEN IN THE CHARACTER OF MARIAMNE. THE poet, in a whim extremely new, Was far less dreadful than to leave his wife: And yet, 'tis vain to reason, or to rail, But o'er intrigues whatever planet reigns, My Hebrew spark had acted as he ought; The gods vouchsaf'd to send him quick to heaven: GEORGE BARNWELL. BY LILLO. PROLOGUE. THE Tragic Muse, sublime, delights to show In every former age, and foreign tongue, The absent pomp with brighter gems supply. Has fill'd a thousand thousand eyes with tears. Prevent our guilt, or by reflection cure ; ACT I. SCENE I.-A Room in THOROWGOOD's House. Enter THOROWGOOD and TRUEMAN. True. Sir, the packet from Genoa is arrived. [Gives letters. Thor. Heaven be praised! The storm that threatened our royal mistress, pure religion, liberty, and laws, is, for a time, diverted. The haughty and revengeful Spaniard, disappointed of the loan on which he depended from Genoa, must now attend the slow returns of wealth from his new world, to supply his empty coffers, ere he can execute his proposed invasion of our happy island. By this means, time is gained to make such preparations, on our part, as may, Heaven concurring, prevent his malice, or turn the meditated mischief on himself. True. He must be insensible indeed, who is not affected when the safety of his country is concerned. Sir, may I know by what means ? If I am not too bold Thor. Your curiosity is laudable; and I gratify it with the greater pleasure, because from thence you may learn, how honest merchants, as such, may sometimes contribute to the safety of their country, as they do at all times to its happiness; that if hereafter you should be tempted to any action that has the appearance of vice or meanness in it, upon reflecting on the dignity of our profession, you may, with honest scorn, reject whatever is unworthy of it. True. Should Barnwell, or I, who have the benefit of your example, by our ill conduct, bring any imputation on that honourable name, we must be left without excuse. Thor. You compliment, young man. [TRUEMAN bows respectfully.] Nay, I am not offended. As the name of merchant never degrades the gentleman, so, by no means does it exclude him; only take heed not to purchase the character of complaisant at the expence of your sincerity. But, to answer your question: The bank of Genoa had agreed, at an excessive interest, and on good security, to advance the king of Spain a sum of money sufficient to equip his vast Armada; of which our peerless Elizabeth (more than in name the mother of her people) being well informed, sent Walsingham, her wise and faithful secretary, to consult the merchants of this loyal city; who all agreed to direct their several agents to influence, if possible, the Genoese to break their contract with the Spanish court. It is done: the state and bank of Genoa having maturely weighed, and rightly judged of their true interest, prefer the friendship of the merchants of London to that of the monarch, who proudly styles himself king of both Indies. True. Happy success of prudent counsels! What an expence of blood and treasure is here saved! Excellent queen! O how unlike those princes, who make the danger of foreign enemies a pretence to oppress their subjects by taxes great, and grievous to be borne ! Thor. Not so our gracious queen; whose richest exchequer is her people's love, as their happiness her greatest glory. True. On these terms to defend us, is to make our protection a benefit worthy her who confers it, and well worth our acceptance. Sir, have you any commands for me at this time? Thor. Only look carefully over the files, to see whether there are any tradesmen's bills unpaid; if there are, send and discharge them. We must not let artificers lose their time, so useful to the public and their families, in unnecessary attendance. [Exit TRUEMAN. Enter MARIA. Well, Maria, have you given orders for the entertainment? I would have it in some measure worthy the guests. Let there be plenty, and of the best, that the courtiers may at least commend our hospitality. Mar. Sir, I have endeavoured not to wrong your well-known generosity by an ill-timed parsimony. Thor. Nay, it was a needless caution: I have no cause to doubt your prudence. Mar. Sir, I find myself unfit for conversation; I should but increase the number of the company, without adding to their satisfaction. Thor. Nay, my child, this melancholy must not be indulged. Mar. Company will but increase it: I wish you would dispense with my absence. Solitude best suits my present temper. Thor. You are not insensible, that it is chiefly on your account these noble lords do me the honour so frequently to grace my board. Should you be absent, the disappointment may make them repent of their condescension, and think their labour lost. Mar. He, that shall think his time or honour lost in visiting you, can set no real value on your daughter's company, whose only merit is, that she is yours. The man of quality, who chooses to converse with a gentleman and merchant of your worth and character, may confer honour by so doing, but he loses none. Thor. Come, come, Maria, I need not tell you, that a young gentleman may prefer your conversation to mine, and yet intend me no disrespect at all; for though he may lose no honour in my company, it is very natural for him to expect more pleasure in yours. I remember the time when the company of the greatest and wisest men in the kingdom would have been insipid and tiresome to me, if it had deprived me of an opportunity of enjoying your mother's. |