And see him well secured, till Mahomet Pal. Villain, hold! [Laying hold of ZAPHNA. Zaph. Just, just reward of my credulity! Unhappy Zaphna, for I share thy guilt- [Looking back at ALCANOR. Mir. No more-you must to Mahomet : Obey without reluctance: Our great prophet, In pity to your tender frame and years, Will take you under his divine protection. Pal. [Aside.] Oh death! deliver me from such protection! Mir. If you would aught to save the destined Zaphna, Follow me to the prophet; you may move him To mitigate his doom.-Away! [To the soldiers who hold ZAPHNA. [TO PALMIRA. SCENE I. Enter MAHOMET and MIRVAN. Zaph. Pardon Pal. Oh, pardon [They are led off by degrees, looking alternately at their father and each other. Alc. Oh, insupportable! Both from me torn, then, when I wanted most Their consolation! Pha. Hark! [A shout. ACT V. Mah. Wrong will be ever nursed and fed with blood! So this boy bigot held his pious purpose? Mah. What reasonless machine Mir. This moment he expired, and Mecca's youth In vain lament their chief. To the mad crowd Think ye our holy prophet would consent The weak remaining billows of this storm Mir. Safe in a dungeon, where he dies apace. Mah. I would be kind, and let him die deceived, Nor know that parent-blood defiles his soul. Mah. Unhappy Zaphna! Give a new paradise to all mankind, And let remorse of conscience be the hell On themes of guilt, when that pure angel's near? Mir. The weeping fair, led on by flattering hope Of Zaphna's life, attends your sacred will: Pal. [Apart.] Where have they led me? [Starting. 'Tis the impostor's self!-Burst, heart, in silence. Mah. Maid, lay aside this dread. Palmira's fate, And that of Mecca, by my will is fixed. suffer This sacrilegious hypocrite, this spoiler, Muh. Child of my care, [Aside. [Aside. At length from galling chains I've set thee free, Pal. What laws, what bounties, and what conquests, tyrant? Fraud is thy law, the tomb thy only bounty, The venerable prophet I revered, The king I served, the god that I adored! Mah. [Approaching her.] Whence this unwonted language, this wild frenzy ? Pal. Where is the spirit of my martyred father? Where Zaphna's, where Palmira's innocence ? Blasted by thee, by thee, infernal monsterThou found'st us angels, and hast made us fiends; Give, give us back our lives, our fame, our virtue: Thou canst not, tyrant--yet thou seek'st my love, Scek'st with Alcanor's blood his daughter's love! Mah. [Apart.] Horror and death! the fatal secret's known. And the insatiate tomb ripe to devour us! Attempt to stem their progress, till the arrival Mir. I haste, my lord. [Exit MIRVAN. Pal. Now, now, my hour's at hand! Hear'st thou those shouts, that rend the ambient air? Seest thou those glancing fires, that add new horrors To the night's gloom? fresh from thy murdering poignard, My father's spirit leads the vengeful shades I see them raise their unsubstantial arms Mah. [Aside.] What terror's this, that hangs upon her accents? I feel her virtue, though I know her weakness. Pal. Thou ask'st my love; go seek it in the Behold thy dearest blood spilt at thy feet! Mah. [Aside.] Be still, my soul, nor let a woman's rage Ruffle thy wonted calm.-Spite of thy hate, Pal. No, tyrant, no; I'll join my brother, help to head our friends, Now hurl your lightning on the guilty head, Enter ALI. Mah. Whence, Ali, that surprise ? Ali. My royal chief, [Exit PAL. The foe prevails. Thy troops, led on by Mirvan, Are all cut off, and valiant Mirvan's self, Struck with the common phrenzy, vow thy ruin, Ali. See, thy few friends, whom wild despair hath armed, (But armed in vain) are come to die beside thee. Mah. Ye heartless traitors! Mahomet alone Shall be his own defender, and your guard Against the crowds of Mecca-Follow me. Ha! Enter ZAPHNA, PALMIRA, and PHARON, with citizens, and the body of ALCANOR on a bier. Zaph. See, sec, my friends, where the Impostor stands, With head erect, as if he knew not guilt, Mah. Impious man! Is it not enough to have spilt thy parent-blood, The pestilence, the famine; such art thou; Zaph. Well thou upbraid'st me; for to parley with thee Half brands me coward. Oh, revenge me, friends! Mah. Hear me, ye slaves, born to obey my will! Pal. Ah, hear him not! fraud dwells upon his tongue. Zaph. Have at thee, fiend-Ha! Heaven! [ZAPHNA advancing, reels, and reclines on his sword. What cloud is this That thwarts upon my sight? My head grows dizzy, My joints unloose; sure 'tis the stroke of Fate. Mah. [Aside.] The poison works! then triumph, Mahomet! Zaph. Off, off, base lethargy! Pal. Brother, dismayed! Hast thou not power but in a guilty cause, [Hangs down his sword, and reclines on Pal. Oh, my brother! Zuph. In vain's the guiltless meaning of my heart; High heaven detests the involuntary crime, ven, Guide her, and-oh! [Dies. Pal. Think not, ye men of Mecca, This death inflicted by the hand of heaven; 'Tis he-that viper— Mah. Know, ye faithless wretches! "Tis mine to deal the bolts of angry heaven; Behold them there, and let the wretch, who doubts, Tremble at Zaphna's fate; and know, that Mahomet Can read his thoughts, and doom him with a look. Go then, and thank your pontiff and your prince For each day's sun he grants you to behold. Hence to your temples, and appease my rage! [The people go off. Pal. Ah, stay! my brother's murdered by this tyrant: By poison, not by piety, he kills. Mah. 'Tis done- -Thus ever be our law received! Now, fair Palmira Pal. Monster is it thus [Apart. Thou mak'st thyself a god, by added crimes, Mah. Think, exquisite Palmira! for thy sake- race. See where Alcanor, see where Zaphna, lies; Palmira's saved for something worse than death; | Oh! snatch me from that sight; quick, quick This to prevent-Zaphna, I follow thee. [Stabs herself with ZAPHNA's sword. Mah. What hast thou done! Pal. A deed of glory, tyrant! Thou hast left no object worth Palmira's eyes, And, when I shut out light, I shut out thee [Dies. Mah. Farewell, dear victim of my boundless passion! The price of treachery, the reward of murder, Sink with thee to the earth-Oh, justice, justice! In vain are glory, worship, and dominion! And, by the world adored, dwell with the damned! My crimes have planted scorpions in my breast; transport me To nature's loneliest mansion, where the sun Ali. Heavens! help, hold him! Mah. Paltry dastards! [ALI, &c. disarm him. You fled the foe, but can disarm your master! Angel of death, whose power I've long proclaimed, Now aid me, if thou canst; now, if thou canst, Pha. Oh! what a curse is life, when self-conviction Flings our offences hourly in our face, EPILOGUE.. LONG has the shameful licence of the age scene; From all the sad solemnity of woe Then, as the loosest airs she had been gleaning, Coquette the fan, and leer a double meaning! Shame on those arts that prostitute the bays! Shame on the bard who this way hopes for praise! The bold but honest author of to-night Disdains to please you, if he please not right; If, in his well-meant scene, your chance to find Aught to ennoble or enlarge the mind; If he has found the means, with honest art, To fix the noblest wishes in the heart, In softer accents to inform the fair, How bright they look when virtue drops the tear, Enjoy with friendly welcome the repast, | And keep the heart-felt relish to the last. TANCRED AND SIGISMUNDA. BY THOMSON. PROLOGUE. BOLD is the man, who, in this nicer age, |