Lav. Alas! you know not what you make me suffer. Why are you pale? Why did you start and tremble? Hor. Oh, no! thou hast mistook my sickness quite; These pangs are of the soul. Wou'd I had met 361 Sharpest convulsions, spotted pestilence, Or any other deadly foe to life, Rather than heave beneath this load of thought! Lav. Alas! what is it?" Wherefore turn you from me? "Why did you falsely call me your Lavinia, "And swear I was Horatio's better half, "Since now you mourn unkindly by yourself, "And rob me of my partnership of sadness? "Witness, ye holy pow'rs, who know my truth, "There cannot be a chance in life so miserable, "Nothing so very hard but I could bear it, "Much rather than my love should treat me coldly, "And use me like a stranger to his heart." Hor. Seek not to know what I would hide from all, But most from thee. I never knew a pleasure, Ought that was joyful, fortunate, or good, But straight I ran to bless thee with the tidings, But wherefore, wherefore should I give thee pain? Then spare me, I conjure thee; ask no further; 381 And ask'd to weep out part of your misfortunes: Hor. Oh, never, never, never! Thou art innocent: Simplicity from ill, pure native truth, And candour of the mind, adorn thee ever; Lav. False ones, my lord! Hor. Fatally fair they are, and in their smiles 400 The graces, little loves, and young desires inhabit ; but all that gaze upon 'em are undone ; or they are false, luxurious in their appetites, And all the Heav'n they hope for is variety : One lover to another still succeeds, Another, and another after that, And the last fool is welcome as the former; ill having lov'd his hour out, he gives place, And mingles with the herd that went before him. Lav. Can there be such, and have they peace of mind? Have they, in all the series of their changing, You take up all her room, as in a cottage And hardly keeps a corner for himself. 420 Hor. Oh, were they all like thee, nen would adore 'em, And all the business of their lives be loving; The world should learn to love by virtuous rules, Act II. SCENE I. A Hall. Enter CALISTA and LUCILLA. Calista. BE dumb for ever, silent as the grave, If thou wilt sooth me, tell some dismal tale For, Oh! I've gone around through all my thoughts, But all are indignation, love, or shame, And my dear peace of mind is lost for ever. Luc. Why do you follow still that wand'ring fire, That has misled your weary steps, and leaves Benighted in a wilderness of woe, you That false Lothario? Turn from the deceiver; Who had long since, like me, by love undone, Cal. There I fain would hide me 20 From the base world, from malice, and from shame; For 'tis the solemn counsel of my soul D Never to live with public loss of honour: 'Tis fix'd to die, rather than bear the insolence Of each affected she that tells my story, And blesses her good stars that she is virtuous. My trembling heart forebodes, let me intreat you, Let me forbid his coming. Cal. On thy life I charge thee no: my genius drives me on; And this one interview shall end my cares. And never beat again. Luc. Trust not to that: Rage is the shortest passion of our souls: Like narrow brooks that rise with sudden show'rs, Still as it ebbs the softer thoughts flow in, And the deceiver Love supplies its place. 41 бо Cal. I have been wrong'd enough to arm my temper |