Could wrong thy poor defenceless innocence,
And leave such marks of more than savage fury?

Lav. My brother! Oh, my heart is full of fears;
Perhaps ev'n now my dear Horatio bleeds.
Not far from hence, as passing to the port,
By a mad multitude we were surrounded,
Who ran upon us with uplifted swords,
And cry'd aloud for vengeance, and Lothario.
My lord, with ready boldness, stood the shock,
To shelter me from danger; but in vain,
Had not a party from Sciolto’s palace
Rush'd out, and snatch'd me from amidst the fray.
Alt. What of my friend?

300 Lav. Hal by my joys, 'tis he! [Looking out' He lives, he comes to bless me, he is safe!

· Enter Horatio, with two or three Servants, their swords

drawn. 1st Ser. 'Twere at the utmost hazard of your life To venture forth again, till we are stronger :

Their number trebles ours. · Hor. No matter, let it;

Death is not half so shocking as that traitor.
My honest soul is mad with indignation,
To think her plainness could be so abus'd,
As to mistake that wretch, and call him friend;
I cannot bear the sight.

Alt. Open, thou earth;
Gape wide, and take me down to thy dark bosom,
To hide me from Horatio.

Hor. Oh, Lavinia ! .
Believe not but I joy to see thee safe :
Would our ill-fortune had not drove us hither :
I could ev'n wish we rather had been wreck'd
On any other shore, than sav'd on this.

320
Lav. Oh, let us bless the mercy that preserv'd us,
That gracious pow'r that sav'd us for each other:
And, to adorn the sacrifice of praise,
Offer forgiveness too; be thou like Heav'n,
And put away th' offences of thy friend,
Far, far from thy remembrance.

" Alt. I have mark'd him, “ To see if one forgiving glance stole hither; “ If any spark of friendship were alive, “ That would by sympathy at meeting glow, “ And strive to kindle up the flame a-new; “ 'Tis lost, 'tis gone; his soul is quite estrang'd, “ And knows me for its counterpart no more.

" Hor. Thou know'st thy rule, thy empire in Ho• ratio ; 66 Nor canst thou ask in vain, command in vain, " Where nature, reason, nay, where love is judge ; “ But when you urge my temper to comply " With what it most abhors, I cannot do it. “ Lav. Where didst thou get this sullen gloomy

hate? “ It was not in thy nature to be thus;

340 “ Come, put it off, and let thy heart be cheerful, “ Be gày again, and know the joys of friendship, " The trust, security, and mutual tenderness,

“ The double joys, where each is glad for both;
“ Friendship, the wealth, the last retreat and strength,
“ Secure against ill fortune, and the world.”.

Hor. I am not apt to take a light offence.
But patient of the failings of my friends,
And willing to forgive; but when an injury
Stabs to the heart, and rouses my resentment,
(Perhaps it is the fault of my rude nature)
I own, I cannot easily forgive it.

Alt. Thou hast forgot me.
Hor. No.

Alt. Why are thy eyes
Impatient of me then, scornful, and fierce ?

Hor. Because they speak the meaning of my heart; Because they're honest, and disdain a villain.

Alt. I've wrong'd thee much, Horatio.

Hor. True, thou hast. When I forget it, may I be a wretch, Vile as thyself, a false perfidious fellow, An infamous, believing, British husband. Alt. I've wrongd thee much, and Heav'n has well

aveng'd it. I have not, since we parted, been at peace, Nor known one joy sincere ; “our broken friendship “ Pursu'd me to the last retreat of love, “ Stood glaring like a ghost, and made me cold with

horror. “ Misfortunes on misfortunes press upon me, “ Swell o'er my head like waves, and dash me down; “ Sorrow, remorse, and shame, have torn my soul?

360

“ They hang, like winter, on my youthful hopes, “ And blast the spring and promise of my year." .

Lav. “ So flow'rs are gather'd to adorn a grave, " To lose their freshness amongst bones and rottenness, « And have their odours stified in the dust.”. Canst thou hear this, thou cruel, hard Horatio ? Canst thou behold thy Altamont undone ? “ That gentle, that dear youth! canst thou behold

him," His poor heart broken, death in his pale visage, 380 And groaning out his woes, yet stand unmov'd ?

Hor. The brave and wise I pity in misfortune ;
But when ingratitude and folly suffers,
"Tis weakness to be touch'd.

Alt. I wo'not ask thee
To pity or forgive me; but confess,
This scorn, this insolence of hate, is just;
'Tis constancy of mind, and manly in thee.
But, Oh! had I been wrong'd by thee, Horatio, -
There is a yielding softness in my heart
Cou'd ne'er have stood it out; but I had ran,
With streaming eyes, and open arms, upon thee,
And press'd thee close, close!

Hor. I must hear no more,
Thy weakness is contagious ; I shall catch it,
And be a tame, fond wretch.

Lav. Where would'st thou go?
Would'st thou part thus? you shall not, 'tis impossible;
For I will bar thy passage, kneeling thus
Perhaps thy cruel hand may spurn me off, 400

But I will throw my body in thy way,
And thou shalt trample o'er my faithful bosom,
Tread on me, wound me, kill me, ere thou pass.

Alt. Urge not in vain thy pious suit, Lavinia,
I have enough to rid me of my pain.
Calista, thou hadst reach'd my heart before;
To make all sure, my friend repeats the blow:
But in the grave our cares shall be forgotten,
There love and friendship cease.

[Falls. [Lavinia runs to him, and endeavors to raise him. “ Lav. Speak to me, Altamont. “ He faints! he dies! Now, turn and see thy triumph! “ My brother! But our cares shall end together; “ Here will I lay me down by thy dear side, “ Bemoan thy too hard fate, then share it with thee, “ And never see my cruel lord again."

[Horatio runs to Altamont, and raises him in

his arms. Hor. It is too much to bear! Look up, my Alta

mont My stubborn, unrelenting heart has kill'd him. “ Look up and bless me; tell me that thou liv'st. “ Oh! I have urg'd thy gentleness too far;

[He revives. “ Do thou and my Lavinia both forgive me; 420 A flood of tenderness comes o’er my soul; I cannot speak—I love, forgive, and pity theeAlt. I thought that nothing cou'd have stay'd my

soul; That long ere this her fight had reach'd the stars ;