 | The Happy Captive |  |
SCENE, the Court of a Prison.
Enter Carlos, fetter'd; a Letter in his Hand.
Carl.
Enter Carlos, fetter'd; a Letter in his Hand.
Carl.
O liberty,
Thou universal Hope and Joy!
Let not thy Gifts my Bliss destroy,
Who wish not to be free.
Freedom would be my Bane;
Bandage, I bless thy Chain:
Thy darling Fetters, Love! I wear,
And Happiness is only here.
O Liberty, &c.
Thou universal Hope and Joy!
Let not thy Gifts my Bliss destroy,
Who wish not to be free.
Freedom would be my Bane;
Bandage, I bless thy Chain:
Thy darling Fetters, Love! I wear,
And Happiness is only here.
O Liberty, &c.
And Happiness is only here.
What may she be?—an Angel, sure:
Her heav'nly Form and Soul
Bespeak no less. With what Profusion
Of Bounty visits she my captive State!
Show'rs down her Gold, as she possess'd
The Wealth of Africk's Mines!—
She bids me here to cherish Hopes:
Says, if I not the Means disdain,
I shall be Master of my Fate.—
Ingratitude,
I know thee not.—My conscious Heart
Beats with a fierce Desire
How to repay my wondrous Debt.
What sweet Delusions sooth my Breast,
And to some fancied Bliss invite!
Like one with gawdy Dreams possess'd,
I fear to wake, and lose Delight.
Pizarro,—Oh, my Friend!
What may she be?—an Angel, sure:
Her heav'nly Form and Soul
Bespeak no less. With what Profusion
Of Bounty visits she my captive State!
Show'rs down her Gold, as she possess'd
The Wealth of Africk's Mines!—
She bids me here to cherish Hopes:
Says, if I not the Means disdain,
I shall be Master of my Fate.—
Ingratitude,
I know thee not.—My conscious Heart
2
How to repay my wondrous Debt.
What sweet Delusions sooth my Breast,
And to some fancied Bliss invite!
Like one with gawdy Dreams possess'd,
I fear to wake, and lose Delight.
Pizarro,—Oh, my Friend!
| The Happy Captive | |