University of Virginia Library

SCENE VI.

Enter Stuart disguised like a Priest.
Stuart, Eleonora,
Stuart.
The mighty Schemes of Empire, soar too high
For your Distinction, Daughter.—Simple Woman
Is weak in Intellect, as well as Frame,
And judges often from the partial Voice
That sooths her Wishes most.

[Discovering himself.
Eleonora.
Ha, frantic Youth!
What guilty Purpose leads thy daring Steps
To this forbidden Place?—Art thou not come
Beneath that sacred Veil, the more to brave
Th'avenging Hand of Heav'n?

Stuart.
No—that I tread
The Paths of Danger, where each Bosom pants
With keen Revenge against me, speaks aloud
The Fervour of my Love—My Love misplac'd!
Else, would'st thou not receive the gen'rous Proof
With Anger and Disdain.—

Eleonora.
Have I not Cause
To drive thee from my Heart?—Hast thou not chac'd
All Faith, and Truth, and Loyalty from thine?
Say, hast thou not conspir'd against thy Prince?
A Prince! who cherish'd thee with parent Zeal,
With Friendship honour'd thee, and ev'ry Day
With bounteous Favour crown'd thy rising Wish!

Stuart.
Curse on his Arts!—his Aim was to enslave
Th'aspiring Soul, to stifle and repress
Th'emerging Dictates of my native Right,
To efface the glowing Images within,
Awak'd by Glory, and retain by Fraud
The Sceptre he usurps!

Eleonora.
Insidious Charge!
As feeble as unjust! for, clear as Day
In Course direct—

Stuart.
In idle Argument
Let us not now consume the precious Hour;
The middle Stream is pass'd; and the safe Shore
Invites our dauntless Footsteps—Yonder Sun
That climbs the Noon-tide Arch, already sees
Twelve thousand Vassals, marching in the Train
Of warlike Athol; and before the Shades
Of Ev'ning deepen, Perth's devoted Walls
Will shake before them—E'er the Tempest roars,
I come to snatch thee from th'impending Storm—

Eleonora.
O impotent of Thought!—O! dead to Shame!
Shall I for pompous Infamy forego
Th'internal Peace that Virtue calls her own!

Stuart.
Or, say, thy Love inconstant as the Wave,
Another Object claims.—False—perjur'd Maid!
I mark'd thy Minion, as he charm'd thine Ear
With grov'ling Adulation.—Yes, I saw
Thy Looks, in artful Languishment, disclose
Thy yielding Soul, and heard thy Tongue proclaim
The Praises of Dunbar.—

Eleonora.
Away—away!
I scorn thy mean Suspicion, and renounce
Thy Passion with thy Crimes.—Tho' bred in Camps,
Dunbar is gentle, gen'rous and humane;
Possess'd of ev'ry manly Grace, to win
The coyest Virgin's Heart.—

Stuart.
Perdition whelm
The prostrate Sycophant!—may Heav'n exhaust
Its Thunder on my Head—may Hell disgorge
Infernal Plagues to blast me, if I cease
To persecute the Caitif, 'till his Blood
Assuage my parch'd, Revenge!—perfidious Slave!
To steal between me and my darling Hope!—
The Traitor durst not, had I been—O Vows!
Where is your Obligation?—Eleonora!
O lovely Curse! restore me to myself!—

Eleonora.
Rage on fierce Youth, more savage than the Storm
That howls on Thule's Shore!—th'unthrifty Maid
Too credulously fond! who gave away
Her Heart so lavishly, deserves to wed
The Woes that from her Indiscretion flow!—
—Yet ev'n my Folly should, with thee, obtain
A fairer Title and a kinder Fate!—

Stuart.
Ha! weep'st thou?—witness all ye sacred Pow'rs!
Her Philtres have undone me!—lo, my Wrath
Subsides again to Love!—Enchantress! say,
Why hast thou robb'd me of my Reason thus?

Eleonora.
Has Eleonora robb'd thee!—O recal
Those flatt'ring Arts thy own Deceit employ'd
To wreck my Peace!—recal thy fervent Vows
Of constant Faith—thy Sighs and ardent Looks!
Then whisper to thy Soul, those Vows were false—
Those Sighs unfaithful, and those Looks disguis'd!

Stuart.
Thou—thou art chang'd—but Stuart still the same!
Ev'n while thou chid'st me, ev'ry tender Wish
Awakes anew, and in my glowing Breast
Unutterable Fondness pants again!—
—Wilt thou not smile again, as when, reclin'd
By Tay's smooth-gliding Stream, we softly breath'd
Our mutual Passion to the vernal Breeze?

Eleonora.
Adieu—dear Scenes adieu!—ye fragrant Paths
So courted once!—ye spreading Boughs, that wave
Your Blossoms o'er the Stream!—delightful Shades!
Where the bewitching Music of thy Tongue,
First charm'd my captive Soul!—when gentle Love
Inspir'd the soothing Tale!—Love—sacred Love
That lighted up his Flame at Virtue's Lamp!—

Stuart.
In Time's eternal Round, shall we not hail
Another Season equally serene?—
—To Day, in Snow array'd, stern Winter rules
The ravag'd Plain—Anon the teeming Earth
Unlocks her Stores, and Spring adorns the Year:
And shall not we—while Fate, like Winter, frowns,
Expect revolving Bliss?

Eleonora.
—Would'st thou return
To Loyalty and me—my faithful Heart
Would welcome thee again!—

Angus
Within.
Guard ev'ry Gate
That none may 'scape—

Eleonora.
Ha!—whither wilt thou fly?
Discover'd and beset?

Stuart.
Let Angus come—
His short-liv'd Pow'r I scorn—

[Throws away his Disguise.