University of Virginia Library

SCENE IV.

Godrick and Albert.
Godr.
Come, Albert, I have need of Friendship now;
In mine and soft Eliza's Anguish share,
And prove thyself her Partner in my Heart:
A Right, to which with kind Delight she yields,
And makes thee doubly dear in my Esteem.

Albert.
Tho' Edmund's Life had ever made me wretched,
By blasting all my Hopes in Ariana;
Believe me honest, Godrick, when I say,
Sincerely that I mourn his timeless Fate:
A Youth, by Nature's Hand so form'd to please,
And blest with ev'ry Ornament of Mind,
Might well out-bid my best Pretence to Love.
This Praise a Rival yields thee, gentle Shade,
Whose Friendship once I held my proudest Boast,
Till Beauty interpos'd and tore the Band!—
But, oh! my Friend, for Harroana's Fate
The Sluices of my Heart should feed my Eyes!
I could lament her Death in Tears of Blood.

Godr.
Thy honest Grief declares a noble Soul,
And I am proud to read thy perfect Heart,
Then wonder, and applaud such manly Virtues!
Oh, let me take thee more into my Breast
[Embracing.
A fonder Friend to Faith, to Truth and Glory!
Oh, how I love thee, Albert, for this Praise,
And gen'rous Pity o'er a Rival's Corps,
Whose Fall alone could light thy Dawn of Bliss.

Albert.
If ruin'd, Godrick, 'twas superior Worth,
Had been my Fate,—the only Guilt in Edmund.—
Discerning Felix, read in Human Kind,
Had found his Heart possess'd of ev'ry Good,
To answer all his Hopes for Ariana.
'Tis true, the partial Maid had heard my Vows,
And sigh'd with Ardour to my pleaded Passion:
In her I had been blest, if more Desert
In Edmund, and a Family Disgust
(Of long Subsistance from the Broils of State,)
Had spar'd to sway a Father's potent Voice.
But had she blest his Bed, I swear, my Friend,
Tho' pining Anguish would have been my Lot,
And sunk me blooming to the silent Grave,
No Murmur should have past my suff'ring Lips:
They should have breath'd eternal Pray'rs to Heav'n,
To bless those Loves that dealt to me my Fate.

Godr.
Tho', Albert, next my dear Eliza, thou,
Of ev'ry earthly Joy, I prize the most!
With all this mighty Love, I could not wish
To see thee blest, at such a sad Expence
As that of Edmund's Fall! But since the Hand
Of righteous Providence revers'd his Urn,
And finish'd with his Life thy sad Despair,
Let us salute the rising Prospect now!—
Than thou, none worthier Ariana's Love,
And may she crown thy Hopes.

Albert.
So Heav'n ordain,
And Life will be too short to bless its Bounty.

Godr.
Since Hatred to thy Father makes thy Sight
Ungrateful to the Eyes of hoary Felix;
'Till Justice to thy Virtues bends his Heart
To gentle Liking, as it surely must,
Myself will plead thy Cause to Ariana:
And, if my Int'rest can so far prevail,
I'll urge her to a hearing of your Vows:
And may they prove successful.

Albert.
Ever kind!
How,—how shall I repay this gen'rous Care!
Already bankrupt to thy friendly Love.
Oh, Godrick! Words will faintly represent
To what Extravagance I fondly doat!
Exert for me thy most engaging Arts,
You cannot wrong my Passion by Excess.
Tell her my Fate depends upon her Breath,
Life waits Approval, a Repulse is Death.