University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

Rapatio's House.
Rapatio
solus.
O Fortunate!—
Could I have tho't my stars would be so kind
As thus to bring my deep laid schemes to bear.
Tho' from my youth ambition's path I trod,
Suck'd the contagion from my mother's breast;
The early taint has rankled in my veins;
Dispotic rule my first, my sov'reign wish.
Yet to succeed, beyond my sanguine hope,
To quench the generous flame, the ardent love
Of liberty in Servia's free born sons,
Destroy their boasted rights, and mark them slaves:
To ride triumphant o'er my native land,
And revel on its spoils—But hark!—it groans!
The heaving struggles of expiring freedom!—
Her dying pangs—and I the guilty cause:—
I shudder at the thought—why this confusion?
The phantom conscience, whom I've bid adieu—
Can she return?—O let me, let me fly!
I dare not meet my naked heart alone.
I'll hast for comfort to the busy scenes,
Where fawning courtiers, creatures of my own,
With adulating tongue, midst gaping crouds,
Shall strive to paint me fair—the day is lucky—
The divan meets and Hazlerod presides.
'Tis true in rhetoric he don't excell
Demosthenes, or Cicero of old:
But what of that, his gratitude to me,
Will animate each period of applause.
I from a fribbling, superficial dabler,
A vain pretender to each learned science,
A poet, preacher, conjurer and quack—
Rear'd the obsequious trifler to my purpose,
Rob'd him in scarlet, dignifi'd the man:
An hecatomb of incense is my due.
How grateful to my ear, these flatt'ring strains!
His fulsome requiem's sooth my soul to peace.
Who else wou'd place in such a sacred seat,
Credulity in wove with the extremes,
Of servile, weak, implacable and pround.
But see he comes—see that important phiz,
A speech prepar'd, but what I must correct,
If interlarded with profuse encomiums.—
To hold me up the paragon of virtue—
But it may pass—of modern composition,
That's the test—

Enter Hazlerod.
—Welcome, my Hazlerod.—
My friend, my brother, or still dearer name,
Thou firm abettor of my grand design!
Thou now canst cover what the world call crimes.
We'll then securely crush the scoundrell mob,
And Claudia like, the citizens ride o'er,
And execute what Nero durst not do—
[Hazlerod going hastily off, Rapatio stops him.]
I'll call my myrmidons, they shall attend,
Swell the parade with all the venal herd.
Gripeall, that minion of oppressive power,
With simple Dupe, the ready tool of state;
And virtuous Limput perjur'd only once,
Then indispensible to serve a cause
Which truth would ruin; doubtless they'll be there.

Exeunt.