University of Virginia Library

SCENE IV.

Edward, Gloster, Theald presenting the Princess Eleonora as the Person he went to bring, Daraxa.
Edward.
Great God!—what do I see?—I am betray'd!—

[Turning away.
Eleonora.
Edward!

Edward.
O 'tis too much! O spare me, Nature!

Eleonora.
Not look upon me, Edward?

Edward.
Eleonora!
How on this dreadful Errand canst thou come?

Eleonora.
Behold me kneel—

Edward.
Why kneel, thou best of Women!
Thou ne'er offended, ne'er in Thought offended!
Thou art all Truth, and Love, and Angel-Goodness!
Why dost thou kneel? O rise, my Eleonora!

Eleonora.
Let me fulfil my Vow.

Edward.
O barbarous Vow!

Eleonora.
Let me preserve a Life, in which is wrapt
The Life of Thousands, dearer than my own!
Live thou, and let me die for Thee, my Edward!

Edward.
For me!—thy Words are Daggers to my Soul.
And wouldst thou have me then thus meanly save
A despicable Life? a Life expos'd
To that worst Torment, to my own Contempt!
A Life still haunted by the cruel Image
Of thy last Pangs, thy agonizing Throws,
The dire Convulsions of these tender Limbs;
And all for one—O Infamy!—for one,
By Love, by Duty bound, each manly Tie,
Even by a Peasant's Honour to protect Thee?

Eleonora.
This ne'er can blemish Thee. I know full well,
There is no Danger, Pain, no Form of Death,
Thou wouldst not meet with Transport to protect me.
But I, alas! an unimportant Woman,
Whose only Boast and Merit is to love Thee;
Ah, what am I, with nameless Numbers weigh'd?
With Myriads yet unborn? All Ranks, all Ages,
All Arts, all Virtues, all a State comprizes?
These have a higher Claim to thy Protection.
Live then for them.—O make a great Effort!
What none but Heroes can, bid the soft Passions
The Private stoop to Those that grasp a Public.
Live to possess the Pleasure of a God,
To bless a People trusted to thy Care.
Live to fulfil thy long Career of Glory,
But just begun. To die for Thee be mine.
I ne'er can find a brighter gentler Fate;
And Fate will come at last, inglorious Fate!
O grudge me not a Portion of thy Fame!
As mix'd in Love, O raise me to thy Glory!

Edward.
In vain is all thy Eloquence. The more
Thou wouldst perswade, I, with encreasing Horror,
Fly from thy Purpose.

Eleonora.
Dost thou love me, Edward?

Edward.
Oh!—If I love Thee?—Witness Heaven and Earth!
Angels of Death that hover round me, witness!
Witness these blinded Eyes, these trembling Arms,
This Heart that beats unutterable Fondness,
To what delightful Agony I love thee!

Eleonora.
Then wilt thou save me, sure, from greater Pain.

Edward.
O that I could from all! engross thy Sufferings!
Pain felt for Thee, were Pleasure!

Eleonora.
Hear me, Edward.
I speak the strictest Truth, no Flight of Passion,
I speak my naked Heart.—To die, I own,
Is a dread Passage, terrible to Nature,
Chiefly to those who have, like me, been happy.—
But to survive Thee—O 'tis greatly worse!
'Tis a continual Death! I cannot bear
The very Thought—O leave me not behind thee!

Edward.
Since nought can alter my determin'd Breast,
Why dost thou pierce me with this killing Image?

Eleonora.
Ah! selfish that thou art! with thee the Toil,
The tedious Toil of Life will soon be o'er;
Thou soon wilt hide thee in the quiet Grave:
While I, a lonely Widow, with her Orphans,
Am left defenceless to a troubled World,
A false, ungrateful, and injurious World!—
Oh! if thou lov'st me, Edward, I conjure thee,
By that celestial Flame which blends our Souls!
By all a Father, all a Mother feels!
By every holy Tenderness, I charge thee!
Live to protect the Pledges of our Love,
Our Children!—

Edward.
Oh!—

Eleonora.
Our young, our helpless—

Edward.
Oh!—
Distraction!—Let me go!

Eleonora.
Nay, drag me with thee—
To the kind Tomb—Thou canst not leave our Children!
Expos'd, by being thine, beyond the lowest!
Surrounded with the Perils of a Throne!—

Edward.
Cruel! no more embitter thus our last,
Our parting Moments! Set no more the Terrors
Of these best Passions in Array against me!
For by that Power, I swear, Father of Life!
Whose universal Love embraces all
That breathes this ample Air; whose perfect Wisdom
Brings Light from Darkness, and from Evil Good;
To whom I recommend thee, and my Children:
By him I swear! I never will submit
To what thy horrid Tenderness proposes!

Gloster.
My Lord—

Edward.
Oh!—these Emotions are too much—
I feel a heavy Languor steal upon me:
Death, or his Image Sleep, weighs down my Soul—
Conduct me to my Couch—Ah! Eleonora!
If we ne'er meet again—This one Embrace—
Absolute Nature! thou must be obey'd.

Eleonora.
I will not, cannot quit thee!—