University of Virginia Library

ACT III.

SCENE I.

SCENE Continues.
Ariana
Sola.
Still is this Castor odious to my Thought:
Fain would I chase his Image from my Mind,
But Fear, the Traitor Fear preserves him there,
There, where my Albert ever bore the Sway.
Edmund, indeed, had Virtues that might warm
The coldest Virgin's Breast to soft Desires:
My Father bad me like him; and I strove,
Nor strove in vain to gratify his Will;
While injur'd Albert pin'd.—Who knows but Heav'n,
In Justice to his suff'ring Truth, oppos'd
My late determin'd Marriage to his wrong!
And for my Guilt unhappy Edmund fell;
To dash my tinsel Scene of gaudy Hopes,
From blind Obedience to a Parent's Will.
Oh, teach me, sacred Powers, to reconcile
These diff'ring Duties that distract my Mind:
Let me be grateful to a Lover's Worth,
And not disturb a hoary Father's Peace.
Hah!—Poison to my Eyes!—Is Castor here?

SCENE II.

Castor and Ariana.
Castor.
Forgive, fair Ariana, if I press
Untimely on your lonely Meditations:
Your Thoughts perhaps were bent on Objects, far
More pleasing than the Sight of Castor proves:
Tho' none more worthy sure to claim a part
In all your dear Ideas than my self;
If faithful Love deserves a kind regard.

Aria.
'Twere vain in me to urge your want of Worth;
You may have more than half your Sex beside,
And half my own be conscious of its Claim:
But my dull Eyes, indifferent to all,
Robb'd of their only pleasing Object, now
Have nought to do but weep.

Castor.
Shall trickling Tears
Then dim the Lustre of those radiant Orbs,
And rob the World of half the Charms it boasts?
Devoted to Despair, must Ariana
Pine on in hapless Plight, and endless Woe?
If all this Sorrow is a Tribute due
To disappointed Love! my Brother's Fate
No longer shall excite the friendly Tear:
The proudest of his Kind shall envy hence,
The Fall that so is wept by such bright Eyes!
But thus it shall not be; I'll interpose
[Advancing to her.
And break this settling Cloud of sullen Grief:
I'll chase away pale Anguish from thy Brow,
And reinstate the Loves and Graces there:
I'll melt thee into Rapture, rouse Desire—
My faithful Vows—

Aria.
No, Castor, hold them in:
I'll not receive what I shall ne'er repay.
Far worthier Maids than I may meet your Flame
With equal Ardour, and with equal Truth:
But, disappointed once of tender Hopes,
I now can trust no more.

Castor.
Why so severe
To love, and to your self, my Ariana?
Were all the Virtues that could warm your Heart
On one, one only Man conferr'd by Heav'n?
Cast in the self same Mould of Nature, I
May boast as bright a Stamp of Mind as Edmund.

Aria.
And brighter far; but Love has partial Sight,
And often overlooks the fairest Claim;
While underneath Deformity it finds
The strong magnetic Charm, and rivits there.
'Tis something in the Mind that Links our Hearts,
A Sympathy of Souls.

Castor.
Examine mine,
You'll find it full of Faith, of Love and you!
No holy Hermit, in extatic Raptures,
E'er glow'd with half that Ardour at a Shrine,
As does my Heart for you! Why will you then,
Less kind than Heav'n, reject my hallow'd Zeal?

Aria.
To what excess does Phrenzy lead thy Mind!
Forbear Comparisons so wild, prophane,
And full of Guilt and Folly: 'Tis in vain,
This fruitless, fond Pretence; these idle Vows.

Castor.
O cruel Ariana! are my Vows
My faithful Vows thus treated with Contempt?
Why will you kill me with indignant Looks?
Oh, Frowns more cutting than the sharpest Steel!
Here, scornful Maid, here take, O take my Sword,
And end the Life your Hatred makes a Curse.

Aria.
Go, Castor, range thro' all the wanton World;
There are a thousand Beauties to ensnare,
Who will with equal Warmth receive your Flame,
Then take Neglect as kindly as your Love.
There are of Women, or Report is false,
Who like your Sex, prove Passion in extreme;
Whose raging Raptures do, like flaming Spirits,
Exhaust themselves, and burn away to nothing.
There hunt for what will please: My dull Desires
Ne'er soar'd beyond a gentle Glow at most;
And now they're quite extinguish'd; Leave me then,
And beat about for more inviting Game;
A Conquest here but ill would pay your Toil.

Castor.
Oh, thou art all the earthly Good I seek:
Thou art the only Prize the World can give
To merit my Affection: Winter Suns,
And Summer Breezes, all the Sweets of Spring
And Flavours of the Autumn hang about Thee!
Oh, everlasting Fund of dear Delights,
Thus will I seize the Treasure to my Soul,
And riot in Eternity of Bliss!—

Aria.
Must I be tortur'd with these impious Sounds?
Will no Denial, no Repulse prevail?
Give o'er these mimic Raptures, Sir, and leave me:
Abrupt Resentment I would fain avoid;
Then go—or Rage—

Castor.
I cannot leave thee thus:
Oh, why will you suspect my faithful Vows?
Why will you drive me from you, cruel Maid?
Why will you look me dead?

Aria.
Be gon then, go;—
Nor more insult me with your odious Flame:
Thy Importunities still sharpen Hate;
And force my Tongue,—unwilling to offend,
To tell thee thou art hateful to my Sight:
That Toads and Vipers less offend my Eyes;
That Hoots of Owls, and Shrieks of hideous Bats
Are Music in my Ears, to Sounds like thine.

Castor.
Does faithful Love deserve Returns like these?
Ungrateful Ariana, to reproach
And scorn the Heart your Beauty has enslav'd:
Nor is my Passion all my fond Pretence
To liking from thee, for, indignant Fair,
Know that your Father has approv'd my Flame:
Yes, venerable Felix bids me hope,
And on that Hope I'll build.

Aria.
My Father may,
At Will, dispose of Power, Wealth and Honours,
Which should by right devolve from him to me:
But can a Parent give a Child's Affections?
Can he at Choice bequeath a Daughter's Love?
No, foul Pretender, that is mine to yield;
And is a Jewel of too high a Price,
For ought but Worth to wear.

Castor.
With modest Pride,
Then let me here assert an humble Right—

Aria.
To Scorn, Contempt, Derision and Reproach:—
But whither runs Resentment? let not Rage,
Provok'd by base Hypocrisy and Guilt,
Destroy the Softness of a Virgin's Mind!
Then leave me, Hypocrite.

Castor.
So haughty still?
Go on; you seem to mend in Malice much.

Aria.
I am no Stranger, if my Father is,
To all the foul Reports of Castor's Fame.

Castor.
Hah! talks the World?—then rot the Tongue that utters,
Or Eye that sees what I would have conceal'd:
I must have fair Report; I've much to do:
And Mischief aid me if my Cunning fails.
[Aside.
Whatever Lyes or legendary Tales
May taint my spotless Deeds; the Guilt, the Shame
Will back revert on the Inventor's Head:
Truth will, like Oil with baser Liquors mixt,
Still mount the Topmost, to a fair Display!
And baffle Malice, Prejudice and Guilt.
A little Time, mistaken Maid, may shew
How much your frail Opinion is misled:
'Till when my suff'ring Love will patient bear,
In expectation of a just Reward.
Adieu, hard-judging Fair, and, oh, believe
I'd hate you from Resentment,—if I could.

SCENE III.

Ariana
Sola.
That's what I wish from all, thou Wretch, like thee.
Deceitful Villain; how he bears it off!
Knows not the World he wrong'd a Neighbours Bed?
Knows not the World he stain'd a Virgin's Fame?
And yet to whine out Vows and talk of Truth!
I hate him doubly for the base Pretence.

SCENE IV.

Ariana and Godrick.
Aria.
Oh, Godrick, welcome, welcome to my Aid,
Thou Friend to Albert, and thou Friend to me:
By two distracting Passions wildly torn,
I die with Rage and Pity.—

Godr.
Pity sure,
Best suits the Genius of your gentle Kind,
Attendant always on the God of Love:
Pity's a Flame that sits with easy Grace
On Virgin Softness, and the dimpled Cheek:
Oh, let me lend it Force.

SCENE V.

Godrick, Ariana, and Castor apart.
Castor.
I cannot rest: I must be satisfy'd
From whence these foul Reports;—Oh, conscious Guilt—
Hah! Godrick here! Let me observe awhile.

[Aside.
Aria.
Thy Worth and valu'd Friendship long I've known.

Godr.
Friendship, I fear, will fail to represent
The sad Effects of yet unhappy Love:
O, Ariana, Albert pines to Death,
The blooming Victim of your potent Charms:
Involv'd in sad Despair, he languish'd long,
Intent on nothing but the Grave and you:
The Grave, his hop'd Retreat from quenchless Flames;
And you the Object of his fruitless Wish.
Now thro' the dreary Gloom Hope darts a Ray,
Ah, bless him with a stronger Beam of Grace;
Let Edmund's evil Stars (whose Fate he weeps)
Propitious shine to him. You listen'd once
To all the tender Pleadings of his Passion;
No longer then with-hold the Debt that's due
To so much suff'ring Truth, so fixt a Love.

Castor.
Ah, curse your Eloquence!—yet let me hear.

[Aside.
Aria.
O, Godrick, long my conscious Heart has own'd
The Worth of Albert: long approv'd the Flame
I dar'd not to repay in gentle kind:
And let these Tears, these speaking Tears display
My secret Wish and sad Distress of Soul.
But what can Love effect? To give my Hand,
Would send my Father sighing to the Grave
With Curses on my Head: Lewd Castor now,
Audacious, dares to importune my Heart:
My Father favours his abhorr'd Request,
And wou'd persuade me to receive his Vows:
But were the sad Alternative a Rack,
To his detested Bed; I'd joyful hail
An ignominious Death to shun his Arms.

Godr.
O gen'rous Maid! and worthy well the Love,
The faithful Love that flames in Albert's Heart;
Whatever Dangers threaten, still proceed
In that bright Course which Virtue marks you out:
Applauding Heav'n shall interpose to guard,
And hov'ring Angels make your Conquest sure.
In future Days, when love-sick Maids shall hear
The Story of your hard Mishap; Your Truth,
And constant Ardour thro' opposing Ills;
How will they praise; how wonder at the Flame!
As Love's blest guardian Saints, to you they'll pray,
And court your Influence, while they own your Passion.
Your shining Tale shall be their bright Example!
Your just Applause the Theme of all their Songs!
Your Graves fresh Garlands shall for ever deck!
Tour Tombs be call'd the sacred Shrines of Love!
O, worthy Honours to such noble Minds!
O, fair Pursuits of Virtue and of Fame!

Aria.
Yes, Godrick, yes, thou Friend to Truth and me,
I will be this Enthusiast in Love:
But teach me thou, whose Mind is unperplex'd
With this so softning Fever of the Soul,
What Arts, what Methods must I use to foil
The fond presumptuous Hopes that Castor holds:
And oh, (what is a harder Task by far)
To turn the Current of my Father's Hate,
And stream soft Love for Albert on his Soul.

Godr.
This will exact some deeper Delves of Thought;
But Time and Care shall work these wish'd Effects.
Mean while, to Castor wear a clouded Brow;
Severe in Manners, treat him with Contempt:
And to your Father still declare Dislike
From inward Goads to fell Antipathy,
Improv'd by Fame in many foul Reports.

Castor.
Cankers consume your Tongue: keep down my Rage.

[Aside.
Aria.
Henceforth, thy friendly Counsel be my Guide:
I'll act in every thing as you direct,
And Heav'n succeed the Toil.

Godr.
O doubt it not:
You shall partake in many Years of Bliss,
The just Reward of virtuous, suff'ring Love:
Now, gentle Maid, farewel: I'll seek my Friend,
And with these Tidings raise his sinking Soul.

Aria.
Yes, Godrick, tell him that my Heart is his;
Reserv'd no more; resign'd to Love and Albert.

SCENE VI.

Castor
Solus.
But Hell shall seize me ere you have him tho'!
And curse me Heav'n, if Godrick fails to meet
A just Return for all this Treach'ry to me.
—'Tis Self-defence;—'tis but a brave Revenge,
To blast his Peace who'd rob me of my own.
—But whither am I going? must my Hate
Affect an unoffending Sister's Ease?
Shall my mischievous Spleen ingender Strife
Where soft connubial Love so strongly reigns?
This is unjust and cruel—then I die!
O stop not here my Resolution, Thou,
Whose Course no Ties of Nature could withstand:
But down, beat down this last remaining Bar;
So let me reach the Haven of my Joys,
My Ariana! and my dear Revenge.
Eliza, Albert, Godrick, perish all!
And all the World to make my Bliss secure.
And babble on ye Priests; amuse Mankind
With idle Tales of Flames and tort'ring Fiends,
And starry Crowns for patient Suff'rings here.
Yes, gull the Croud, and gain their earthly Goods
For feign'd Reversions in a heav'nly State.
To me, who judge by Reason, vain's your Talk,
When you would urge our Maker gave us Passions,
Those forceful Biasses to human Souls,
For Opposition only, and Restraint.
As if that Being, whom you picture kind,
Should place us here, bound up by Tyrant Laws,
To act in contradiction to our selves!
Hah!—what the End of such Creations? say;
Unless by Miseries, to make him sport!
O self-destructive Suppositions all;
Fallacious Arguments.—If there's a God,
And good; he made us surely to be happy.
And where does Pleasure, where Enjoyment dwell?
—The wiser Brutes can tell, who prove them most.
Reason's an idle Vaunt; 'tis Rapture charms!
Our Senses are the Jackalls to our Souls,
To spring the noble Game on which they feed;
Fruition in Delight is all our Joy,
The only heav'nly Feast!—Why then, I'll on,
And bear down all that bar my way to bliss.
Hah!—here Eliza comes: O lucky Chance!
Now Heav'n, or Hell, or any Power, assist
To drive domestic Mischief to his Heart:
I'll spoil his medling, with officious Zeal,
In what destroys a Brother's darling Hopes.

SCENE VII.

Castor
and Eliza.
Hail, fair Eliza, take my kind Salutes:
With Joy I see you wear a chearful Look,
And unconfin'd to Scenes of moping Woe.

Eliza.
The Rites of Friendship point my anxious Steps
To mourning Ariana: long the Links
Of gentle Fellowship have bound our Hearts.

Castor.
The World indeed is full of friendly Zeal:
Your Husband too is Ariana's Friend;
And runs before you in the tender part:
His gentle Offices I saw perform'd,
And they were wond'rous kind and full of Love!

Eliza.
He's such in all he does: so soft of Soul,
As never female Sweetness went beyond!
Officious always to oblige; his Care
Outstrips Desire, and ev'n prevents my Wishes.

Castor.
Oh! yes I see his Care for all the Sex:
And Ariana is no Stranger too,
How far, how very far its Bounds extend!

Eliza.
So much Affection do I bear that Maid,
And so deserving she of Love from all,
That Godrick owns a double Tye to serve.

Castor.
A treble say, and add the Number up
To double that, and twenty times as much!
You will not wrong his Passion for the Maid.

Eliza.
'Tis true indeed; sure Heav'n design'd his Soul
A Benefit to half of human kind.

Castor.
Why aye! for I have heard it said indeed,
Your Sex make up by far the largest half!
And he's a Friend to ev'ry She that breathes.

Eliza.
And where's the Man that Godrick makes a Foe?
Or where's the Man he e'er refus'd to serve?
Come, come, deprive him not of half his Praise,
For he's a Friend, an equal Friend to all.
O, Castor, take it as a Sister's Wish,
The kindest Wish my Heart could e'er conceive,
That you may meet, when you shall chance to wed,
A Heart like Godrick's, faithful, and as kind.

Castor.
Come, Sister, since you rouse the Brother's Flame,
I must not let your Kindness rest unpaid:
Observe me well; with Sorrow 'tis I say
You are impos'd upon: Your Husband's base.

Eliza.
And dare you urge such Falshood to my Face?
And do I tamely stand and hear his Name,
His sacred Character so vily us'd?

Castor.
Alas, Eliza, never trust Pretence:
The rankest Villain wears the smoothest Brow!
And foul Hypocrisy's so much the Mode,
There is no knowing Hearts from Words or Looks.
Thieves, Bawds and Panders wear the holy Leer;
Ev'n Ruffians cant, and undermining Knaves
Display a mimic Openness of Soul!
So Godrick, when he apes the warmest Love—

Eliza.
Away.—I will not hear him thus traduc'd:
What has he done to urge thy coward Heart
To these base Slanders on his taintless Fame;
This Murder on his Love and Peace in me?

Castor.
By Heav'n 'tis fond Affection for thy own,
That prompts me to reveal this odious Truth:
This Falsehood that my Eyes, my Eyes have seen.

Eliza.
Not Heav'n's own Evidence would I believe;
Should Saints and Angels witness to the Tale,
I would not, could not think my Godrick false.

Castor.
But what if yours should have the Demonstration:
Should you be witness to his guilty Flame!
Behold him fondly pleading to his Fair,
His Ariana;—could you trust your Eyes?

Eliza.
Hah! no, I could not, could not trust my own.
And Ariana false!—it cannot be:
O, where is Truth and Love in human Hearts,
If they are false to mine.

Castor.
Trust not pretence, I say again, Eliza;
Great Menelaus had a Trojan Friend!
And Agamemnon own'd a tender Wife!
I could recount thee many ancient Tales
To warn thee 'gainst too strong Credulity,
But there's no need; your Senses shall have Proof.

Eliza.
In what Perplexity hast thou involv'd
A Heart, 'till now estrang'd to Guilt or Fear:
O, Castor, can my Godrick prove unjust?
Can Falshood stain the Soul of Ariana?
It cannot be; and you are sure deceiv'd.

[Weeps.
Castor.
Hah! does the Metal bend? then let me drive,
I'll bring it to my Purpose ere I've done.
[Aside.
Will you believe a Brother insincere?
What ends can I propose from your Distress?
Behold these Tears a Tribute to those Woes,
Those Woes I know that injur'd Love must bring:
But off this Woman's Weakness:—rouse my Soul
To fierce Resentment for a Sister's Wrongs.
Nor thou, Eliza, thus indulge thy Grief;
Give Rage a full Possession of thy Mind;
And, as becomes thee, meditate Revenge.

Eliza.
O Castor, if thou dost abuse my Heart,
'Tis Cruelty unmatch'd by savage Fury:
For Heav'n alone can tell how strong my Love
For those perfidious Wretches, if they're such:
But they may still be wrong'd:—on that I rest.

Castor.
All I have urg'd your Eyes shall soon behold.

Eliza.
Why will you strip my Soul of ev'ry Hope,
And plunge it down below a Fiend's Despair?
Ah, wherefore did you tell me of their Guilt?
'Tis vain to know of Ills we can't prevent.
What tho' they wrong me; had I nothing heard,
In thought I should have been secure and blest:
The Guilt was theirs, not mine: O, dear Deceit!
When Truth is frightful, sure thy friendly Shade
Is then a real good. O Godrick, Oh!
When, when will my dear Peace of Mind return?

[Weeps.
Castor.
O heav'nly Dose! it works as I could wish.

[Aside.
Eliza.
My Soul can't long sustain this Rack of Doubt;
O quickly then confirm my Hopes or Fears:
Where are their Haunts? O lead me to behold
This Gorgon Sight, that I may turn to stone!
There mute and motionless forever stand,
Their Monument of Guilt, my own of Woe!
For Life already is a Burthen to me.

Castor.
Compose your Visage to prevent Distrust;
Then loiter here; about and in the House;
And soon I'll help you to so foul a Sight,
As shall avouch the worst I've said a Truth.

Eliza.
Then hear me, Heav'n! be witness to my Vow,
I will have Vengeance equal to their Crimes.
Yes, faithless Husband, and thou, perjur'd Friend,
Who oft hast sworn eternal Truth and Zeal,
If Guilt has stain'd you, both alike shall prove
There is no Fury like an injur'd Love.
Convinc'd of Wrongs, my Rage shall know no Bounds,
But pour like driving Floods from broken Mounds!
With sweepy Ruin to fell Conquest haste;
Lay Lives, Hopes, Honours, all one dreary Waste.

SCENE VIII.

Castor
Solus.
Now triumph, Godrick; now abet my Ruin;
And take the just Reward your Treason claims.
But I must moderate this Gust of Rage;
Thy Hand, Eliza, does not take his Life;
No; that's a Work the Hangman shall perform.
Hold: let me see.—I'll hie to Felix now,
And artful on his Mind distil Distrust
Of Godrick's guilty Passion for his Daughter.
Then, I'll apprise him of her fond inclining
To favour Albert, whom so much he hates,
And hint a Jealousy betwixt the Friends;
That when my Sword has eas'd young Albert's Heart,
The Guilt may rest on busy Godrick's Head:
And I'll take care concurring Circumstances
Shall link the Accusation fast upon him.
O glorious Scene of Mischief and Revenge!
And worthy well the bold Projector's Mind.
Now, Ariana, spite of all your Arts,
And all your Hatred, you may still be mine:
You may, you must, you shall! for Life, without
Possessing thee, is worse than Death it self.
No: all my Slaughters must not be in vain:
I will be happy; touch my glorious Goal;
And hail beyond a vast Expanse of Bliss.
Thro' Storms and Tempests so the Sailor drives,
Whilst ev'ry Element in Combat strives:
Loud roars the Thunder, fierce the light'ning flies!
Winds wildly rage! and billows lave the Skies!
Safe thro' the War her Course the Vessel steers;
The Haven gain'd, the Pilot drops his Fears:
Thence, smiling, he to smoother Scenes looks on,
And thinks no more of Dangers past and gone.