So needful to us all and to his country.

He is retir'd to rest, and seems to cherish

Thoughts full of peace. He has dispatch'd me hence With orders that bespeak a mind compos'd,

And studious for the safety of his friends.

Marcia, take care that none disturb his slumbers. [Ex.
Mar. Oh, ye immortal powers! that guard the just,
Watch round his couch, and soften his repose,
Banish his sorrows, and becalm his soul

With easy dreams; remember all his virtues,
And shew mankind that goodness is your care.

Enter LUCIA.

Luc. Where is your father, Marcia, where is Cato? Mar. Lucia, speak low, he is retir'd to rest.

Lucia, I feel a gentle dawning hope

Rise in my soul. We shall be happy still.

Luc. Alas! I tremble when I think on Cato! In every view, in every thought, I tremble! Cato is stern and awful as a god;

He knows not how to wink at human frailty,

Or pardon weakness that he never felt.

Mar. Though stern and awful to the foes of Rome, He is all goodness, Lucia, always mild. Compassionate and gentle to his friends. "Fill'd with domestic tenderness, the best," The kindest father I have ever found him, Easy and good, and bounteous to my wishes.

Luc. 'Tis his consent alone can make us bless'd, Marcia, we both are equally involv'd

In the same intricate, perplex'd distress.
The cruel hand of fate that has destroy'd
Thy brother Marcus, whom we both lament-
Mar. And ever shall lament; unhappy youth!
Luc. Has set my soul at large, and now I stand
Loose of my vow. But who knows Cato's thoughts;
Who knows how yet he may dispose of Portius,
Or how he has determin'd of thyself?

Mar. Let him but live, commit the rest to Heav'n.

Enter LUCIUS.

Lucius. Sweet are the slumbers of the virtuous man! Oh, Marcia, I have seen thy godlike father! Some power invisible supports his soul, And bears it up in all its wonted greatness. A kind refreshing sleep is fall'n upon him : I saw him stretch'd at ease, his fancy lost In pleasing dreams; as I drew near his couch, He smil'd, and cry'd, Cæsar, thou can'st not hurt me. Mar. His mind still labours with some dreadful

thought.

"Lucius. Lucia, why all this grief, these floods of

sorrow?

"Dry up thy tears, my child, we all are safe
"While Cato lives-his presence will protect us.”

Enter JUBA.

Jub. Lucius, the horsemen are return'd from view

ing

The number, strength, and posture of our foes,

Who now encamp within a short hour's march;
On the high point of yon bright western tower
We ken them from afar, the setting sun

Plays on their shining arms and burnish'd helmets,
And covers all the field with gleams of fire.

Lucius. Marcia, 'tis time we should awake thy father. Cæsar is still dispos'd to give us terms,

And waits at distance 'till he hears from Cato.

Enter PORTIUS.

Portius, thy looks speak somewhat of importance.
What tidings dost thou bring? Methinks I see
Unusual gladness sparkling in thy eyes.

Por. As I was hasting to the port, where now
My father's friends, impatient for a passage,
Accuse the ling'ring winds, a sail arriv'd

From Pompey's son, who through the realms of Spain Calls out for vengeance on his father's death,

And rouses the whole nation up to arms.

Were Cato at their head, once more might Rome
Assert her rights, and claim her liberty.

But, hark! what means that groan! Oh, give me way,
And let me fly into my father's presence.

[Exit.

Lucius. Cato, amidst his slumbers, thinks on Rome,

And in the wild disorder of his soul

Mourns o'er his country. Hah! a second groan-
Heav'n guard us all!-

Mar. Alas! 'tis not the voice

Of one who sleeps; 'tis agonizing pain,

'Tis death is in that sound.—

Re-enter PORTIUS.

Por. Oh, sight of woe!

Oh, Marcia, what we fear'd is come to pass!
Cato is fallen upon his sword.-

Lucius. Oh, Portius,

Hide all the horrors of thy mournful tale,

And let us guess the rest.

Por. I've rais'd him up,

And plac'd him in his chair, where, pale and faint, He gasps for breath, and as his life flows from him, Demands to see his friends. His servants weeping, Obsequious to his order, bear him hither.

Mar. Oh, Heav'n! assist me in this dreadful hour, To pay the last sad duties to my father.

"Jub. These are thy triumphs, thy exploits, O

Cæsar!

"Lucius. Now is. Rome fall'n indeed!"

[Cato brought on in a chair.

Calo. Here set me down

Portius, come near me-Are my friends embark'd ?
Can any thing be thought of for their service?
Whilst I yet live, let me not live in vain.

-Oh, Lucius, art thou here?—Thou art too good-
Let this our friendship live between our children,
Make Portius happy in thy daughter Lucia.
Alas! poor man, he weeps!-Marcia, my daughter-
Oh, bend me forward !-Juba loves thee, Marcia.
A senator of Rome, while Rome surviv'd,
Would not have match'd his daughter with a king,

But Cæsar's arms have thrown down all distinction;
Whoe'er is brave and virtuous is a Roman-

-I'm sick to death-Oh, when shall I get loose
From this vain world, th' abode of guilt and sorrow!
—And yet, methinks, a beam of light breaks in
On my departing soul. Alas, I fear

I've been too hasty. Oh, ye Powers, that search
The heart of man, and weigh his inmost thoughts,
If I have done amiss, impute it not!-

The best may err, but you are good, and—Oh! [Dies.
Lucius. There fled the greatest soul that ever warm'd
A Roman breast; oh, Cato! oh, my friend!

Thy will shall be religiously observ'd.
But let us bear this awful corpse to Cæsar,
And lay it in his sight, that it may stand
A fence betwixt us and the victor's wrath;
Cato, though dead, shall still protect his friends.
From hence, let fierce contending nations know
What dire effects from civil discord flow:

'Tis this that shakes our country with alarms,
And gives up Rome a prey to Roman arms,
Produces fraud, and cruelty, and strife,
And robs the guilty world of Cato's life.

[Exeunt omnes.