I can't want ftrength. Great actions, once conceiv'd,
Strengthen like wine and animate the foul,
And call themselves to being. [Afide.]My Alonzo !
Since thy great foul disdains to make request,
Receive with favour that I make to thee.
Fate and Alvarez tore her from my heart;
And, plucking up my love, they had well nigh
Pluck'd up life too; for they were twin'd together:
Of that no more-What now does reafon bid?
I cannot wed- -Farewel my happiness ;
But, O my foul! with care provide for hers:
In life, how weak! how helpless is a woman!
Soon hurt, in happiness itself unfafe,
And often wounded, while the plucks the rofe;
So properly the object of affliction,
That heav'n is pleas'd to make distress become her,
And dreffes her most amiably in tears.
Take then my heart in dowry with the fair;
Be thou her guardian, and thou must be mine;
Shut out the thousand preffing ills of life
With thy furrounding arms-Do this; and then
Set down the liberty and life thou gav'st me
As little things, as effays of thy goodness,
And rudiments of friendship so divine.
ALONZO.
There is a grandeur in thy goodness to me,
Which with thy foes would render thee ador'd:
But have a care; nor think I can be pleas'd
With any thing that lays in pains for thee:
Thou doft diffemble, and thy heart's in tears.
D 3
My heart's in health, my fpirits dance their round,
And at my eye pleasure looks out in smiles.
And canft thou, canft thou part with Leonora ?
I do not part with her; I give her thee.
Don't diftruft me; I'm fincere ;
Nor is it more than fimple justice in me:
This morn didst thou refign her for my fake;
I but perform a virtue learnt from thee;
Discharge a debt, and pay her to thy wishes.
Ah! how? -But think not words were ever made
For fuch occafions: Silence, tears, embraces,
Are languid eloquence: I'll feek relief
In abfence from the pain of fo much goodness;
There thank the bleft above, thy fole fuperiors,
Adore, and raise my thoughts of them by thee.
Thus far fuccefs has crown'd my boldest hope:
My next care is to haften these new nuptials;
And then my mafter-works begin to play.
Why that was greatly done, without one figh [To Carlos. To carry fuch a glory to its period.
Too foon thou praisest me. He's gone; and now
I must unfluice my over-burden'd heart,
And let it flow: I would not grieve my friend
With tears, nor interrupt my great design;
Great, fure, as ever human breast durft think of.
But now my forrows, long with pain fuppreft,
Burft their confinement with impetuous sway,
Orefwell all bounds, and bear e’en life away :
So, till the day was won, the Greek renown'd,
With anguish wore the arrow in his wound;
Then drew the fhaft from out his tortur'd fide,
Let gush the torrent of his blood, and dy’d.
Enter ZANGA and ISABELLA.
JOY, thou welcome ftranger! twice three years
I have not felt thy vital beam; but now
It warms my veins, and plays around my heart;
A fiery inftinct lifts me from the ground,
And I could mount--The fpirits numberless
Of my dear countrymen, which yesterday
Left their poor bleeding bodies on the field,
Are all affembled here, and o'er inform me-
O bridegroom! great indeed thy present bliss;
Yet ev'n by me unenvy'd; for be fure
It is thy lait, thy laft fmile, that which now
Sits on thy cheek; enjoy it whilst thou may'ft;
Anguish, and
groans, and death, bespeak to-morrow.
What commands my Moor?
ZANGA.
My fair ally! my lovely minifter!
"Twas well Alvarez, by my arts impell'd,
(To plunge Don Carlos in the last despair,
And so prevent all future moleftation)
Finish'd the nuptials foon as he resolv'd them;
This conduct ripen'd all for me, and ruin.
Scarce had the priest the holy rite perform❜d,
When I, by facred inspiration, forg'd
That letter, which I trufted to thy hand;
That letter, which, in glowing terms, conveys,
From happy Carlos to fair Leonora,
The most profound acknowledgment of heart
For wond'rous transports, which he never knew.
This is a good fubfervient artifice,
To aid the nobler workings of my brain.
I quickly dropt it in the bride's apartment,
As you commanded.
For foon Alonzo found it. I obferv'd him
From out my secret stand: He took it up;
But fcarce was it unfolded to his fight,
When he, as if an arrow pierc'd his eye,
Started, and, trembling, dropt it on the ground.
Pale and aghaft awhile my victim ftood,
Difguis'd a figh or two, and puff'd them from him;
Then rubb'd his brow, and took it up again :
At first he look'd as if he meant to read it;
But, check'd by rifing fears, he crush'd it thus ;
And thrust it, like an adder, in his bosom.
But if he read it not, it cannot fting him;
At least not mortally.
At first I thought it fo;
But farther thought informs me otherwise,
And turns this disappointment to account.
He more fhall credit it, because unseen,
(If 'tis unseen) as thou anon may'ft find.
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