Your cruelty has at length determined me, and I have resolv'd this morning to yield a perfect obe⚫dience to my father, and to give my hand to Altamont, in spite of my weakness for the false Lothario. I could almost wish I had that heart, and that honour to bestow with it, which you have robb'd • me of: Damnation to the rest [Reads again. But, Oh! I fear, could I retrieve 'em, I should again be undone by the too faithless, yet too lovely Lothario. This is the last weakness of my pen, and to-morrow shall be the last in which I will indulge my eyes. Lucilla shall conduct you, if you are kind enough to let me see you; it shall be the last trouble you shall meet with from The lost Calista.' The lost, indeed! for thou art gone as far 320 "Then sighing, to his ev'ry care speaks peace, “And bids his heart be satisfied with happiness. "Oh, wretched husband! while she hangs about thee “With idle blandishments, and plays the fond one, "Ev'n then her hot imagination wanders, "Contriving riot, and loose 'scapes of love; "And while she clasps thee close, makes thee a mon. ster." What if I give this paper to her father? It follows that his justice dooms her dead, Lav. My lord! Enter LAVINIA. Trust me, it joys my heart that I have found you. Hor. It were unjust-No, let me spare my friend, Lock up the fatal secret in my breast, Nor tell him that which will undo his quiet. Lav. What means my lord? Hor. Ha! saidst thou, my Lavinia ? Lav. Alas! you know not what you make me suffer. Why are you pale? Why did you start and tremble? Hor. Oh, no! thou hast mistook my sickness quite ; These pangs are of the soul. Wou'd I had met 361 Sharpest convulsions, spotted pestilence, Or any other deadly foe to life, Rather than heave beneath this load of thought! me? "Why did you falsely call me your Lavinia, "And swear I was Horatio's better half, "Since now you mourn unkindly by yourself, "And rob me of my partnership of sadness? "Witness, ye holy pow'rs, who know my truth, "There cannot be a chance in life so miserable, "Nothing so very hard but I could bear it, "Much rather than my love should treat me coldly, "And use me like a stranger to his heart." Hor. Seek not to know what I would hide from all, But most from thee. I never knew a pleasure, Ought that was joyful, fortunate, or good, But straight I ran to bless thee with the tidings, But wherefore, wherefore should I give thee pain? Then spare me, I conjure thee; ask no further; 381 And ask'd to weep out part of your misfortunes: Hor. Oh, never, never, never! Thou art innocent: Simplicity from ill, pure native truth, And candour of the mind, adorn thee ever; But there are such, such false ones, in the world, Lav. False ones, my lord! 400 Hor. Fatally fair they are, and in their smiles The graces, little loves, and young desires inhabit; But all that gaze upon 'em are undone ; For they are false, luxurious in their appetites, Another, and another after that, And the last fool is welcome as the former; 'Till having lov'd his hour out, he gives place, And mingles with the herd that went before him. mind? Have they, in all the series of their changing, You take up all her room, as in a cottage And hardly keeps a corner for himself. 420 Hor. Oh, were they all like thee, men would adore 'em, And all the business of their lives be loving; The world should learn to love by virtuous rules, Act II. SCENE 1. A Hall. Enter CALISTA and LUCILLA. Calista. BE dumb for ever, silent as the grave, |