Rather than come thus coldly, than come thus
With absent eyes, and alienated mien,
Suffering address, the victim of my love.
Oh, let me be undone the common way,
And have the common comfort to be pitied,
And not be ruined in the mask of bliss,
And so be envied, and be wretched too!
Love calls for love. Not all the pride of beauty,
Those eyes that tell us what the sun is made of,
Those lips, whose touch is to be bought with life,
Those hills of driven snow, which seen are felt;
All these, possessed, are nought, but as they are
The proof, the substance of an inward passion,
And the rich plunder of a taken heart.

Leon. Alas, my lord, we are too delicate:
And when we grasp the happiness we wished,
We call on wit to argue it away:

A plainer man would not feel half your pains:
But some have too much wisdom to be happy.
Car. Had I known this before, it had been
well:

I had not then solicited your father
To add to my distress; as you behave,
Your father's kindness stabs me to the heart.
Give me your hand-nay, give it, Leonora :
You give it not-nay, yet you give it not-
I ravish it.

Leon. I pray, my lord, no more.

Car. Ah, why so sad? You know each sigh does shake me :

Sighs there, are tempests here.

I have heard, bad men would be unblest in Hea

ven:

What is my guilt, that makes me so with you?
Have I not languished prostrate at thy feet?
Have I not lived whole days upon thy sight?
Have I not seen thee where thou hast not been?
And, mad with the idea, clasped the wind,
And doated upon nothing?

Leon. Court me not,

Good Carlos, by recounting of my faults,
And telling how ungrateful I have been.
Alas, my lord, if talking would prevail,
I could suggest much better arguments
Than those regards you threw away on me;
Your valour, honour, wisdom, praised by all.
But bid physicians talk our veins to temper,
And with an argument new-set a pulse;
Then think, my lord, of reasoning into love.

Car. Must I despair then? Do not shake me thus:

My tempest-beaten heart is cold to death;
Ah, turn, and let me warm me in thy beauties!
Heavens! what a proof I gave, but two nights
past,

Of matchless love! To fling me at thy feet,
I slighted friendship, and I flew from fame,
Nor heard the summons of the next day's battle:
But darting headlong to thy arms, I left
The promised fight, I left Alonzo too,
To stand the war, and quell a world alone.

[Trumpets.

[Embracing him.

Car. A victory indeed! your godlike arm Has made one spot the grave of Africa; Such numbers fell! and the survivors fled, As frighted passengers from off the strand, When the tempestuous sea comes roaring on them.

Alon. 'Twas Carlos conquered, 'twas his cruel chains

Inflamed me to a rage unknown before,
And threw my former actions far behind.

Car. I love fair Leonora. How I love her!
Yet still I find (I know not how it is)
Another heart, another soul for thee.
Thy friendship warms, it raises, it transports
Like music, pure the joy, without allay,
Whose very rapture is tranquillity:
But love, like wine, gives a tumultuous bliss,
Heightened, indeed, beyond all mortal pleasures,
But mingles pangs and madness in the bowl.

Enter ZANGA.

Zan. Manuel, my lord, returning from the port,

On business both of moment and of haste, Humbly begs leave to speak in private with you.

Car. In private! Ha! Alonzo, I will return; No business can detain me long from thee. [Exit. Zan. My lord Alonzo, I obeyed your orders. Alon. Will the fair Leonora pass this way? Zan. She will, my lord, and soon. Alon. Come near me, Zanga; For I dare open all my heart to thee. Never was such a day of triumph known! There's not a wounded captive in my train, That slowly followed my proud chariot wheels, With half a life, and beggary, and chains,

But is a god to me: I am most wretched.
In his captivity thou know'st, Don Carlos,
My friend, (and never was a friend more dear)
Deputed me his advocate in love,

To talk to Leonora's heart, and make
A tender party in her thoughts for him.
What did I do? I loved myself. Indeed,
One thing there is might lessen my offence,
(If such offence admits of being lessened)

I thought him dead; for (by what fate I know not)

His letters never reached me.

Zan. Thanks to Zanga,

Who thence contrived that evil which has happened. [Aside. Alon. Yes, cursed of Heaven! I loved myself,

and now,

'Twas but a world, and you are-Leonora.

Leon. That passion, which you boast of, is your guilt,

A treason to your friend. You think mean of me,
To plead your crimes as motives of my love.
Alon. You, madam, ought to thank those
crimes you blame;
'Tis they permit you to be thus inhuman,
Without the censure both of earth and heaven-
I fondly thought a last look might be kind.
Farewell for ever. This severe behaviour
Has, to my comfort, made it sweet to die.
Leon. Farewell for ever! Sweet to die! Oh,
Heaven!
[Aside.

What could I do! In duty to my friend,
I saw you; and to see is to admire.
For Carlos did I plead, and most sincerely.
Witness the thousand agonies it cost me!
You know I did. I sought but your esteem;
If that is guilt, an angel had been guilty.
I often sighed, nay, wept, but could not help it:
And sure it is no crime to be in pain.

But grant my crime was great; I am greatly cursed;

What would you more? Am I not most undone?
This usage is like stamping on the murdered,
When life is fled; most barbarous and unjust.
Leon. If from your guilt none suffered but
yourself,
It might be so-

-Farewell.

Alon. Who suffers with me?

[Going.

Leon. Enjoy your ignorance, and let me go. Alon. Alas! what is there I can fear to know, Since I already know your hate? Your actions Have long since told me that.

Leon. They flattered you.
Alon. How! flattered me!

Leon. Oh, search in fate no farther!

I hate thee Oh, Alonzo, how I hate thee!
Alon. Indeed! and do you weep for hatred
too!

Oh, what a doubtful torment heaves my heart!
I hope it most, and yet I dread it more.
Should it be so-should her tears flow from
thence,

How would my soul blaze up in ecstacy!
Ah no! how sink into the depth of horrors!
Leon. Why would you force my stay?
Alon. What mean these tears?

Leon. I weep by chance; nor have my tears

a meaning.

But Oh! when first I saw Alonzo's tears,
I knew their meaning well!

[Alon. falls passionately on his knees, and takes her hand.

Alon. Heavens! what is this? That excel lence, for which

Desire was planted in the heart of man; Virtue's supreme reward on this side Heaven; The cordial of my soul-and this destroys meIndeed, I flattered me that thou didst hate.

Leon. Alonzo, pardon me the injury

Of loving you. I struggled with my passion,
And struggled long: let that be some excuse.

Alon. Unkind, you know I think your love a

blessing

Beyond all human blessings! 'tis the price
Of sigh and groans, and a whole year of dying.
But Oh! the curse of curses!Oh, my
friend!-

Leon. Alas!

Alon. What says my love? Speak, Leonora. Leon. Was it for you, my lord, to be so quick

Alon. Oh, agony!

Must I not only lose her, but be made

Myself the instrument?

Not only die,

But plunge the dagger in my heart myself?

This is refining on calamity.

Alas, I see him pale! I hear him groan! He foams, he tears his hair, he raves, he bleeds, (I know him by myself) he dies distracted! Leon. How dreadful to be cut from what we love!

Alon. Ah, speak no more!

Leon. And tied to what we hate!

Alon. Oh!

Leon. Is it possible?

Alon. Death!

Leon. Can you?

Alon. Oh

be mine?

For what else can you tremble? Not for that My father places in your power to alter.

Alon. What's in my power? Oh, yes; to stab my friend!

Leon. To stab your friend were barbarous indeed!

Spare him-and murder me. I own, Alonzo,
You well may wonder at such words as these.
I start at them myself; they fright my nature.
Great is my fault; but blame me not alone:
Give him a little blame who took such pains
To make me guilty.

Alon. Torment! [After a pause, Leon. speaks.
Leon. Oh, my shame!

I sue, and sue in vain: it is most just,
When women sue, they sue to be denied.
You hate me, you despise me! you do well;
For what I've done I hate and scorn myself.
Oh, night, fall on me! I shall blush to death.
Alon. First perish all!

Leon. Say, what have you resolved? My father comes; what answer will you give him?

Alon. What answer! let me look upon that face,

And read it there.-Devote thee to another!
Not to be borne! a second look undoes me.

Leon. And why undo you? Is it then, my lord,
So terrible to yield to your own wishes,
Because they happen to concur with mine?
Cruel! to take such pains to win a heart,
Which you was conscious you must break with
parting.

Alon. No, Leonora, I am thine for ever, [Runs and embraces her. In spite of Carlos-Ha! who's that? My friend? [Starts wide from her.

VOL. I.

[Swoons. Alon. Heart of my heart, and essence of my joy!

Where art thou !-Oh, I'm thine, and thine for ever!

The groans of friendship shall be heard no more.
For whatsoever crime I can commit,
I've felt the pains already.

Leon. Hold, Alonzo,

And hear a maid whom doubly thou hast conquered.

I love thy virtue as I love thy person,
And I adore thee for the pains it gave me;
But as I felt the pains, I'll reap the fruit;
I'll shine out in my turn, and shew the world
Thy great example was not lost upon me.
Be it enough that I have once been guilty;
In sight of such a pattern, to persist,
Ill suits a person honoured with your love.
My other titles to that bliss are weak;
I must deserve it by refusing it.
Thus then I tear me from thy hopes for ever.
Shall I contribute to Alonzo's crimes?
No, though the life-blood gushes from my heart.
You shall not be ashamed of Leonora ;
Or that late time may put our names together.
Nay, never shrink; take back the bright example
You lately lent; Oh, take it while you may,
While I can give it you, and be immortal!

[Exit.

SCENE I-Continues.

Enter Don MANUEL and ZANGA.

Zan. If this be true, I cannot blame your pain For wretched Carlos; 'tis but human in you. But when arrived your dismal news?

Man. This hour.

Zan. What, not a vessel saved?

Man. All, all the storm

Devoured; and now o'er his late envied fortune The dolphins bound, and watery mountains roar, Triumphant in his ruin.

Zan. Is Alvarez

Determined to deny his daughter to him?

That treasure was on shore; must that too join The common wreck?

Man. Alvarez pleads, indeed, That Leonora's heart is disinclined,

And pleads that only; so it was this morning, When he concurred: the tempest broke the

match,

And sunk his favour, when it sunk the gold.
The love of gold is double in his heart,
The vice of age, and of Alvarez too.

Zan. How does Don Carlos bear it?
Man. Like a man,

Whose heart feels most a human heart can feel,
And reasons best a human heart can reason.

Zan. But is he then in absolute despair?
Man. Never to see his Leonora more.
And, quite to quench all future hope, Alvarez
Urges Alonzo to espouse his daughter
This very day; for he has learnt their loves.

Zan. Ha! was not that received with ecstacy By Don Alonzo?

Man. Yes, at first; but soon

A damp came o'er him, it would kill his friend. Zan. Not if his friend consented and since

now

He cannot himself espouse her

Man. Yet, to ask it

::

Has something shocking to a generous mind;
At least, Alonzo's spirit startles at it.
Wide is the distance between our despair,
And giving up a mistress to another.
But I must leave you.

In his severe affliction.

Zan. Ha, it dawns!

Carlos wants support [Exit.

It rises to me, like a new-found world
To mariners long time distressed at sea,
Sore from a storm, and all their viands spent ;
Or like the sun just rising out of chaos,
Some dregs of ancient night not quite purged off.
But I shall finish it.-Hoa, Isabella!

Enter ISABELLA.

I thought of dying; better things come forward; Vengeance is still alive; from her dark covert, With all her snakes erect upon her crest,

She stalks in view, and fires me with her charms.
When, Isabella, arrived Don Carlos here?
Isa. Two nights ago.

Zan. That was the very night
Before the battle-Memory, set down that;
It has the essence of the crocodile,
Though yet but in the shell-I'll give it birth-
What time did he return?

Isa. At midnight.

Zan. So

Say, did he see that night his Leonora ?
Isa. No, my good lord.

Zan. No matter-tell me, woman,

Is not Alonzo rather brave than cautious,
Honest than subtle, above fraud himself,
Slow, therefore, to suspect it in another?

Isa. You best can judge; but so the world thinks of him.

Zan. Why, that was well-go, fetch my tablets
hither.
[Exit Isa.

Two nights ago my father's sacred shade
Thrice stalked around my bed, and smiled upon

me;

He smiled a joy then little understood

It must be so—and if so, it is vengeance
Worth waking of the dead for.

Re-enter ISABELLA with the tablets; ZANGA writes, then reads as to himself.

Thus it stands

The father's fixed-Don Carlos cannot wed-
Alonzo may--but that will hurt his friend-
Nor can he ask his leave-or, if he did,
He might not gain it-It is hard to give
Our own consent to ills, though we must bear
them.

Were it not then a master-piece, worth all
The wisdom I can boast, first to persuade
Alonzo to request it of his friend,

His friend to grant-then from that very grant,
The strongest proof of friendship man can give,
(And other motives) to work out a cause
Of jealousy, to rack Alonzo's peace?-

I have turned o'er the catalogue of human woes, Which sting the heart of man, and find none equal.

It is the Hydra of calamities,

The seven-fold death; the jealous are the damned.
Oh, jealousy, each other passion's calm

To thee, thou conflagration of the soul!
Thou king of torments, thou grand counterpoise
For all the transports beauty can inspire!
Isa. Alonzo comes this way.
Zan. Most opportunely.

Withdraw-Ye subtle dæmons, which reside
[Exit Isa.
In courts, and do your work with bows and

smiles,

That little enginery, more mischievous