Man. 'Tis well-that when she comes to set him free,

His teeth may grin, and mock at her remorse.

[PEREZ going.
Stay thee-I've farther thought-I'll add to this,
And give her eyes yet greater disappointment:
When thou hast ended him, bring me his robe;
And let the cell where she'll expect to see him
Be darken'd so as to amuse the sight.
I'll be conducted thither-mark me well-
There with his turbant, and his robe array'd,
And laid along as he now lies supine,

I shall convict her to her face of falsehood.
When for Alphonso's she shall take my hand,
And breathe her sighs upon my lips for his,
Sudden I'll start, and dash her with her guilt.
But see she comes; I'll shun the encounter; thou,
Follow me, and give heed to my direction.

Thou, like the adder, venomous and deaf,
Hast stung the traveller; and after hear'st
Not his pursuing voice; even where thou think'st
To hide, the rustling leaves and bended grass
Confess, and point the path which thou hast crept.
O fate of fools! officious in contriving;
In executing puzzled, lame and lost.

Sel. Avert it, Heaven, that you should ever suffer

For my defect! or that the means which I
Devised to serve should ruin your design!
Prescience is Heaven's alone, not given to man.
If I have fail'd in what, as being man,
I needs must fail; impute not as a crime
My nature's want, but punish nature in me:
I plead not for a pardon, and to live,

But to be punish'd and forgiven. Here, strike! 1 bare my breast to meet your just revenge.

Zara. I have not leisure now to take so poor
A forfeit as thy life: somewhat of high
And more important fate requires my thought.
When I've concluded on myself, if I
Think fit, I'll leave thee my command to die.
Regard me well; and dare not to reply
To what I give in charge; for I'm resolved.
Give order that the two remaining mutes
Attend me instantly, with each a bowl
Of such ingredients mix'd, as will with speed
Benumb the living faculties, and give
Most easy and inevitable death.

Yes, Osmyn, yes; be Osmyn or Alphonso,
I'll give thee freedom, if thou darest be free:
Such liberty as I embrace myself,

Thou shalt partake. Since fates no more afford,
I can but die with thee to keep my word.

The king in person animate our men,
Granada's lost and to confirm this fear,
The traitor Perez, and the captive Moor,
Are through a postern fled, and join the foe.
Gon. Would all were false as that; for whom
you call

The Moor, is dead. That Osmyn was Alphonso;
In whose heart's blood this poniard yet is warm.
Gar. Impossible, for Osmyn was, while flying,
Pronounced aloud by Perez for Alphonso.
Gon. Enter that chamber, and convince your
eyes,

How much report has wrong'd your easy faith.
[GARCIA goes in.

Alon. My lord, for certain truth, Perez is fled; And has declared the cause of his revolt, Was to revenge a blow the king had given him.

On me, on me, turn your avenging sword!
I, who have spilt my royal master's blood,
Should make atonement by a death as horrid ;
And fall beneath the hand of my own son.

Gar. Ha! what? atone this murder with a greater?

The horror of that thought has damp'd my rage.
The earth already groans to bear this deed;
Oppress her not, nor think to stain her face
With more unnatural blood. Murder my father!
Better with this to rip up my own bowels,
And bathe it to the hilt, in far less damnable
Self-murder.

Gon.

O my son from the blind dotage Of a father's fondness these ills arose ; For thee I've been ambitious, base, and bloody: For thee I've plunged into this sea of sin; Stemming the tide with only one weak hand, While t'other bore the crown, (to wreath thy brow,)

Whose weight has sunk me ere I reach'd the shore.
Gar. Fatal ambition! Hark! the foe is en-
ter'd.
[Shout.

The shrillness of that shout speaks 'em at hand.
We have no time to search into the cause
Of this surprising and most fatal error.
What's to be done? the king's death known, will
strike

The few remaining soldiers with despair,
And make 'em yield to mercy of the conqueror.
Alon. My lord, I've thought how to conceal the

body:

As but an hour ago I'd not have done,
Though for the crown of universal empire.
But what are kings reduced to common clay?
Or who can wound the dead? I've from the body
Sever'd the head, and in an obscure corner
Disposed it, muffled in the mute's attire,
Leaving to view of them that enter next,
Alone the undistinguish'd trunk:

Which may be still mistaken by the guards
For Osmyn, if in seeking for the king
They chance to find it.

Gon.
'Twas an act of horror;
And of a piece with this day's dire misdeeds.
But 'tis no time to ponder or repent.
Haste thee, Alonzo, haste thee hence with speed,
To aid my son. I'll follow with the last
Reserve to re-enforce his arms at least,

I shall make good, and shelter bis retreat.

SCENE VIII.

ZARA, followed by SELIM, and two Mutes bearing the bowls.

Zara. Silence and solitude are everywhere! Through all the gloomy ways and iron doors That hither lead, nor human face nor voice Is seen or heard. A dreadful din was wont To grate the sense, when enter'd here; from groans

And howls of slaves condemn'd, from clink of chains,

And crash of rusty bars and creeking hinges :
And ever and anon the sight was dash'd
With frightful faces, and the meagre looks
Of grim and ghastly executioners.
Yet more this stillness terrifies my soul,
Than did that scene of complicated horrors.
It may be, that the cause of this my errand
And purpose, being changed from life to death,
Has also wrought this chilling change of temper.
Or does my heart bode more? what can it more
Than death?

Let 'em set down the bowls, and warn Alphonso
That I am here-so. You return and find

[Mutes go in.

The king; tell him, what he required I've done, And wait his coming to approve the deed.

Zara. What have you seen? Ha! wherefore stare you thus

[The Mutes return, and look affrighted. With haggard eyes? why are your arms a-cross? Your heavy and desponding heads hung down? Why is't you more than speak in these sad signs? Give me more ample knowledge of this mourning.

[They go to the Scene, which opening, she perceives the
body.

Ha! prostrate! bloody! headless! O-I'm lost!
O Osmyn! O Alphonso! Cruel fate!
Cruel, cruel, O more than killing object!
I came prepared to die, and see thee die-
Nay, came prepared myself to give thee death-
But cannot bear to find thee thus, my Osmyn-
O this accursed, this base, this treacherous king!

SCENE X.

ZARA, SELIM, and Mutes.

Sel. I've sought in vain, for nowhere can the king Be found. Zara.

Get thee to hell, and seek him there!
[Stabs him,

His hellish rage had wanted means to act,
But for thy fatal and pernicious counsel.
Sel. You thought it better then-but I'm re-
warded:

The mute you sent by some mischance was seen,
And forced to yield your letter with his life:
I found the dead and bloody body stripp'd-
My tongue falters, and my voice fails-I sink-
Drink not the poison-for Alphonso is-

[Dies.

Zara. As thou art now-and I shall quickly be. 'Tis not that he is dead; for 'twas decreed We both should die. Nor is't that I survive; I have a certain remedy for that.

But oh, he died unknowing in my heart!

He knew I loved, but knew not to what height:
Nor that I meant to fall before his eyes,
A martyr and a victim to my vows:
Insensible of this last proof he's gone.
Yet fate alone can rob his mortal part

[Drinks.

Of sense; his soul still sees, and knows each purpose,
And fix'd event of my persisting faith.
Then, wherefore do I pause? give me the bowl.
[4 Mute kneels and gives one of the bowls.
Hover a moment, yet, thou gentle spirit,
Soul of my love, and I will wait thy flight!
This to our mutual bliss when join'd above.
O friendly draught, already in my heart!
Cold, cold! my veins are icicles and frost.
I'll creep into his bosom, lay me there;
Cover us close-or I shall chill his breast,
And fright him from my arms-See, see, he slides
Still further from me! look, he hides his face!
I cannot feel it-quite beyond my reach-
O now he's gone, and all is dark-

[Dies.

[The Mutes kneel and mourn over her.

ALMERIA, LEONORA, and Mutes.

Alm. O let me seek him in this horrid cell; For in the tomb, or prison, I alone Must hope to find him.

Leon.

Heavens! what dismal scene Of death is this? The eunuch Selim slain ! Alm. Show me, for I am come in search of death;

But want a guide; for tears have dimm'd my sight.

Leon. Alas, a little farther, and behold
Zara all pale and dead! two frightful men,
Who seem the murderers, kneel weeping by,
Feeling remorse too late for what they've done.
But O forbear-lift up your eyes no more;
But haste away, fly from this fatal place!
Where miseries are multiplied; return,
Return and look not on; for there's a dagger
Ready to stab the sight, and make your eyes
Rain blood-

Had they or hearts or eyes, that did this deed!
Could eyes endure to guide such cruel hands?
Are not my eyes guilty alike with theirs,
That thus can gaze, and yet not turn to stone?
I do not weep! The springs of tears are dried
And of a sudden I am calm, as if

All things were well: and yet my husband's murder'd!

Yes, yes, I know to mourn! I'll sluice this heart,
The source of woe, and let the torrent loose.
Those men have left to weep! they look on me!
I hope they murder all on whom they look.
Behold me well; your bloody hands have err'd,
And wrongfully have slain those innocents;
I am the sacrifice design'd to bleed;
And come prepared to yield my throat-they
shake

Their heads, in sign of grief and innocence!

[The Mutes point at the bowl on the ground. And point-what mean they? Ha! a cup. O well I understand what medicine has been here. O noble thirst! yet greedy to drink all— Oh for another draught of death.-What mean they? [The Mutes point at the other cup. Ha! point again? 'tis there, and full, I hope. Thanks to the liberal hand that fill'd thee thus ; I'll drink my glad acknowledgmentLeon. O hold,

For mercy's sake! upon my knee I beg

Alm. With thee the kneeling world should beg in vain.

Seest thou not there? behold who prostrate lies,
And pleads against thee? who shall then prevail?
Yet I will take a cold and parting leave,
From his pale lips; I'll kiss him, ere I drink,
Lest the rank juice should blister on my mouth,
And stain the colour of my last adieu.
Horror! a headless trunk! nor lips nor face,

[Coming nearer the body, starts and lets fall the cup But spouting veins, and mangled flesh ! Oh. oh!

SCENE XII.

ALMERIA, LEONORA, ALPHONSO, HELI, PEREZ, with GARCIA prisoner, Guards and Attendants.

Alph. Away, stand off! where is she? let me fly, Save her from death, and snatch her to my heart. Aim. Oh!

Alph. Forbear; my arms alone shall hold her up,

Warm her to life, and wake her into gladness.
O let me talk to thy reviving sense,

The words of joy and peace! warm thy cold beauties,
With the new-flushing ardour of my cheek!
Into thy lips pour the soft trickling balm
Of cordial sighs! and re-inspire thy bosom
With the breath of love! Shine, awake, Almeria !
Give a new birth to thy long-shaded eyes,
Then double on the day reflected light!
Alm. Where am I? Heaven! what does this

dream intend? Alph. O mayst thou never dream of less delight, Nor ever wake to less substantial joys!

Alm. Given me again from death! O all ye

powers

Confirm this miracle! Can I believe

My sight, against my sight? and shall I trust That sense, which in one instant shows him dead And living? Yes, I will; I've been abused

With apparitions and affrighting phantoms: This is my lord, my life, my only husband: I have him now, and we no more will part. My father too shall have compassion

Alph. O my heart's comfort! 'tis not given to this

Frail life, to be entirely bless'd. Even now,
In this extremest joy my soul can taste,
Yet am I dash'd to think that thou must weep;
Thy father fell, where he design'd my death.
Gonsalez and Alonzo, both of wounds
Expiring, have with their last breath confess'd
The just decrees of Heaven, which on themselves
Has turn'd their own most bloody purposes.
Nay, I must grant, 'tis fit you should be thus-
[ALMERIA weeps.

Let 'em remove the body from her sight.
Ill-fated Zara! Ha! a cup? Alas!
Thy error then is plain; but I were flint
Not to o'erflow in tribute to thy memory.
O Garcia !

Whose virtue has renounced thy father's crimes;
Seest thou, how just the hand of Heaven has been ?
Let us, who through our innocence survive,
Stili in the paths of honour persevere,
And not from past or present ills despair:
For blessings ever wait on virtuous deeds;
And though a late, a sure reward succeeds.

[Exeunt omnES,

THE tragedy thus done, I am, you know,
No more a princess, but in statu quo:
And now as unconcern'd this mourning wear,
As if indeed a widow or an heir.

I've leisure now to mark your several faces,
And know each critic by his sour grimaces.
To poison plays, I see some where they sit,
Scatter'd, like ratsbane, up and down the pit;
While others watch like parish-searchers, hired
To tell of what disease the play expired.
Oh with what joy they run to spread the news
Of a damn'd poet, and departed muse!
But if he 'scape, with what regret they're seized!
And how they're disappointed when they're pleased!
Critics to plays for the same end resort,
That surgeons wait on trials in a court;

For innocence condemn'd they've no respect,
Provided they've a body to dissect.
As Sussex-men, that dwell upon the shore,
Look out when storms arise, and billows roar
Devoutly praying, with uplifted hands,

That some well-laden ship may strike the sands;
To whose rich cargo they may make pretence,
And fatten on the spoils of Providence:
So critics throng to see a new play split,
And thrive and prosper on the wrecks of wit.
Small hope our poet from these prospects draws;
And therefore to the fair commends his cause.
Your tender hearts to mercy are inclined,
With whom, he hopes, this play will favour find,
Which was an offering to the sex design'd,