PARTHENIA.

Strike not. Ye Gods, defend him from the wound.

LYCIDAS.

Yes. 'Tis Parthenia's voice. I know the found.
Some fylvan ravisher would force the maid,
And Laura fent me to her virtue's aid.

Die, villain, die; and feek the fhades below.

[Lycidas fnatches the dagger from Dione, and ftabs her.

DIONE.

Whoe'er thou art, I blefs thee for the blow.

LYCIDAS.

Since Heav'n ordain'd this arm thy life should guard,
O hear my vows! be love the juft reward.

PARTHENIA.

Rather let vengeance, with her fwiftest speed
O'ertake thy flight, and recompenfe the deed!
Why stays the thunder in the upper sky?
Gather, ye clouds; ye forky lightnings, fly;

Ол

On thee may all the wrath of Heav'n defcend,

Whofe barb'rous hand hath flain a faithful friend.

Behold Alexis!

LYCIDAS.

Would that treach'rous boy

Have forc'd thy virtue to his brutal joy?
What rous'd his paffion to this bold advance?
Did e'er thy eyes confefs one willing glance?
I know, the faithless youth his truft betray'd ;
And well the dagger hath my wrongs repay'd.

DIONE. [raifing herself on her arm.

Breaks not Evander's voice along the glade ?
Hah! is it he who holds the reeking blade!

There needed not or poison, sword or dart ;

Thy faithless vows, alas! had broke my heart. [Afide.

PARTHENIA.

O tremble shepherd, for thy rafh offence,
The fword is dy'd with murder'd innocence !
His gentle foul no brutal paffion feiz'd,
Nor at my bofom was the dagger rais'd ;

Self

Self-murder was his aim; the youth I found

Whelm'd in despair, and ftay'd the falling wound.

DIONE.

Into what mischiefs is the lover led,

Who calls down vengeance on his perjur'd head!
O may he ne'er bewail this desp'rate deed,
And may, unknown, unwept, Dione bleed!

LYCIDAS.

[Afide.

What horrors on the guilty mind attend!

His confcience had reveng'd an injur'd friend,
Hadft thou not held the ftroke. In death he fought
To lose the heart-confuming pain of thought.

Did not the smooth-tongu'd boy perfidious prove,
Plead his own paffion, and betray my love?

DIONE.

O let him ne'er this bleeding victim know;
Left his rash transport, to revenge the blow,
Should in his dearer heart the dagger stain !

That wound would pierce my foul with double pain.

[Afide.

PAR

PARTHENIA.

How did his faithful lips (now pale and cold)
With moving eloquence thy griefs unfold !

LYCIDA S.

Was he thus faithful? thus, to friendship true?

Then I'm a wretch.

All peace of mind, adieu !

If ebbing life yet beat within thy vein,

Alexis, fpeak; unclose those lids again.

[Flings himself on the ground near Dione.

See at thy feet the barb'rous villain kneel?

"Tis Lycidas who grafps the bloody fteel,

Thy once lov'd friend. -Yet ere I cease to live,
Canft thou a wretched penitent forgive ?

DIONE.

When low beneath the fable mold I reft,

May a fincerer friendship share thy breaft?

Why are those heaving groans? (ah! cease to weep!)
May my loft name in dark oblivion sleep;
Let this fad tale no speaking stone declare,
From future eyes to draw a pitying tear.

Let

Let o'er my grave the lev'ling plough-fhare pass,
Mark not the fpot; forget that e'er I was.
Then may'ft thou with Parthenia's love be bleft,
And not one thought on me thy joys moleft!
My swimming eyes are overpower'd with light,
And darkning fhadows fleet before my fight,
Mayft thou be happy? ah! my foul is free.

[Dies.

Yes. 'Twas I did it. See this crimson stain !

My