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And melt about my heart! my tears will flow.
But oh, I'll think no more! the hand of fate
Has torn thee from me, and I must forget thee.
PORTIU S.

Hard-hearted, cruel maid!

LUCIA.

Oh, ftop thofe founds,

Those killing founds! Why doft thou frown upon me?
My blood runs cold, my heart forgets to heave,
And life itself goes out at thy displeasure.
The gods forbid us to indulge our loves,
But, oh! I cannot bear thy hate, and live!

PORTIU S.

Talk not of love, thou never knew'ft its force.

I've been deluded, led into a dream

Of fancied blifs. O Lucia, cruel maid!

Thy dreadful vow,

loaden with death, ftill founds

In my ftunn'd ears.

Quick, let us part!

What shall J fay or do? perdition 's in thy presence,

And horror dwells about thee !-Ah, fhe faints!
Wretch that I am! what has my rashness done!
Lucia, thou injur'd innocence! thou beft
And loveliest of thy fex! awake, my Lucia,
Or Portius rushes on his sword to join thee.
Her imprecations reach not to the tomb,
They shut not out fociety in death.-

But, ah! fhe moves! life wanders up and down
Through all her face, and lights up every charm.

LUCIA.

O Portius, was this well to frown on her

That

7

That lives upon thy smiles! to call in doubt
The faith of one expiring at thy feet,
That loves thee more than ever woman lov'd'!

-What do I fay? My half-recover'd sense

Forgets the vow in which my foul is bound.
Destruction ftands betwixt us! we must part.

PORTIUS.

Name not the word, my frighted thoughts run back, And ftartle into madness at the found.

LUCIA.

What would't thou have me do? Confider well The train of ills our love would draw behind it. Think, Portius, think, thou seeft thy dying brother Stabb'd at his heart, and all befmear'd with blood, Storming at heaven and thee! thy awful fire Sternly demands the caufe, th' accurfed caufe, That robs him of his fon! poor Marcia trembles, Then tears her hair, and, frantic in her griefs, * Calls out on Lucia! What could Lucia answer? Or how stand up in fuch a scene of forrow? PORTIUS.

To my confufion and eternal grief,

I must approve the fentence that destroys me.
The mist that hung about my mind clears up;
And now, athwart the terrors that thy vow
Has planted round thee, thou appear'ft more fair,
More amiable, and rifeft in thy charms.
Loveliest of women! heaven is in thy foul,
Beauty and virtue shine for ever round thee,
Brightening each other thou art all divine!

5

LUCIA.

LUCIA.

Portius, no more! thy words fhoot through my heart, Melt my refolves, and turn me all to love.

Why are those tears of fondness in thy eyes?

Why heaves thy heart? Why fwells thy foul with forrow? It foftens me too much.-Farewell, my Portius; Farewell, though death is in the word, for-ever! PORTIUS.

Stay, Lucia, ftay! What doft thou fay? For-ever!

LUCIA.

Have I not fworn? If, Portius, thy fuccefs Muft throw thy brother on his fate, farewell, Oh, how fhall I repeat the word! for-ever!

PORTIU S.

Thus o'er the dying lamp th' unsteady flame Hangs quivering on a point, leaps off by fits, And falls again, as loth to quit its hold.

-Thou must not go, my foul ftill hovers o'er thee, And can't get loose.

LUCIA.

If the firm Portius fhake

To hear of parting, think what Lucia fuffers!

PORTIUS.

'Tis true; unruffled and ferene I 've met
The common accidents of life but here:
Such an unlook'd-for ftorm of ills falls on me,

It beats down all my ftrength. I cannot bear it.
We must.not part.

LUCIA.

What doft thou fay? Not part?

Haft thou forgot the vow that I have.made ?

Are

Are there not heavens and gods and thunder o'er us! -But fee thy brother Marcus bends this way!

I ficken at the fight. Once more, farewell;

Farewell, and know thou wrong'ft me, if thou think'ft Ever was love, or ever grief, like mine.

Enter MARCUS.

MARCUS.

[Exit.

Portius, what hopes? How stands fhe? Am I doom'd

To life, or death?

PORTIUS.

What would'st thou have me say?

MARCUS.

What means this penfive posture? Thou appear'st Like one amaz'd and terrify’d.

PORTIUS.

I've reafon.

MARCUS.

Thy down-caft looks, and thy disorder'd thoughts, Tell me my fate. I afk not the fuccefs

My caufe has found.

PORTIUS.

I'm griev'd I undertook it.

MARCUS.

What? Does the barbarous maid infult my heart, My aching heart! and triumph in my pains? That I could caft her from my thoughts for ever!

PORTIUS.

Away! you 're too fufpicious in your griefs;

Lucia, though fworn never to think of love,
Compaffionates your pains, and pities you.

MARCU S.

Compaffionates my pains, and pities me!
What is compaffion when 'tis void of love!
Fool that I was to choose fo cold a friend
To urge my caufe! compaffionates my pains!
Pr'ythee, what art, what rhetorick, didst thou use
To gain this mighty boon? She pities me!
To one that afks the warm returns of love,
Compaffion 's cruelty, 'tis fcorn, 'tis death-

PORTIU S.

Marcus, no more! have I deferv'd this treatment?

MARCU S.

What have I faid! O Portius, O forgive me! A foul exasperated in ills falls out

With every thing, its friend, itself-But ha!

What means that shout, big with the founds of war? What new alarm?

PORTIU S.

A fecond, louder yet,

Swells in the winds, and comes more full upon us.
MARCU S.

Oh, for fome glorious caufe to fall in battle!
Lucia, thou haft undone me! thy difdain

Has broke my heart: 'tis death must give me ease.

PORTIU S.

Quick, let us hence; who knows if Cato's life Stand fure? O Marcus, I am warm'd, my heart Leaps at the trumpet's voice, and burns for glory.[Exeunt

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