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Show 4 MU S T A P H A. Ruft. Indeed yon owe, And I no lefs, all duty to your Higbnefs. I need not to your grateful thought recal/, H o w warm her love for our unerring law ! H o w lfberal to its fages ! Fir'd her felf With teal for holy things, that zeal in others Is title to her favonr : and infpir'd Her powerful mediation with the Sultan, Great Solyman, who rais'd your v $rt.h on high T o that prime ftation where it fhin ss ur.envy'd. Muf Let her command roc, Vizir, my obedience As moft implicit*, fhall be moft fince re. Ruft. Obferve m e then: and when your ear hath heard T h ' important tale, let c3ution lock it up Deep in the darkeft filence of your breaft, From all but heaven. Muf. Have I not liv'd in courti ? Been prefent where I wouid not truft a thought, In whifptr, even to things inanimate? Ruft. T h ' atteropMhe meditates is arduous, great, Involes her deareft happinefs, hsr life ; Perhaps the lives of all fhe deigns to lov*. K n o w then - the news will ftrike thee with amaze- §he hold Prince Muftapha her deadly foe. Muf. H a ! fay'ft toou f - Muftapha I the favourite foq O f cur redoabteel Lord ! hit eldeft hope ! Sole pledge the fair Circafjtan left his fondnefs! H o w will Ihe root him from a father's love, W h o holds dim dear for virtues that tenown, And dignify himfelf? T h e Prince has fought His battels with fuccefs: and is fuftain'd B y troops that know hii worth ; that idolize His f2rne and fortune. Ruft. T h o a haft furnnVd his crimes. Thefe are, with reafon are the mighty objeel Of Rcxolana's hate. But wouldft thou know, H o w Ihe may drive him from his father's bofom ? 1 hi* boaftrd courage fhe admires! exalts! a With M U S T A P H A i 5 With all the inf\dious artfulnefs of praife : And will applaud the {tripling into ruin. Mufti. Nay, trnfta woman for ingenious ill. Such foes iudeed moft furely aim their blow, W h o praife to wound, and hononr to deftroy. Ruftan. M y influence waits on hers. You knew Ihe gave Her daughter to m y bed. Whate'er I hold, Or grafp m diftant hope, is hers alone. And, as m y faireft fortunes, all m y aims With hers are blended intimate and deep. If Muftapha fucceeds his Royal Sire, She falls for ever .' finks from what fhe is, Emprefs and confort of unbounded fway, Dower'd and declar'd fo finks into a (lave / Her fons too can a parent bear the thought ? Her fons muft bleed / Her blooming Zanger firft, Child of her love, th' unhappy vi&im falls Of that dire policy, which founds the throne Of each afcending Prince in brother's blood. She muft deftroy, or perifh. In fach cafe, Neceffity is juftice. Mufti- True, m y Lord. Cnftom, the i*eity of half mankind, All-powerful o'er the foul, on w h o m opinion Waits with obfequious blindnefs, hath made facred Such dreadful deeds ; and bids our eaftcrn world Hold them in venerable eftimation. This, to your purpos'd vengeance, may give fanclion : But what will give fuccefs ? T h e Prince, m y Lord I tell it, with reluctance, of a foe- By every title, by each filial tie, Deferve>, and largely fhares, his father's love. Ruftan. What is the love our Sovereign bean hij fons ? 'Tiscoldnefs, 'tis averfion, to the flame With which he burns for Roxolanat charms! Not all the fabled power of herbs or fpells * B CouH |