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Show 7TT " Tk-Conipteft vf&ttitdaf Wftls all his Crimes, while Heav'n th'Indictment draws; And, pleading Guilty, juftifies the Laws. Let Fate be fate, the Lover and the Brave Are rank'd, at leaft, above the vulgar Slave. Lcve makes me willing to my Death to rim ; And Courage fcorns the Death it cannot fhun. Enter Almahide with a Eiper. Almah. M y Light will fure difcover thofe who talk ;-- W h o dares to interrupt m y private Walk ? Mmanz. He who dales Love, and tor that Love muft Die, And, knowing this, dares yet love on, ami. Almah. That Love which you can hope, and I can pay, Mav be receiv'd, and given in open Day; M y Praife and m y Efteem you had before : And you have bound your felf to ask no more. Almanz. Yes, I have bound my felf, but will you take The Forfeit of that Bond, which Force did make ? \ Almah. You know you are from Recompence debarr d; But pureft Love can live without Reward. Almanz. Pure Love had need be to it felt a Feaft, For, like pure Elements, 'twill nourifti leaft. /Amah. It therefore yields the only pure Content; For it, like Angels, needs no Nouriftiment. To Eat and Drink can no Perfection be; All Appetite implies Neceflity. Almanz. 'Twere well, if I could like a Spirit live: But do not Angels Food to Mortals give What if lcrce'Demon fhould m y Death forefhow, Or bid me change, and to the Chriftiansgo, Will you not think I merit fome Reward, W h e n 1 m y Love above my Life regard ? Almah. In fuch a cafe your Change muft be allow'd; I would, m v felf, difpence with what you vow'd. Almanz. "Were I to Die that Hour when I poifefs, This Minute fhould begin m y Happinefs. Almah. The thoughts of Death your Paffion would remove: Death is a cold Encouragement to Love. Almanz. N o ; from m y Joys I to m y Death would run ; ^nd think the bufinefs ot m y Life well done. But I fhould walk adifcontented Ghoft, If Flefh and Blood were to no purpofe loft. Almah. You love me not, Almanzor; if you did, You would not ask what Honour muft forbid. Almanz. And what is Honour, but a Love well hid ? Almah. Yes, 'Tis the Confcience of an Act well done, Which gives us Pow'r our own Defire to fttun. The ftrongand fecret Curb of Headlong Will; The Self-Reward of Good, and Shame of 111. Almanz. Thefe, Madam, are the Maxims of the Day; W hen Honour's prefent, and when Love's away. The Duty of poor Honour were too hard, In Arms all Day, at Night to mount the Guard. Let him in Pity, now, to Reft retire; Let thefe foft Hours be watch'd by warm Defire. Almah. Guards, who all day on painful Duty keep, In Dangers are not priviledg'd to fleep. Almanz. And with what Dangers arc you threaten'd here ? A m I, alas, a Foe for you to fear ? See, Madam, at your Feet this Enemy: [ Kneels. Without your Pity, and your Love I Die. Almah. Rife, rife; and do not empty Hopes purfue : Yet think, that I deny my felf, not you. Almanz. A Happinefs fo high, I cannot bear : M y Love's too fierce; and you too killing fair. ^_ The Conqueft of Granada. 4.55 * grow enrag'd to fee fuch Excellence: *f Words fo much diforde'rd give Offence, M y Love's too full of Zeal to think of Sence. Be you, like me, 'dull Reafon hence remove, And tedious Forms, and give a loofe to love. Love eagerly; let us be Gods to Night; And do not, with half yielding, dafti Delight. Almah. Thou ftrong Seducer, Opportunity! Of Womankind, half are undone by thee! Though I refolve I will not be mifled, I wifh I had not heard what you had faid 1 I cannot be fo Wicked to comply; And, yet, am moft unhappy to defty! Away. Almanz. • 1 will not move me from this Place: I can take no denial from that Face! Almah. If I could yield, (but think not that I will) You and m y felf I in revenge fhould kill. For I fhould hate us both, when it were done: And would not to the Shame of Life be won. Almanz. Live but to night, and truft to morrow's mind: Ere that can come there's a whole Life behind. Methinks already crown'd with Joys I lie, Speechlefs and breathlefs in an Exftafie. Not abfent in one thought; I am all there : Still clofe, yet wifhing ftill to be more near. Almah. Denyr your own Defires; for it will be Too little now to be deny'd by me. Will he, who does all Great, all Noble feem, Be loft and forfeit to his own Efteem? Will he, who may with Heroes claim a place, Belye that Fame, and to himfelf be Bafe? Think how Auguft and God-like you did look, W h e n m y Defence, unbrib'd, you undertook. But, when an Aft fo Brave you difavow, H o w little, and how mercenary now! Almanz. Are, then, m y Services no higher priz'd ? And can I fall fo low, to be difpis'd ? Almah. Yes; for whatever may be bought, is low; And you your felf, who fell your felf are fo. Remember the great Aft you did this day: H o w did your Love to Virtue then give way > W h e n you gave freedom to m y Captive Lord, That Rival, w h o poflcft what you ador'd. Of fuch -a Deed what Price can there be made? Think well: is that an Aftion to paid? It was a Miracle of Vertue fhown : And Wonders are with Wonder paid alone. And would you all that fecret Joy of Mind, Which great Souls only in great Actions find, All that, for one tumultious Minute, loofe? Almanz. I wou'd that Minute before Ages choofe. Praife is the Pay of Heaven for doing Good; But Love's the beft Return for Flefh and Blood. Almah. You've mov'd m y Heart, fo much, 1 can deny N o more ; but know, Almanzor, I can die, Thus far m y Virtue yields; if I have fhown More Love! than what I ought, let this attone. [Going to Jiab her Self. Almanz. Hold, hold! Such fatal Proofs of Love you fhall not give: Deny me; hate me ; (both are juft)but live i Your Virtue I will ne'er difturb again; Nor dare to ask, for fear I mould obtain. |
