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Show 4 ^ I] 1 1 50 The FAIR PENITENT. In all your diff'rent dreadful Shapes afcend, And match the prcfent Horror, if you can. Enter Sciolto. Sci. This Dead of N ght, this filent Hour ofD.rhd Nature for Reft ordain'cl, and foft Repofe; And yet Diftraclion, and tumultuous Jars, Keep all our frighted Citizens awake: T h e Senate, weak, divided and irrefolute, Want Pow'r to fuccour the jfrli&td State. Vainly in Words and long Debates they're wife, While the fierce Factions fcorn the r peaceful Order? And drown the Vo:ce of L a w in Noife and Anarchy, Amidft the general Wreck, fee where fhe ftands,^ [Pointing to Cal Like Helen, in the Night when Troy was fick'd, Spedatrefs of the Mifchief w h ch flie mid.-. Cal. h is .Sciolto! be thyfelf, m y Soul; Be'ftrcmg to bear his fatal Indignation, T h a r he may fee thou art not loft fo far, But fompthing ftill of his great Spirit lives In the forlorn Califta. Sci. T h o u wcrt once M y Daughter. Cal. H a p p y were it I had dy'd, And never loft that K a m e. Sci. That's fomethin* yet. Thou, wert the very Darling of m y Age ; \ thought the Dav too ftiort to gaze upon thee, That all the Bleffings 1 cou'd gather for thee, j B y Cares on Earth,.and by m y Pray'rs to rieavn, Were little for m y Fondnefs to beftow; W h y d^dft thou turn to Folly then, and curie m e^ Cal. Becaufe m y Soul was rudely drawn tromju A poor imperfeel Copy of m y Father, Where Goodnefs, and the Strength of manly W a s thinly planted, and the idle Void FillM up with light Belief, and eafy tondnels, It was, becaufe I lov'd, ^ ^a^a W.o mAn't o „ t» Sci. Hadft thou been honeft, thou hadft been Rut of that Joy, as of a G e m long toff, ^ rirtue, The FAIR PENITENT. y Beyond Redemption gone, think we no more. Haft thou e'er dar'd to meditate en Peath ? Cal. I have, as on the End of Shame and Sorrow. Sii. Ha! anfwer m e ! fay, haft thou coolly thought? If is not the Stoick's Ltflons got by Rote, •Tie Pomp of Words, and pedant DilTertations, That can fuftain thee in that Hour of Terror; ooks have taught Cowards to talk nobly of it, ut when the Trial comes, they ftart, and ftand aghaft 1 aft thou confidfr'd what may happen after it? ow thy Account may ftand, and what to anfwer? Cal. 1 have tnrn'd my Eyes inward upon myfelf, he re foul OfTenc, and Shame have laid all wafte-herefore, my Soul abhors the wretched Dwelling* nd longs to fird fome better Place of Reft. Sci. Tis juilly thought, and worthy of that Spirit hat dwelt in ancient Latin Ereafts, when Rome Was MWrreis of the World. I wou'd go on, And rell thee all my Purpofe, but it fticks rTcre at my Heart, and cannot find a Way. Cal. Then fpare the Telling, if it be a Pain, .nd write the Meaning with a Poniard here. Tn Oh! truly guefs'Q fceft thou thfc tffmbl; Hand- [Holding Hp a 1)a««* hrce Juft«ce urg'd^and f rice thS U S brgot their Office, and confeft the Father • tflengtn the ftubborn Virtue has prevail'/ ft, it muft be fo Oh.' take it then/ And know the reft untaught. r%** f tfyfa c"l I underftand you, is but thus, and both are fatfsfyM V^fl^tokillherfef/Sclohoc.nr [ Qf l-er Arm. V ace. « . c/ sum. ^hLMZ7-!Tame >'eta Moment's Sp nave held thr R,?, ,' claim tneir turns. put off ^ i r h a n ^ H ^ *°om mv Cm"M • n U ? a n T h o u 8 h t» m y ^ h d d to Death; but fpare m y E y „ T Itk I The m tA |