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Show R *o The R E L A P S E ; or, Undoing was't, 1 faid Who (hall undo her ? Is not her Empire fix'd ? A m I not hers ? Did fhe not refcue me, a groveling Slave, When chain'd and bound by that black Tyrant Vice, 1 labour'd in his vileft Drudgery ? Did fhe not ranfom me, and fet m e free t Kay more: When by my Follies funk To a poor tatter'd defpicable Beggar, Did fhe not lift me up to envy'd Fortune ? Give me her felf, and all that fhe pofieft ? Without a Thought of more Return, Than what a poor repenting Heart might make her. Han't fhe done this ? And if (he has, A m I not ftrongly bound to love her for it ? To love her Why, do I not love her then ? By Earth and Heaven I do. Nay, 1 have Demonftration that I do : Tor I wou'd facrifice my Life to ferve her. Yet hold if laying down my Life Be Demonftration of my Love, What is't I feel in favour of Berinthia ? For fhou'd fhe be in danger, methinks 1 cou'd incline T o risk it for her Service too •, and yet I do not love k H o w then fubflfts my Proof p. ,, - - O , I have found it out. What I wou'd do for one, is Demonftration of my Lovt And if I'd do as much for t'other : it there is Demon ftration of my Friendfhip. -Ay--it muft be fo. find I'm very much her Friend. _ Yet let m e ask m y felf one puzzling Qiieftioi more : Whence fprings this mighty Friend (hip all at once ? For our Acquaintance is of later Date. S- N o w Friendfhip's faid to be a Plant of tedious Grown its Root compos'd of tender Fibres, nice in their Tafe cautious in fpreading, check'd with the leaft CorrupM in the Soil : long e'°er it take, and longer ftill e'er Mj pear to do fo; whilft mine is in a moment mot fo hf Virtue in Danger. 5* and flx'd fo faft, it^feems beyond the Power of Storms to fhake it. I doubt it thrives too faft. [Mufiw, Enter Berinthia. *- -Ha, fhe here! .Nay, then take heed my Heart, for there are Dangers towards. Ber. What makes you look fo thoughtful, Sir ? I hope you are not ill. * Lov. I was debating, Madam, whether I was fo or not ; and that was it which made m e look fo thoughtful. Ber. Is it then fo hard a Matter to decide ? I thought all People had been acquainted with their own Bodfes tho few People know their own Minds. " ' Lov. What if the Diftemper, 1 fufped, be in the Mind ? Ber. W h y then I'll undertake to prefcribe vou a Cure. ; Lov. Alas, you undertake you know not what. Ber. So far at leaft then allow m e to be a Phyfician ' Lov. Nay, I'll allow you fo yet farther : For I have reafon to believe, fhou'd I put m y felf imo your hamJ you wou d increafe my Diftemper. ' Ber. Perhaps I might have Reafons from the College not to be too quick in your Cure; but 'tis pofTible^ might find ways to give you often Eafe Sir Cafe^foTepu! *" *" °f *«• « *** *l «7 do % SSKJT w * °rn°> «**«* Lov. O, a very great one. Ber. H o w ? Lov. You might betray m y Diftemper to m y Wife. Ber. And fo lofe all m y Praclice. ; Lov. Will you then keep my Secret ? Ber. I will, if it don't burft me. Lov. Swear. Ber. I do. Lov. By what. Ber. By Woman. Lov. That's fwearing by m y Deity. B o it bv vonr own, or I fhan't believe you. } y y0Ur D 2 Ber. |