The happier cause of France at length prevails,

And we are all undone.

Mar. What mean you, Arnold?

Arn. Encircled here by thy whole country's force, Unable to sustain their fierce assault,

And all retreat cut off, we have no prospect

But that of total slaughter.

Mar. Hear me, Heav'n!

Who oft hast witness'd to the silent tears,
Stream'd down in gratitude for gen'rous treatment;
Now witness (spite of all my country suffers)
That these descend in pity for my foes.
Arn. The fatal accident again restores thee
To liberty, and safety, while from me
It cuts away all hopes of happiness.
I wish not to outlive the bloody hour
Must give thee to thy father, whose abhorrence
Of all that's English soon will interpose,
And plunge my soul for ever in despair.
Let then thy fancy image what I feel!--
Grief choaks the very passages of vent-
And I want utterance for-

Mar. There is no need.

I know thy heart, know all its tender feelings,
Know what sad tumults, doubts and fears create,
"Whose mingling agonies, in wounded minds,
"Sharpen a torture poignant ev'n to madness.”
If to thy eloquence of words and looks,
My virgin modesty and captive state

Have hitherto forbid my tongue to answer,

Yet sure my eyes have told my heart was thine.
But now, away with fears and forms; distress
Bears me above restraint, and I will own

To Heav'n, to earth, to thee, my father, country,
That Arnold is most dear, most precious to me!

Arn. Hold, my transported heart!-Thou heav'nly maid

What raptures rush at that enchanting sound!
Happy as I am now, destruction, come,
O'erwhelm me in this moment of my bliss;
Ne'er let me pine in hopeless anguish more,
But die thus clasp'd in Mariana's arms.

Mar. And will our fate-will cruel fate divide us? Arn. Oh, do not name it! With the very thought Frenzy assaults me. No, we must not, cannot, Will not be parted-No▬▬

Mar. Alas! I fear

The choice will not be ours. A father's pow'r,
If France prevails, for ever tears thee from me.
And must they conquer ?-Oh, I find, I feel,
I've lost already all regard for France:
England's my country, any country's mine
That gives me but my safety and my love————
Inform me tell me is there no escaping?

Arn. Thou wilt need none.

rest,

For me and for the

We have, alas! no prospect but of

Mar. Stop!

Nor dare inflame a wild imagination,

Lest madness follow! 'midst relentless foes,

Methinks I see thee fall! Behold them strike!-
I hear thy groans! I see thy gushing blood!
"Thy writhing body trampled in the dust !”
Oh, save me from the horror!
-Let us Ayl-

Let us away this moment!-Let us

Arn. Whither?

Where can we fly? All hope of flight is lost,
There is no possibility-

Mar. There is.

Let us, while yet occasion will permit,
Fly to my father.

Arn. Father!

Mar. He'll protect us..

J

Arn. Protect us!-Dire protection!-at the thought My blood runs chill! and horror quite unmans me. Mar. Think on the dangers that you brave by

staying.

"Arn. Think, rather, on the hell that I should merit

"By such desertion-dire and damning guilt! "How dreadfully it shakes me !

"Mar. Dost thou tremble?

"Then what should I, a helpless woman, do?

"Imagine that! and if thou art a man,

"Feel for what I may suffer.

"Arn. Suffer!Thou?

"Mar. Yes, Arnold, I! The woes that I may

suffer,

"Amongst the deadly dealings of the field,

"Some well-aim'd weapon, through a bleeding

wound,

"May set thy soul at liberty for ever:

"While I (of mortals though the most undone) "Wanting all means of honourable death, "Must suffer woes beyond description dreadful. "What are my friends, my father, or my country ? "Cold are the comforts that they all can give, "When thou, dear darling of my heart, art lost. "Pleasure and hope, and peace will perish with thee, "And this forlorn, this joyless bosom, then "Become the dreary mansion of despair. "Shall I not rave, blaspheme, and rend my locks? "Devote the hour that gave me birth? and curse "The sun and time, the world, myself and thee? "'Till frenzy prompting, 'gainst some dungeon wall "I dash my burning brains to finish torture."

Arn. Do not awake, thou lovely pleader, do not, Such tumult working thoughts within a mind On madness verging.

Mar. Let us then away.

Arn. Oh, not for worlds!-Not worlds should bribe

me to it.

Mar. And wilt thou urge thou lov'st me ?

Arn. More than life!

Mar. By Heav'n, 'tis false: the spirit that's within

thee,

Is not of worth to harbour aught so noble.

Arn. Will daring even to die convince thee?
Mar. No:

Death is a coward's refuge. Dare to live;
Dare wretchedness,-Reproach-

Arn. No more, no more

Tempt me no more in vain

Mar. Art thou so fix'd?
Arn. As fate

Mar. I've done.

Arn. Then why that angry look ?—

Mar. It is a curse entail'd upon the sex,
To have our counsel scorn'd, our love despis'd.
Go to thy ruin--to my ruin go-

I give thee up-and all my hopes for ever.

"Arn. Why wilt thou blast me with that baleful

dew?

"Each tender tear that falls in sorrow from thee,
"(Like melted ore fast dropping on my heart)
"Drives life before it with excess of pain.
"Come, friendly slaughter, now my only hope,
"Free me from sufferings not to be endur❜d.

"Mar. What! In the hour of trial would'st thou shrink!

"Steal to the shelter of a timeless grave,

"And leave me on the rack of dire despair?

"Is this a proof of that superior spirit

"Asserted by the lordly boaster, man?

"Oh, shame upon thee

"Arn. Hear me

"Mar. Not the winds,

"That hang the curling billows in the clouds"Are more impetuous than the rage of scorn