"Gleams thro' the shade," and this way guides their steps. Let us withdraw a while and watch their motions. [They retire. Enter COMUS' Crew revelling, and by turns caressing each other, till they observe the Two Brothers; then the Elder Brother advances and speaks. E.Bro. What are you, speak, that thus in wanton riot And midnight revelry, like drunken Bacchanals, Invade the silence of these lonely shades? F. Wom. Ye godlike youths! "whose radiant forms excel "The blooming grace of Maia's winged son," 230 [She offers them the cup, which they both put by. SONG. By a Man. By the gayly circling glass How the waining night grows old. 240 E. Bro. Forbear, nor offer us the poison'd sweets That thus have render'd thee thy sex's shame, All sense of honour banish'd from thy breast. "SONG. "Fame's an echo, prattling double, "Why then, why such toil and pain "And the worst her favour find. 250 E. Bro. “ By her own sentence Virtue stands ab solv'd, "Nor asks an echo from the tongues of men 260 “ Nay, slander'd innocence must feel peace, "An inward peace, which flatter'd guilt ne'er knew." F. Wom. Oh! how unseemly shews in blooming youth Such grey severity ! -But come with us, We to the bow'r of bliss will guide your steps; you shall taste the joys that Nature sheds There On the gay spring of life, youth's flow'ry prime, SONG. By a Woman in a pastoral habit. Would you taste the noon-tide air, Down each side a fountain flows, Round the languid herds and sheep All alone -and in her arms Your breast may beat to love's alarms, 270 280 E. Bro. "How low sinks beauty when by vice de bas'd! "How fair that form if virtue dwelt within! 290 Y. Bro. "Short is the course of ev'ry lawless pleasure; « Grief·like a shade on all its footsteps waits, “Scarce visible in joy's meridian height, "But downward as its blaze declining speeds “The dwarfish shadow to a giant spreads.” F. Wom. No more; these formal maxims misbecome E. Bro. How can your impious tongues profane the name Of sacred Virtue, and yet promise pleasure In lying songs of vanity and vice? From virtue sever'd pleasure phrenzy grows, 310 F. Wom. "Perhaps it may; perhaps the sweetest joys "Of love itself from passion's folly spring; "But say, does wisdom greater bliss bestow ? E. Bro. "Alike from love's and pleasure's path you stray, "In sensual folly blindly seeking both, "Your pleasure riot, lust your boasted love. 320 "Taints the sweet bloom of Nature's fairest forms: "In their own sphere of happiness content, 330 [Exeunt Brothers and Spirit. F. Wom. Come, come, my friends, and partners of my joys, Leave to these pedant youth their bookish dreams; "Poor blinded boys, by their blind guides misled! "A beardless Cynick is the shame of nature,” Beyond the cure of this inspiring cup; "And my contempt, at best my pity, moves." Away, nor waste a moment more about 'em. 340 |