Yet shunning and disdaining low complaint,
I come- -to tell you-

Zar. Give my trembling heart

A moment's respite

Osm. That unwilling coldness

Is the just prize of your capricious lightness;
Your ready arts may spare the fruitless pains
Of colouring deceit with fair pretences;
I would not wish to hear your slight excuses;
I cherish ignorance, to save my
blushes.
Osman in every trial shall remember
That he is emperor. Whate'er I suffer,
'Tis due to honour that I give up you,
And to my injured bosom take despair,
Rather than shamefully possess you sighing,
Convinced those sighs were never meant for

Osm. It is too true, my fame requires it; It is too true that I unwillingly leave you: That I at once renounce you and adoreZara!-You weep!

Zar. If I am doomed to lose you,
If I must wander o'er an empty world,
Unloving and unloved-Oh! yet, do justice
To the afflicted-do not wrong me doubly:
Punish me, if it is needful to your peace,
But say not, I deserved it--This, at least,
Believe for not the greatness of your soul
Is truth more pure and sacred--no regret
Can touch my bleeding heart, for I have lost
The rank of her you raise to share your throne.
I know I never ought to have been there;
My fate and my defects require I lose you.
But, ah! my heart was never known to Osman.
May Heaven, that punishes, for ever hate me,
If I regret the loss of aught but you.

Osm. Rise-rise, this means not love?
Zar, Strike- -Strike me, Heaven!
Osm. What is it love to force yourself to
wound

The heart you wish to gladden? But I find
Lovers least know themselves; for I believed,
That I had taken back the power I gave you;
Yet see! you did but weep, and have resumed
me!

Art thou reluctant to a blessing meant me?
Speak! Is it levity- -or, is it fear?
Fear of a power that, but for blessing thee,
Had, without joy, been painful. Is it artifice?
Oh! spare the needless pains-—————Art was not
made
For Zara.- -Art, however innocent,
Looks like deceiving- -I abhorred it ever.
Zar. Alas! I have no art; not even enough
To hide this love, and this distress you give me.
Osm. New riddles! Speak with plainness to
my soul;

What canst thou mean?

Zar. I have no power to speak it.

Osm. Is it some secret dangerous to my state? Is it some Christian plot grown ripe against me? Zar. Lives there a wretch so vile as to betray

you!

Osman is blessed beyond the reach of fear:
Fears and misfortunes threaten only Zara.
Osm. Why threaten Zara?

Zar. Permit me, at your feet,

Thus trembling, to beseech a favour from you. Osm. A favour! Oh, you guide the will of Osman.

Zar. Ah! would to Heaven our duties were united,

Firm as our thoughts and wishes! But this day,
But this one sad, unhappy day, permit me,
Alone, and far divided from your eye,
To cover my distress, lest you, too tender,
Should see and share it with me-from to-mor-
row,

I will not have a thought concealed from you.
Osm. What strange disquiet, from what stran

ger cause!

Zar. If I am really blessed with Osman's love, He will not then refuse this humble prayer.

Osm. If it must be, it must.—Be pleased, my

will

Takes purpose from your wishes; and consent
Depends not on my choice, but your decree:
Go-but remember how he loves, who thus
Finds a delight in pain, because you give it.
Zar. It gives me more than pain, to make you
feel it.

Osm. And- -can you, Zara, leave me?
Zar. Alas, my lord!
[Exit ZARA.
Osm. [Alone.] It should be yet, methinks, too
soon to fly me!

Too soon, as yet, to wrong my easy faith.
The more I think, the less I can conceive,
What hidden cause should raise such strange de-

spair!

Now, when her hopes have wings, and every wish
Is courted to be lively! When I love,
And joy and empire press her to their bosom;
When not alone beloved, but even a lover:
Professing and accepting; blessed and blessing;
To see her eyes, through tears, shine mystic love!
'Tis madness! and I were unworthy power,
To suffer longer the capricious insult!
Yet, was I blameless? No-I was too rash;
I have felt jealousy, and spoke it to her;

I have distrusted her-and still she loves:
Generous atonement that! and 'tis my duty
To expiate, by a length of soft indulgence,
The transports of a rage, which still was love.
Henceforth, I never will suspect her false;
Nature's plain power of charming dwells about her,
And innocence gives force to every word.
I owe full confidence to all she looks,

For in her eyes shines truth, and every beam
Shoots confirmation round her. I remarked,
Even while she wept, her soul a thousand times
Sprung to her lips, and longed to leap to mine,
With honest, ardent utterance of her love.
Who can possess a heart so low, so base,
To look such tenderness, and yet have none?

Enter MELIDOR with ORASMIN.

Mel. This letter, great disposer of the world! Addressed to Zara, and in private brought, Your faithful guards this moment intercepted, And humbly offer to your sovereign eye.

Osm. Come nearer, give it me.-To Zara!Rise.

Bring it with speed-Shame on your flattering distance

[Advancing, and snatching the letter. Be honest and approach me like a subject, Who serves the prince, yet not forgets the man. Mel. One of your Christian slaves, whom late your bounty

Released from bondage, sought with heedful guile,

Unnoticed to deliver it.- -Discovered,
He waits, in chains, his doom from your decree.
Osm, Leave me! I tremble, as if something

Must, in the horror of so black a guilt,
Find an effectual cure, and banish love.
Osm. Seek her this instant-go, Orasmin, fly,
Shew her this letter-bid her read and tremble:
Then, in the rising horrors of her guilt,
Stab her unfaithful breast, and let her die.
Say, while thou strik'st- -Stay, stay, return
and pity me;

I will think first a moment-Let that Christian
Be strait confronted with her-Stay-I will,
I will-I know not what-
Would I were

dead!

Of that proud Christian, whom Jerusalem
Grew loud in praising! whose half-envied virtue
I wondered at myself; and felt disdain
To be but equal to a Christian's greatness!
And does he thank me thus? base infidel!
Honest, pretending, pious, praying villain!
Yet Zara is a thousand times more base,
More hypocrite than he. A slave! a wretch!
So low, so lost, that even the vilest labours,
In which he lay condemned, could never sink him
Beneath his native infamy-Did she not know
What I have done, what suffered-for her sake?
Oras, Could you, my gracious lord, forgive my
zeal,
You would-

Osm. I know it-thou art right-I'll see herI'll tax her in thy presence;-I'll upbraid herI'll let her learn-Go-find, and bring her to me. Oras. Alas, my lord! disordered as you are, What can you wish to say?

Osm. I know not, now

But I resolve to see her-lest she think
Her falsehood has, perhaps, the power to grieve

me.

Oras. Believe me, sir, your threatenings, your complaints,

What will they all produce, but Zara's tears
To quench this fancied anger! Your lost heart,
Seduced against itself, will search but reasons
To justify the guilt, which gives it pain:
Rather conceal from Zara this discovery;
And let some trusty slave convey the letter,
Reclosed, to her own hand-then shall you learn,
Spite of her frauds, disguise, and artifice,

The firmness, or abasement of her soul.

Would you learn more, and open all my heart?

now,

'Twill be some recompence, at least, to see

Her blushes when detected.

Oras. Oh, my lord!

I doubt you in the trial! for your heart

Osm. Distrust me not-my love, indeed, is weak,

But honour and disdain more strong than Zara.
Here, take this fatal letter-chuse a slave,
Whom yet she never saw, and who retains
His tried fidelity-Dispatch-begone—

[Exit ORAS. Now, whither shall I turn my eyes and steps, The surest way to shun ber: and give time For this discovering trial?-Heaven! she's here! Enter ZARA.

So, Madam! fortune will befriend my cause,
And free me from your fetters.-You are met
Most aptly, to dispel a new-risen doubt,
That claims the finest of your arts to gloss it.
Unhappy each by other, it is time

To end our mutual pain, that both may rest:
You want not generosity, but love;
My pride forgotten, my obtruded throne,
My favours, cares, respect, and tenderness,
Touching your gratitude, provok❜d regard ;
"Till, by a length of benefits besieg'd,
Your heart submitted, and you thought 'twas
love:

But you deceived yourself and injured me.
There is, I'm told, an object more deserving
Your love than Osman- -I would know his

name:

Be just, nor trifle with my anger: tell me
Now, while expiring pity struggles faint,
While I have yet, perhaps, the power to pardon:
Give up the bold invader of my claim,
And let him die to save thee. Thou art known;
Think and resolve-While I yet speak, renounce
him;

While yet the thunder rolls suspended, stay it;
Let thy voice charm me, and recall my soul,
That turns averse, and dwells no more on Zara.
Zar. Can it be Osman speaks, and speaks to
Zara?

Learn, cruel! learn, that this afflicted heart, This heart, which Heaven delights to prove by tortures,

Did it not love, has pride and power to shun you.
Alas! you will not know me! what have I
To fear, but that unhappy love you question?
That love, which only could outweigh the shame
I feel, while I descend to weep my wrongs.
I know not whether Heaven, that frowns upon
me,

Has destined my unhappy days for yours;
But, be my fate or blessed or cursed, I swear
By honour, dearer even than life or love,
Could Zara be but mistress of herself,
She would, with cold regard, look down on kings,
And, you alone excepted, fly them all.

I do not cannot wish to love you less:
That, long before you looked so low as Zara,
She gave her heart to Osman; yours, before
Your benefits had bought her, or your eye
Had thrown distinction round her; never had,
Nor ever will acknowledge other lover:-
And to this sacred truth, attesting Heaven,
I call thy dreadful notice! If my heart
Deserves reproach, 'tis for, but not from, Osman.
Osm. What does she yet presume to swear
sincerity!

Oh, boldness of unblushing perjury!

Had I not seen, had I not read such proof,
Of her light falsehood as extinguished doubt,
I could not be a man, and not believe her.

Zar. Alas, my lord! what cruel fears have seized you?

What harsh, mysterious words were those I heard? Osm. What fears should Osman feel, since

Zara loves him?

Zar. I cannot live and answer to your voice, In that reproachful tone; your angry eye Trembles with fury while you talk of love. Osm. Since Zara loves him! Zar. Is it possible

Osman should disbelieve it?-Again, again Your late-repented violence returnsAlas! what killing frowns you dart against me! Can it be kind? Can it be just to doubt me? Osm. No! I can doubt no longer-You may retire. {Exit ZAR.

Re-enter ORASMIN.
Orasmin, she's perfidious, even beyond
Her sex's undiscovered power of seeming;
She's at the topmost point of shameless artifice;
An empress at deceiving! Soft and easy,
Destroying like a plague, in calm tranquillity:
She's innocent, she swears-so is the fire;
It shines in harmless distance, bright and plea-
sing,

Consuming nothing till it first embraces.
Say, hast thou chosen a slave?-Is he instructed?
Haste to detect her vileness and my wrongs.

Oras. Punctual I have obeyed your whole

command:

But have you arm'd, my lord, your injured heart, With coldness and indifference? Can you hear, All painless and unmoved, the false one's shame?

Osm. Orasmin, I adore her more than ever. Oras. My lord! my emperor! forbid it, Heaven!

Osm. I have discerned a gleam of distant hope; This hateful Christian, the light growth of France, Proud, young, vain, amorous, conceited, rash, Has misconceived some charitable glance, And judged it love in Zara: he alone, Then, has offended me. Is it her fault, If those she charms are indiscreet and daring? Zara, perhaps, expected not this letter; And I, with rashness groundless as its writer's, Took fire at my own fancy, and have wronged her.