THE ORPHAN.

ACT THE FIRST.

SCENE I.

A Garden.

Enter CASTALIO, POLYDORE, and PAGE.

Cast. Polydore, our sport

Has been to-day much better for the danger:
When on the brink the foaming boar I met,
And in his side thought to have lodg'd my spear,
The desperate savage rush'd within my force,
And bore me headlong with him down the rock.
Pol. But then-

Cast. Ay, then, my brother, my friend, Polydore,
Like Perseus mounted on his winged steed,
Came on, and down the dang'rous precipice leap'd
To save Castalio.-'Twas a godlike act!

Pol. But when I came, I found you conqueror. Oh! my heart danc'd, to see your danger past!

The heat and fury of the chase was cold,
And I had nothing in my mind but joy.

Cast. So, Polydore, methinks, we might in war,
Rush on together; thou should'st be my guard,
And I be thine. What is't could hurt us then?
Now half the youth of Europe are in arms,
How fulsome must it be to stay behind,
And die of rank diseases here at home!

Pol. No, let me purchase in my youth renown,
To make me lov'd and valu'd when I'm old;
I would be busy in the world, and learn,
Not like a coarse and useless dunghill weed,
Fix'd to one spot, and rot just as I grow.
Cast. Our father

Has ta'en himself a surfeit of the world,
And cries, it is not safe that we should take it.
I own, I have duty very pow'rful in me:
And though I'd hazard all, to raise my name,
Yet he's so tender, and so good a father,
I could not do a thing to cross his will.

Pol. Castalio, I have doubts within my heart,
Which you, and only you, can satisfy.
Will you be free and candid to your friend?
Cast. Have I a thought my Polydore should not

know?

What can this mean?

Pol. Nay, I'll conjure you too,

By all the strictest bonds of faithful friendship,
To show your heart as naked in this point,

As

you would purge you of your sins to Heav'n. Cast. I will.

Pol. And should I chance to touch it nearly, bear it

With all the suff'rance of a tender friend.

Cast. As calmly as the wounded patient bears The artist's hand, that ministers his cure.

Pol. That's kindly said.—You know our father's ward,

The fair Monimia:-is your heart at peace?
Is it so guarded, that you could not love her?
Cast. Suppose I should?

Pol. Suppose you should not, brother?
Cast. You'd say, I must not.

Pol. That would sound too roughly,

'Twixt friends and brothers, as we two are.

Cast. Is love a fault?

Pol. In one of us it may be What, if I love her?

Cast. Then I must inform you,

I lov'd her first, and cannot quit the claim,
But will preserve the birthright of my passion.
Pol. You will.

Cast. I will.

Pol. No more; I've done.

Cast. Why not?

Pol. I told you, I had done.

But you, Castalio, would dispute it.
Cast. No;

Not with my Polydore:-though I must own,
My nature obstinate and void of suff'rance;
Love reigns a very tyrant in my heart,
Attended on his throne by all his guards
Of furious wishes, fears, and nice suspicions.
I could not bear a rival in my friendship,
I am so much in love, and fond of thee.
Pol. Yet, you will break this friendship!
Cast. Not for crowns.

Pol. But for a toy, you would, a woman's toy. Unjust Castalio!

Cast. Pr'ythee, where's my fault?

Pol. You love Monimia.

Cast. No;-sure, we're such friends,

So much one man, that our affections too,
Must be united, and the same as we are.
Pol. I dote upon Monimia.

Cast. Love her still;

Win, and enjoy her.

Pol. Both of us cannot.

Cast. No matter

Whose chance it prove; but let's not quarrel for't. Pol. You would not wed Monimia, would you? Cast. Wed her!

No-were she all desire could wish, as fair

As would the vainest of her sex be thought,

With wealth, beyond what woman's pride could waste,

She should not cheat me of my freedom.-Marry! When I am old and weary of the world,

I may grow desperate,

And take a wife to mortify withal.

Pol. It is an elder brother's duty so

To propagate his family and name.

You would not have yours die, and buried with you?
Cast. Mere vanity, and silly dotage, all:-

No, let me live at large, and, when I die-
Pol. Who shall possess th' estate you leave?
Cast. My friend,

If he survives me; if not, my king,

Who may bestow 't again on some brave man,
Whose honesty and services deserve one.
Pol. 'Tis kindly offer'd.

Cast. By yon Heaven, I love

My Polydore beyond all worldly joys,
And would not shock his quiet, to be blest
With greater happiness than man e'er tasted.

Pol. And, by that Heaven, eternally I swear,
To keep the kind Castalio in my heart.
Whose shall Monimia be?

Cast. No matter whose,