Ar. Here's to the fairest nympn in Italy; And she is not in Rome.

Sex. Where is she then?

Ar. Ask Collatine; he'll swear she's at Collatia.
Sex. His wife !

Ar. Even so.

Cl. Is it so, Collatine?

[Rise and come down.

Well, 'tis praiseworthy in this vicious age
To see a young man true to his own spouse.
Oh, 'tis a vicious age! When I behold
One who is bold enough to steer agains
The wind of tide and custom, I behold him
With veneration; 'tis a vicious age.

Col. Laugh on! though I'm the subject! If to love My wife's ridiculous, I'll join the laugh;

Though I'll not say if laugh at or with you!

Ar. (ironically) The conscious wood was witness to his sighs,

The conscious Dryads wiped their watery eyes,
For they beheld the wight forlorn, to-day,
And so did I ;-but I shall not betray.

Here now he is, however, thanks to me;

That is, his semblance, for his soul dwells hence.
How was it when you parted? [mimicking] She-"my

love,

"Fear not, good sooth, I'll very constant prove."
He:-" And so will I,-for wheresoe'er I steer,
""Tis but my mortal clay; my soul is here." [All laugh,
Sex. And prythee, Collatine, in what array

Did the god Hymen come to thee! How dress'd,
And how equipp'd? I fear me much, he left
His torch behind, so that thou could'st not see
A fault in thy beloved; or was the blaze
So burning bright, that thy bedazzled eyes
Have since refused their office?

Col. And doth Sextus

Judge by his own experience, then, of others?
To him, I make no doubt, hath Hymen's torch
Discover'd faults enough! what pity 'twas
He had not likewise brought i' th' other hand
A mirror, where the prince might read himself.

Sex. I like thee now; thou'rt gay, and I'll be grave.
As to those dear, delicious creatures, women,
Hear what my own experience has taught me.
I've ever found 'em fickle, artful, amorous,
Fruitful in schemes to please their changeful fancies,

And fruitful in resources when discover'd.
They love unceasingly-they never change-
Oh, never!-no !-excepting in the object.
Love of new faces is their first great passion,
Then love of riches, grandeur, and attention!
Knowing all this, I seek not constancy,
But, to anticipate their wishes, rove,

Humour their darling passion. and am bless'd!

Col. This is the common cant; the stale. gross, idle,
Unmeaning jargon, of all those, who, conscious
Of their own littleness of soul, avoid

With timid eye the face of modest virtue:
Who, mingling only with the base, and flush'd
With triumphs over those they dare attack,
The weak, the forward, or depraved, declare,
(And fain would make their shallow notions current)
That womankind are all alike, and hoot

At virtue, wheresoe'er she passes by them.
I have seen sparks like these-and I have seen
A little worthless village cur, all night
Bay with incessant noise the silver moon,
While she, serene, throned in her pearled car,
Sail'd in full state along -But Sextus' judgment
Owns not his words, and the resemblance glances
On others, not on him.

Sex. Let it glance where and upon whom it will,
Sextus is mighty careless of the matter.

Now hear what I have seen. I've seen young men
Who, having fancied they have found perfection-
Col. Sextus, no more-lest I forget myself.
And thee.-I tell thee, prince-

Ar. Nay, hold!

Sextus, you go too far.

Sex. Why, pray, good sir, may I not praise the wife Of this same testy, froward husband here,

But on his cheek offençe must quivering sit,
And dream'd of insult ?—the abortive child
Of misconstruction, whose near-sighted eye
Discerns not jest for real.

Col. I heed you not; jest on; I'll aid your humour: Let Aruns use me for his princely laughter,

Let Claudius deck me with ironic praise;

But when you touch a nearer, dearer subject,
Perish the man, nay, may he doubly perish,

Who can sit still, and hear, with skulking coolness,
The least abuse, or shadow of a slight,

Cast on the woman whom he loves! though here
Your praise or blame are pointless equally,
Nor really add the least, nor take away

From her true value more than they could add
To th' holy gods.

Ar. If that a man might dare to ope his lips
When Collatinus frowns, I would presume
To say one word in praise of my own wife;
And I will say, could our eyes stretch to Rome,
In spite of the perfections of Lucretia,

My wife, who loves her fire-side, and hates gadding,
Would prove far otherwise employ'd-and better,-
Ay, better, as a woman, than the deity

Residing at Collatia.

Sex. [Aside.] Well timed;-I'll seize th' occasion: View this Lucretia ere I sleep, and satisfy

My senses whether fame has told the truth.
[Aloud.] I'll stake my life on't-Let us mount our
horses,

And post away this instant towards Rome,
That we shall find thy wife, and his, and his,
Making the most of this, their liberty.

Why, 'tis the sex: enjoying to the full

The swing of licence which their husbands' absence
Affords. I'll stake my life that this is true:
And that my own, (ill as I may deserve it) -

Knows her state best, keeps best within the bounds
Her matron duties claim; that she's at hom

While yours are feasting at their neighbours' houses.
What say'st thou, Collatine?

On rioting at home.

Col. Had I two lives, I'd stake them on the trial, Nor fear to live both out.

Sex. Let us away then;

Come, come, my Collatinus,-droop not thus

Be gay.

Col. I am not sad.

Sex. But fearful for th' event.

Col. Not in the least.

!

Sex. A little.

Col. Not a whit.

You do not know Lucretia.

Sex. But we shall.

Let's lose no time. Come, brothers! Let's away.

[Exeunt omnes, R.

SCENE II.-Rome-an Apartment in the Palace.

Enter BRUTUS, L

Br. [Alone.] Oh, that some light would beam from heav'n to teach me

When to burst forth, and how to gain my purpose!
For Rome I would resign all other bonds,

And tear each private tie from my fix'd heart.
-Ha!-Some one comes! It is my son! He seems
Wrapt in Elysium, and elate with joy!

Enter TITUS, L.

[Retires.

Ti. 'Tis done! 'tis done! auspicious are the fates,
Tarquinia's word is pledged, and all its brightness !
Br. [Coming down.] That exclamation was too
lofty, boy:

Such raptures ill become the troubled times-
Of such, no more.

Ti. Oh! at an hour like this

Who could repress the thrill of grateful joy!
Br. [Eagerly.] What dost thou mean?

Ti. Tarquinia.

Br. What of her?

Ti. Her vows are pledged,

And Heaven's propitious smile will make her mine.
Br. Thine? What! Thine? Heav'n make Tarquinia

thine ?

Away! away! Heav'n spurns the race she springs from!

Ti. How!-Father, wert thou to thyself restored, Thou would'st exult to see thy son thus blest.

Our vows are past. They cannot be recall'd.
And soon the nuptial altar will behold her
My own for ever.

Br. No, Titus, not for ever!

If thou art mine, thou canst not be Tarquinia's.
Renounce thy father, or renounce thy love.

Ti. Nay, loose me, father,—this is frenzy all
E'en hadst thou spoken the dictates of thy soul,
(For sure thou canst not know what thou requir❜st)
Ì must not, would not, could not, yield Tarquinia.
Nay-let me go-or my rack'd heart will break.

Br. Leave me. Retire. Thine is no Roman heart.

Ere long the moon wul change-the moon-my god

dess

And then thou may'st behold a change in Brutus.

Ti 'Tis as I thought. Folly resumes its reign.
Look on him, oh ye gods!

Grant him once more the treasure now withheld,
And to his son restore a long lost father!

[Exit TITUS, R. Br. (alone) I was too sudden. I should have delay'd, And watch'd a surer moment for my purpose.

He must be frighted from this dream of love.
What! shall the son of Junius wed a Tarquin !

As yet I've been no father to my son,

I could be none: but, through the cloud that wraps me,
I've watch'd his mind with all a parent's fondness,
And hail'd, with joy, the Junian glory there.

Could I once burst the chains which now enthral him,
My son would prove the pillar of his country-
Dear to her freedom as he is to me.

The time may come when Heaven will heal our wrongs-
To your hands, mighty powers, I yield myself-
I will not doubt heaven's goodness or Rome's virtue-
Then, hence despair! Still thou and I are twain !

[Exit BRUTUS, L.

SCENE III.-The house of COLLATINUS, at COLLATIA. An apartment, lighted up. LUCRETIA discovered, surrounded by her maids, all employed in embroidery and other female occupations. LAVINIA is on the R. of LUCretia.

Luc. How long is it, Lavinia, since my lord
Hath changed his peaceful mansion for the camp
And restless scenes of war?

Lav. Why, in my simple estimation, madam,
'Tis some ten days, or thereabout, for time
Runs as it should with me,-in yours, it may be
Perhaps ten years.

Luc. I do not understand thee.

Say'st thou, with me time runs not as it should? Explain thy meaning-What should make thee think so?

Lav. All that I mean is, that if I were married, And that my husband were call'd forth to th' wars, I should not stray through the grove next my house, Invoke the pensive solitude, and woo