The tower, of which before was mention made,
Within whofe keep the captive knights were laid,
Built of a large extent, and ftrong withal,
Was one partition of the palace wall:
The garden was inclos'd within the square,
Where young Emilia took the morning-air.

It happen'd Palamon the prisoner knight,
Reftlefs for woe, arose before the light,
And with his jaylor's leave defir'd to breathe
An air more wholesome than the damps beneath.
This granted, to the tower he took his way,
Chear'd with the promise of a glorious day :
Then caft a languishing regard around,
And faw with hateful eyes the temples crown'd
With golden fpires, and all the hoftile ground.
He figh'd, and turn'd his eyes, because he knew
'Twas but a larger gaol he had in view :
Then look'd below, and from the castle's height
Beheld a nearer and more pleasing fight:
The garden, which before he had not seen,
In fpring's new livery clad of white and green,

Fresh flowers in wide parterres, and fhady walks be

tween.

This view'd, but not enjoy'd, with arms across

He ftood, reflecting on his country's lofs;

Himself an object of the public fcorn,

And often wifh'd he never had been born.
At laft, for fo his destiny requir'd,

With walking giddy, and with thinking tir'd,

}

He

He through a little window cast his fight,
Though thick of bars that gave a scanty light:
But ev'n that glimmering ferv'd him to defcry
Th' inevitable charms of Emily.

Scarce had he feen, but, feiz'd with fudden fmart,
Stung to the quick, he felt it at his heart;
Struck blind with over-powering light he stood,
Then started back amaz'd, and cry'd aloud.
Young Arcite heard ; and up he ran with haste,
To help his friend, and in his arms embrac'd;
And afk'd him why he look'd fo deadly wan,
And whence and how his change of cheer began?
Or who had done th' offence? But if, faid he,
Your grief alone is hard captivity;

For love of heaven, with patience undergo
A curelefs ill, fince fate will have it fo :
So stood our horofcope in chains to lie,
And Saturn in the dungeon of the sky,
Or other baleful afpect, rul'd our birth,
When all the friendly stars were under earth:
Whate'er betides, by destiny 'tis done;

And better bear like men, than vainly seek to shun,
Nor of my bonds, faid Palamon again,

Nor of unhappy planets I complain;
But when my mortal anguish caus'd my cry,
That moment I was hurt through either eye;
Pierc'd with a random fhaft, I faint away,

And perish with infenfible decay :

A glance of fome new goddess gave the wound,
Whom, like Acteon, unaware I found.

Look

Look how she walks along yon fhady space,
Not Juno moves with more majestic grace;
And all the Cyprian queen is in her face.
If thou art Venus (for thy charms confefs
That face was form'd in heaven, nor art thou lefs;
Difguis'd in habit, undisguis'd in shape)

O help us captives from our chains to 'scape;
But if our doom be past in bonds to lie

For life, and in a loathsome dungeon die,
Then be thy wrath appeas'd with our disgrace,
And shew compaffion to the Theban race,
Opprefs'd by tyrant power! While yet he spoke,
Arcite on Emily had fix'd his look

The fatal dart a ready paffage found,

And deep within his heart infix'd the wound:
So that if Palamon were wounded fore,
Arcite was hurt as much as he, or more:
Then from his inmoft foul he figh'd, and said,
The beauty I behold has ftruck me dead :
Unknowingly she strikes; and kills by chance;
Poison is in her eyes, and death in every glance.
O, I must ask; nor ask alone, but move
Her mind to mercy, or muft die for love.

Thus Arcite and thus Palamon replies,
(Eager his tone, and ardent were his eyes.)
Speak'ft thou in earnest, or in jesting vein ?
Jefting, faid Arcite, fuits but ill with pain.
It fuits far worse (said Palamon again,

And bent his brows) with men who honour weigh,
Their faith to break, their friendship to betray;

But worst with thee, of noble lineage born,
My kinfman, and in arms my brother fworn.
Have we not plighted each our holy oath,
That one thould be the common good of both;
One foul should both infpire, and neither prove
His fellow's hindrance in purfuit of love?
To this before the Gods we gave our hands,
And nothing but our death can break the bands.
This binds thee, then, to further my defign:
As I am bound by vow to further thine :

Nor canft, nor dar'ft thou, traitor, on the plain
Appeach my honour, or thine own maintain,
Since thou art of my council, and the friend
Whofe faith I truft, and on whofe care depend:
And would'st thou court my lady's love, which I
Much rather than releafe would choofe to die?
But thou, falfe Arcite, never fhalt obtain
Thy bad pretence; I told thee firft my pain:
For firft my love began ere thine was born;
Thou, as my council, and my brother fworn,
Art bound t'affift my eldership of right:
Or juftly to be deem'd a perjur'd knight.

Thus Palamon: but Arcite with difdain
In haughty language thus reply'd again;
Forfworn thyfelf: the traitor's odious name
I first return, and then difprove thy claim.
If love be paffion, and that paffion nurst
With ftrong defires, I lov'd the lady first.
Canft thou pretend defire, whom zeal inflam'd
To worship, and a power celeftial nam'd?

VOL. III.

F

Thins

Thine was devotion to the bleft above,
I faw the woman, and defir'd her love;
First own'd my paffion, and to thee commend
Th' important fecret, as my chofen friend.
Suppofe (which yet I grant not) thy defire
A moment elder than my rival fire;

Can chance of feeing first thy title prove?
And know'st thou not, no law is made for love;
Law is to things which to free choice relate;
Love is not in our choice, but in our fate ;
Laws are but pofitive; love's power, we see,
Is Nature's fanction, and her first decree.
Each day we break the bond of human laws
For love, and vindicate the common cause.
Laws for defence of civil rights are plac'd,

Love throws the fences down, and makes a general waste:
Maids, widows, wives, without diftinction fall;
The sweeping deluge, love, comes on, and covers all.
If then the laws of friendship I transgress,

I keep the greater, while I break the lefs;
And both are mad alike, fince neither can poffefs.
Both hopeless to be ransom'd, never more
To see the fun, but as he passes o'er.

Like Æfop's hounds contending for the bone,
Each pleaded right, and would be lord alone :
The fruitless fight continued all the day;
A cur came by, and fnatch'd the prize away.
As courtiers therefore juftle for a grant,

And when they break their friendship plead their want,

Se