Dem. How chang'd, alas !-Now ghastly Desolation Leon. From ev'ry palace bursts a mingled clamour, Oft when the cries of violated beauty Arose to Heav'n, and pierc'd my bleeding breast, Dem. Aspasia! spare that lov'd, that mournful name: Dear hapless maid-tempestuous grief o'erbears My reasoning pow'rs-Dear, hapless, lost Aspasia ! Dem. All thought on her is madness; Yet let me think-I see the helpless maid, Call to your aid wisdom; and your courage your Think on the sudden change of human scenes; Think on the various accidents of war; Think on the mighty pow'r of awful virtue ; Leon. Dem. From those bright regions of eternal day, In pleasing visions and assuasive dreams, O! soothe my soul, and teach me how to lose thee. I came obedient to thy friendly summons, To what are we reserv'd? Dem. To what I know not: But hope, yet hope, to happiness and honour; Leon. But whence this new-sprung hope? From Cali Bassa, The chief, whose wisdom guides the Turkish counsels. Leon. Can he restore the state he could not save? 20% 1 Dem. When the tenth sun had set upon our sorrows, At midnight's private hour, a voice unknown Sounds in my sleeping ear, "Awake, Demetrius, Awake, and follow me to better fortunes." Surpriz'd I start, and bless the happy dream; Then, rousing, know the fiery chief Abdalla, Whose quick impatience seiz'd my doubtful hand, And led me to the shore where Cali stood, Pensive and list'ning to the beating surge. There, in soft hints and in ambiguous phrase, With all the diffidence of long experience, That oft had practis'd fraud, and oft detected, The vet'ran courtier half reveal'd his project. By his command, equipp'd for speedy flight, Deep in a winding creek a galley lies, Mann'd with the bravest of our fellow-captives, Selected by my care, a hardy band, That long to hail thee chief. 1 Leon. But what avail So small a force? or why should Cali fly? SCENE II. now that b 45 DEMETRIUS, LEONTIUS, CALI BASSA. Cali. Now summon all thy soul, illustrious Christian! Awake each faculty that sleeps within thee, The courtier's policy, the sage's firmness, The warrior's ardour, and the patriot's zeal : If, chasing past events with vain pursuit, Or wand'ring in the wilds of future being, A single thought now rove, recall it home. But can thy friend sustain the glorious cause, The cause of liberty, the cause of nations? Dem. Observe him closely with a statesman's eye,.. Thou that hast long perus'd the draughts of Nature, And know'st the characters of vice and virtue, Left by the hand of Heav'n on human clay. Cali. His mien is lofty, his demeanour great;: Nor sprightly folly wantons in his air, Nor dull serenity becalms his eyes. Such had I trusted once as soon as seen, But cautious age suspects the flatt'ring form, And only credits what experience tells. Has silence press'd her seal upon his lips? Does adamantine faith invest his heart? Will he not bend beneath a tyrant's frown? Will he not melt before ambition's fire? Will he not soften in a friend's embrace? Or flow dissolving in a woman's tears? Dem. Sooner the trembling leaves shall find a voice, And tell the secrets of their conscious walks; Sooner the breeze shall catch the flying sounds, And shock the tyrant with a tale of treason. Your slaughter'd multitudes, that swell the shore) And leave no place for perfidy or fear. Cali. The cloister's ease, resum'd the tott'ring throne, This fir'd the youthful king's ambitious breast: Dem. Unhappy lot of all that shine in courts, Cali. Such are the woes when arbitrary pow'r, [Going. Where common laws restrain the prince and subject, Flows through each member of th' embodied state; Sure all unite to hold her league of rule That links the jarring elements in peace. Leon. But say, great Bassa, why the Sultan's anger, Burning in vain, delays the stroke of death? Cali. Young, and unsettled in his father's kingdoms, Fierce as he was, he dreaded to destroy The empire's darling and the soldier's boast; But now confirm'd, and swelling with his conquests, Frowns unrestrain'd, and dooms me with his eyes. Cali. Dem. But Greece is still forgot. The tyrant's death. Cali. Fills all th' astonished empire with confusion, The Turkish pow'rs from Europe shall retreat, Dem. That vessel, if observ'd, alarms the court, Cali. This hour I'll beg, with unsuspecting face, Cali. Forgetful of command, with captive beauties, |