The dull and silent melancholy,-brood 9 O'er my own thoughts alone, or keep myself Within my house mew'd up, a prisoner. 'Tis for philosophers

To love retirement; women were not made
To stand coop'd up like statues in a niche,
Or feed on their own secret contemplations.

Luc. Go to; thou know'st not what thou say'st
Lavinia.

I thank the gods who taught me that the mind,
Possess'd of conscious virtue, is more rich
Than all the sumless hoards which Plutus boasts;
And that the chiefest glory of a woman

Is in retirement-that her highest comfort
Results from home-born and domestic joys,-
Her noblest treasure, a deserving husband!
-Who, not a prisoner to the eye alone,
A fair complexion or melodious voice,
Shall read her deeper,-nor shall time, which palls
The rage of passion, shake his ardent love,
Increasing by possession. This, (again I thank
The gracious gods) this husband, too, is mine!
[Crosses to R.
-Soft-I hear footsteps! Hour of rapture! Look!
My life, my love, my Collatinus comes!

Enter COLLATINUS, CLAUDIUS, ARUNS, and SEXTUS, L. LUCRETIA rushes into the arms of COLLATINUS.

My lord, most welcome!

Col. Welcome these, my friends,
Lucretia!-our right royal master's sons;
Passing this way, I have prevail'd with them
To grace our humble mansion.

Luc. Welcome yourself!

And doubly welcome, that you bring such friends.
Haste maidens, haste-make ready for our guests!

My heart is full of joy!

Ar. Rather, fair lady,

[Exeunt ATTENDANTS, R.

You should be angry, that unseasonably

And with abrupt intrusion, we've thus broke

Upon your privacy.

Luc. No, my good lord;

Those to whom love and my respect are due,

Can ne'er intrude upon me ;-had I known
This visit, you, perhaps, might have been treated

C.

With better cheer.-not a more kind reception.
This evening, little did I think my house
Would have possess'd such lodgers.

Cl. Rather, lady,

Such birds of passage-we must hence to-night.
Luc. To-night? Doth not my lord say no to that?
Col. I would, Lucretia; but it cannot be.
If aught the house affords, my dearest love,
To set before your guests, I pray prepare it:
We must be at the camp ere morning dawn.
An hour or two will be the utmost limit
Allow'd us here.

[Crosses to R.

Luc. With all the speed I can 1
I'll play the caterer; though I am tempted,
Would that delay your journey, to be tardy,
And prove a sluggish housewife.

[Exit LUCRETIA.

Sex. This is indeed a wife! Here the dispute Must end ;

And, Collatinus, we must yield to thee!

Ar. I will not envy thee,-but 'tis a wife
Of wives, a precious diamond, pick'd

From out the common pebbles. To have found her
At work among her maids at this late hour,

And not displeased at our rude interruption,

Not to squeeze out a quaint apology,

As, "I am quite ashamed; so unprepared!

"Who could have thought! Would I had known of it!"

And such like tacit hints, to tell her guests

She wishes them away-thou'rt happy, Collatine.

Col. Enough, enough.

The gods forbid I should affect indifference,

And say you flatter me. I am most happy.—
But Sextus heeds us not.

Sex. Pray, pardon me :.

My mind was in the camp.

He seems quite lost.

How wine could heat us

To such a mad exploit, at such a time
Is shameful to reflect on: let us mount
This instant, and return.

Col. Now we are here,

We shall encroach but little on our time

If we partake the slender fare together

Which will, by this, await us. Pray, my lords,
This way.

Sex. Along-I'll follow straight.

[Exit COLLATINUS.

[Exeunt ARUNS and CLAUDius. I should Sex. (apart.) Had she staid here till now, have done

Nothing but gaze. Nymphs, goddesses

Are fables;-nothing can, in heaven or earth,
Be half so fair!-But there's no hope!-Her face,
Her look, her eye, her manners, speak a heart
Unknowing of deceit; a soul of honour,

Where frozen chastity has fix'd her throne,
And unpolluted nuptial sanctity.

-Peace, undigested thoughts!-Down-down! till ripen'd

By further time, ye bloom.

END OF ACT II.

[Exit, R.

ACT III.

SCENE I.-Rome. The Capitol. Equestrian Statue of TARQUINIUS SUPERBUS. Night. Thunder and lightning

Enter BRUTUS, L. V.E.

Br. Lalone.] Slumber forsakes me, and I court the horrors

Which night and tempest swell on every side.
Launch forth thy thunders, Capitolian Jove!
Put fire into the languid souls of men;
Let loose thy ministers of wrath amongst them,
And crush the vile oppressor! Strike him down,
Ye lightnings! Lay his trophies in the dust!

[Storm increases. Ha! this is well!-flash, ye blue-forked fires! Loud-bursting thunders, roar ! and tremble, earth! [A violent crash of thunder, and the statue of TARQUIN, struck by a flash, is shattered to pieces.

What! fallen at last, proud idol! struck to earth!
I thank you, gods! I thank you! When you point
Your shafts at human pride, it is not chance,

"Tis wisdom levels the commission'd blow.
But I-a thing of no account-a slave-
1 to your forked lightnings bare my bosom
Ja vain-for what's a slave-a dastard slave?

A fool, a Brutus? [Storm increases] Hark! the storm rides on!

The scolding winds drive through the clattering rain,
And loudly screams the haggard witch of night.
Strange hopes possess my soul. My thoughts grow
wild,

Engender with the scene, and pant for action.
With your leave, majesty, I'll sit beside you,
And ruminate awhile.

[Sits on a fragment of the statue. Oh, for a cause! A cause, ye mighty Gods! Soft, what stir is this?

Enter VALERIUS, followed by a MESSENGER, L.
Val.What! Collatinus sent for, didst thou say?
Mes. Ay, Collatinus, thou, and all her kinsmen ?
To come upon the instant to Collatia;

She will take no denial. Time is precious,
And I must hasten forth to bring her husband.

[Crosses behind, and exit MESSENGER, R. Br. [apart] Ha! Collatinus and Lucretia's kins-.. men!

There's something sure in this-Valerius too

Well met-Now will I put him to the test

Valerius-Hoa!

Val. Who calls me?

Br. Brutus.

Val. Go,

Get thee to bed!

[VALERIUS is departing.

Br. Valerius !

Val. Peace,

Thou foolish thing! Why dost thou call so loud?
Br. Because I will be heard. The time may come
When thou may'st want a fool.

Val. Pr'ythee, begone!

I have no time to hear thy prattle now.
Br. By Hercules, but you must hear,

Val. You'll anger me.

[Seizing his arm

Br. Waste not your noble anger on a fool. "Twere a brave passion in a better cause.

Val. Thy folly's cause enough.
Br. Rail not at folly-

There's but one wise,

And him the gods have kill'd.

Val. Kill'd! Whom?

Br. Behold!

Oh, sight of pity!-Majesty in ruins!

Down on your knees-down to your kingly idol!
Val. Let slaves and sycophants do that; not I.
Br. Wilt thou not kneel?

Val. Begone;

Valerius kneels not to the living Tarquin.

Br. Indeed!-Belike you wish him laid as low.
Val. What if I do?

Br. Jove tells thee what to do

Strike!-Oh! the difference 'twixt Jove's wrath and

thine!

He, at the crowned tyrant aims his shaft,

Thou, mighty man, would'st frown a fool to silence, And spurn poor Brutus from thee

Val. What is this?

Let me look nearer at thee. Is thy mind,

That long lost jewel, found,-and Lucius Junius,
Dear to my heart, restored? or art thou Brutus,
The scoff and jest of Rome, and this a fit
Of intermittent reason?

Br. I am Brutus.

Folly, be thou my goddess! I am Brutus,

I. thou wilt use me so !—If not, farewell.

Why dost thou pause? Look on me! I have limbs,

Parts and proportions, shoulders strong to bear,

And hands not slow to strike. What more than Brutus Could Lucius Junius do?

Val. A cause like ours

Asks both the strength of Brutus and the wisdom

Of Lucius Junius.

Br. No more. We're interrupted.

Val. Farewell. Hereafter we'll discourse,

And may the gods confirm the hope you've raised!

[Exit VALERIUS, R. Br. [Alone] My soul expands! my spirit swells within me,

As if the glorious moment were at hand!

Sure this is Sextus-why has he left the camp?
Alone-and muffled !