Page:Poems of Anne Countess of Winchilsea 1903.djvu/500

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

362 THE POEMS OF ANNE �And lays him there at Night, renown'd and happy: 90 �Therefore this Threat was vain malicious Fury. 1st Voice. Now away, away I fly; �For hated Good is rushing by. �[Here the Voice ceases quite. �A Machine, like a Fox, runs about the Dungeon smelling, and rushes against Aristomenes, who taking it for his evil Genius, catches at it, and speaks. �Aristom. What! hast thou Substance too, and dar'st �assault me! Nay then, thou shalt not 'scape ; I'll seize and grapple with �thee, �And by my conqu'ring Arm o'ercome thy Influence. Fool that I was! to think, it cou'd be vanquisht. This is some rav'ning Beast; the Fur betrays it; A Fox, I think, teach me to be as subtle, Extremity, thou Mother of Invention ! [He catches it. 100 I have it now ; ami where it leads, will follow. My better Genius do's this Hour preside: Be strong that Influence, and thou my Guide. �[Exit, led out by the Fox �The SCENE changes to the Plains by the Woodside. �Enter from the Wood Herminia alone and faint. Herm. Here 'twas she left me ; but so far I've stray'd, Unheeding every thing, but my sad Thoughts, That my faint Limbs no longer can support me. Oh! let me rest; and if 'tis Death I feel, A Guest more welcome none yet entertain' d. �[She sits down, leaning against a Tree. �Enter Climander looking towards the Camp, as expecting the returns of Arcasius. �dim. He has exceeded much the time prefixt ; And yet, I wou'd not doubt him: I've climb'd the Hill, better to view the Camp ; ��� �