L. Virg. [Holding up the dagger to Appius.] Appius, with this blood

Thee, and thy impious head, I thus devote

To the infernal gods! [Exit, bolding up the dagger. Ap. Perdition feize me,

But he has murder'd her !-Attach him, Lictors,

And bear him inftant-What noife is that?

[A tumultuous noife is heard without.

Enter Rufus to Appius, baftily.

Ruf. My Lord, Icilius, refcu'd by the populace, Is coming at their head; the guards on post

They have broke through, and bear down all before 'em. Ap. Confufion!—I'm betray'd!-The flaves have fold' Claud. Let us escape, before it be too late- {me ! We muft give way to th' torrent

Ap. No, this arm

Shall ftem it-and the troops that fled, shall conquer, When Appius leads them on-Away! [To Claudius. Appius defcends in bafte from his tribunal, and goes out with Claudius.

Enter Marcia, with a train of weeping matrons.
Mar. [Seeing Virginia's body.] Oh !

Support me!-here!-here is a fight!-turn bere,
And ftiffen into stone !-See that fweet bofom,
All gor'd and bloody, heaving yet in death!
Look on her quiv'ring lips, and that dead pale
That creeps o'er all her bloom! [A loud hout is beard.
Then enters Icilius at the head of the people.

Icilius. [Seeing the body, he is fruck with horror, and flands fixed in aftonishment for fome time at last he kneels doron by her.] My Virginia!

[Virginia at the found of his voice, endeavours to raife berfelfShe looks at him for fome time, unable to speak ; then finks down, and with a groan expires.

Icilius. Starting up from the ground.] Oh, blast these eyes,

Some fpeedy fire from heav'a!dry up all fight!
Left looking here, I ftrike again ft the gods,

That doom'd me fuch a wretch! Gone, gone for ever!

It is not to be borne !

Is thus !.

-the only way

[Going to fab himself.

Enter L. Virginius, who catches his arm.

L. Vir. What means thy rage?--- Look here!impious blood

Smokes on my dagger's point!

-his

[Holding up the bloody dagger. Icil. [Struggling.] Unhand me, murd'rer! Thou butcher of thy child!-there, parricide!

Behold thy triumph there!

[Pointing to Virginia's body:

L. Vir. [Weeping.] My old heart splits with forrow! Sweet hapless flow'r !

Untimely cropt by the fell planter's hand!

My eyes weep blood to look on what I've done-
And yet 'twas pity nerv'd my arm to strike

The blow!

Icil. Diftraction seize thee !-then strike here! Give me thy pity too!

L. Vir. Icilius, hear me

Look on the cold remains of that dear maid

She fleeps in peace and honour!-Wouldst thou rather
Behold her thus, or ftain'd with foul pollution ?
-Now, as thou art a Roman,

Declare

Icil Away!--I wish to die, Virginius

LVir. To die?-Are Rome and glory then forgot? At fight of this hot knife, fmoking with blood,

All Rome was fir'd, and aided my old arm
To reach the tyrant's heart!-And shall we now
Give up thefe glorious hopes ?---The Roman name
Again fhall rife? Again fair liberty

Smile o'er th' afflicted land !---For fuch a jewel,
A patriot breaft must know no price too dear;
Not ev'n a daughter's blood !---Remember Tarquin,
His exil'd race, and Brutus' guilty fons,

Great Curtius, Cocles, and th' Horatian brothers!
Heroes of old, who for their country bled,
And all th'illustrious lift of mighty dead!
Warm'd with their diftant rays, let us afpire
To trace their steps, and emulate their fire;

4

T'extend

T'extend our fame beyond this narrow span,
And in the Roman to forget the man!

END of the FIFTH ACT.

EPILOGUE.

Written by Mr. GARRICK.

THE poet's pen, can like a conjurer's wand,

Or kill, or raife his heroine at command;
And I fhall, fpirit-like, before 1 fink,

Not courteously enquire, but tell you what you think.
From top to bottom, I shall make you ftare,

By bitting all your judgments to a hair.
And firft, with you ahove, I shall begin-.-*
Good-natur'd fouls, they're ready all to grin.
Though twelve-pence feat you there, fo near the cicling,
The folks below can't boast a better feeling.
No high bred prud'ry in your region lurks,
You boldly laugh aud cry, as Nature works.
Says John to Tom, (ay---there they fit together,
As honeft Britons as e'er trod on leather :)
" 'Tween you and I, my friend, 'tis very vild,
That old Vergeenus fhould have fuck his child:
I would have bang'd him for't, had I been ruler,
And duck'd that Apus too, by way of cooler."
Some maiden-dames, who hold the middle-floor,
And fly from naughty man at forty four; †
With turn'd-up eyes, applaud Virginia's 'scape,
And vow they'd do the fame to shun a rape;
So very chafte, they live in conflant fears,
And apprehenfion ftrengthens with their years.
Te bucks, who from the pit your terrors fend,
Yet love diftreffed damfels to befriend;

You think this tragic joke too far was carried;
And wifh, to fet all right, the maid had married:
You'd rather fee (if so the fates had will'd)
Ten wives be kind, than one poor virgin kill'd.
May I approach unto the boxes, pray---
And there fearch out a judgment on the play?
In vain, alas! I should attempt to find it---
Fine ladies fee a play, but never mind it-
'Tis vulgar to be mov'd by acted pafton,
Or form opinions, till they're fix'd by fabion.
Our author hobes, this fickle goddefs Mode,
With us will make, at leaft, nine days abode,
To prefent pleasure he contracts his view,
And leaves his future fame, to time and you