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plishments of her rivals: but, in every thing, fhe is my fuperior-I can reft no longer.

[Gives the handkerchief to Roxalana. Rox. To me! Oh, no- -Ifmena, 'tis your's; the Sultan gives it as a reward for the pleasure you have given him with your charming fong.

El. (Faints.) Oh!

[Gives the handkerchief to Ifmena.

Sul. (Snatching the handkerchief from Ifmena, gives it to Elmira.) Elmira! 'tis your's look up, Elmira. El. Oh, Sir! (Recovering.)

Sul. (to Roxalana.) For you, out of my fight, audacious! Let her be taken away immediately, and degraded to the rank of the loweft flave. [Exit Roxalana guarded.] But she shall be punished, Madam, and you fufficiently reveng❜d.

El. I do not wifh it; in your love all my defires are accomplish'd.

Sul. If we chaftife her, it must be feverely: Go, order her to be brought hither.

El. What is your defign, Sir?

Sul. I would, before her face, repair the injuftice I was going to do you; excite her envy; and, rendering her punishment complete, leave her an everlafting jealoufy.

El. I befeech you, think no more of her.

Sul. Pardon me, I think differently- -Let her be brought hither, I fay.

Of Sir, they have not had time to put on her flave's habit yet.

Sul. No matter

-fetch her as fhe is; and now, Elmira, let our endearments be redoubl❜d in her fight. El. Is that neceffary, Sir?

Sul. Oh, it will gall her. I know it will gall herWe feel our misfortunes with tenfold anguish, when we compare what we are, with what we might have been.

El. It will have no effect; fhe is a giddy creature— her gaiety is her all.

Sul. No, no, the contrary; that's the thing that ftrikes me in Roxalana's character. Through what you call her frivolous gaiety, candour and good sense fhine fo apparent.

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El. There's an end on't,, if you justify her. [Proudly. Sul. I juftify her! far from it; and you fhall prefently be convinc'd I mean to make her feel the utmost rigour of my refentment.

Enter Roxalana.

Here she comes-fhe's in affliction; and her left-hand, there, endeavours to hide a humiliated countenance. (To Roxalana.) Approach-Elmira, have you determin'd how you will difpofe of her?

El. I fhall not add to what she suffers.

Sul. How that fentiment charms me? Indeed, Elmira, I blush to think that fo unworthy an object fhou'd have been able for a moment to surprise me to a degree, even to make me forget your fuperior merit; but I am now your's for ever and ever.

Rox. Ha, ha, ha!

Sul Death and hell! fhe laughs.

Rox. Ha, ha, ha! 'Tis involuntary, I affure you; therefore, pray forgive me: I beg your pardon.

Sul. 'Tis impudence beyond bearing; but I want to know the meaning of all this?

Rox. The meaning is plain, and any body may fee with half an eye you don't love Elmira. Sul. Who do I love then?

Rox. Me.

Sul. You are the object of my anger.

Rox. That don't fignify, love and anger often go together; I am the object of your anger, because I treat you with the fincerity of a friend: but, with your Highnefs' permiffion, I fhall take myself away this moment

for ever.

Sul. Go, then, and prefer infamy to grandeur. Rox. I will inftantly get out of your fublime presence. [Going. Sul. No, you shan't go-Elmira, do you withdraw [Exit Elmira.] Were I to give way to my tranfports, I fhould make you feel the weight of my displeasure ; but I frame excuses for you that you fcorn to make for yourself What, defpife my favours! infult my condefcenfion!-Sure, you can't be fenfible of your own folly! -Proceed, go on, continue to enrage your too indulgent master.

Rox. You are my mafter, it is true; but could the robber that fold me to you for a thousand chequins, transfer my mind and inclinations to you along with my perfon?-No, Sir, let it never be faid, that the great Solyman meanly triumph'd over the perfon of the flave, whofe mind he could not fubdue.

Sul. Tell me who you are; what species of inconfiftent being, at once fo trifling and refpectable, that you feduce my heart while you teach me my duty?

Rox. I am nothing but a poor flave, who is your friend.

Sul. Be ftill my friend, my miftrefs; for hitherto I have known only flatterers. I here devote myself to you, and the whole empire fhall pay you homage. Rox. But, pray, tell me then, by what title am I to govern here?

Sul. By what title? I don't understand you-Come, come, no more of this affected coynefs and diffembling. I fee, I know you love me.

Rox. As Solyman, I do, but not as emperor of the Turks-nor will I ever confent to afcend his bed at night, at whofe feet I must fall in the morning.

Sul. If it depended upon me, Roxalana, I fwear by our holy prophet, that I should be happy in calling you

my queen.

Rox. That's a poor excufe- -Had the man I lov'd but a cottage, I would gladly partake it with him; would foothe his vexations, and foften his cares: but were he master of a throne, I should expect to fhare it with him, or he has no love for me.

Sul. Or if you will wait, perhaps time will bring it

about.

Rox. Wait, indeed? No, Sir!-Your wife, or hum ble fervant-My resolution is fix'd—fix your's. Sul. But an emperor of the Turks

Rox. May do as he pleafes, and fhould be defpotic fometimes on the fide of reafon and virtue. Sul. Then there is our law.

Rox. Which is monftrous and abfurd.
Sul. The mufti, the vizirs, and the agas-

Rox. Are your flaves-Set them a good example.
Sul, Befides, what would the people fay?
VOL. I.

E e

Rox.

the

Rox. The people!-are they to govern you? Make fo. people happy, and they will not prevent your being They would be pleafed to fee you raife to the throne one that you love, and would love you, and be beloved by your people. Should the interpofe in behalf of the unfortunate, relieve the diftreffed by her munificence, and diffuse happiness through the palace, fhe would be admir'd-fhe would be ador'd-fhe'd be like the queen of the country from where I came.

Sul. It is enough-my fcruples are at an end-my prejudices, like clouds before the rifing fun, vanifh before the lights of your fuperior reafon-My love is no longer a foible-you are worthy of empire.

Enter Ofmyn.

Of. Moft Sublime Saltan-the Sultan Elmira claims your promife for liberty to depart,

Rox. Is that the cafe?-Let then the first instance of my exaltation be to give her liberty-let the gates of the Seraglio be thrown open.

Sul. And as for Elmira, fhe fhall go in a manner fuitable to her rank. [Exit Ofmyn.

Ofmyn returns.

Of Sir, the dwarfs and botanges your highnefs had ordered attend.

Sul. Let them come in -This day is devoted to feftivity; and you who announce my decree, proclaim to the world, that the Sultana Roxalana reigns the unrivall'd partner of our diadem.

Who would have

Of. There's an end of my office. thought, that a little cock d-up nofe would have overturned the customs of a mighty empire!

Sul. Now, my Roxalana, let the world obferve by thy exaltation, the wonderful difpenfation of providence, which evinces, that

The liberal mind, by no diftinction bound,
Thro' Nature's glafs looks all the world around;
Would all that's beautiful together join,
And find perfection in a mind like thine.

EPI

327

EPILOGUE.

Written by Mrs ABINGTON; and fpoken by her after performing Roxalana, at the Theatre-Royal, CrowStreet, Dublin, 1778.

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of my own mak

What! fpeak an Epilogue of my own making!

A talk for me-prefumptuous and abfurd-
But I have promis'd, and must keep my word.
Yes, I did promife, with a folemn face,
Taddrefs my patrons here, and fue for grace;
For your past favours had fo warm'd my heart,
I thought to tell them needed little art.

How vain the thought! for, pondering day and night,
I found, tho' I might fpeak, I cou'd not write.
Diftreis'd, to Garrick then I fly for aid:

You can affist me, Sir, for wit's your trade.
When of your epilogues I fpeak a line,
Each fide box cries, Oh charming, vaftly fine,
Its quite delightful, monftrously divine!
The pit, alive to every comic stroke,
With laughter loud anticipates the joke:
All but the modern fop, to feeling dead,
With heart of adamant, and brains of lead,
Languid and lifelefs, lolling, yawns, takes (nuff;
And cries, As gad's my judge 'tis flimfy stuff.
Heaven knows I monftroufly abhor a play,
It's a vile bore-what dragg'd me here to day?
Dear lady Mary, how can you attend?
Will Garrick's nonfenfe never have an end?
Not fo, Sir Mac, who juft has crofs'd the Tweed,
Cries, Vary weel, ridiculous indeed!

The cheeld has parts; ah, he'd been muckle keen,
If bred at Glafcow, or at Aberdeen!

Sir Paddy fays, "My jewel, that's mighty pretty :
"Faith Garrick, you were once in Dublin city;
"In fweet fmock-alley you have cut a figure,

Oh, you'd be great, were you a little bigger."
Thus nations, parties, all in this agree,
And humour's palm, oh Garrick! yield to thee:
Then, good Sir, fcribble fomething new for me.
To Garrick thus in flattering strains I fue,
But all in vain, nor prayers nor flattery do.
Since thus obdurate, all their aid refuse,
I, a mere novice, must invoke the mufe.
Oh wou'd immortal Shakespeare's MUSE of FIRE,
Heave in his breast, each kindling thought inspire;

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