Enter KING ARTHUR (reading a letter) with attend ants. Arth. (reading) "Go on, auspicious prince, the stars are kind; "Unfold thy banners to the willing wind; "While I, with airy legions, help thy arms; Artb. Most happy in that name! Your Emmeline, to Oswald's vows refus'd, Your charming daughter, who like love, born blind, And innocently kills. Can. Remember, son, You are a general; other wars require you, Enter EMMELINE, led by MATILDA. Ha! now my love, my Emmeline appears, Con. Haste your farewel; I'll chear my troops and wait you. [Exit Conon. Em. O father, father, I am sure you're here; Because I see your voice. Arth. No, thou mistak'st thy hearing for thy sight; He's gone my Emmeline; And I but stay to gaze on those fair eyes, Which cannot view the conquest they have made. Oh star like-night, dark only to thyself, But full of glory, as those lamps of heaven, That That see not when they shine. Em. What is this heaven, and stars, and night, and day, To which you thus compare my eyes and me? I understand you when you say you love: Arth. Oh artless love! where the soul moves the tongue And only nature speaks what nature thinks! Had she but eyes! Em. Just now you said I had. Artb. But neither see. Em. I'm sure they hear you then: What can your eyes do more? Arth. They view your beauties. Em. Don't I see? you have a face, like mine. Arth. No, for I see at distance, where I touch not. Quite through my clothes; pray do not see so well. I view the lovely features of your face; Your lips carnation, and your dark-shaded eye-brows, I cannot see your lips carnation, Your shaded eye-brows, nor your milk-white eyes. You have no notion of light or colours. [Trumpet sounds within. Em. Why, is not that a trumpet? Arth. Yes. Em. I knew it. And I can tell you how the sound on't looks; It looks as if it had an angry fighting face. Arth, 'Tis now indeed a sharp unpleasant sound, A Because Because it calls me hence from her I love, Em. How do so many men e'er come to meet? They feel about for one another's face. And so they meet and kill. Arth. When we have gain'd the field, I'll tell ye all; One kiss of your fair hand, the pledge of conquest, And so a short farewel. [Kisses ber band, Exit. Em. My heart and vows go with him to the fight; May every foe be that, which they call blind, And none of all their swords have eyes to find him! But lead me nearer to the trumpet's face; For that brave sound upholds my fainting heart; And whilst I hear, methinks I fight my part. [Flourish. Exit, led by Matilda. SCENE, a Camp, drums, trumpets, and military shouts. Come if you dare, our trumpets sound; We come, we come, we come, we come, Says the double, double, double beat of the thund'ring drum. See they charge on amain, Now they rally again; The gods from above the mad labour behold, Chor. See they charge, &c. [Exeunt drums and trumpets: a march. SCENE, a general engagement between the BRITONS, and SAXONS, in which the BRITONS are conquerors. SCENE changes to a rural prospect. Enter PHILIDEL. Phil. Alas, for pity, of this bloody field! Piteous it needs must be, when I a spirit, Can have so soft a sense of human woes! SCENE SCENE draws and discovers MERLIN's cave. He comes forward. Mer. What art thou, spirit? of what name or order? (for I have view'd thee in my magic glass) Making thy moan among the midnight wolves, That bay the silent moon: speak, I conjure thee, 'Tis Merlin bids thee. Phil. An airy shape, the tend'rest of my mind, Aukward in mischief, and piteous of mankind, Mer. Thy business here? Phil. To shun the Saxon wizards dire commands, Osmond, the awfull'st name next thine below. 'Cause I refus'd to hurl a ois me fog, On christen'd heads, the hue-and-cry of hell Is rais'd against me. Mer. Osmond shall know, a greater power protects thee Now mark me, Philidel, I will employ thee for thy future good: Thou know'st, in spite of vahant Oswald's arms, Grimbald is at hand, I snuff his earthy scent: The conquering Britons he misleads to rivers, Warn off the bold pursuers from the chace.:. [Exeunt. SCENE, a Wood.-Enter GRIMBALD and his followers disguised like shepherds, leading King Arthur, CoNON, AURELIUS, and attendants. Grim. Thus clad in shepherds weeds, I and my brother fiends, The The foolish Britons take us for their guides. Expect reward, we follow thee, lead on. [Aside. [As Arthur is going off, enter Philidel and followers. Hither this way, this way bend, Trust 'em not, for they'll deceive you, Chorus of Phil spirits. Hither this way, this way bend. Name but heav'n, and he'll avoid ye. bend. Grim. By hell she sings them back in my despite. I'd a voice in heav'n once, ere sulph'rous steams Had damp'd it to a hoarseness: try it now. SONG. Let not a moon born elf mislead ye Follow the flames that wave before ye: Artb. 'Tis true, he says; the footsteps yet are plin Upon |