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Then down her Throat the Death fecurely throws, And quaffs a long Oblivion of her Woes.

This done, the mounts the Genial Bed, and there (Her Body firft compos'd with honest Care) Attends the welcome Reft: Her Hands yet hold Close to her Heart, the Monumental Gold; Nor farther Word the fpoke, but clos'd her Sight, And quiet, fought the Covert of the Night.

The Damfels, who the while in Silence mourn'd, Not knowing, nor fufpecting Death fuborn'd, Yet, as their Duty was, to Tancred fent,

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Who, confcious of th' Occafion, fear'd th' Event.
Alarm'd, and with prefaging Heart he came,
And drew the Curtains, and expos'd the Dame
To loathfom Light: then with a late Relief
Made vain Efforts, to mitigate her Grief.
She, what the could, excluding Day, her Eyes
Kept firmly feal'd, and fternly thus replies.
Tancred, reftrain thy Tears, unfought by me,
And Sorrow, unavailing now to thee:
Did ever Man before afflict his Mind,

To fee th' Effect of what himself defign'd?

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Yet if thou haft remaining in thy Heart-
Some Senfe of Love, fome unextinguish'd Parf
Of former Kindnefs, largely once profefs'd,
Let me by that adjure thy harden'd Breast,
Not to deny thy Daughter's laft Request:
The secret Love, which I fo long enjoy'd,
And still conceal'd, to gratifie thy Pride,
Thou haft disjoin'd; but, with my dying Breath,
Seek not, I beg thee, to disjoin our Death:
Where-e'er his Corps by thy Command is laid,
Thither let mine in publick be convey'd ;
Expos'd in open View, and Side by Side,
Acknowledg'd as a Bridegroom and a Bride.

The Prince's Anguish hinder'd his Reply:
And she, who felt her Fate approaching nigh,
Seiz'd the cold Heart, and heaving to her Breast,
Here, precious Pledge, fhe faid, fecurely reft:.
These Accents were her laft; the creeping Death
Benumb'd her Senfes firft, then stopp'd her Breath.
Thus fhe for Disobedience justly dy'd;

The Sire was justly punish'd for his Pride:

The Youth, leaft guilty, fuffer'd for th' Offence
Of Duty violated to his Prince;

Who late repenting of his cruel Deed,
One common Sepulcher for both decreed;
Intomb'd the wretched Pair in Royal State,
And on their Monument infcrib'd their Fate.

N 3

Baucis and Philemon,

Out of the Eighth Book of

OV.ID's Metamorphoses.

The Author, pursuing the Deeds of Thefeus, relates how He, with his Friend Perithous, were invited by Achelous, the River-God, to stay with him, till his Waters were abated, Achelous entertains them with a Relation of his own Love to Perimele, who was chang'd into an Island by Neptune, at his Request. Perithous, being an Atheist, derides the Legend, and denies the Power of the Gods, to work that Miracle. Lelex, another Companion of Thefeus, to confirm the Story of Achelous, relates another Metamorphosis of Baucis and Philemon, into Trees; of which he was partly an Eye-witness.

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The Pow'rs of Heav'n; except Ixion's Son,
Who laugh'd at all the Gods, believ'd in none:
He fhook his impious Head, and thus replies,
Thefe Legends are no more than pious Lies:
You attribute too much to Heav'nly Sway,
To think they give us Forms, and take away.

The rest of better Minds, their Senfe declar'd
Against this Doctrine, and with Horror heard.
Then Lelex rofe, an old experienc'd Man,
And thus with fober Gravity began;
Heav'ns Pow'r is Infinite: Earth, Air, and Sea,
The Manufacture Mafs, the making Pow'r obey:
By Proof to clear your Doubt; in Phrygian Ground
Two neighb❜ring Trees, with Walls encompass'd
round,

Stand on a mod'rate Rife, with Wonder fhown, One a hard Oak, a fofter Linden one:

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