To have been dethroned before. 'Tis now I live, And more than reign; now all my joys flow pure, Unmixed with cares, and undisturbed by conscience. Enter PALMYRA, AMALTHEA, ARTEMIS, DORALICE, and MELANTHA.

Leon. See, my Palmyra comes! the frighted blood Scarce yet recalled to her pale cheeks,

Like the first streaks of light broke loose from dark

ness,

And dawning into blushes.-Sir, you said [To POLY. Your joys were full; Oh, would you make mine so! I am but half restored without this blessing.

Poly. The gods, and my Palmyra, make you happy, As you make me!. [Gives her hand to LEONIDAS. Palm. Now all my prayers are heard':

I may be dutiful, and yet may love.

Virtue and patience have at length unravelled
The knots, which fortune tyed.

Mel. Let me die, but I'll congratulate his majesty: How admirably well his royalty becomes him! Becomes! that is lui sied, but our damned language expresses nothing.

Pala. How Does it become him already? 'Twas but just now you said, he was such a figure of a man. Mel. True, my dear, when he was a private man he was a figure; but since he is a king, methinks he has assumed another figure: He looks so grand, and so august! [Going to the King.

Pala. Stay, stay; I'll present you when it is more convenient. I find I must get her a place at court; and when she is once there, she can be no longer ridiculous; for she is young enough, and pretty enough, and fool enough, and French enough, to bring up a fashion there to be affected.

Leon. [To RHODOPHIL.] Did she then lead you to this brave attempt?

[To AMALTHEA.] To you, fair Amalthea, what I am'
And what all these, from me, we jointly owe:
First, therefore, to your great desert we give
Your brother's life; but keep him under guard
Till our new power be settled. What more grace
He may receive, shall from his future carriage
Be given, as he deserves.

Arga. I neither now desire, nor will deserve it; My loss is such as cannot be repaired,

And, to the wretched, life can be no mercy.

Leon. Then be a prisoner always: Thy ill fate And pride will have it so: But since in this I cannot, Instruct me, generous Amalthea, how

A king may serve you.

Amal. I have all I hope,

And all I now must wish; I see you happy.
Those hours I have to live, which heaven in pity
Will make but few, I vow to spend with vestals:
The greatest part in prayers for you; the rest
In mourning my unworthiness.

Press me not farther to explain myself;

"Twill not become me, and may cause your trouble. Leon. Too well I understand her secret grief,

[Aside. But dare not seem to know it.-Come, my fairest;

[TO PALMYRA.

Beyond my crown I have one joy in store,
To give that crown to her whom I adore.

[Exeunt.

EPILOGUE.

THUS have my spouse and I informed the nation,
And led you all the way to reformation;
Not with dull morals, gravely writ, like those,
Which men of easy phlegm with care compose,
Your poets, of stiff words and limber sense,
Born on the confines of indifference;
But by examples drawn, I dare to say,
From most of you who hear and see the play.
There are more Rhodophils in this theatre,
More Palamedes, and some few wives, I fear:
But yet too far our poet would not run;
Though 'twas well offered, there was nothing done.
He would not quite the women's frailty bare,
But stript them to the waist, and left them there:
And the men's faults are less severely shown,
For he considers that himself is one.--
Some stabbing wits, to bloody satire bent,
Would treat both sexes with less compliment;
Would lay the scene at home; of husbands tell,
For wenches, taking up their wives i' the Mall;
And a brisk bout, which each of them did want,
Made by mistake of mistress and gallant.
Our modest author thought it was enough
To cut you off a sample of the stuff:

He spared my shame, which you, I'm sure, would not,
For you were all for driving on the plot :

You sighed when I came in to break the sport,
And set your teeth when each design fell short.
To wives and servants all good wishes lend,
But the poor cuckold seldom finds a friend.
Since, therefore, court and town will take no pity,
I humbly cast myself upon the city.