M'Dole. What is your Price for Beaver Skins per Pound? Ist Indian. Five Pounds? Too much. Which is 't you call M'Dole. This little Weight. I cannot give you more. 95 1st Indian. Well, take 'em; weigh 'em. Don't you cheat us now. There's Thirty Pounds precisely of the Whole; [Exeunt Indians to receive their Rum. Murphey. By Jove, you 've gained more in a single Hour 100 Than ever I have done in Half a Year. Curse on my Honesty! I might have been A little King and liv'd without Concern, Had I but known the proper Arts to thrive. M'Dole. Ay, there's the Way, my honest Friend, to live! 105 [Clapping his Shoulder. There's Ninety Weight of Sterling Beaver for you, And would my Conscience let me do the Thing, And raise my Profits to an higher Pitch. Murphey. I can't but thank you for your kind Instructions, As from them I expect to reap Advantage. But should the Dogs detect me in the Fraud, They are malicious and would have Revenge. M'Dole. Can't you avoid them? Let their Vengeance light 115 On others Heads, no matter whose, if you Are but secure and have the Gain in Hand; For they're indiff'rent where they take Revenge, Or on a Stranger whom they never saw, I 20 125 [Exeunt. FROM ACT II. SCENE 11 Ponteach's Cabbin. Ponteach, Philip, Chekitan, and Tenesco. Ponteach. My Sons, and trusty Counsellor Tenesco, As the sweet-smelling Rose when yet a Bud Lies close conceal'd till Time and the Sun's Warmth Hath swell'd, matur'd, and brought it forth to View, Are to be kept with You, on pain of Death, And Fortune's Sunshine shall disclose the Whole; Tenesco. The Life of great Designs is Secrecy, Philip. What may your great and secret Purpose be, Ponteach. To raise the Hatchet from its short Repose, And execute whatever I command. Chekitan. When we refuse Obedience to your Will We are not worthy to be call'd your Sons. Philip. If we inherit not our Father's Valour, We never can deserve to share his Empire. 30 Tenesco. Spoke like yourselves, the Sons of Ponteach. Strength, Courage, and Obedience form the Soldier, And the firm Base of all true Greatness lay. Ponteach. Our Empire now is large, our Forces strong, Our Chiefs are wise, our Warriors valiant Men; 35 We all are furnish'd with the best of Arms And all things requisite to curb a Foe; And now 's our Time, if ever, to secure Our Country, Kindred, Empire, all that 's dear, The Strength and growing Numbers of the French; Their Forts and Settlements I've view'd as Snakes 40 45 50 Studied our Tongue and Manners, wore our Dress, Married our Daughters and our Sons their Maids, Dealt honestly and well supplied our Wants, 55 Used no One ill, and treated with Respect Our Kings, our Captains, and our aged Men, Call'd us their Friends, nay, what is more, their Children, And seem'd like Fathers anxious for our Welfare. Whom see we now? their haughty Conquerors 60 Possess'd of every Fort and Lake and Pass, Big with their Victories so often gain'd; On us they look with deep Contempt and Scorn, Nay, think us conquered and our Country theirs, 65 With Pleasure I wou'd call their King my Friend, And leave these distant Lakes and Streams to us; 70 Nay, I would pay him Homage if requested, And furnish Warriors to support his Cause. But thus to lose my Country and my Empire, By Knaves, by Miscreants, Creatures of his Power Can this become a King like Ponteach, Whose Empire 's measured only by the Sun ? No; I'll assert my Right, the Hatchet raise, PHILLIS WHEATLEY AN HYMN TO THE EVENING Soon as the sun forsook the eastern main, 1766. 8c Soft purl the streams; the birds renew their notes, 5 And through the air their mingled music floats. Through all the heav'ns what beauteous dies are spread! Fill'd with the praise of him who gives the light And draws the sable curtains of the night, Let placid slumbers sooth each weary mind At morn to wake more heav'nly, more refin'd; So shall the labours of the day begin 15 More pure, more guarded from the snares of sin. 1773. POEMS OF THE REVOLUTION THE LIBERTY SONG (BY JOHN DICKINSON) Come join hand in hand, brave Americans all, In freedom we 're born and in freedom we 'll live; 5 Steady, Friends, steady, Not as slaves but as freemen our money we'll give. Our worthy forefathers—let 's give them a cheer- Their generous bosoms all dangers despis'd, The Tree their own hands had to Liberty rear'd How sweet are the labors that freemen endure, Swarms of placemen and pensioners soon will appear, Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all; IO 15 20 25 30 All ages shall speak with amaze and applause 35 This bumper I crown for our sovereign's health, And this for Britannia's glory and wealth. |