Then, with redoubled pleasure, will your consul
Exchange the splendid miseries of power,

For the calm comforts of a happy home.

Enter a MESSENGER, L.

Mess. All health to Rome, her senate, and her consuls. Br. Speak on-What message hast thou to impart ? Mess. I bring intelligence of Sextus Tarquin, Who, on arriving at a neighbouring village, Was known, and by the people stoned to death. Br. Now, Lucretia!

Thy ghost may cease to wander o'er the earth [Exit, L. And rest in peace.

Luc. Heaven's ways are just!

Col. Yet I regret the villain should be slain By any hand but mine!

Enter a CENTURION, R.

Cent. Health to Brutus !

Shame and confusion to the foes of Rome!

Br. Now, without preface, soldier, to your business Cent. As I kept watch at the Quirinal gate,

Ere break of day, an armed company

Burst on the sudden through the barrier guard,
Pushing their course for Ardea. Straight alarm'd,
I wheel'd my cohort round, and charged 'em home:
Sharp was the conflict for a while and doubtful,
Till, on the seizure of Tarquinia's person,
A young Patrician-

Br. Hah! Patrician?

Cent. Such

His dress bespoke him, though to me unknown.
Br. Proceed!-What more?

Cent. The lady being taken,

This youth, the life and leader of the band,
His sword high waving in the act to strike,
Dropt his uplifted weapon, and at once
Yielded himself my prisoner. Oh, Valerius,
What have I said, that thus the consul changes?
Br. Why do you pause? Go on.

Cent. Their leader seized,

The rest surrender'd. Him, a settled gloom
Possesses wholly, nor as I believe

Hath a word pass'd his lips, to all my questions

Still obstinately shut.

Br. Bring him before us.

[Exit CENTURION, R,

Val. Oh, my brave friend, horror invades my heart.

Br. Silence. Be calm.

Val. I know thy soul

A compound of all excellence, and pray

The mighty gods to put thee to no trial
Beyond a mortal bearing.

Br. No, they will not

Nay, be secure,-they cannot. Pr'ythee, friend,

Look out, and if the worst that can befall me

Be verified, turn back, and give some sign

What thou hast seen-Thou can'st excuse this weakness Being thyself a father.

Ha!-Enough:

[VALERIUS gives the sign.

I understand thee:-Since it must be so,

Do your great pleasure, gods! Now, now it comes ! TITUS and TARQUINIA are brought in, R. guarded. TITUS advances. TARQUINIA remains in the back-ground.

Ti. My father!-Give me present death, ye powers! Cent. What have I done!-Art thou the son of Brutus? Ti. No-Brutus scorns to father such a son! Oh, venerable judge, wilt thou not speak? Turn not away; hither direct thine eyes, And look upon this sorrow-stricken form, Then to thine own great heart remit my plea, And doom as nature dictates.

Val. Peace,-you'll anger him

Be silent, and await! Oh, suffering mercy, Plead in a father's heart, and speak for nature! [BRUTUS turns away from his son, waves his hand to the CENTURION to remove him to a farther distance, and then walks forward, and calls COLLATINUS down to him, L.

Br. Come hither, Collatinus. The deep wound You suffer'd in the loss of your Lucretia Demanded more than fortitude to bear;

I saw your agony-I felt your woe

Col. You more than felt it-you revenged it too.
Br. But, ah, my brother consul, your Lucretia

Fell nobly, as a Roman spirit should

She fell, a model of transcendent virtue.

Col. My mind misgives. What dost thou aim at Brutus ?

Br. [Almost overpowered.] That youth-my Tituswas my age's hope

I loved him more than language can express

I thought him born to dignify the world

Col. My heart bleeds for you-He may yet be saved —
Br. [Firmly.] Consul,-for Rome I live-not for
myself:

I dare not trust my firmness in this crisis,
Warring 'gainst every thing my soul holds dear!
Therefore return without me to the senate-
Haply my presence might restrain their justice.
Look that these traitors meet their trial straight,—
And then despatch a messenger to tell me
How the wise fathers have disposed of

-Go! [COLLATINUS goes out, R. attended; and as BRUTUS is departing, L. TARQUINIA rushes forward, R. Tar. Stop,-turn and hear the daughter of your king! I speak for justice-mercy, thou hast none,

For him, your son :

By gratitude and love I drew him off

I preserv'd his life!

Who shall condemn him for protecting mine?

Br. We try the crime; the motive, Heaven will judge. My honour he hath stabb'd-I pardon that.

He hath done more-he hath betray'd his country.
That is a crime which every honest heart
That beats for freedom, every Roman feels,
And the full stream of justice must have way.

Tar. Because thy soul was never sway'd by love,
Canst thou not credit what his bosom felt?

Br. I can believe that beauty such as thine
May urge a thousand fascinating snares
To lure the wavering and confound the weak;
But what is honour, which a sigh can shake?
What is his virtue, whom a tear can melt?
Truth,-valour,-justice,-constancy of soul,-
These are the attributes of manly natures :-
Be woman e'er so beauteous, man was made
For nobler uses than to be her slave.

Tar. Hard, unrelenting man! Are these the fruits Of filial piety,-and hath thy son

Wearied the gods with pray'rs, till they restor'd
A mind, and gave thee reason? Would to Heaven
They'd given thee mercy too! 'twould more become thee
Than these new ensigns, Brutus; more than all

Thy lictors, haughty consul,-or thy robes

Dipt in the blood,-oh, horror !-of a son !

Br. No more-By all the gods, I'll hear no more.

Ti. A word, for pity's sake. Before thy feet,

[TO BRUTUS.

Humbled in soul, thy son and prisoner kneels
Love is my plea: a father is my judge;
Nature my advocate !—I can no more:
If these will not appease a parent's heart,

Strike through them all, and lodge thy vengeance here!
Br. Break off! I will not, cannot hear thee further.
The affliction nature hath impos'd on Brutus,

Brutus will suffer as he may.-Enough
That we enlarge Tarquinia. Go, be free!
Centurion, give her conduct out of Rome!
Lictors, secure your prisoner. Point your axes.
To the senate-On!

[Exeunt BRUTUS and Guards, L.

Cent. Come, lady, you must part.

Tar. Part! Must we part?

You shall not tear him from me; I will die
Embracing the sad ruin I have made.

Cent You've heard the consul.
Tar. Thou hast heard the king,

Fought for him while he led you on to conquest.
Thou art a soldier, and should'st spurn an office
Which malefactors, though condemn'd for murder,
Would rather die by torture than perform.

Ti. If thou dost wish

That I should 'scape the peril of my fate,

I conjure thee to accord

To Brutus, and accept his promis'd safeguard.

Your words, your looks, your beauty, feed his wrath. In that fair face he reads my guilty love,

And pity flies his heart; let passion pause;

Leave me to solitude, to silence leave me ;

Then nature's gentlest whispers may be heard.

Tar. Say'st thou? Conduct me to the dreariest waste That ever melancholy madness trod,

And let my swelling heart in silence burst;

Plunge me in darkness, shroud this fatal form

In everlasting night, I am content!

Lo! I obey! This is the test of love:
This is the sacrifice : --I part to save thee!

[OFFICERS advance.

Ti. See, I am warn'd. Farewell, my life's last joy!

When my eyes lose thy image, they may look

On death without dismay. To those blest powers,

Who gave thee every viriue, every grace
That can ensure perfection, I commit thee.

[They embrace, and are torn asunder. TITUS is
carried off by the LICTORS, L. and TARQUINIA
faints, and is borne off by the CENTURION and
GUARDS, R.

SCENE II.-Rome.-An Apartment in the House of

BRUTUS.

Enter BRUTUs, r.

Br. [Alone.] Like a lost, guilty wretch, I look around,

And start at every footstep, lest it bring

The fatal news of my poor son's conviction !-
Oh Rome, thou little know'st-No more-It comes.
Enter VALERIUS, L.

Val. My friend, the senate have to thee transferr'd The right of judgment on thy son's offence.

Br. To me!

Val. To thee alone.

Br. What of the rest?

Val. Their sentence is already pass'd.

E'en now, perhaps, the lictors' dreaded hand

Cuts off their forfeit lives.

Br. Say'st thou that the senate have to me referr'd The fate of Titus?

Val. Such is their sovereign will.

They think you merit this distinguish'd honour.
A father's grief deserves to be revered:

Rome will approve whatever you decree.

Br. And is his guilt establish'd beyond doubt?
Vul. Too clearly.

Br. (with a burst of tears) Oh, ye gods! ye gods! (collecting himself) Valerius !

Val. What would'st thou, noble Roman?

Br. 'Tis said thou hast pull'd down thine house, Valerius,

The stately pile that with such cost was rear'd.
Val. I have; but what doth Brutus then infer?
Br. It was a goodly structure: I remember
How fondly you survey'd its rising grandeur,-
With what a-fatherly-delight you summon'd

B