And, in exchange of that, I seize on this,

[Takes ERO. by the hand. The real substance: with this other hand I give away, before her father's face, His younger joy, Cleophila, to thee, Cousin Amethus; take her, and be to her More than a father, a deserving husband. Thus, robb'd of both thy children in a minute, Thy cares are taken off.

Mel. My brains are dull'd;

I am entranced and know not what you mean.
Great, gracious sir, alas! why do you mock me?
I am a weak old man, so poor and feeble,
That my untoward joints can scarcely creep
Unto the grave, where I must seek my rest.

Pal. Eroclea was, you know, contracted mine; Cleophila my cousin's, by consent

Of both their hearts; we both now claim our

own:

It only rests in you to give a blessing,

For confirmation.

Rhe. Sir, 'tis. truth and justice.
Mel. The gods, that lent you

Vows!

to me, bless your

Oh, children, children, pay your prayers to heaven, For they have shew'd much mercy. But So

phronos,

Thou art my brother-I can say no more

A good, good brother!

Pal. Leave the rest to time.

Cousin Thamasta, I must give you too;

She's thy wife, Menaphon. Rhetias, for thee,
And Corax, I have more than common thanks.
On to the temple! there all solemn rites
Perform'd, a general feast shall be proclaim'd.
The LOVER'S MELANCHOLY hath found cure ;7
Sorrows are chang'd to bride-songs. So they

thrive,

Whom fate in spite of storms hath kept alive.

[Exeunt.

7 This line alludes to the last couplet of the Prologue. The concluding scene of this drama is wrought up with singular art and beauty. If the " Very Woman" of Massinger preceded the Lover's Melancholy (as I believe it did,) Ford is indebted to it for no inconsiderable part of his plot.

EPILOGUE.

To be too confident, is as unjust

In any work, as too much to distrust;
Who from the laws of study have not swerv'd,
Know begg'd applauses never were deserv'd;
We must submit to censure: so doth he,
Whose hours begot this issue; yet, being free,
For his part, if he have not pleas'd you, then
In this kind he'll not trouble you again.3

* This Epilogue does not appear in all the copies. Mr. Heber's has it not. I can hardly believe it to have been really spoken on the stage; for there is an expression in it which, in that case, would bear an air of insult to the poet's poorer brethren, as well as to the audience. By being free, he means that he was not compelled by necessity to have recourse to the stage; indeed, he appears from his Dedications to have been much engaged in professional business; and he had besides, I believe, some hereditary property,

"TIS PITY SHE'S A WHORE.