Enter WERTER.

WERTER.

Ha! Albert here-'tis him I would have fhunn'd

ALBERT.

Come to my arms, thou honest, noble youth.

WERTER.

My heart o'erflows-I know not how to thank
This generous kindness!

ALBERT.

Come, Werter, let us contemplate the

Beauties that furround us.

How sweet the folitude of this retreat;

'Tis folemn filence all-and yon pale moon, That dully glimmers on the paffing stream, Completes the awful scene.

CHARLOTTE.

Yes, 'tis most awful;

And ever when I walk by Dian's light,
A musing melancholy wraps my foul,
And memory ponders on departed friends:
On friends! I never fhall again behold!
O Werter, fhall we converfe after death?

Shall we in unknown climes again exist,
And once again be known?

WERTER (in agitation.)

Charlotte, Charlotte!

Here and HEREAFTER we fhall meet again.

CHARLOTTE.

And do the buried know the living's thoughts?
Are they partakers of our various scenes?
Oh, if my long-loft parent could be told,
That I my proffer'd promife had fulfill'd-
To be protectrefs of her children's youth:
Could the be witnefs of the focial love,
The mutual harmony that now fubfifts,
How would the worship that great power above,
Whom in her dying prayers the fo implor'd
For our protection!

Thefe thoughts, my Charlotte,

May please remembrance, yet

CHARLOTTE.

O Albert!

You well remember her exalted foul,

And oft have wonder'd at its various charms!
Oft call'd her generous, cheerful, mild, and fair:
And heaven can witness she deferv'd thy praise.—

Ah me!-how often have I vainly pray'd
To be the image of fuch great perfection.

WERTER, (throwing himself at her feet.) Thou art that image, 'tis by heaven proclaim'd! The gods own bleffing, all thy mother's charmis, With double splendour grace an angel now!

CHARLOTTE, (laying hold of his band).

You should have known her, Werter:
Yes, he was worthy to be known to thee!
A heart fo good, deferv'd a friend fo great:-
Yet, in the midft of happiness and life,
She was to perish, he was to be loft.

Alas! how hard to part with those we love!
Werter-'tis fharper than the ftings of death.

WERTER.

Charlotte, 'tis more than nature can support! 'Tis agony extreme! 'tis horrible to think on!Gracious powers above!

Why am I tortur'd with these questions now?

ALBERT.

Be patient, Werter; let not reafon yield

To these tumultuous tranfports of the foul!

WERTER

WERTER.

Fools may be patient-my controlling woes
Shall ne'er be filent; they must roar aloud,
Elfe my expanding heart would burft-Albert,
Thou haft not drunk of forrow's bitter cup,
Thou haft not borne the miseries of love,
Nor felt one agony that Werter feels!

Oh! if thou had'ft-thou would'ft invoke the gods,
Thy ceafeless groans would be as loud as mine,
Thy madness-raging madness !-wild as mine!

ALBERT.

Werter, farewel-'tis time we fhould be gone.

WERTER.

And can't thou leave me on the brink of fate?
Can Charlotte leave me like a wretch caft off?
Stay but a moment-oh, one parting look!
Am I fo loft she will not grant me that?
I am content-now leave me to my fate;
Farewel to both !—and may you never bear
What I have borne !—but we shall meet again-
'Tis not for ever that we now divide.

CHARLOTTE.

No, for to-morrow we will meet again.

To-morrow, Charlotte-oh! oh! oh!

ALBERT.

Werter, farewel!

Some pitying angel guide thy fteps,

And footh thy foul to peace!

[Exeunt Albert and Charlotte.

'She's fled the image of my foul is fled!
My other felf, my only refuge gone!
Then what remains for Werter but-defpair?
Now, grief! now, forrow! I am all thine own.
Ye shades of night! expand your fable wings,
Cover in darkneís a deferted wretch!

Hide him from heaven, the world, and from himself!
Here let him fall forfaken and forgot,

And figh in folitude his life away!

[Throws bimfelf on the ground.

Enter SEBASTIAN and LEUTHROP..

SEBASTIAN.

I fear the generous Albert has prevail'd,

For I have waited at the gate in vain!

This way I know they met-Alas! how's this 2

O Werter, speak!

WERTÉR.

Away! I'll perish here.

SEBASTIAN