SEBASTIAN

Look up, my friend!thy lov'd- Sebastian

calls;

Perhaps he brings thee peace

WERTER, (Starting up.)

Who talks of peace?

'Tis not to be found!-The cherub fits on

high,

And fmiling mocks mankind-pursue it not,

For it will lead thee to a dangerous fea,

And there will vanifh! rather thou, like me,

Plunge deep in forrow; millions of fathoms deep;

And gorge upon defpair! 'twill fatisfy

The hungry foul, and leave it nothing wanting!

SEBASTIAN.

Oh heaven! the thought of leaving all his foul holds

dear

Has, for a while, depriv'd him of his fenfes :
We must delude him hence.

WERTER.

Look, look, and read;

'Tis fate's dire volume! and on the bloody page, Self-murder's doom'd damnation!--and fee!

around

B 4

Avenging

Avenging demons wait to lash their prey

Hark, how they yell! and now they pull-they

tear

O torture, torture!

(Falls on Leuthrop, and is fupported off.).

END OF ACT THE FIRST.

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I.-Albert's Apartment.

Enter CHARLOTTE and LAURA.

CHARLOTTE.

IF dreams are ominous, fome dreadful woe
Is not far diftant, Laura, from thy friend-
For even now oppreft with heaviest care,

I fought for comfort in a fhort repose;
And
my wild brain was haraffed with a dream
So terrible! that it will banish sleep

For ages

from my foul.

LAURA.

Oh, heed it not!

It can portend no harm.

CHARLOTTE.

Hear then, and judge

Methought! alone and in the dead of night,

Whilft light'ning fill'd each pause the thunder

made,

And

And the pale moon in blackeft clouds was loft,
I wildly wander'd to that dreary vale-

That vale! where Werter first confefs'd his love,
And oft in fecret figh'd!-But to my tale-
The lightning's fire, and moon's few scatter'd rays,
Juft fhew'd the awful horror of the scene;
Loud roaring waves rufh'd o'er the fertile fields,
And the whole valley feem'd a toffing sea.
Sad echo doubl'd every hollow found,
And nature with complete diforder groan'd!

LAURA.

How could your fancy form fo wild a scene?
Indeed, 'twas terrible!

CHARLOTTE,

But mark the end,

The forked lightning flashed a fudden glare;
And far, far off, a towering cliff appear'd!
Urg'd, at the moment, by a fecret with
To gain its fummit-in the flood I plung'd!
And driven by the torrent, reach'd its foot-
Loud howl'd the wind, the tempeft still increas'd-
Trembling-fad omen! I began to climb→→
And midway faw-oh, horrible to tell!-
An human being, on the higheft verge,

With arms outstretch'd, propending o'er the deep-
I fcream'd aloud-ftruck with the fudden noise;
He started-madd'ning I flew to his relief,
And faw with eyes, as frantic as his own-

The

The loft, deferted Werter-0 Laura!

I wak'd in terrors, and countless centuries
Can never wear the image from my mind.

Enter ALBERT.

ALBERT.

And ftill will Charlotte fly her Albert's arms!
Still will fhe leave him to lament alone!
Oh! if my foul could find a fecret charm,
That gently could attract thy heart to mine,
Or gain me but a fhare of that dear treasure !
High Heaven itself would be a poor conceit
Of Albert's happiness!

CHARLOTTE.

Nay, talk not thus-
It stings me to the foul, to hear thee chide.

Love's deepest wounds, affliction's fharpest pangs
Would be indulgence to reproof from thee!

ALBERT.

!

Thou little know'ft

How thou art rooted here!-in early youth,

Thy lovely form firft planted in my foul;

There long it liv'd, and charm'd my wandering fenses;

But nurs'd by time it grew into esteem

And friendship budding bloffom'd foon to love:
The fruit, alas! has not fulfill'd my hopes;

But,