1828.] The Witch. 387 



Seb. If ever you knew force of love in life, Sir, 

 Give to mine pity. 



Fer. You do ill to doubt me. 



Seb. I could make bold with no friend seem'lier 

 Than with yourself, because you were in presence 

 At our vow-making. 



Fer. I am witness to it. 



Seb. Then you best understand, of all men living, 

 This is no wrong I offer, no abuse 

 Either to faith or friendship j for we're registered 

 Husband and wife in heaven, though there wants that 

 Which often keeps licentious men in awe 

 From starting from their wedlocks the knot public. 

 'Tis in our souls knit fast : and how more precious 

 The soul is than the body, so much judge 

 The sacred and celestial tie within us, 

 More than the outward form which calls but witness 

 Here upon earth to what is done in heav'n. 



( Act IV. Scene 2.) 



What follows includes Sebastian's self-reflections on a particular posi- 

 tion in which he finds himself placed in regard to Isabella : 



Seb. I cannot so deceive her : 'twere too sinful. 

 There's more religion in my love than so. 

 It is not treacherous lust that gives content 

 To an honest mind : and this could prove no better. 

 Were it in me a part of manly justice, 

 That have sought strange hard means to keep her chaste 

 To her first vow, and I t' abuse her first ? 

 Better I never knew what comfort were 

 In woman's love, than wickedly to know it. 

 What could the falsehood of one night avail him 

 That must enjoy for ever, or he's lost ? 

 'Tis the way rather to draw hate upon me ; 

 For, known, 'tis as impossible she should love me 

 As youth, in health, to dote upon a grief; 

 Or one that's robb'd and bound, to affect a thief. 

 No he that would soul's sacred comfort win, 

 Must burn in pure love, like a seraphim. (Act IV. Scene 2.) 



We are now at the end of the fourth act, and yet the denouement of 

 both plots seems as far off as ever. Antonio, after making a mad attempt 

 upon the life of Isabella and her supposed paramour, is suddenly unde- 

 ceived as to her supposed guilt but not till he imagines that he has (in 

 the dark) destroyed her ; and, in his mingled rage and remorse at his 

 sister's acknowledged guilt and his own fatal mistake, he swallows poison 

 (as he thinks), and administers the same to his sister and her lover. 

 Meanwhile, Isabella is equally misled by the attempts of Sebastian to 

 inculpate Antonio ; and the fifth act opens with a crude and ill-con- 

 ducted scene, in which the various explanations of all these complicated 

 matters take place, only, however, for them to become involved anew, 

 by new mistakes and intrigues ; and the scene ends by Antonio being 

 again led to believe his wife false with Celio (Sebastian) ; and by Isabella 

 supposing herself irretrievably disgraced by her attempts to discover a 

 just ground for breaking off her hated marriage. 



We are now once more conducted to the witch's habitation, where the 

 Duchess comes to seek the means of privately destroying Amalchildes. 



3D 2 



