COUNTRYMEN!

THE City of Syracuſe (in Sicily) had maintained a ſucceſsful Conteſt with the Carthaginians; lulled
into Security, however, by an advantageous Peace, ſhe had reduced her Fleets and Armies, and the Carthaginians, who ſtill retained
their Envy and Hatred of her, ſeized the Opportunity to renew the War, with the avowed Purpoſe of reducing her to abſolute
Slavery The Neighbouring States ſtupid Indifference. One little POWER, however, CORNITH ſaw the
Danger, and ſent a ſmall Supply of Men, and, what was of infinitely more Importance, her Favourite General TIMOLEON, the
ableſt Commander of the Age. At his Arrival, he found Syracuſe in a State of torpor; the Inhabitants without Public Spirit, the
Coaſts, without Troops; all ſenſible of, and trembling at, the impending Danger, but none willing to make the neceſſary Sacrifices
to avert it. His firſt, therefore was to call a General Aſſembly of the People; here, after upbraiding them ſharply with their
Avarice, pride, and Sloth, he propoſed the Means of Safety and Defence. The Scene which follows was written by our great Dra-
matic Poet, MASSINGER : it is at once ELEGANT,NERVOUS, and SUBLIME; and it would be to call in Queſtion the good Sen ſe, no
leſs than the Spirit and Patriotiſm of Engliſhmen, to ſuppoſe the forcible Arguments here uſed, will have leſs effect upon THEM,
than they had on the SYRACUSANS!

                        ARCHIDAMUS
You've made us ſee. Sir,
To our Shame, the Country's Sicſes : Now from you,
As from a careful and a wiſe Phyſician,
We do expect the Cure.
                        TIMOLEON.
Old feſter'd Sores .
Muſt be lanc'd to the quick and cauteriz'd :
Which, borne with Patience, after I'll apply
Soft Unguents : For the Maintenance of the War,
It is decreed all Monies in the Hands
Of private Men, ſhall inſtantly be brought
To th' public Treaſury.
This bites fore.
                        CLEONS.
The Cure
Is worſe than the Diſeaſe ; I'll never yield to't:
What could the Enemy, although victorious,
Inflict more on us ? All that my Youth hath toil'd for.
Purchas'd with Induſtry, and preſerv'd with Care,
Forc'd from me in a Moment.
                        DIPIIILUS.
This rough Courſe
Will never be allow'd of.
                        TIMOLEON.
O blind Men !
If you refuſe the firſt Means that is offer'd
To give yon Health, no Hope's left to recover
Your deſp'rate Sickneſs. Do You prize Your MUCK
Above Your LIBERTIES: And rather chooſe
To be made Bondmen, than to part with that
To which already you are Slaves ? Or can it
Be probable in your flattering Apprehenſions,
You can capitulate with the Conqueror,
And keep that yours which they come to poſſeſs,
And. while you kneel in vain, will raviſh from you ?
—But take your own Ways; brood upon your Gold,
Sacrifice to your Idol, and preſerve
The Prey intire, and merit the Report
Of careful Stewards : Yield a juſt Account
To your proud Mailers, who with Whips of Iron
Will force you to give up what you conceal,
Or tear it from your Throats ; adorn your Walls
With Perſian Hangings wrought of Gold and Pearl;
Cover the Floors on which they are to tread,
With coſtly Median Silks; perfume the Rooms
With Caſſia and Amber, where they are
To feaſt and revel; while, like ſervile Grooms
You wait upon their Trenchers; feed their Eyes
With maſſy Plate, until your cupboards crack
With the Weight that they ſuſtain; ſet forth your Wives
And Daughters in as many vary'd Shapes
As there are Legions, to provoke their Lulls,
And let them be embrae'd before your Eyes,
The object may content you; and, to perfect:
Their Entertainment, offer up your Sons,
And able Men for Slaves; while you that are
Prœtor of Syracuſe
The Corinthian General.
A Senator.
Unfit for Labour, are ſpurn'd out to ſtarve,
Unpity'd, in ſame Defert, no Friend by,
Whoſe Sorrow may ſpare one compaſſionate Tear
In the Remembrance of what once you were.
Obſerve how old Clean ſhakes,
As if in Picture he had ſhown him what
He was to ſuffer.
                        CLEORA.
If a Virgin,
Whoſe Speech was ever yet uſher'd with Fear;
I' th' Preſence of ſo many Reverend Men,
Struck dumb with Terror ami Aſtoniſhment,
Preſume to clothe her Thought in Vocal Sounds,
Let her find Pardon. First, to you, great Sir !
A baſhful Maid's Thanks, and her zealous Prayers
Wing'd with pure Innocence bearing them to Heaven,
For all Proſperity that the Gods can give
To one whoſe Piety muſt exact their Care;
Thus low I offer.
                        TIMOLEON.
'Tis a happy Omen.
Riſe, bleſt one, and ſpeak boldly.
                        CLEORA.
Then thus to you,
My noble Father, and theſe Lords, to whom
I next owe Duty; no reſpect forgotten
To you, my Brother, and theſe bold young Men
(Such I would have them) that are, or ſhould be,
The City's Sword, and Target of Defence;
To all of you I ſpeak; Think you all Treaſure
Hid in the Bowels of the Earth, or ſhipwreck'd
In Neptune's watry Kingdom, can hold Weight,
When Liberty and Honour fill one Scale,
Triumphant Juſtice fitting on the Beam ?
Or dare you but imagine that your Gold is
Too dear a Salary for ſuch as hazard
Their Blood and Lives in your Defence ? For me,
An ignorant Girl, bear Witneſs, Heaven! ſo far
I prize a Soldier, that, to give him Pay,
With ſuch Devotion as our Flamem offer
Their Sacrifices at the holy Altar,
I do lay down theſe Jewels, will make fale
Of my ſuperfluous Wardrobe, to ſupply
The meaneſt of their Wants.
                        TIMOLEON.
'Brave maſculine Spirit!
                        DlPHILUS.
We are ſhown, to our Shame, what we in Honour
Should have taught others.
Such a fair example
Muſt needs be follow'd.
                        TIMAGORAS.
Ever my dear Siſter;
But now our Family's Glory.
The Son of Archidaimit
The Daughter of Archidamus.
                        TlMOLEON.
We have Money :
And Men muſt now be thought on.
Archidamus.
We can preſs
Of Labourers in the Country (Men inur'd
To Cold and Heat) ten thouſand.
                        DIPHILUS.
Or, if Need be,
Inrol our Slaves.
                        CLEORA.
How ! your Slaves ?
O Stain of Honour!—Once more, Sir, your Pardon
And to their Shames let me deliver what
I know in Juſtice you may ſpeak.
                        TIMOLEON.
Moſt gladly :
I could not wiſh my Thoughts a better Organ
Than your Tongue to expreſs them.
                        CLEORA.
Are you Men ?
(For Age may qualify, tho' not excuſe,
The Backwardneſs of theſe) able young Men ?
Yet, now your Country's Liberty's at Stake,
Honour and glorious Triumph made a Garland
For ſuch as dare deſerve them; a rich Feaſt
Prepar'd by VICTORY, of immorral Viands,
Not for baſe Men, but ſuch as with their Swords
Dare force Admittance, and will be her Gueſts;
And can you coldly ſuffer ſuch Rewards
To be propos'd to Labourers and Slaves ?
While you, that are born Noble, cry. WELL DONE !
Like idle Lookers on, till their proud Worth
Make them become your Maſters ?
By my Hopes,
There's Fire and Spirit enough in this to make
Therfites valiant.
                        CLEORA.
Will you grant to them
The Privilege and Prerogative of great Minds,
Which you were born to ? HONOUR WON IN WAR ;
ARE TITLES FIT FOR FREE AND GENEROUS SPIRITS,
AND NOT FOR BONDMEN. Had I been born a Man,
And ſuch ne'er dying Glories made the prize
To bold heroic Courage, by Diana,
I would not to my Brother, nay, my Father,
Be brib'd to part with the leaſt Piece of Honour
I ſhould gain in this Action.
                        TIMOLEON.
She's inſpir'd,
Or in her ſpeaks the Genius of your Country,
To fire your blood in her Defence : I am rapp'd
With the Imagination.—Noble Maid !
Timoleon is your Soldier, and will ſweat
Drops of his beſt Blood, but he will bring home
Triumphant Conqueſt to you.
§ An avaricious and indoient Senator.

IT is needless to mention what followed this animating Debate. A Part of the Enemy was funk at Sea, thoſe that landed were
              immediately put to the Sword, and their Commander ſlain, fighting Hand to Hand, by one of the Speakers.

                                                        Printed for J. HATCHARD, 190 Piccadilly.

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