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130 There, to the Throne of Mercy to pre- sent

Our sacrifice of prayer and of thanks- giving. {Exeunt Charles, Isabella, and others.)

END OF ACT THREE.

ACT FOURTH.

Scene 1.^ Before tlie house of Ravens- worth.

{Enter Ravensayorth from the house, meeting Walford.)

Ray. You come in happy time; I would have sought you Walford, my soul is sick, even to death. To look upon the miseries, our sins Bring down upon us. But I am re-

solv'd ; — This day's events at length have steel'd

my heart Against the accursed cause; who must

not longer Pollute, unquestion'd thus, our whole- some air. Walf. You know the cause then? Ray. Who can know this woman,

This Isabella, and be ignorant ! But she must answer it — the time is

come; She and her son must answer for their

deeds. And since my letters to the government Have f ail'd to bring their aid — ourselves,

my friend, Must call them to the judgment seat. Walf. Not so ;

Your efforts have been crown'd with sad

success. Commissioners have even now arriv'd, — I came to let you know it. Ray. Thanks, my friend,

You make me happ5\ Walf. Happy, Ravensworth !

Ray. And should I not rejoice that guilt like theirs Should cease to spread its poison thro' the land? Walf. Where shall we find the evidence

of guilt ? Ray. The trial shall produce it, doubt it not; Meantime, methinks the general belief

1 This scene was omitted in the representation.

In their dark crimes; the universal hor- ror

Inspir'd e'en by their presence — as if nature

Shudder'd instinctively at what was mon- strous.

And hostile to its laws, were, of them- selves,

A ground to rest the charge on. Walf. Ah, my friend,

If reason in a mind like yours, so form'd,

So fortified by knowledge, can bow down

Before the popular breath, what shall protect

From the all-with'ring blasts of super- stition

The unthinking crowd, in whom cre- dulity,

Is ever the first bom of ignorance? Ray. Walford, what meanest thou by su- perstition !

Is there in our religion aught forbidding

Belief in sorcery! Look Ihro' this land,

Or turn thine eyes abroad — are not the men

Most eminent for piety and knowledge —

The shining lights of a benighted age.

Are they not, too, believers? Walf. There have been,

In every age, among the learn'd, divines,

Statesmen, philosophers, astronomers.

Who have upheld with much ability,

The errors they believ'd in. Abstract points

In science, may be safely tolerated,

Altho' erroneous — But there may be doc- trines.

So fatal in their influence, that, until

Their truth is manifest, 'twere well not cast them.

With lavish hand, among the multitude..^ Ray. And is not sorcerj^ manifest as day?

Have not our senses testified unto it? Walf. We have heard infant witnesses aver it,

And seen them while they seem'd to suf- fer it;

We have heard wretches in despair con- fess it.

And have seen helpless creatures perish for it ;

And yet — Ray. What yet?

Walf. Ravensworth! these things

Have happened : on a day of gloom and terror.

When but to doubt was danger, to deny, death ;

When childish petulance, e'en idiocy,