ing from much better cheer,
For once, may venture to do penance here.
And since that plenteous autumn now is past,
Whose grapes and peaches have indulged your taste,
Take in good part, from our poor poet's board,
Such rivelled fruits as winter can afford.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

MARK ANTONY.
VENTIDIUS, _His General._
DOLABELLA, _his Friend._
ALEXAS, _the Queen's Eunuch._
SERAPION, _Priest of Isis._
MYRIS, _another Priest._
_Servants to_ ANTONY.

CLEOPATRA, _Queen of AEgypt._
OCTAVIA, ANTONY'S _Wife._
CHARMION, } CLEOPATRA'S _Maids._
IRAS, }
ANTONY'S _two little Daughters._

SCENE.--_Alexandria._

ALL FOR LOVE;

OR, THE

WORLD WELL LOST.

ACT I.

SCENE I.--_The Temple of_ ISIS.

_Enter_ SERAPION, MYRIS, _Priests of_ ISIS.

_Ser._ Portents and prodigies have grown so frequent,
That they have lost their name. Our fruitful Nile
Flowed ere the wonted season, with a torrent
So unexpected, and so wondrous fierce,
That the wild deluge overtook the haste
Even of the hinds that watched it: Men and beasts
Were borne above the tops of trees, that grew
On the utmost margin of the water-mark.
Then, with so swift an ebb the flood drove backward,
It slipt from underneath the scaly herd:
Here monstrous phocae; panted on the shore;
Forsaken dolphins there, with their broad tails
Lay lashing the departing waves: hard by them,
Sea-horses floundring in the slimy mud,
Tossed up their heads, and dashed the ooze about them.

_Enter_ ALEXAS _behind them._

_Myr._ Avert these omens, Heaven!

_Ser._ Last night, between the hours of twelve and one,
In a lone aisle of the temple while I walked,
A whirlwind rose, that, with a violent blast,
Shook all the dome: the doors around me clapt;
The iron wicket, that defends the vault,
Where the long race of Ptolemies is laid,
Burst open, and disclosed the mighty dead.
From out each monument, in order placed,
An armed ghost starts up: the boy-king last
Reared his inglorious head. A peal of groans
Then followed, and a lamentable voice
Cried, Egypt is no more. My blood ran back,
My shaking knees against each other knocked;
On the cold pavement down I fell entranced,
And so unfinished left the horrid scene.

_Alex._ And dreamed you this? or did invent the story,