_Almanz_. I wonnot go; I'll not be forced away: I came not for thy sake; nor do I stay. It was the queen who for my aid did send; And 'tis I only can the queen defend: I, for her sake, thy sceptre will maintain; And thou, by me, in spite of thee, shalt reign. The most applauded scenes in these plays turned upon nice discussions of metaphysical passion, such as in the days of yore were wont to be agitated in the courts and parliaments of love. Some puzzling dilemma, or metaphysical abstraction, is argued between the personages on the stage, whose dialogue, instead of presenting a scene of natural passion, exhibits a sort of pleading or combat of logic, in which each endeavours to defend his own opinion by catching up the idea expressed by the former speaker, and returning him his illustration, or simile, at the rebound; and where the lover hopes everything from his ingenuity, and trusts nothing to his passion. Thus, in the following scene between Almanzor and Almahide, the solicitations of the lover, and the denials of the queen, are expressed in the very carte and tierce of poetical argumentation: _Almah_. My light will sure discover those who talk.-- Who dares to interrupt my private walk? _Almanz_. He, who dares love, and for that love must die. And, knowing this, dares yet love on, am I. _Almah_. That love which you can hope, and I can pay, May be received and given in open day; My praise and my esteem you had before; And you have bound yourself to ask no more. _Almanz_. Yes, I have bound myself; but will you take The forfeit of that bond, which force did make? _Almah_. You know you are from recompence debarred; But purest love can live without reward. _Almanz_. Pure love had need be to itself a feast; For, like pure elements, 'twill nourish least. _Almah_. It therefore yields the only pure content; For it, like angels, needs no nourishment. To eat and drink can no perfection be; All appetite implies necessity. _Almanz_. 'Twere well, if I could like a spirit live; But, do not angels food to mortals give? What if some demon should my death foreshow, Or bid me change, and to the Christians go; Will you not think I merit some reward, When I my love above my life regard? _Almah_. In such a case your change must be allowed: I would myself dispense with what you vowed. _Almanz_. Were I to die that hour when I possess, This minute shall begin my happiness. _Almah_. The thoughts of death your passion would remove; Death is a cold encouragement to love. _Almanz_. No; from my joys I to my death would run, And think the business of my life well done: But I should walk a discontented ghost, If flesh and blood were to no purpose lost. This kind of Amoebaean dialogue was early ridiculed by the ingenious author of "Hudibras."[1]