Page:The Maid's Tragedy Altered - Waller (1690).djvu/48

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The Maids Tragedy Alter'd.
And Verses are the potent charms we use,Heroic Thoughts and Vertue to infuse.When next we act this Tragedy again,Unless you like the Change, we shall be slain.The innocent Aspasia's Life or Death,Amintor's too, depends upon your breath.Excess of Love was heretofore the cause;Now if we dye, 'tis want of your applause.

Mr. Waller in his first Thoughts of Altering this Play, pitcht upon a design of ma­king Evadne go among the Vestals. But consi­dering, that the Persons in this Play are suppos'd to be Heathens, who never admitted any but pure Virgins among their Vestals; he changed his design. Nevertheless before he did so, he had writ the following Verses.

Evadne

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