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LYCANDER AND POLYPHON;

OR,

THE RIVAL BROTHERS.

AN ANCIENT BRITISH STORY.

By Mr. Harrison.

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N those dark days of lawless anarchy, when the feudal system prevailed throughout Europe; and every peer had his legions of enslaved vassals, ready to sacrifice lives of little value to themselves, for the promotion of his own arbitrary views, or to secure him all the base gratifications of his brutal and ungoverned appetites; it was the fortune of the good Clytiphon to live in the neighbourhood of Baron Laon, a nobleman of the most unblemished honour.

Clytiphon had lost an amiable wife on the very day in which she had presented him with a daughter, the sole pledge of their mutual attachment and the education of his darling girl, with the fond hope of seeing her happily fixed in a station equal to her merits, constituted the full measure of that bliss which he now looked for on this side the grave.

Sophinia was the exact image of Cythania, her deceased mother, whose personal charms had seldom been equalled; and often, indeed, did the notice of their strong resemblance suddenly overwhelm Clytiphon with a flood of tears, which kindly dimmed his sight, and secluded the painfully pleasing vision, for a few minutes, that he might have time to recollect himself, and submit, without repining, to the will of Him, 'who had given, and who had taken away!'

But Sophinia, like her departed mother, possessed accomplishments more valuable, and more lasting, than beauty: her manners were mild and amiable, and her mind was at once pure and enlightened.

With such attractions, it may seem unnecessary to add, that she was adored by every youth who beheld her; after observing, therefore, that the noble Laon, her illustrious neighbour, had two sons, Lycander and Polyphon, it will not appear at all extraordinary, that both should be enamoured of this paragon of perfection; and, though brothers, prove rivals for her love.

These noble youths greatly resembled each other in person, but their minds were widely different. Their forms were equally elegant; and the features of each were pleasing, though in different degrees. Lycander, the eldest, was of what is usually denominated a saturnine complexion; Polyphon, the youngest, of a more open countenance, and a less reserved disposition; yet they loved each other with the truest fraternal affection; till that potent passion, which is the tyrant of the human heart, entered their perturbed bosoms, to subjugate every opposing regard.

Long had the illustrious youths nourished their growing love for Sophinia; and long had they dreaded the much to be dreaded effects of a rivalry, which each could perceive already began to destroy that anlimited confidence, that mutually unreserved communication of sentiments, which had heretofore subsisted between them.

The intimacy of the two families, notwithstanding the difference of rank, gave them frequent opportunities of visiting the peaceful mansion of Clytiphon, and of enjoying the conversation of his lovely daughter; and Sophinia had very early perceived their ceaseless efforts to in-. spire her with a regard which she felt the impropriety of entertaining for either.

This was the original suggestion of reason; but love soon intruded sentiments more gratifying to the not altogether illaudible ambition of a virtuous young woman, who felt herself disposed to merit, as much as possible, any advancement which Fortune should be inclined to bestow. But though ambition might be best gratified by an attachment to the elder brother; her heart, governed by no sordid considerations, hesitated not to decide in favour of Polyphon. Yet she feared, with great reason, the fatal consequences of Lycander's impetuous temper, should he by any means discover that he was likely to be disappointed in what was manifestly, at this period, the first great pursuit of

his life.

Polyphon, however, had too large a share of understanding, not to perceive the partiality in his favour; nor was the too violent love of Lycander accompanied by so small a degree of its concomitant jealousy, as to be quite free from suspicion of the fact, which his pride only refused to recognize.

Polyphon having at length obtained from Sophinia an acknowledgment that she could not remain insensible of his regards, with much difficulty prevailed on her so far to favour his pretensions, as privately to bless him with her company, as often as possible, in those sequestered shades which surrounded the retirement of Clytiphon. Amidst the mazes of these delightful retreats, the lovers had frequently contrived to meet undiscovered; and there, with a purity equal to that of the chastest inhabitants of the groves, the sole witnesses of what angles might without disapprobation have beheld, they repeatedly interchanged vows of eternal constancy, and protestations of unalterable regard. They lamented, it is true, on these occasions, the necessity of thus meeting in private; but they dreaded the consequence to Lycander's peace, should they venture to make a hasty public avowal of an attachment which was in reality their chief pride, and thus suddenly consign him to the pangs of so severe a disappointment, without that gradual preparation which they felt would be requisite, though the means of adopting measures, at once sufficiently delicate, and fully adequate to the task of producing this de

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sirable effect, invariably baffled all their endeavours, when the hour for practice arrived, though the theory had not unfrequently amused them with the hope of accomplishing what they both so ardently

wished.

But while the lovers were thus anxious to shield Lycander from infelicity, he was full as actively engaged in pursuits calculated to destroy their happiness.

The vigilance of jealousy, though it had for some time been eluded, at length discovered that Polyphon and Sophinia had pri vate interviews; and the agony which this discovery conveyed to the mind of Lycander, is neither to be described by a writer, nor conceived by a reader, who has never felt the misery of a similar situa

tion.

Unaccustomed to restraints of any kind, he would have instantly rushed on the lovers, and sacrificed the life of the one, and the still dearer honour of the other; but they were quitting the retirement too favourable to such a design, when he at first perceived them......himself unperceived......and a single moment's reflection was sufficient to deter him from the actual perpetration of such savage barbarity.

His more deliberate purpose, however, was perhaps little less in

human.

· Lycander had long been in habits of intimacy with Miranthus, a young man in the uncontrouled possession of an ample fortune, and whose passions were congenial with his own.

To him, therefore, he hastened; and, having bitterly inveighed against what he judged it expedient to denominate the perfidy of his brother, it was agreed to watch narrowly the motions of Polyphon, and contrive that he should be effectually delayed, as by accident, on his way to meet Sophinia, at their next intended interview, while she was carried off by armed ruffians, the vassals of Miranthus, to a solitary castle in the neighbourhood, where she should either be persuaded or compelled to give her hand to Lycander.

At the same time it was concerted, that a sufficient force should be in readiness to defend the castle against all attacks from the friends and dependants of Polyphon; who, it was not doubted, would soon discover where the object of his regards was concealed.

In two days an opportunity offered; and the amiable Sophinia, having just entered the grove, where she expected to find, as usual, her beloved Polyphon impatiently waiting, was suddenly alarmed by the approach of three armed men, rushing from a thicket, who instantly seized the shrieking fair, and soon conveyed her to the place which had been agreed on, where she was shut up in a gloomy apartment, and left to meditate alone on her situation, in undescribable agony.

As yet Lycander had not made his appearance; but Sophinia rightly conjectured, as soon as she was capable of reflecting, that it was to his machinations she owed this otherwise unaccountable violence.

In the evening, this idea was abundantly confirmed by his entrance. He bad at length summoned up resolution enough to meet the fair whom he had thus injured: but he was unable to approach without tremb ling; and his tongue faltered with the consciousness of its base office, as he framed excuses to palliate his unjustifiable conduct.

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