Burthensome to itself, a few years longer; No, this vile world and I have long been jangling, Pier. Swear by some other powers, Till, to thyself, at least thou'rt reconcil'd, Jaf. No; thou shalt not force me from thee. Pier. A traitor? Jaf. Yes. Pier. A villain? Jaf. Granted. Pier. A coward, a most scandalous coward; Spiritless, void of honour; one who has sold Thy everlasting fame, for shameless life? Jaf. All, all and more, much more: my faults are numberless. Pier. And wouldst thou have me live on terms like thine; Base, as thou art false And here's the portion he has left me: [Holds the Dagger up. This dagger. Well remember'd! with this dagger, I gave a solemn vow of dire importance; Parted with this, and Belvidera together. Have a care, mem'ry, drive that thought no further: No, I'll esteem it as a friend's last legacy; Treasure it up within this wretched bosom, Where it may grow acquainted with my heart, That when they meet, they start not from each other. So now for thinking-A blow, call'd a traitor, villain, Coward, dishonourable coward; fough! Enter BELVIDera. Bending these miserable eyes on earth, stores, Hoarded for thee, of blessings yet untasted: My friend too, Belvidera, that dear friend, Jaf. Before we parted, Jaf. No; 'tis to me that's granted: The safety of thy life was all I aim'd at, In recompense for faith and trust so broken. Ere yet his guards had led him to his prison, Pier. Iscorn it more, because preserv'd by thee; Full of severest sorrows for his sufferings, And, as when first my foolish heart took pity With eyes o'erflowing, and a bleeding heart, On thy misfortunes, sought thee in thy miseries, As at his feet I kneel'd and su'd for mercy, Reliev'd thy wants, and rais'd thee from the state With a reproachful hand he dash'd a blow: Of wretchedness, in which thy fate had plung'd thee, To rank thee in my list of noble friends; So I restore it back to thee again; Never, from this curs'd hour to hold communion, Friendship, or interest, with thee, though our years Were to exceed those limited the world. He struck me, Belvidera! by heav'n, he struck me! Buffetted, call'd me traitor, villain, coward. Am I a coward? Am I a villain? Tell me: Thou'rt the best judge, and mad'st me, if I am so! Damnation! Coward! Bel. Oh! forgive him, Jaffier; And, if his sufferings wound thy heart already, Bel. To-morrow, When thou shalt see him stretch'd in all the agonies Of a tormenting and a shameful death; Just as thou wilt, because 'tis what I'm tir'd with. Like my eyes now. Pier. No more. Jaf. My eyes won't lose the sight of thee, But languish after thee, and ache with gazing. Pier. Leave me-Nay, then thus, thus I throw thee from me; And curses, great as is thy falsehood, thee. Jaf. Amen. He's gone, my father, friend, preserver, Juf. What means thy dreadful story? Death,and to-morrow! Broken limbs and bowels! Bel. The faithless senators, 'tis they've decreed it: They say, according to our friends' request, They shall have death, and not ignoble bondage: catch Declare their promis'd mercy all has forfeited: [Exit. False to their oaths, and deaf to intercession, Warrants are pass'd for public death to morrow. Jaf. Death! doom'd to die! condemn'd un- Witness it, earth, and every being witness: heard! unpleaded! 'Tis but one blow! yet by immortal love, Bel. Nay, cruel'st racks and torments are I cannot longer bear a thought to harm thee. [He throws away the Dagger and embraces her. preparing To force confession from their dying Jaf. Leave me, I charge thee, leave me- Wake in my heart. Bel. For what? Jaf. No more, but leave me. Jaf. Oh! by heav'n, I love thee with that I would not have thee stay a moment longer upon thee? The seal of Providence is sure upon thee: Nor till thy prayers are granted, set him free, [Pulls the Dagger half out of his But conquer him, as thou hast conquer'd me. Bosom, and puts it back again. Bel. No, everlasting comfort's in thy arms. To lean thus on thy breast, is softer ease ACT V. [Exeunt. Than downy pillows, deck'd with leaves of roses. SCENE I. — An Apartment in PRIULI'S House. Jaf. Alas! thou think'st not of the thorns 'tis fill'd with: Fly, ere they gall thee. There's a lurking serpent, Bel. No. Jaf. Call to mind Enter PRIULI. Pri.Why, cruel heav'n, have my unhappy days What thou hast done, and whither thou hast There my best blood runs foul, and a disease Bel. Hah! Jaf. Where's brought me. my friend? my friend, thou Nay, shrink not, now 'tis too late; thou shouldst have fled When thy guilt first had cause; for dire revenge Murder-Oh!-Hark thee, traitress, thou hast Thanks to thy tears, and false persuading love. [Fumbling for his Dagger. Bel. What means the lord Incurable has seiz'd upon my memory. Enter BELVIDERA, in a long mourning Veil. Bel. He's there, my father, my inhuman father, Pri. What child of sorrow Am fall'n into the lowest depths of misery, [Throws up her Veil. Bel. Yes, your daughter. Bel. Yes, I must; and you must hear too. Pri. Damn him. Bel. Oh! do not curse him; Pri. Ha! what means my child? Bel. Oh! my husband, my dear husband, Carries a dagger in his once kind bosom, To pierce the heart of your poor Belvidera. Pri. Kill thee! Of me, my life, and love? What's in thy bosom, Thou grasp'st at so? Nay, why am I thus treated? [Draws the Dagger and offers to stab her. Jaf. Know, Belvidera, when we parted last, I gave this dagger with thee, as in trust, To be thy portion if I e'er prov'd false. On such condition, was my truth believ'd: But now 'tis forfeited, and must be paid for. Bel. Yes, kill me. When he pass'd his faith [Offers to stab her again. And covenant against your state and senate, [Kneeling. He gave me up a hostage for his truth: With me a dagger and a dire commission, Whene'er he fail'd, to plunge it through this bosom. Bel. Oh! Mercy! [Leaps on his Neck, and kisses him. Jaf. I am, I am a coward; witness heav'n, I learnt the danger, chose the hour of love T'attempt his heart, and bring it back to honour. Jaf. No. I'll bless thee. Gall'd with remembrance of what then was sworn, If they are lost, he vows t'appease the gods Jaf. Then hear me, bounteous heav'n: To bear the loss of one that too much lov'd; Jaf. Yes, for ever parting; I have sworn, Belvidera, by yon heav'n, Bel. O! call back Your cruel blessing; stay with me and curse me. Bel. By all the tender days we've liv'd together, Bel. By these arms, that now cling round By these poor streaming eyes- To this curs'd minute, Bel. Leave thy dagger with me, Oh! my poor heart, when wilt thou break? Jaf. Yet stay: Bel. Another, sure another, Jaf. So now farewell. Bel. For ever? Oh! give me daggers, fire, or water: Huzzing and booming round my sinking head, SCENE III-A Scaffold, and a Wheel pre- Pier. My friend not come yet? Enter JAFFIER. Jaf. Speak aloud thy burthen'd soul, And tell thy troubles to thy tortur'd friend. Pier. Friend! Couldst thou yet be a friend, a generous friend, I might hope comfort from thy noble sorrows. That would not thus scorn my repenting virtue, But it shall be to see thy fall reveng'd Be expos'd a common carcass on a wheel? Pier. Speak! is't fitting? Pier. Yes; is't fitting? Pier. I'd have thee undertake Pier. I'll make haste. Oh, Jaffier! Though thou'st betray'd me, do me some way justice. Jaf. No more of that: thy wishes shall be satisfied; child too, I have a wife, and she shall bleed: my T' appease thee [Going away, Pierre holds him. Pier.No-this-no more. [WhispersJaffier Jaf. Ha! is't then so?. Pier. Most certainly. Jaf. I'll do it. Pier. Remember. Pier. Come, now I'm ready. [He and Jaffier ascend the Scaffold. Captain, you should be a gentleman of honour; Keep off the rabble, that I may have room To entertain my fate, and die with decency. Come. Takes off his Gown, Executioner prepares to bind him. You'll think on't. [To Jaffier. Juf. Twon't grow stale before to-morrow. Pier. Now, Jaffier! now I'm going. Now[Executioner having bound him. Jaf. Have at thee, Thou honest heart, then-here- [Stabs him. Jaf. Bravely. senate. Pier. Ha, ha, ha-oh! oh! Jaf. Now, ye curs'd rulers, [Dies. Thus of the blood y'ave shed, I make libation At such a rate, as Venice long shall groan for. Sir, I have wife, bear this in safety to her, Pier. Wilt thou? Jaf. I will, by heav'n. Pier. Then still thour't noble, And I forgive thee. Oh!-yet-shall I trust thee? Jaf.Rip up my heart, and satisfy thy doubtings. That must have vent: Though I'm a villain, tell me. Pier. See'st thou that engine? [Pointing to the Wheel. Jaf. Why? Pier. Is't fit a soldier, who has liv'd with honour, Fought nation's quarrels, and been crown'd with conquest A token that with my dying breath I bless'd her, them. SCENE. IV.-An Apartment at PRIULI'S. Soft Music. Enter BELVIDERA, distracted, led by two of her Women; PRIULI and Servants. Pri. Strengthen her heart with patience, pitying heav'n. Bel. Come, come, come, come, come, nay, come to bed, Pr'ythee, my love. The winds; hark how they whistle; And the rain beats: Oh! how the weather shrinks me! You are angry now, who cares? Pish, no indeed, Choose then; I say you shall not go, you shall not; Whip your ill nature; get you gone then. Oh! Are you return'd? See, father, here he's come again: Am I to blame to love him? O, thou dear one, Pri. Daughter! Why do you fly me? Are you angry still then? Bel. Ha! look there! Jaffier, where art thou? father, why do you My husband bloody, and his friend too! Murder! Who has done this? Speak to me, thou sad do-thus? I may revenge myself for this trick, one day. vision: On these poor trembling knees I beg it. Vanish'd Here they went down-Oh, I'll dig, dig the You shan't delude me thus. Hoa, Jaffier, Jaffier, They have hold on me, and drag me to the Nay-now they pull so hard-farewell- THE ORPHAN OF CHINA; OR, The Unhappy Marriage. Tragedy by Thomas Otway. Acted at the Duke's Theatre 1680. The plot is founded on the history of Brandon, in a novel called English Adventures, published in 1667. The language is truly poetical, tender, and sentimental, the circumstances are affecting and the catastrophe is distressfull. Yet there is somewhat improbable in the particular on which all the distresses are founded; and we must own that we incline to the opinion of that person, who, on first seeing it, exclaimed, "Oh! what an infinite deal of mischief would a farthing rushlight have prevented!" We cannot avoid remarking, says the Biographia Dramatica, that the compassion of the audience has commonly appeared misplaced; it lighting in general on the whining, irresolute Castalio, instead of falling, where it ought to do, on the more spirited and open-hearted Polydore, who, in consequence of concealments on the side of his brother, which he could not have any reason to expect, and by which he is really injured, is tempted in his love and resentment to an act which involves him in greater horror and distress than any of the other characters can undergo, from the more bloody effects it produces. This partiality has, however, always appeared to us to arise from some strokes of libertinism thrown into the early parts of Polydore's character, which give an air of looseness to it, and prejudice the audience against him through the whole play. As Dr. Johnson observes, "it is one of the few pieces that keep possession of the stage, and has pleased for almost a century, through all the vicissitudes of dramatic fashion. Of this play nothing new can easily be said. It is a domestic tragedy drawn from middle life. Its whole power is upon the affections; for it is not written with much comprehension of thought, or elegance of expression. But if the heart is interested, many other beauties may be wanting, yet not be missed." Voltaire, who (from his egregious vanity) seldom spoke of an English author but in a strain of ridicule, has sarcastically, yet not without some appearance of truth, observed of the impetuous Chamont: "There is a brother of Monimia, a soldier of fortune, who, because he and his sister are cherished and maintained by this worthy family, abuses them all round. 'Do me justice, you old Put,' says he to the father, or, damme, I'll set your house on fire.'-'My dear boy,' says the accommodating old gentleman, you shall have justice."" ACT I. ERNESTO. SCENE.- Bohemia. SCENE I.-A Garden. Cas. Ay, then, my brother, my friend, Po- Like Perseus mounted on his winged steed, Came on, and down the dang'rous precipice leap'd' To save Castalio.-'Twas a godlike act! Pol. But when I came, I found you conqueror. Oh! my heart danc'd, to see your danger past! The heat and fury of the chase was cold, And I had nothing in my mind but joy. CHAMON FLORELLA. Cas. So, Polydore, methinks, we might in war Pol. No, let me purchase in my youth renown, Has ta'en himself a surfeit of the world, Pol. Castalio, I have doubts within my heart, |