Were but as chaff, pois'd 'gainst the massy gold, In noble, virtuous worth, to none a second: Her dying parents left, this noble woman In faith! I mean you no discourtesy. Fane. [Off her guard, in a soft, natural tone of voice.] Oh no! nor do me any. De Mon. What voice speaks now? Withdraw-withdraw this shade! For if thy face bears semblance to thy voice, I'll fall, and worship thee!-Pray! pray undo! Here another incident, which arises naturally, displays the judgment as well as genius of the poet, and her wonderful art in advancing the progress of her fable. While De Monfort is in the act of forcing her veil from her face he is opposed:-and by whom, but by Rezervelt, who thus throws oil upon the fire of his hatred and indignation. Rez. Stand off! no hand shall lift this sacred veil. De Mon. What, dost thou think De Monfort fall'n so low, Who dares to say he shall not? Rez. He lives, who dares to say Fane. [Throwing back her veil, very much alarmed, and rushing between them.] Forbear! forbear! [REZENVELT, very much struck, steps back respectfully, and makes her a very low bow. DE MONFORT stands for a while motionless, gazing upon her, till she, looking expressively to him, extends her arms, and he, rushing into them, bursts into tears. FREBERG seems very much pleased. The company then gather about them, and the scene closes.] The scene changes to De Monfort's apartment, discovers lady Jane expostulating with her brother. She probes him to the quick; deprecates the indulgence of his secret feelings, and presses him to a discovery, with a tenderness so eloquent and a reasoning so dignified, that not even a faint conception can be formed of it, but by reading the words themselves. But as the transcription of them here would overload these observations beyond the allowance usually given to a concise analysis, we must refer our readers to the play itself, and proceed to those parts which are more immediately necessary to the concatenation of the plot and the development of the main character. In their conference Jane exhibits perfection so much more than human, that we fear it can exist only in a poet's fancy: finding him seriously reluctant to disclose his secret, she expresses her willingness to remain ignonorant of it,— Then secret let it be!! In his agitation, however, he lets fall an expression which harrows up her soul, and rekindles her desire to know the whole.-When he exclaims Oh, that cursed villain! He will not let me be the man she falls on her knees in an agony of grief; on which he can no longer resist her importunities, and agrees to reveal to her his whole heart. Upon her suggesting the likelihood of its being an affair of love. De Mon. A lover, say'st thou? No, it is hate! black, lasting, deadly hate; Which thus hath driv'n me forth from kindred peace, To be a sullen wand'rer on the earth, Avoiding all men, cursing, and accurs'd. Jane. De Monfort, this is fiendlike, frightful, terrible! What being, by th' Almighty Father form'd, Of flesh and blood, created even as thou, Could in thy breast such horrid tempest wake, Who art thyself his fellow? Unknit thy brows, and spread those wrath-clench'd hands: Some sprite accurs'd within thy bosom, mates To work thy ruin. Strive with it, my brother! Strive bravely with it;-drive it from thy breast: 'Tis the degrader of a noble heart; Curse it, and bid it part. De Mon. It will not part. I've lodg'd it here too long; [His hand on his breast. With my first cares I felt its rankling touch, I loath'd him when a boy. June. Who didst thou say? De Mon. Oh! that detested Rezenvelt! Th' impotent bite of some half-trodden worm, It drove me frantic-What, what would I give! Jane. And would thy hatred crush the very man To aim at his? Oh, this is horrible! De Mon. Ha! Thou hast heard it, then? From all the world, But most of all, from thee, I thought it hid. Jane. I heard a secret whisper, and resolv'd Upon the instant, to return to thee. Didst thou receive my letter? De Mon. I did! I did! 'twas that which drove me hither. I could not bear to meet thine eye again. Jane. Alas! that, tempted by a sister's tears, I ever left thy house! these few past months, Had I remain'd with thee it had not been. And then, as says report, you parted friends. De Mon. When he disarm'd this curs'd, this worthless hand From dev'lish pride, which now derives a bliss Until that day, till that accursed day, I knew not half the torment of this hell, Which burns within my breast. Heaven's lightning blast him! Jane. O this is horrible! Forbear, forbear! Lest Heaven's vengeance light upon thy head, For this most impious wish. De Mon. Then let it light. Torments more fell than I have felt already It cannot send. To be annihilated, To be what all men shrink from-to be dust, be nothing, Were bliss to me, compar'd to what I am. Fane. Oh! wouldst thou kill me with these dreadful words? De Mon. [Raising his arms to Heaven.] Let me but once upon his ruin look, Then close mine eyes for ever! Here then we have the whole amount of his provocation to the deadly hatred of De Monfort unfolded to us. And "the very head and front of Rezen velt's offending" turns out to be no greater than Envious gibing malice, poorly veiled In the affected carelessness of mirth. Yet this, trifling as it may appear, is too much for human frailty to endure with unruffled temper. Doctor Johnson somewhere remarks that there can be no stronger symptom of a bad heart than to be at once merry and malicious.—But we have already said enough upon this part of the subject, and will drop it. The expostulations of lady Jane and count Freberg at length get a kind of extorted consent from De Monfort to meet Rezenvelt on friendly terms, and to interchange kindnesses with him. The latter advances with undisguised frankness, and offers his hand saying, "let us be friends, and think of this no more;" to which the former with dignity replies, No, my lord. I will not offer you an hand of concord, And poorly hide the motives which constrain me. I would, that, not alone these present friends, I owe my spared life to your forbearance. [Holding out his hands.] Take this from one, who boasts no feel ing warmth, But never will deceive. On hearing this, all are happy: lady Jane is in transports of joy, and Rezenvelt, overcome, runs to De Monfort with open arms to embrace him. Rez. Away with hands! I'll have thee to my breast. Here the fiend of rancor at once resumes his dominion over the heart of De Monfort; he shrinks back from Rezenvelt, and, in a cold and lofty tone, replies: De Mon. Nay, if you please, I am not so prepar'd- I pray you pardon me. [Jane's countenance changes. But take this hand, the token of respect; The token of a mind that bears within A sense impressive of the debt it owes you; To do you any harm. Rez. Well, be it so, De Monfort, I'm contented; [Carelessly.] I take of worthy men whate'er they give. If that too is withheld, a courteous word, Or the civility of placid looks; And, if e'en these are too great favours deem'd, With plain and homely greeting, or, God save ye! F |