The evil destiny surprised my brother Too suddenly: he could not think on them.
Speak not of vengeance! Speak not of maltreatment! The Emperor is appeased; the heavy fault Hath heavily been expiated-nothing Descended from the father to the daughter, Except his glory and his services.
The Empress honors your adversity, Takes part in your afflictions, opens to you Her motherly arms! Therefore no farther fears; Yield yourself up in hope and confidence To the Imperial Grace!
COUNTESS (with her eye raised to heaven) To the grace and mercy of a greater Master Do I yield up myself Where shall the body Of the Duke have its place of final rest? In the Chartreuse, which he himself did found At Gitschin, rest the Countess Wallenstein; And by her side, to whom he was indebted For his first fortunes, gratefully he wish'd He might sometime repose in death! O let him Be buried there. And likewise, for my husband's Remains, I ask the like grace. The Emperor Is now proprietor of all our Castles.
This sure may well be granted us-one sepulchre Beside the sepulchres of our forefathers!
[He reads the address, and delivers the letter to OCTAVIO with a look of reproach, and with an emphasis on the word.
To the Prince Piccolomini.
[OCTAVIO, with his whole frame expressive of sud den anguish, raises his eyes to heaven.
ACCEPT, as a small testimony of my grateful attach- ment, the following Dramatic Poem, in which I have endeavored to detail, in an interesting form, the fall of a man, whose great bad actions have cast a dis-The tempest gathers—be it mine to seek astrous lustre on his name. In the execution of the A friendly shelter, ere it bursts upon him. work, as intricacy of plot could not have been at- tempted without a gross violation of recent facts, it has been my sole aim to imitate the impassioned and highly figurative language of the French Orators, and to develop the characters of the chief actors on a vast stage of horrors.
JESUS COLLEGE, September 22, 1794.
But where? and how? I fear the Tyrant's soul-- Sudden in action, fertile in resource,
And rising awful 'mid impending ruins; In splendor gloomy, as the midnight meteor, That fearless thwarts the elemental war. When last in secret conference we met, He scowl'd upon me with suspicious rage, Making his eye the inmate of my bosom.
I know he scorns me-and I feel, I hate him- Yet there is in him that which makes me tremble! [Exit.
Myself! the steel-strong Rectitude of soul And Poverty sublime 'mid circling virtues! The giant Victories, my counsels form'd, Shall stalk around me with sun-glittering plumes, Bidding the darts of calumny fall pointless. [Exeunt cæteri. Manet COUTHON.
So we deceive ourselves! What goodly virtues Bloom on the poisonous branches of ambition! Still, Robespierre! thou 'lt guard thy country's freedom To despotize in all the patriot's pomp.
While Conscience, 'mid the mob's applauding clamors, Sleeps in thine ear, nor whispers-blood-stain'd tyrant! Yet what is Conscience? Superstition's dream, Making such deep impression on our sleep- That long th' awaken'd breast retains its horrors! But he returns-and with him comes Barrere.
There are who wish my ruin-but I'll make them Blush for the crime in blood!
Nay, but I tell thee, Thou art too fond of slaughter-and the right (If right it be) workest by most foul means!
Self-centering Fear! how well thou canst ape Mercy! Too fond of slaughter!-matchless hypocrite! Thought Barrere so, when Brissot, Danton died? Thought Barrere so, when through the streaming
Of Paris red-eyed Massacre o'er-wearied Reel'd heavily, intoxicate with blood? And when (O heavens!) in Lyons' death-red square Sick Fancy groan'd o'er putrid hills of slain, Didst thou not fiercely laugh, and bless the day? [Exit CoUTHON. Why, thou hast been the mouth-piece of all horrors, And, like a blood-hound, crouch'd for murder! Now Aloof thou standest from the tottering pillar,
Enter ROBESPIERRE and BARRERE.
There is no danger but in cowardice.— Barrere! we make the danger, when we fear it. We have such force without, as will suspend The cold and trembling treachery of these members.
Twill be a pause of terror.
But to whom? Rather the short-lived slumber of the tempest, Gathering its strength anew. The dastard traitors! Moles, that would undermine the rooted oak! A pause!—a moment's pause !—'T is all their life.
Yet much they talk-and plausible their speech. Couthon's decree has given such powers, thai-
They wish to clog the wheels of government, Forcing the hand that guides the vast machine To bribe them to their duty-English patriots! Are not the congregated clouds of war Black all around us? In our very vitals Works not the king-bred poison of rebellion? Say, what shall counteract the selfish plottings Of wretches, cold of heart, nor awed by fears Of him, whose power directs th' eternal justice? Terror? or secret-sapping gold? The first Heavy, but transient as the ills that cause it; And to the virtuous patriot render'd light By the necessities that gave it birth: The other fouls the fount of the republic, Making it flow polluted to all ages; Inoculates the state with a slow venom, That, once imbibed, must be continued ever. Myself incorruptible, I ne'er could bribe them— Therefore they hate me.
SCENE changes to the house of Adelaide. ADELAIDE enters, speaking to a SERVANT.
Didst thou present the letter that I gave thee? Did Tallien answer, he would soon return?
O this new freedom! at how dear a price We've bought the seeming good! The peaceful virtues And every blandishment of private life, The father's cares, the mother's fond endearment, All sacrificed to Liberty's wild riot. The winged hours, that scatter'd roses round me, Languid and sad drag their slow course along, And shake big gall-drops from their heavy wings. But I will steal away these anxious thoughts By the soft languishment of warbled airs, If haply melodies may lull the sense Are the sections friendly? Of sorrow for a while.
Ah! rather let me ask what mystery lowers On Tallien's darken'd brow. Thou dost me wrong- Thy soul distemper'd, can my heart be tranquil?
Tell me, by whom thy brother's blood was spilt? Asks he not vengeance on these patriot murderers? It has been borne too tamely. Fears and curses Groan on our midnight beds, and e'en our dreams Threaten the assassin hand of Robespierre. He dies!-nor has the plot escaped his fears.
Tallien! was this a time for amorous conference? Henriot, the tyrant's most devoted creature, Marshals the force of Paris: the fierce club, With Vivier at their head, in loud acclaim Have sworn to make the guillotine in blood Float on the scaffold.-But who comes here? Enter BARRERE abruptly.
Say, are ye friends to Freedom? I am her's! Let us, forgetful of all common feuds, Rally around her shrine! E'en now the tyrant Concerts a plan of instant massacre !
Away to the Convention! with that voice So oft the herald of glad victory,
Rouse their fallen spirits, thunder in their ears The names of tyrant, plunderer, assassin! The violent workings of my soul within Anticipate the monster's blood?
[Cry from the street of "No Tyrant! Down with the Tyrant!"
Even for a moment hold his fate suspended, Hear ye that outcry?-If the trembling members I swear, by the holy poniard that stabb'd Cæsar, This dagger probes his heart!
SCENE.-The Convention. ROBESPIERRE (mounts the Tribune). Once more befits it that the voice of Truth, Fearless in innocence, though leaguer'd round By Envy and her hateful brood of hell, Be heard amid this hall; once more befits The patriot, whose prophetic eye so oft Has pierced through faction's veil, to flash on crimes Of deadliest import. Mouldering in the grave Sleeps Capet's caitiff corse; my daring hand Levell'd to earth his blood-cemented throne, My voice declared his guilt, and stirr'd up France To call for vengeance. I too dug the grave Where sleep the Girondists, detested band! Long with the show of freedom they abused Her ardent sons. Long time the well-turn'd phrase. Hate him as they fear him, of declamation, thunder'd in this hall, The high-fraught sentence, and the lofty tone
Yet-yet-be cautious! much I fear the Commune- The tyrant's creatures, and their fate with his Fast link'd in close indissoluble union. The Pale Convention-
I urged the cause of justice, stripp'd the mask From Faction's deadly visage, and destroy'd Her traitor brood. Whose patriot arm hurl'd down Hebert and Rousin, and the villain friends Of Danton, foul apostate! those, who long Mask'd Treason's form in Liberty's fair garb,
Long deluged France with blood, and durst defy Omnipotence! but I, it seems, am false! I am a traitor too! I-Robespierre! I-at whose name the dastard despot brood
Look pale with fear, and call on saints to help them! Who dares accuse me? who shall dare belie My spotless name? Speak, ye accomplice band, Of what am I accused? of what strange crime Is Maximilian Robespierre accused,
That through this hall the buzz of discontent Should murmur? who shall speak?
His merchant wiles! Oh, grant me patience, Heaven' Was it by merchant wiles I gain'd you back Toulon, when proudly on her captive towers Waved high the English flag? or fought I then With merchant wiles, when sword in hand I led Your troops to conquest? Fought I merchant-like, Or barter'd I for victory, when death Strode o'er the reeking streets with giant stride, And shook his ebon plumes, and sternly smiled Amid the bloody banquet? when appall'd, The hireling sons of England spread the sail
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