Never a whito wing, wetted by the wave, Fear not, though we are shut from Heaven, Yet dared to soar, Yet much is ours,whence wecan notbedriven. Even when the waters wax'd too fierce Raphael. Rebel! thy words are wicked, to brave. as thy deeds Soon it shall be their only shore, Shall henceforth be but weak : the flaming And then, no more! sword, Japhet. The sun! the sun! Which chased the first-born out of Paradise, Ho riseth, but his better light is gone; Still flashes in the angelic hands. And a black circle, bound Azaziel. It cannot slay us: threaten dust His glaring disk around, with death, Proclaims earth's last of summer-days hath And talk of weapons unto that which bleeds! shone! What are thy swords in our immortal eyes? The clouds return into the hues of night, Raphael. The moment cometh to approve Save where their brazen-colour'd edges thy strength; streak And learn at length The verge where brighter morns were How vain to war with what thy God wont to break. commands: Enter Mortals, flying for refuge. Chorus of Mortals. Hence to where our all-hallow'd ark uprears The heavens and earth are mingling-God! Its safe and wreckless sides. oh God! Japhet. Oh, father, stay! What have we done? Yet spare! Leave not my Anah to the swallowing tides! Hark! even the forest-beasts howl forth Noah. Must we not leave all life to such? their prayer! Begone! The dragon crawls from out his den, Japhet. Not I. To herd in terror innocent with men; Noah. Then die And the birds scream their agony through air. With them! Yet, yet, Jehovah! yet withdraw thy rod How dar'st thou look on that prophetic sky, Of wrath, and pity thineown world's despair! And seek to save what all things now Hear not Man only but all Nature plead! condemn, Raphael Farewell, thou earth! ye In overwhelming unison wretched sons of clay, With just Jehovah's wrath? I cannot, must not aid you. 'Tis decreed ! Japhet. Can rage and justice join in the [Exit Raphael. same path? Japhet. Some clouds sweep on, as vulNoah. Blasphemer! dar’st thou murmur tures for their prey, even now ? While others, fix'd as rocks, await the word Raphael. Patriarch, be still a father! At which their wrathful vials shall be pour’d. smoothe thy brow: No azure more shall robe the firmament, Thy son, despite his folly, shall not sink; Nor spangled stars be glorious : Death hath Heknows not what he says, yet shall not drink risen: With sobs the salt foam of the swelling In the Sun's place a pale and ghastly glare waters; Hath wound itself around the dying air. But be, when Passion passeth, good as thou, Azaziel. Come, Anah! quit this chaosNor perish like Heaven's children with founded prison, Man's daughters. To which the elements again repair, Aholibamah. The Tempest cometh; Hea- To turn it into what it was: beneath ven and Earth unite The shelter of these wings thou shalt be safe, For the annihilation of all life. As was the eagle's nestling once within Unequal is the strife Its mother's.- Let the coming chaos chafe Between our strength and the Eternal Might! With all its elements! Heed not their din! Samiasa, But ours is with thee: we will A brighter world than this, where thou bear ye far shalt breathe To some untroubled star, Ethereal life, will we explore: Where thou and Anah shall partake our lot: These darkend clouds are not the only skics. And if thou dost not weep for thy lost earth, [Azaziel and Samiasa fly off, and disOur forfeit Heaven shall also be forgot. appcar with Anah and Aholibamah. Anah. Oh! my dear father's tents, my Japhet. They are gone! They have displace of birth! appear'd amidst the roar And mountains, land, and woods, when ye of the forsaken world; and never more, are not, Whether they live,or die with all earth's life, Who shall dry up my tears ? Now near its last, can aught restore Azuzicl. Thy Spirit-lord. Anah unto these cyes. Chorus of Mortals. Then to Jehovah raise Who die in the Lord! spread, A Mortal (offering her infant to Japhet). Yet, us His word, Oh let this child embark ! Be the decree adored! He gave me life, He taketh but The breath which is His own : Nor longer this weak voice before His What hath he done throne My unwean'd son Be heard in supplicating tone, To move Jehovah's wrath or scorn? Still blessed be the Lord, What is there in this milk of mine, that Death For what is past, For that which is: For all are His, From first to lastSave him, thou seed of Seth! ime-space--eternity-life-deathOr cursed be—with Him who made The vast known and immeasurable onThee and thy race,for which we are betray'd ! known. Japhet. Peace! 'tis no hour for curses, He made, and can unmake ; but for prayer! And shall I, for a little gasp of breath, Blaspheme and groan ? No; let me die, as I have lived, in faith, Nor quiver, though the universe may quake! Chorus of Mortals. Where shall we fly? Not to the mountains high; bend For now their torrents rush with double roar, And burst, To meet the ocean, which, advancing still, And gushing oceans every barrier rend, Already grasps each drowning hill, Nor leaves an unsearch'd cave. Enter a Woman. Our valley is no more: Why should our hymn be raised, our knees My father and my father's tent, be bent My brethren and my brethren's herds, Before the implacable Omnipotent, The pleasant trees that o'er our noonday bent Since we must fall the same ? And sent forth evening-songs from sweetest If He hath made earth, let it be His shame, birds, To make a world for torture:—Lo! they The little rivulet which freshen'd all come, Our pastures green, The loathsome waters in their rage! No more are to be seen. And with their roar make wholesome Nature When to the mountain-cliff I climb'd this dumb! morn, The forest's trees (coeval with the hour I turn'd to bless the spot, When Paradise upsprung, And not a leaf appear'd about to fall;Ere Eve gave Adam knowledge for her And now they are not ! dower, Why was I born? So massy, vast, yet green in their old age, And happier in that doom, Than to behold the universal tomb Am thus condemn’d to weep above in vain: Vainly we look up to the lowering skies— Why, when all perish, why must I remain? They meet the seas, [The Waters rise: Men fly in every direcAnd shut out God from our beseeching eyes. tion; many are overtaken by the waves; Fly, son of Noah, fly, and take thine ease the Chorus of Mortals disperses in search In thine allotted Ocean-tent; of safety up the Mountains; JAPHET reAnd view, all floating o'er the Element, mains upon a rock, while the Ark floats The corpscs of the world of thy young days : towards him in the distance. THE TWO FOSCARI, AN HISTORICAL TRAGEDY. The father softens, but the governor 's resolved. CRITIC. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. MEN. WOMAN. Scene- the Ducal Palace, Venice. Other Senators, the Council of Ten, Guards, Attendants, etc. ACT I. Barb. Yet panse—the number of our colleagues is not SCENE I.-A Hall in the Ducal Palace. Complete yet; two are wanting ere we can Enter LOREDANO and BARBARIGO, meeting. Proceed. Lored. And the chief judge, the Doge? Loredano. WHERE is the prisoner? Barb. No- he Barbarigo. Reposing from With more than Roman fortitude is ever The question. First at the board in this unhappy process Lored. The hour's past-fix'd yesterday Against his last and only son. For the resumption of his trial.- Let us Lored. True-trueRejoin our colleagues in the council, and His last. Urge his recal. Barb. Will nothing move you? Barb. Nay, let him profit by Lored. Feels he, think you ? A few brief minutes for his tortured limbs; Barb. í He shows is not. He was o’erwrought by the question Lored. I have mark'd that, the wretch! yesterday, Barb. But yesterday, I hear, on his return And may die under it if now repeated. To the ducal chambers, as he pass'd the Lored. Well ? threshold Barb. I yield not to you in love of The old man fainted. justice, Lored. It begins to work, then. Or hate of the ambitious Foscari, Barb. The work is half your own. Father and son, and all their noxious race; Lored. And should be all miner But the poor wretch has suffer'd beyond My father and my uncle are no more. nature's Barb. I have read their epitaph, which Most stoical endurance. says they died Lored. Without owning By poison. His crime. Lored. When the Doge declared that he Barb. Perhaps without committing any. Should never deem himself a sovereign till But he avow'd the letter to the Duke The death of Peter Loredano, both Of Milan, and his sufferings half atone for The brothers sicken'd shortly: he is Such weakness. sovereign. Lored. We shall see. Barb. A wretched one. Barb. You, Loredano, Lored. What should they be who make Pursue hereditary hate too far. Orphans ? Lored. How far ? Barb. But did the Doge make you so ? Barb. To extermination. Lored. Yes. Lored. When they are Barb. What solid proofs ? Extinct, you may say this.—Let's in to Lored. When princes set themselves council. To work in secret, proofs and process are commerce 1 1 Aliko made difficult; but I have such Barb. To balance such a foe, if such Of the first,as shall make the second needless. there be, Barb. But you will move by law ? Thy father sits amongst thy judges. Lored. By all the laws J. Foscari. True, Which he would leave us. He judges. Barb. They are such in this Barb. Then deem not the laws too harsh Our state as render retribution casier Which yield so much indulgence to a sire Than 'mongst remoter nations. Is it true As to allow his voice in such high matter That you have written in your books of As the state's safety J. Foscari. And his son's. I'm faint; (The wealthy practise of our highest Let me approach, I pray you, for a breath nobles), Of air, yon window which o'erlooks the “Doge Foscari, my debtor for the deaths waters. of Marco and Pietro Loredano, My sire and uncle?” Enter an Officer, who whispers BARBARIGO. Lored. It is written thus. Barb. (to the Guard) Let him approach. Barb. And will you leave it unerased ? I must not speak with him Lored. Till balanced. Further than thus; I have transgress'd my Barb. And how? duty in their way to "the Hall of the Within the Council-Chamber. [Erit Barbarigo. Lored. You see the number is complete. [Guard conducting Jacopo Foscari to Follow me. [Exit Loredano. the window. Barb. (solus). Follow thee! I have fol- Guard. There, sir, 'tis low'd long Open-How feel you? Thy path of desolation, as the wave J. Foscari. Like a boy-Oh Venice ! Sweeps after that before it, alike whelming Guard. And your limbs ? The wreck that creaks to the wild winds, J. Foscari. Limbs! how often have they and wretch borne me Who shrieks within its riven ribs, as gush Bounding o’er yon blue tide, as I have The waters through them: but this son and skimm'd sire The gondola along in childish race, Might move the elements to panse, and yet And, masqued as a young gondolier, amidst Must I on hardily like them-Oh! would My gay competitors, noble as I, I could as blindly and remorselessly!- Raced for our pleasure in the pride of Lo, where he comes !-Be still, my heart! strength, they are While the fair populaceof crowding beauties, Thy foes, must be thy victims : wilt thou beat Plebeian as patrician, cheer'd us on For those who almost broke thee ? With dazzling smiles, and wishes andible, And waving kerchiefs,and applanding hands, Enter Guards, with young Foscari as Even to the goal!-How many a time havel prisoner. Cloven with arm still lustier, breast more Guard. Let him rest. daring, Signor, take time. The wave all roughen’d; with a swimmer's J. Foscari. I thank thee,friend, I'm feeble; stroke But thou mayst stand reproved. Flinging the billows back from my drench'd Guard. I'll stand the hazard. hair, J. Foscari. That's kind: - I meet some And laughing from my lip the audacious pity, but nu mercy ; brine, This is the first. Which kiss'd it like a wine-cup, rising o'er Guard. And might be last, did they The waves as they arose, and prouder still Who rule behold us. The loftier they uplifted me; and oft, Barb. (advancing to the guard) There In wantonness of spirit, plunging down is one who does : Into their green and glassy gulfs,and making Yet fear not; I will neither be thy judge My way to shells and sea-weed, all unseen Nor thy accuser; though the hour is past, By those above, till they wax'd fearful; then Wait their last summons - I am of the Ten,” Returning with my grasp full of such tokens And waiting for that summons sanction you As show'd that I had search'd the deep : Even by my presence: when the last call exulting, sounds, With a far-dashing stroke, and drawing deep We'll in together.--Look well to the prisoner! The long-suspended breath, again I sparnd J. Foscari. What voice is that? 'tis The foam which broke around me, and Barbarigo's! Ah! pursued Our house's foe, and one of my few judges. I My track like a sea-bird.— I was a boy then. wear me. Guard. Be a man now: there never was, And the cold drops strain through my brow more need as ifOf manhood's strength. But onward-1 have borne it-I can bear it.J. Foscari (looking from the lattice). My How looks my father ? beautiful, my own, Officer. With his wonted aspect. My only Venice, this is breath! Thy breeze, J. Foscari. So does the earth, and sky, Thine Adrian sea-breeze, how it fans my face! the blue of ocean, Thy very winds feel native to my veins, The brightness of our city, and her domes, And cool thein into calmness! How unlike The mirth of her Piazza - even now The hot gales of the horrid Cyclades, Its merry bum of nations pierces here, Which howlid about my Candiote dungeon, Even here, into these chambers of the and unknown Made my heart sick. Who govern, and the unknown and the Guard. I see the colour comes unnumber'd Back to your cheek: Heaven send you Judged and destroy'd in silence,-all things strength to bear What more may be imposed ! – I dread to the self-same aspect, to my very sire! think on't. Nothing can sympathize with Foscari, J. Foscari. They will not banish me Not even a Foscari.—Sir, I attend you. again ?-No-no, (Exeunt Jacopo Foscari, Officer, etc. Let them wring on; I am strong yet. Guard. Confess, Enter MEMMO and another Senator. And the rack will be spared you. Memmo. He's gone—we are too late:J. Foscari. I confess'd think you the Ten Once-twice before: both times they exiled Will sit for any length of time to-day? Senator. They say the prisoner is most Guard. And the third time will slay you. obdurate, J. Foscari. Let them do so, Persisting in his first avowal; but So I be buried in my birth - place; hetter More I know not. Be ashes here than aught that lives else- Memmo. And that is much; the secrets where. Of yon terrific chamber are as hidden Guard. And can you so much love the From us, the premier nobles of the state, soil which hates you ? As from the people. J. Foscari. The soil! – Oh no, it is the Senator. Save the wonted rumours, seed of the soil Which (like the tales of spectres that are rife Which persecutes me; but my native earth Near ruin'd buildings) never have been Will take me as a mother to her arms. proved, I ask no more than a Venetian grave, Nor wholly disbelieved : men know as little A dungeon, what they will, so it be here. Of the state's real acts as of the grave's Unfathom'd mysteries. Memmo. But with length of time We gain a step in knowledge, and I look Guard. Signor, you hear the order. Forward to be one day of the decemvirs. J. Foscari. Ay, I am used to such a Senator. Or Doge? summons ; 'tis Memmo. Why, no, not if I can avoid it. The third time they have tortured me :- Senator. 'Tis the first station of the state, then lend me Thine arm. [To the Guard. Be lawfully desired, and lawfully Officer. Take mine, sir; 'tis my duty to Attain’d by noble aspirants. Be nearest to your person. Memmo. To such J. Foscari. You !--you are he I leave it; though born noble, my ambition Who yesterday presided o'er my pang Is limited : I'd rather be an unit Away !-I'll walk alone. of an united and imperial Ten, Officer. As you please, signor; Than shine a lonely, though a gilded, The sentence was not of my signing, but cipher.I dared not disobey the Council when Whom have we here? the wife of Foscari? TheyJ. Foscari, Bade thee stretch me on their Enter Marina with a female Attendant. horrid engine. Marina. What, no one?- I am wrong, I pray thee touch me not- that is, just now; there still are two; The time will come they will renew that But they are senators. order, Memmo. Most noble lady, But keep off from me till 'tis issued. As Command us. I look upon thy hands my cardling limbs Marina. I command !- Alas! my life Quiver with the anticipated wrenching, Has been one long entrenty, and a vain one. and may |
