DRAMATIS PERSONE.

BARON HOHENDAHL-Governor of a Polish Province.
COUNT ALASCO-A young Polish Nobleman.

COLONEL WALSINGHAM-An Englishman in the Prussian

Service.

CONRAD-A friend of Count Alasco's, and a leader of the In

SWARTSBURG—An Officer of Hohendahl's.

JEROME-Prior of the Abbey.

RUDOLPHO-The Baron's Game-keeper.

AMANTHA Walsingham's Daughter.

BERTHA-Her Attendant.

Polish Insurgents, Scouts, Guards, Attendants, &c.

SCENE-Poland.

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ALASCO:

A TRAGEDY.

ACT I. SCENE I.

Day-break-the entrance of a cavern-a Peasant armed

with a pike, as on guard-a shrill whistle is heard to sound at a distance- the Guard looks out eagerly, and answers by a corresponding signal-a number of Peasants armed with different weapons are immediately seen in the distance, winding down among the rocksthey enter at the front of the stage, headed by two of their chiefs, Conrad and Malinski.

CONRAD (speaking to one of the Peasants.)

CALL in the scouts

By Heaven, the moon's a prodigal to-night,

And showers her silver lavishly.

MALINSKI.

That breaks above the hill.

B

"Tis the dawn

CONRAD.

Why, what's the hour?

MALINSKI.

Four, by the Abbey clock.

CONRAD.

Then we again

Have loiter'd at our sport.-But who comes here,

Outstripping haste ?

[Enter a scout, hastily.

66

Why, comrade, if thy news

"Should wear but half the importance of thy face, "We must have a gazette for it. If thou'st breath, "Proclaim."

SCOUT.

As posted on the hill I stood,
Close housed within the hollow of an oak,
I heard a rustling in the brake below me;
When, on the instant, flashing from a cloud,
The moon cut sharp upon the forest wall
The shadow of a man; crouching he seemed,
And stole his cautious way, as if he knew
The place no solitude: I darted forth,
And at a venture sent this trusty pike
Upon the search before me ;-it fell short;
When he, up-springing at the noise, flew off,

And bounding o'er the crumbled fence, escaped me.

MALINSKI.

A spy, no doubt, of Hohendahl's.

CONRAD.

"No matter;

"We can't so smother a fire but it will smoke,

"Or some sharp nose shall snuff it in the wind." Canst throw a guess at him?

SCOUT.

His sudden flight,

Baffling all near approach, concealed him from me;
But at the moment, Rudolph crossed my mind,
The Baron's game-keeper.

MALINSKI.

"Twas he, most likely.

CONRAD.

Well, let him to the Baron with his tale!

The flame has spread beyond his power to quench,
And soon shall scorch him.

But now, my friends and comrades, to your homes!
And though your wrongs are throbbing at your hearts,
Repress the impatient spirit, and await

The hour of vengeance, now so near at hand. *What little skill the patriot sword requires,

* What little skill, &c.-Here our new licenser commences his operations; here the vigilant guardian of the public weal,—the judicious Dogberry of the new dramatic police, first springs the rattle of