pledge of their love, the prop, the solace, the staff, and the comforter of his declining age. Far from the tumults of the world, they lived in the antique mansion of Castle Turret-tower, which was built on the edge of a tremendous precipice, three hundred and fifty-seven feet and a half above the level of the stream, which glittered in beautiful and romantic wanderings beneath. It used to rock in the stormy weather, when heaven's artillery pealed amid the murky skies; but of this they were not afraid, being girt with the armour of conscious innocence. At the time our narrative commences, Janetta Georgina Georginetta Macgaw was at the tender and susceptible age of 38, the age when the turbulence of youthful folly begins to subside, and when the clouds of pride and rashness begin to disappear from the cerulean of the mental sky, when an affectionate offer is not to be scorned, and prudence directs the choice. As to person, she was rather above the average stature of ladies, being five feet eleven inches without the shoes; and, being rather "sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought," she inclined to emaciation. Her nose would have been of the most pure and perfect Roman order, if it had not been rather a little hooked into the mouth; and, as for her eyes, they would certainly have surpassed any thing of the kind ever seen, if one of them had not had a little obliquity in its axis, inclining to the nose before-mentioned. Her mouth had a kind of indignant beauty, being a little depressed at the angles; and her ringlets, that vied with the gold of Potosi, were of a bright Sicambrian yellow, inclining to reddish. But we must be brief.-If any one heard her sigh, and asked the rea son, she ingenuously confessed, that it was all for the love of the brave and gallant Lieutenant Abraham Flash-inthe-pan of the Queen's Own. 66 Lieutenant Flash-in-the-pan was truly a rara avis in terris," a complete black swan among mankind: one of the Non-pareils of this world, and distantly related to the pugilist of that surname. True, he had infirmitieshe was too much addicted to the use of tobacco, whose fumes he used to wash from his throat, with draughts of slightly diluted spirituous liquors. His own account, however, was, that he only used these to rinse his mouth, as some physician of experience had informed him, that tobacco exerted a deteriorating influence on the teeth. Except this, I am credibly informed, by a person of the very highest authority, that he was entirely without a failing. Let Ensign Houghim insinuate as he will, that he shewed more legs than courage, in a certain battle; but the prima facie view of the case, is clearly for the repellant; seeing that he was promoted, while the other remains standard-bearer to the corps. Let him look to that, and not insult the memory of a gallant officer, who is now no more! It was on a beautiful summer morning, about a quarter from eleven by the clock of Castle Turret-tower spire; that the youthful Georgina was busily employed in the perusal of that exquisitely delightful, and most highly edifying romance, "The sorrows of Tabitha;" and, at the same time, sauntering through the embowering woods, which darkened the daylight. Her lovely eyes glistened with the pearly dews of sympathy; and, as every now and then, she dashed away the blinding torrents, she strayed on, unmindful whither she was going. She had better have looked about her, for before Xantippe, the spouse of Socrates, could have reckoned ten, she was three feet below the horizon in a ditch. Fortunately, for the interests of mankind, and of love, that tenderest of every terrestrial passion under the sun, came riding past, the gallant grey horse Reding-comb, with its master, Lieutenant Abraham Flash-in-the-pan. (I could give the genealogy of this illustrious animal, for the benefit of my sporting readers-but I dont think I will, as it would waste paper.) When the groan of the afflicted girl reached his ear, his pulse audibly rose to double its natural reckoning; at a second groan, his hat rose instinctively from his head, probably from a rebellion among the hairs, and not in the least degree from mental trepidation; as bating his surprise, he never was more calm in his life. He first thought of turning back, as it struck him as being the howl of a tiger; but, on further consideration, he was aware that that ferocious animal is not indigenous in this highly favoured country; unless it had escaped by mistake from Mr Polito's Menagerie. He ventured forward then boldly ventured, as became a soldier of his military standing; in spite of the refractory conduct of his horse, mens soon. What has become of which he very properly chided with Wastle?-sorely do I miss his pen in the spur on his left heel. Dismount- your late numbers. Is he afflicted with ing, he saw the cause of his disturb- the asthma ?-has the dampness of the ance, who was profusely bleeding at weather fallen like a wet blanket on the nose; and, having lifted or rather his genius ?— -or is he "crossed in dragged, the beautiful girl up behind hopeless love?"-The shooting would him, for she was incapable; and wiped take him up for some months past; the boards of the volume, entitled the but you should now hold at him, and Sorrows of Tabitha, with the tail of his squeeze the Mad Banker from him, great coat; he proceeded with, but one even to the twenty-fourth canto. It interruption-which was from an ex- is quite child's play to him.-O North, ciseman, to the gate of Castle Turret- and Wastle, when I think of you, and tower. After blowing a blast on the the rest of our divan, my soul forsakes horn, he was admitted. The sequel the dull regions of prose, and my will be seen in the next, and thirty five words, like those of the Spirit of Musucceeding chapters. sic, in Lalla Rookh, "turn, as they leave my lips, to song." you Don't think this will do? If it pleases you, I will send more speci Where'er Odoherty, with casual foot, His toil-worn frame, and moistify his clay Let Southey sing of Thalaba and Roderick, And Scott chaunt forth his epic strains, to tell Let Crabbe rhyme on 'bout vagabonds and flunkies, An oldish story; I'll lay half a crown, Let missions go to Greenland with Montgomery; Let Shelley sing of darknesses and devilry, Till earth grows Pandemonium at his touch; VOL. VIII. 3 Y Let Mrs Hemans chaunt historic tales Let Mrs Opie sing of orphan boys, Whose sires were shot with slug at Trafalgar; But unto none I will attend, unless- Unless in Blackwood's pine-tree grove he flourish, With fun and frolic; these are things that nourish You see I'm tainted with the metromanie, I'll have original verse as well as any, And not think there's any great occasion To write like Frere and Byron ;-when the nation Do not suppose that the stanza of Odoherty was invented to suit his own convenience, from the difficulty of finding rhymes. Tu quoque incredulus rides? Well, well, friend North, that question will soon be put to rest; for, if Byron's Third Canto of Juan does not come out within a month, the public will have to decide, which of us is the better writer, the projector, or the continuator. I had almost forgot to say, that I had rare sport with our friend (you know his nomme-de-guerre) at Cambridge lately; but you see my double sheet is crammed, and I am tired, so "Farewell!-a word that has been and must be." You may depend on again hearing from me soon; and, in the interim, believe me, Yours sincerely, Gloucester, Jan. 24. SONNET TO WORDSWORTH. WORDSWORTH, I envy thee, that from the strife But, graven on the tablet of thy page, Flies far from thee, whose great reward is sure! A 66 HORE GERMANICE. No. XI. Zriny; A Tragedy. BY THEODORE CHARLES KOERNER. As we have observed in our last number, few tasks are more repelling to an ordinary reader, than that of endeavouring to understand the mere analysis of a play. But fortunately, the story of this Tragedy, like that of "Darkness," can be briefly stated, and easily comprehended; especially by such readers as happen to recollect the fragment of a ballad in Sir W. Scott's Border Minstrelsy," exhibiting the last interview of a mother with her children, when the castle, which she could not leave, (or would not surrender,) had been set on fire by the enemy. The hero of this play, Nicholas Zriny, was governor of the Hungarian town and castle of Sigeth, in the year 1566, at the time when Soliman the Great, Emperor of the Turks, was under the necessity of conquering those fortresses of Hungary which lay immediately on his route to the Austrian capital, Vienna. Zriny had received orders from the Christian Emperor Maximilian, to defend his station to the last; and the tragic interest depends on the impossibility of repelling the vast army of Soliman, and the unparalleled resolution displayed, not only Soliman. I should then "6 by Zriny himself, but by Eva his countess, Helena his daughter, and Lorenzo her betrothed lover, who, being at last all fully aware that the foe cannot be repulsed, yet determine never to surrender. The several modes in which these four individuals finally perish, we shall not describe at present, but leave this to be developed in the course of our analysis; as the climax to which, we shall give the fifth act of the Tragedy entire. The play commences with a spirited dialogue between the Turkish emperor, and his chief physician, Levi, in which the latter, having informed his master, that although now advanced in life, he may, by care and caution, reckon on ten years more of existence, receives for answer, that upon this dictum, it follows logically, that without care or caution, he may survive for one year, and that this brief space alone will be amply sufficient to fulfil all his noblest and dearest schemes of ambition. After four pages of dialogue, the physician is dismissed to call the Grand Vizier; and Soliman being left alone, utters the following soliloquy: spare myself?"-See the last gleams If I, like my precursors, stood alone, Even all the world before me would have kneel'd. And kindred heroes were opposed to me :- Or what to Rome's subjection brought the world? By the storm'd walls of thy Vienna now, I shall announce my laws unto the times! The third scene presents a dialogue between Soliman and his grand vizier, in which the former unfolds more of the favourite schemes of ambition by which his mind is agitated. Above all, he dwells with satisfaction on his meditated siege or blockade of Vienna, which, if successful, will enable him to carry the victorious crescent over all Germany. On this follows a highly effective scene (of four pages,) containing debates between Soliman and his chief officers, in a council of war. They are all aware of the high courage and reputation of Zriny, but suppose that he is now at Vienna, and believe therefore, that they may pass by his castle of Sigeth without apprehension of attack, and proceed at once. to the capital. In the fifth scene, however, a messenger enters, by whom their plans in this respect are changed. Mehmed. (To the messenger.) Thanks to the Santshak for the in telligence. Soliman. What news, Vizier? Mehmed. The Santshak Hella, Sire, Announces now, that the brave Nicholas Zriny, Long since return'd, is with his bands at Sigeth; And 'tis suspected that he knows our plans. (Exit Messenger.) Ali. On then, great Emperor! This is Allah's warning! There let the rage of battle first begin. Mehmed, Mustapha, &c. &c. (Together.) Away!-To Vienna !— Soli. What? Are you men? Are these my boasted heroes, I have already vanquish'd half the world, Yet do I not believe, that in the foe The name of Soliman would wake such fear As in your hearts this Christian dog inspires! Now 'tis resolved!-We first shall conquer Sigeth! Mus. Yet think, Sire Soli. On thy life-no, more. 'Tis done!- |