whom he considers an usurper of his rights, and an intruder upon his inheritance. In pursuance of his dreadful plan of vengeance, he had appeared to favour the attachment of his daughter Ricciarda, to Guido, one of Averardo's sons. They were affianced, and, at the bridal banquet, he had succeeded in poisoning one of his nephews, but Guido had escaped through the intervention of Ricciarda: Averardo is, therefore, besieging the tyrant in Salerno as his declared enemy; but Guido is lying hid within the walls of the city, to watch over his beloved Ricciarda. The play opens with an endeavour made by Corrado, a friend, and a faithful warrior of Averardo's army, to persuade Guido to abandon his desperate enterprize; Guido replies, that since Ricciarda saved his life, he considers it entirely and solely devoted to her; in Salerno, therefore, he must remain, lest the tyrant should revenge upon his own daughter the preservation of her lover, or should set the city on fire and sacrifice himself and her in the flames. The indignant spirit of Guido after the departure of his friend, ill brooks his base concealment; Ricciarda, however, enters: her character we think beautifully drawn, it is all modest affection for her lover, and compassionate tenderness to her father,-to Guido she says, Me miserable! to lose thee from my sight, It is a thought so bitter; 'tis scarce worse, Of her father, who Guido says preserves her alive only as a means of subduing him, who notes in his dark record' every proof of her love, to blot it out one day in blood,' she observes, As much as one can love, who hates himself, He loveth me-this calms his wrath-to all His ancestors, and death, his wife and children. They are alarmed, Guido retires among the tombs, and the father enters; his restless suspicion is finely shewn in their first meeting. Guelfo. Thou here? Ricciarda. My Lord. Guelfo. Confused and pale! Thou here?' she replies that she knew he wished her to be somewhere in his palace. Here whither I have come, this of thy palace Is part. Guelfo. Guelfo. The best part-Dost thou come so readily Thou seek'st thy father here-among the tombs.' The second act is occupied by a scene between Ricciarda and her father; the wayward tyrant, after reproaching his daughter with her fondness for Guido, after forcing her to renounce, and urging her to hate him, is melted into tears by her unalterable tenderness towards himself and her offers to devote her life to him in sadness and in solitude. Averardo then appears, disguised as an embassador from himself:-there is eloquence in their dialogue, but we think that the incident is not productive of sufficient consequences for its importance; it is striking, but leads to no result. The third act contains a scene between Guido and his father, whose influence is also vainly exerted to induce him to leave Salerno; Ricciarda is then brought solemnly before Averardo to shew the last proof of her parental obedience, in renouncing Guido. War is then declared again in form, and Averardo withdraws. In the fourth act we have the parting interview of Guido and Ricciarda, she tells him that her father would have forced her to swear eternal hatred to him, and that he had forced her to swear never to be his. This scene has great beauty, Guido endeavours to persuade her to fly, not to break her vow to her father, but to put it out of her power to tempt him to her murder; he incautiously adds, that if this at last be the case, he will still watch over her, and that she shall not die unrevenged; Ricciarda at this threat demands his dagger from him. Guido. Death then thou dread'st Certain and imminent-from thy father's hand. Ricciarda. I dread his troubled heart-I dread mine own Thy love still more I dread-when hangs suspended My father's arm, and trembles still to slay me- Towards his daughter. Guido. Take the dagger.' They part-Guelfo enters hastily-and she lets fall the dagger. Guelfo. Here must I find thee ever then?—a weapon Yet once again with mine own blood bedew'd-[a pause.] Approach Approach-unnatural woman!-o'er my wrath With tears-oh yes-but not with steel-at least Know'st thou it?' It was the very dagger which he had drawn from the body of his own son when he had fallen in battle against the party of Averardo ; he had made Ricciarda adorn it with jewels, and had given it, on the day of his nuptials, and of his intended murder, to Guido. The incident increases his suspicion: she delays her answers, and he supposes that it is in order to withhold him from the battle, at all events it shews some collusion with Guido, and he threatens to return and elucidate the dreadful secret; indeed, if we correctly understand one of Ricciarda's speeches, there is something jesuitical in her excuse, which does not suit the generally beautiful simplicity of her character. In the fifth act, he does return defeated and desperate. Guelfo. Brief time have I to live, yet time enough From Guido-to no other hand but thine Would he have yielded up so dear a weapon. he adds some reasons for his suspicion that Guido gave it to her, that she received it for some fatal purpose, and that he is still concealed near. Guelfo. Thy life is on thy words-quick-answer me, Ricciarda. Here I saw him--where he went I know not. Guelfo. Speak-we have no time for words, No time for calm and tranquil reasoning. Ricciarda. Here, where I speak these my last words, I saw him: Be Be this, my Lord, the proof that I deceive not, In vain thou had'st questioned--nor will I be guilty Guelfo. I'll have his blood--or endless tears from thee- He here, or thou shalt live no longer. Guelfo. Unworthy! if thou diest for him, thou'rt guilty, Guiltier, if thou conceal'st him from me-die then. Ricciarda. Thou sheddest innocent blood-give me the sword- I, I alone will plunge it in my bosom. See, I am pale with horror at thy crime; Not mine own conscience--see, I tremble not- But from that day-to heaven, that only knew it, Thou hallowed'st our love--for my sake Guido Guelfo. Ah new! ah horrible anguish! he may see me A parricide-nor I have power to slay him. Ricciarda. Give me the sword then ?-thus I join my mother For ever-in my hand shall Guido see The sword-hilt-and thou 'scape the infamy. And he will weep with thee o'er thy lost child, Guelfo. Ha!-in God thou trustest In God who only reigneth to avenge. While yet mine eyes behold the light of day, Dark 'mid his lightnings; never do I utter When When from my dust and ashes I shall rise. E'en now hast pardoned me-but I shall see them, I shall have quench'd thy glad and youthful beauty. Unto my heart, shall say-Look, impious, look! Hath throng'd it with her sails, and fires my fleet. Ricciarda. Oh, God unfolds his bosom to the wretched- As kings should fly-only to save thy daughter Prostrate at the altar, they'll have mercy on us. Guelfo. On thee they will-on them I ne'er had mercy! T'have borne, nor bear it to my grave-fly then, I, of all my lineage Here rest I with my sires that knew not fear. Ricciarda. Ah me-avert from that fell steel thine eyes- Rage returns again to the bosom of the tyrant; while Ricciarda embraces her mother's tomb in silent terror, he rushes through the vaults calling on Guido-he comes back, and with his dagger uplifted over her exclaims 'Coward, Hear me thou coward, or thy lady dies- Guido. I hear thee.' Guido offers his own life, if the tyrant will spare his daughter. He approaches to fulfil his offer in spite of the tears of Ricciarda. The tyrant stabs him—at that moment the victorious troops of Averardo enter, he then stabs his daughter and finally himself. Thus |