Gira. A tale, dear lady, which

To hear is death, to speak is something worse; "Twere pitiful to see thee frantic !

Ethen. Why,

Why art thou thus ? I will return with thee,
And thou shalt shew this secret.

Gira. Go not there

Thou must not; I implore, forgive me, lady!

Your brother

Ethen. Ha!

Gira. He has returned to Milan;

But how? thou art not skill'd in thoughts of horror!
Ethen. He is dead!

Gira. Slain but an hour since in fight!

The youth who kill'd him fled, but quick pursuit
Hath trac'd him to this spot.

(Ethenia falls.)

Save me, ye heavens! Ah, how pale she is-
What thought is in my brain?

I fear to touch

That skin which looks so delicate; I spoke

Too suddenly-she seems an angel sleeping!
Cold, cold as death. How beautiful! she'll wake
In another world!

January 12, 1823.

VIII.-AVELYNE AND THE HAG.

A DRAMATIC SCENE

(From the German of UHLAND's " Poetical Trifles".)

[Interior of a ruined chapel in the rudest Saxon style.Around are heaps of mutilated tombs, on which are several recumbent warlike figures. Enter a WARRIOR, armed as for battle, and a blind old HAG, led in by vassals. A torch placed in a corner.]

Warrior. Lead her towards yon broken monument; There let her seat herself.-So-now retire

Without the pile, until I summon ye,

And see no foot unbidden enter here.

(Attendants withdraw.)

THEATRICAL MAGAZINE.

Hag. Ruined and broken,
Magical pile!
Shuddering token!
Why to this aisle
Am I now brought ?
Was it not spoken,

With withering smile

And voice like the thunder,

That here should sunder

My soul from its clay?

Lead me forth, lead me forth,
I cannot remain,

My power is vain,
Away,-quick,-away!

125

arrior. Old hag!-'tis said that in this lonely chapel, earliest times grim shadows have abode,

can with magic rite and muttered charm

ar to human vision, visible.

said, besides, the boldest of my name
gather from their lips, prophetic count
ings to come, and that fixed doom inscribed
eaven's page with pen of adamant,
he foundations of the earth were laid.
shew thy mystic powers, thy magic rites,
summon these dark spirits to my presence
earth, from hell, from air, or ocean deep,
let them rede me of the hidden fate
in the coming conflict will be mine.
legend points to me, for I am named
boldest of the AVELYNE'S, and my soul
throb to know its dooms-day.

ag. Not here, not here, bold Avelyne,
what thou seek'st for be revealed;
Il must lie in mystery sealed;

tho' I cannot see yon sign,

symbol on that fractured shrine.

Warrior. Infernal crone,

I bid thee do thy tasking, or thy blood
Shall dye the marble fragment of thy seat.

(He strikes down the stone crucifix with his bat
A tremendous clap of thunder. The old
shrieks.)

The thing thou feared lies scathless at thy feet,
The dreaded symbol's shattered and destroyed.
Come, to thy jugglery-from their dark recess
Call your assistant spirits-let me hear

Their thronging wings come thundering on mine ea
And, with their aid, do now the work I bade you.
Hag. The boldest of the bold art thou;

Thine is a dark, a fearless brow!

Put forth thy hand,

And help me to stand,

And place me upon
Yon character'd stone.
Be mute, while I call
From fiery thrall,
From cavern, and sky,
From blue depths, that lie
Low down in the deep;
From vapours that sleep
On Himala's crest-

From dark clouds that creep

O'er the dead sea's breast,

Those who die not,

Those possessed

Of might from which the dead can fly not,

Tho' in blessed earth-they rest;

Might to bend

The lofty mountains;

Might to send

The sea, like fountains,

To heaven's arch;

To stay the march

Of the storm when proudest,

While its winds are loudest

And making the beaming planets stand

Motionless at their command.

(He leads her to a large stone near the altar, inscribed with strange characters on which she stands.) Warrior. 'Tis well, I shall be mute-but not from fear; I do not dread thy shadows-they must be Debased and weak; hell's meanest servitors, I feel within me that they cannot quell, A spirit that for ever shall be mine; And trample, with proud triumph, upon all Who e'er attempt to crush it.

Now proceed.

(She turns to the four points of the heaven, muttering strange words, and striking the ground thrice with her staff, cries

Appear! Appear! Appear!

(A dead silence follows.) Hag. My power is departed. They refuse To come at my invoking.-Mightier charms And words to bend the fiercest spirits of hell, Alone can force them hither. Warrior, Dar'st thou thyself submit to one dread rite, And bear unshrinkingly one awful touch Upon thy naked brow? if so, thy wish Can be accomplished.

Warrior. I have heart to do

Or dare, whate'er thou dost require of me.
No trembling pause, no coward fear, no throb
Of agitation shall prevent the deed:

I'll stand unshaken as the mountain rock,
Tho' lightning shiver, and tho' thunder blast me.
Hag. Thine is a daring spirit, and 'tis needed.
If thou should'st shew the slightest mark of fear,
Thy shattered body would bestrew the ground,
Crush'd by a hand of might.

Warrior. Begin! Begin!

Hag. Kneel 'fore yon shrine, and when a voice shall speak,

And bid thee ask what thy soul seeks to know,

Obey its words, and all shall be reveal'd

But first take from thy head the plumed helm.

(He kneels. She stamps on the ground, and a flame breaks forth.)

Mighty master! let thy hand
Work the thing we now demand.
Stamp the word upon his brow,
That in humblest mood shall bow,
Those who now

Spurn the calling of our vow!

(She speaks mysteriously.)

The name is spoken,

The mighty token!

The word is said,

The thing is sped!

(Terrific sounds are heard; the warrior continues undaunted, and a gigantic arm comes forth from the Aame. It is hurled round three times, and then traces with its immense finger a word on the warrior's forehead. Voices break forth.)

He is ours! He is ours!

Now the might of heaven cowers;
He is ours, he is ours!

Tho' the oceans fall in showers,
Tho' the sky in torrents lowers,
"Twill not rase that mark of ours.
He will swell our mystic powers,
When we storm the starry towers;
Long as run the eternal hours,
He is ours! He is ours!

(A voice loud as the roaring of waters is heard.)

The sign is sealed; o'er all, save those that dwell

In the o'erspreading region, it has power.

Speak! and command! ye veiled and chained come forth! (The arm vanishes with a deafening sound.)

I hear the rushing of their presence now,

With sound that deafens hearing!-Ah! they fill
The lifeless figures on the stony tombs,

And wait in anguished silence your behest.

(All the recumbent figures seem animated.)

Warrior. Spirits!

Spirits answer. We hear, we feel, we answer.
Warrior. Speak forth! speak forth! Ye know what I
would learn.

(A voice comes from the first figure.)