Where's my wife?-Can you forgive me, love? Mrs. B. Alas! for what? Bev. For meanly dying. Mrs. B. No-do not say it. Mrs. B. Restore him, heaven! Oh, save him! save him! or let me die too. Beo. No; live, I charge you.- We have a little one.-Though I have left him, you will Bev. As truly as my soul must answer it-not leave him.-To Lewson's kindness I beflad Jarvis staid this morning all had been queath him.-Is not this Charlotte ?-We have well. But, pressed by shame-pent in a prison lived in love, though I have wronged you.— -tormented with my pangs for you-driven Can you forgive me, Charlotte? to despair and madness-I took the advantage Char. Dreadful and cruel! Char. Forgive you! Oh, my poor brother! Lew. How is it, madam? Bev. Ay, most accursed-And now I go to my account. Bend me, and let me kneel. [Kneels.] I'll pray for you too. Thou power that madest me, hear me! If for a life of frailty, and this too hasty deed of death, thy justice Lew. Remove her from this sight-lead and dooms me, here I acquit the sentence; but if, support her-Some ministering angel bring her enthroned in mercy where thou sittest, thy peace! [Charlotte leads her off] And thou, pity has beheld me, send me a gleam of hope, poor, breathless corpse, may thy departed soul that in these last and bitter moments my soul have found the rest it prayed for! Save but may taste of comfort! and for these mourners one error, and this last fatal deed, thy life was here, oh! let their lives be peaceful, and their lovely. Let frailer minds take warning; and deaths happy! from example learn, that' want of prudence is [They lift him to the Chair. want of virtue. [Exit. THOMAS OTWAY, WAS not more remarkable for moving the tender passions, than for the variety of fortune to which he himself subjected. He was the son of the Rev. Mr. Humphrey Otway, rector of Wolbeding, in Sussex, and was born at Trotten in that county, the 3d of March in the year 1651. He received his education at Wickeham school, near Winchester, and became a commoner of Christ Church, in Oxford, in 1669. But on his quitting the university, in 1674, and coming to London, he turned player. His success as an actor was but indifferent, having made only one #tempt in Mrs. Behn's tragedy of The Fore'd Marriage; or, Jealous Bridegroom; he was more valued for the sprightkiness of his conversation and the acuteness of his wit; which gained him the friendship of the Earl of Plymouth, who procured him a cornet's, commission in the troops which then served in Flanders. At his return from Flanders he gave up his commission and had recourse to writing for the stage; and now it was that he found out the only employment that nature seems to have fitted him for. In comedy he has been deemed to licentious; which, however, was no great objection to those who lived in the profligate days of Charles II. But in tragedy few of our English poets ever equalled him; and perhaps none ever excelled him in touching the passions, particularly that of love. There is generally something familiar and domestic in the fable of his tragedy, and there is amazing energy in his expression. Bat though Otway possessed, in so eminent a degree, the rare talent of writing to the heart, yet he was not very favourably regarded by some of his contemporary poets; nor was he always successful in his dramatic compositions. After experiencing many reverses of fortune, in regard to his circumstances, but generally changing for the worse, he at le died wretchedly in a house, known by the sign of a Bull, on Tower Hill, April 14, 1685. whither he had retired to avoid the pressure of his creditors. Some have said, that downright hunger compelling him to fall too eagerly upon pice of bread, of which he had been some time in want, the first mouthful choked him, and instantly put a period to his days. VENICE PRESERVED. ACTED at the Duke's Theatre, 1682. This interesting tragedy is borrowed, with respect to the plan of it at least, from a little book that relates the circumstances of the Spanish conspiracy at Venice, i, e. the Abbé de St. Real's Histre du la Conjuration du Marquis de Badamar. The speech of Renault to the conspirators is translated word for word from this author. It has been remarked, that though, on the whole, the incidents of Otway's piece are interesting, nd the catastrophe affecting, there is not one truly valuable character in the whole drama, except that of Belvidera. To this, however, we cannot entirely subscribe. The character of Pierre is nobly drawn. His public services had been returned with ingratitude, and he was a greatly injured character; but was justly punished for taking a treasonable de of redressing his wrongs. The scene lies in Venice. By comparing this with The Orphan, it will appear that hu images were by time become stronger, and his language more energetic. The public seems to judge rightly of the anita and excellencies of this play; that it is the work of a man not attentive to decency, nor zealous for virtue, but of se who conceived forcibly, and drew originally, by consulting nature in his own breast, Mr. Dryden says, "the motions which are studied are never so natural as those which break out in the height of a real passion. Mr. Otway Possed this part as thoroughly as any of the ancients or moderns. I will not defend every thing in his Venice Preserved; but I must bear this testimony to his memory, that the passions are truly touched in it, though perhaps there somewhat to be desired, both in the grounds of them, and in the height and elegance of expression; but nature is there, which is the greatest beauty." ACT I. SCENE L-A Street in VENICE. Pri. No more! I'll hear no more! Be gone Jaf. Not hear me! By my suffering but you shall! May all your joys in her prove false, like mine; in vain: My lord, my lord! I'm not that abject wretch throws Me back so far, but I may boldly speak In right, though proud oppression will not hear me? By all men's eyes, a youth of expectation; May he live to prove more gentle than his grandsire, And happier than his father. Pri. Rather live To bait thee for his bread, and din your ears Jaf. Would I were in my grave! For, living here, you're but my curst remem- I once was happy. Jaf. You use me thus, because you know my soul Is fond of Belvidera. You perceive Pleas'd with your growing virtue, I receiv'd My life feeds on her, therefore thus you treat you; merits: me. Courted, and sought to raise you to your Oh! could my soul ever have known satiety; Were I that thief, the doer of such wrongs As you upbraid me with, what hinders me But I might send her back to you with contumely, My house, my table, nay, my fortune too, me Το your best service; like an open friend Jaf. 'Tis to me you owe her: I brought her, gave her to your despairing arms: Indeed you thank'd me; but a nobler gratitude Till for her life she paid me with herself. At dead of night! that cursed hour you chose And court my fortune where she would be kinder? Pri. You dare not do't. Jaf. Indeed, my lord, I dare not. master: Three years are past, since first our vows were plighted, During which time, the world must bear me I've treated Belvidera like your daughter, The world might see I lov'd her for herself; Jaf. Yes, all, and then adieu for ever. There's not a wretch, that lives on common charity, But's happier than me: for I have known Pri. Home, and be humble; study to retrench; Pier. My friend, good morrow! Call'd honesty, got footing in the world. Cut-throats rewards: each man would kill his brother Himself; none would be paid or hang'd for murder. Honesty! 'twas a cheat invented first To bind the hands of bold deserving rogues, Like wit, much talk'd of, not to be defin'd: Pier. So, indeed, men think me; A fine, gay, bold-fac'd villain as thou seest me. Tis true, I pay my debts, when they're contracted; I steal from no man; would not cut a throat Pier. Yes, a most notorious villain; Jaf. I think no safety can be here for virtue, Let me partake the troubles of thy bosom, Pier. Too soon 'twill reach thy knowledge-- Let it proceed. There's virtue in thy friendship, I and ill fortune have been long acquainted. Pier. Thank heaven! for what? Jaf. That I'm not worth a ducat. Pier. Curse thy dull stars, and the worse fate of Venice, Where brothers, friends, and fathers, all are false; Where there's no truth, no trust; where in nocence Stoops under vile oppression, and vice lords it. Yet whom they please they lay in basest bonds; of power, Whilst no hold's left to save us from destruction. All that bear this are villains, and I one, Not to rouse up at the great call of nature, And check the growth of these domestic spoilers, That make us slaves, and tell us, 'tis our charter. Jaf. Ithank thee for this story, from my soul; | Were in their spring! Has then our fortune Since now I know the worst that can befal me. chang'd? Ah, Pierre! I have a heart that could have borne Art thou not Belvidera, still the same, done me; But when I think what Belvidera feels, First, burn and level Venice to thy ruin. Under a hedge, and whine ourselves to death! thee? If thou art alter'd, where shall I have harbour? Where ease my loaded heart? Oh! where complain? Bel. Does this appear like change, or love When thus I throw myself into thy bosom, Sure all ill stories of thy sex are false! Man knows a braver remedy for sorrow: I will revenge my Belvidera's tears. Jaf. Agreed. Pier. Shoot him. Jaf. With all my heart. No more; where shall we meet at night? On the Rialto, every night at twelve, Mischief Jaf. Farewell. Pier. At twelve. Poor Belvidera! thought; fraught; Jaf. Oh, Belvidera! doubly I'm a beggar: Fram'd for the tender offices of love, For charitable succour; wilt thou then, Wilt thou then talk thus to me? Wilt thou then love thee; Though my distracted senses should forsake me, sorrow, Bel. Lead me, lead me, my virgins, To that kind voice. My lord, my love, my refuge! Happy my eyes, when they behold thy face! My heavy heart will leave its doleful beating At sight of thee, and bound with sprightly joys. Creep to thy bosom, pour the balm of love Oh smile! as when our loves were in their spring, Into thy soul, and kiss thee to thy rest; And cheer my fainting soul. Then praise our God, and watch thee till the morning. Jaf. As when our loves Jaf. I'm here; and thus, the shades of night around me, I look as if all hell were in my heart, No minister of darkness cares to tempt me. | Have happen'd? Has Priuli's heart relented? Can he be honest? Jaf. Kind heav'n, let heavy curses Gall his old age; cramps, aches, rack his bones, And bitterest disquiet wring his heart. Oh! let him live, till life become his burden: Let him groan under't long, linger an age In the worst agonies and pangs of death, And find its ease but late. Pier. Nay, couldst thou not As well, my friend, have stretch'd the curse to all The senate round, as to one single villain? Jaf. But curses stick not: could I kill with Jaf. A thousand daggers, all in honest hands! And have not I a friend will stick one here! Pier. Yes, if I thought thou wert not cherish'd T'a nobler purpose, I would be thy friend; But thou hast better friends; friends whom thy wrongs Have made thy friends; friends worthy to be call'd so. I'll trust thee with a secret: There are spirits This hour at work.-But as thou art a man, Whom I have pick'd and chosen from the world, Swear that thou wilt be true to what I utter; And when I've told thee that which only gods, And men like gods, are privy to, then swear No chance or change shall wrest it from thy bosom. Jaf. When thou wouldst bind me, is there need of oaths? For thou'rt so near my heart, that thou may'st see For it is founded on the noblest basis; Openly act a deed the world shall gaze |