Should so evade the busy search of thousands,
That six long months have shut him from enquiry,
And not an eye can trace him to his covert.
Cristina. Once 'twas not so; each infant lisped,
Gustavus!
It was the favourite name of every language.
His slightest motions filled the world with tidings;
Waked he, or slept, fame watched the important
hour,
And nations told it round.
Mar. I've heard, my princess,
What time Gustavus lay detained in Denmark,
Your royal father sought the hero's friendship,
And offered ample terms of peace and amity.
Cristina. He did; he offered that, my Ma-
riana,
For which contending monarchs sued in vain:
He offered me, his darling, his Cristina;
But I was slighted, slighted by a captive,
Though kingdoms swelled my dower.
Mar. Amazement fix me!
Rejected by Gustavus!
Cristina. Yes, Mariana; but rejected nobly.
Not worlds could win him to betray his country!
Had he consented, I had then despised him.
What's all the gaudy glitter of a crown?
What, but the glaring meteor of ambition,
That leads a wretch benighted in his errors,
Points to the gulf, and shines upon destruction.
Mar. You wrong your charms, whose power
might reconcile
Things opposite in nature-Had he seen you !-
Cristina. He has, my Mariana, he has seen
I'll tell thee-yet while inexpert of years,
I heard of bloody spoils, the waste of war,
And dire conflicting man; Gustavus' name
Superior rose, still dreadful in the tale :
Then first he seized my infancy of soul,
As somewhat fabled of gigantic fierceness,
Too huge for any form; he scared my sleep,
And filled my young idea. Not the boast
Of all his virtues, graces only known
To him, and heavenly natures! could erase
The strong impression; 'till that wondrous day
In which he met my eyes. But O, O Heaven!
O love, and all ye cordial powers of passion!
What then was my amazement! he was chained,
Was chained, my Mariana! Like the robes
Of coronation, worn by youthful kings,
He drew his shackles. The Herculean nerve
Braced his young arm; and, softened in his cheek,
Lived more than woman's sweetness! Then his
eye!
His mein! his native dignity! He looked,
As though he led captivity in chains,
And all were slaves around.
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Laer. Ah, bright imperial maid! my royal mistress!
Cristina. What wouldst thou say? Thy looks
speak terror to me.
Laer. O you are ruined, sacrificed, undone !
I heard it all; your cruel, cruel father
Has sold you, given you up a spoil to treason,
The purchase of the noblest blood on earth-
Gustavus!
Cristina. Ah! What of him? Where, where
is he?
Laer. In Dalecarlia, on some great design,
Doomed in an hour to fall by faithless hands:
His friend, the brave, the false, deceived Arvida,
Even now prepares to lead a band of ruffians
Beneath the winding covert of the hill,
And seize Gustavus, obvious to the snares
Of friendship's fair dissemblance. And your fa-
ther
Has vowed your beauties to Arvida's arms,
The purchase of his falsehood.
Cristina. Shield me, Heaven!
First duty, break thy filial bands in sunder,
And blot the name of parent from the world!
Is there no lett, no means of quick prevention?
Laer. Behold my life still chained to thy di
My will shall have a wing for every word,'
That breathes thy mandate.
Cristina. Will you, good Laertes?
Alas, I fear to overtask thy friendship;
Say, will you save me then-O go, haste, fly!
Acquaint Gustavus-if, if he must fall,
Let hosts that hem this single lion in,
Let nations hunt him down-let him fall nobly.
Laer. I go, my princess-Heaven direct me to
him!
[Exit.
Cristina. I would pray too, to save me from
Detested stain, the touch of the betrayer!
But mighty love the partial prayer arrests,
And leaves me only anxious for Gustavus.
For him cold fears my fainting bosom chill,
His cares distract me, and his dangers kill;
Ye powers! if deaf to all the vows I make,
Yet shield Gustavus, for Gustavus' sake;
Protect his virtues from a faithless foe,
And save your only image, left below!
SCENE I.-Mountains of Dalecarlia. Enter GUSTAVUS, as a peasant, Dalecarlians following.
Gust. Ye men of Sweden, wherefore are ye
come?
See ye not yonder, how the locusts swarm,
To drink the fountains of your honour up,
And leave your hills a desert-Wretched men!
Why came ye forth! Is this a time for sport?
Or are ye met with song and jovial feast,
To welcome your new guests, your Danish visitants?
The fair inscription-Never shall the cords
Of Danish insolence bind down these arms,
That bore my royal master from the field.
Gust. Ha! Say you, brother? Were you
there- -O grief!
Where liberty and Stenon fell together?
Siv. Yes, I was there- -A bloody field it
Where Conquest gasped, and wanted breath to tell,
Its o'er-toiled triumph. There, our bleeding king,
There Stenon on this bosom made his bed,
And rolling back his dying eyes upon me→
'Soldier,' he cried, if e'er it be thy lot
To stretch your supple necks beneath their feet,
And fawning lick the dust?-Go, go, my coun-To see my valiant cousin, great Gustavus,
Each to your several mansions; trim them out; Cull all the tedious earnings of your toil
To purchase bondage-Bid your blooming daughters,
And your chaste wives, to spread their beds with softness;
Then go ye forth, and with your proper hands
Conduct your masters in; conduct the sons
Of lust and violation-O Swedes, Swedes!
Heavens! are ye men, and will ye suffer this?
Enter ARNOLDUS, who talks apart with GUSTA
1st Dale. How my blood boils!
2d Dale. Who is this honest spokesman ? 3d Dale. What, know ye not Rodolphus of the mines?
A better labourer ne'er struck steel to stone. Gust. There was a time, my friends! a glorious time!
When, had a single man of your forefathers
Upon the frontier met a host in arms,
His courage scarce had turned; himself had stood,
Alone had stood the bulwark of his country.
Your sires were known but by their manly fronts;
On their black brows, enthroned, sat Liberty,
The awe of honour, and contempt of death.
1st Dale. We are not bastards.
Shall we not strike for it?
All. Death! Victory or death! No bonds, no bonds!
Arn. Spoke like yourselves-Ye men of Dale
Brave men and bold! whom every future age, Tongues, nations, languages, and rolls of fame, Shall mark for wondrous deeds, achievements
From honour's dangerous summit, warriors all! ·
Say, might ye choose a chief, for high exploits,
From the first annal, to the latest praise
That breathes a hero's name-Speak, name the
O my heart's lord! My conqueror! my-
Gust. Approach, my fellow soldiers! your Gus-
Claims no precedence here: Friendship like mine
Throws all respect behind it 'tis enough
I read your joys, your transports in your eyes;
Why wouldst thou seek to sink us with the And would, O, would I had a life to spend, weight
Of grievous recollection? O Gustavus!
For every soldier here! whose every life's
Far dearer than my own; dearer than aught,
Could the dead wake, thou wert that man of Except your liberty, except your honour.
First of the foremost!
Gust. Didst thou know Gustavus?
Siv. Know him! O Heaven! what else, who
else, was worth
The knowledge of a soldier? That great day,
When Cristiern, in his third attempt on Sweden,
Had summed his powers, and weighed the scale
of fight;
On the bold brink, the very push of conquest,
Gustavus rushed, and bore the battle down,
In his full sway of prowess, like leviathan
That scoops his foaming progress on the main,
And drives the shoals along. Forward I sprung,
All emulous, and labouring to attend him;
Fear fled before, behind him Rout grew loud,
And distant Wonder gazed- -At length he
turned,
And having eyed me with a wondrous look
Of sweetness mixed with glory-grace inesti-
mable!
He plucked this bracelet from his conquering
arm,
And bound it here-My wrist seemed treble
My heart spoke to him; and I did such deeds
As best might thank him-But from that blessed
day
I never saw him more— -Yet, still, to this
I bow, as to the relicks of saint:
my
Each morn I drop a tear on every bead,
Count all the glories of Gustavus o'er,
And think I still behold him.
Gust. Rightly thought;
For so thou dost, my soldier.
Give me my arms-Off, off ye dark disguises!
For I will be myself. Behold your general,
Gustavus! Come once more to lead ye on
To laurelled victory, to fame, to freedom!
1st Dale. Is it?
2d Dale. Yes.
3d Dale. No.
5th Dale. 'Tis he!
6th Dale. 'Tis he!
[A shout. Siv. Strike me, ye powers!- -It is illusion
all! It cannot.
Gust. What! no nearer?
Perish Gustavus, ere this sacred sun,
That lights the rest of Sweden to their shame,
Should blush upon your chains! why said I chains!
To souls like yours, I should have talked of tri-
umphs,
Empire, and fame, and hazards imminent,
Occasions wished for, glory-haste, brave men!
Collect your friends to join us on the instant;
Summon our brethren to their share of conquest,
And let loud Echo, from her circling hills,
Sound Freedom, 'till the undulation shake
The bound of utmost Sweden !
[Exeunt Dalecarlians, crying Gusta ts!
Gustavus! Liberty!
Enter ANDERson.
And. There was a glorious sound!
Gust. Yes, Anderson,
The long-wished hour is come-the storm is up,
And wrecks will follow-Where they are to light
Let Heaven determine-Well, my noble friend,
Has Peterson set out?
And. He has, this instant;
And bears your packet to the tyrant's camp.
Gust. What think you of his zeal?
And. In truth, my lord,
It wears a gallant show.
Gust. 'Tis specious all,
Flash without fire, the lightning of a clond
That carries darkness in the rear-For Peterson,
To spread my letters through the camp of Cris-
And seek for succours in the jaws of death,
It showed too bold, too much the flaming patriot.
Beside, I know him for the friend of Trollio.
And. Why would you then employ him?
Gust. There's the mystery.
'Tis not his faith, but treachery I trust to.
My letters are directed to the chiefs
Of those inglorious mercenary Swedes,
Whom Cristiern had seduced to join his host,
And turn the sword of conquest on their country;
To each of those I have addressed in terms
Of special correspondence, meant to rouse
The jealousy of Cristiern; as I think
My packet can't escape him. What ensues?
The tyrant hence concludes himself betrayed,
Sifts all his legions, thins the ranks of fight,
Siv. It is! It is! [Falls and embraces his knees. And leaves them open to our bold invasion.
Gust. O speechless eloquence!
Rise to my arms, my friend.
Sip. Friend! said you, friend?
But grant that Peterson deceive my aim,
And hold the rank of virtue; then the Swedes
May waken to the glorious call of honour.
I led you forth, and gave you to your liberty. Gust. O I am sunk, o'erwhelmed with wondrous goodness!
But were I rich and free as opening mines,
That team their golden wealth upon the world,
Still I were poor, unequal to her bounty.
Nor can I longer doubt whose generous arm,
In my Arvida, in my friend's deliverance,
Gave double life, and freedom to Gustavus.
Laer. A fatal present! Ah, you know him not;
Arvida is misled, undone by passion;
False to your friendship, to your trust unfaithful.
Gust. Ha! hold!
Laer. I must unfold it.
Gust. Yet forbear:
This way-I hear some footing-pray you soft-
If thou hast aught to urge against Arvida,
The man of virtue, tell it not the wind;
Laer. Thy presence nobly speaks the man I Lest slander catch the sound, and guilt should wish. Gustavus !
Gust. Yes; thou hast a hostile garbHa! say-Art thou Laertes? If I err not, There is a friendly semblance in that face, Which answers to a fond impression here, And tells me I'm thy debtor-my deliverer! Laer. No, valiant prince, you over-rate my service:
There is a worthier object of your gratitude Whom yet you know not-Oh, I have to tellBut then, to gain your credit, must unfold, What haply should be secret-Be it so ; You are all honour.
Gust. Let me to thy mind!
For thou hast waked my soul into a thought
That holds me all attention.
Laer. Mightiest man!
To me alone you held yourself obliged
For life and liberty-
I were most blessed, with retribution just
To pay thee for my own-For on the day,
When by your arm the mighty Thraces fell,
Fate threw me to your sword-You spared my
youth,
And, in the very whirl and rage of fight,
Your eye was taught compassion-from that
hour
I vowed my life the slave of your remembrance;
And often, as Cristina, heavenly maid !
The mistress of my service, questioned me
Of wars and venturous deeds, my tidings came
Still freighted with thy name, until the day
In which yourself appeared, to make praise
speechless.
Cristina saw you then, and on your
fate
Dropped a kind tear; and when your noble scorn
Of proffered terms provoked her father's rage
To take the deadly forfeit; she, she only,
Whose virtues watched the precious hour of
All trembling, sent my secret hand to save you; Where, through a pass unknown to all your keepers,
O that the world would sleep-to wake no more!
Or that the name of friendship bore no charm
To make my nerve unsteady, and this steel
Fly backward from its task! It shall be done.
Empire! Cristina! though the affrighted sun
Start back with horror of the direful stroke,
It shall be done. Calm, calm the hell within,
Thy looks may else turn traitors-Ha, he comes!
How steadily he looks, as Heaven's own book,
The leaf of truth, were opened on his aspect.
Up, up, dark minister- -his fate calls out
To nobler execution; for he comes In opposition, singly, man to man, As though he braved my wish.
Enter GUSTAVUS,
Forbid it heaven! thou shalt not rob me so.
No, I will struggle with thee to the last,
Aro. Art thou not false? Deep else, O deep And save thee from thyself. Oh, answer me! indeed
Were my damnation !
Gust. Dear, unhappy man!
Wilt thou forsake me? Answer me, my brother, My best Arvida!
Aro. I would speak to thee
My heart bleeds for thee. False I had surely But let it be by silenceOh, Gustavus!
Had I, like thee, been tempted.
Aro. Ha! speak, speak!
Didst thou not send to treat with Cristiern?
I know thy error, but I know the arts,
The frauds, the wiles that practised on thy virtue; Firm how you stood, and towered above mortality;
Till, in the fond unguarded hour of love,
The wily undermining Trollio came,
And won thee from thyself-a moment won thee;
For still thou art Arvida, still the man
On whom thy country calls for thy deliverance.
Already are her bravest sons in arms;
Hark how they shout, impatient for our presence,
To lead them on to a new life of liberty,
To fame, to conquest-Ha! Heaven guard my brother!
Thy cheek turns pale, thy eye is wild upon me! Wilt thou not answer me?
Aro. Have I not dreamed?
Gust. No other I esteem it.
Where lives the man, whose reason slumbers not?
Still pure, still blameless, if at wonted dawn
Again he wakes to virtue.
Must soon be dark. Confusion dissipates,
To leave me worse confounded.
Gust. Think no more on't.
Come to my arms, thou dearest of mankind! Arv. Stand off! Pollution dwells within my touch,
And horrors hang around me-Cruel man! O, thou hast doubly damned me with this goodness!
For resolution held the deed as done,
That now must sink me-Hark! I am summon-
ed hence,
My audit opens! Poise me! for I stand
Upon a spire, against whose sightless base
Hell breaks his wave beneath. Down, down, I
And up I cannot look, for justice fronts me.Thou shalt have vengeance! though my purpling blood
Were nectar for Heaven's bowl, as warm and rich, As now 'tis base, it thus should pour for pardon! [Gustavus catches his arm, and in the struggle the dagger fulls.
Gust. Say but you'll live.
Dale. My lord, as now I passed the moun tain's brow,
I spied some men, whose arms, and strange attire,
Give cause for circumspection.
Gust. Danes, perhaps;
Haste, intercept their passage to the camp.
[Exit Dale,
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