Preface
The grandeur of this play is historical. It
is founded on the principle achievements of that most
extraordinary man, Charles Stuart who aspired to the
throne of Scotland. His adventures were enthusiastic
and striking. He was patriotic and valorous. His
nature was as noble as his ambition was great. His
ambition was unlawful, and he saw the vanity of his
undertaking by reaping the harvest of a perilous
defeat. The incidents of his career are made use
of only as the basis of the superstructure of the
Drama. The character of Madalena was suggested to
the author by a beautiful story which he read in
one of the papers three or four years ago. The
object of the drama, as will be seen by the plot,
is to develop the vanity of unlawful ambition, and,
in contradistinction to it, the pleasure that may be
derived from following the dictates of the Deity, as
recognized in the nature of things. The Author has
attempted to make this vanity, of which he was the
victim, the more conspicuous in the domestic felicity
which he is supposed to have enjoyed after his defeat.
How far he has succeeded is left for his friends to judge.
May 1st, 1838
