When I was a student of Medicine in Transylvania
University, some person gave me a
pamphlet containing the Confession of Beauchampe,
who was condemned to die for the murder of
Colonel Sharpe of Kentucky. I then made a
sketch of the outlines of a Play which I intended
to write upon that remarkable occurence; but
before I had finished it, some person took the
pamphlet away from me, and I then wrote the
following play. Any person acquainted with that
unparalleled circumstance, will see, at once,
that the play is based upon it, and that the
catastrophe is the same.—The young lady who
was seduced by Colonel Sharpe, and afterwards
married to Beauchampe, will be recognized in
the character of Leoni. Beauchampe, who was
instigated by her to kill Sharpe, will be
recognized in the character of Alvino, and
Sharpe, in that of Count Alvar. The Scene of
the action, and the names of the characters are
only omitted—the spirit is the same. The
creation of the other characters, and the construction
of the plot, are my own invention.
THE AUTHOR
Philadelphia, November 8, 1851.
