University of Virginia Library

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


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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.