Alasco A Tragedy, In Five Acts |
 | 1. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 2. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 4. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. | SCENE IV. |
| 5. |
| 5. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
 | Alasco |  |
SCENE IV.
Another part of the Field—the Castle appearing in the distance—Soldier's of Hohendahl's party appear crossing the stage in flight and confusion, followed by the Baron, Swartsburg, Malinski , (who had deserted from the Insurgents) and other officers.HOHENDAHL.
Slaves! stand your ground!—may all you fear confound ye!
A panic palsy shake you through your lives!
Ye souls of shreds and remnants!
Speed, Lindorf! to the castle, and command
That every man who has a limb to move,
Be mustered to our aid.—You, Sir, collect
[to another officer.
Those rascal runaways that stain the name
Of soldier. Swartsburg! I shall burst with rage!—
The cowards! Hell's hot blisters on the backs
They turn so basely!
We must better estimate
Our enemy. My Lord, these clodpoles give us
Rough encounter.
HOHENDAHL.
By Heaven! they fight as if
And taught them all his tactics.
SWARTSBURG.
“Thrice, their leader
“Charged on our line, and forced it like a wedge.
HOHENDAHL.
“Base rebel! he shall rue his generalship.”
MALINSKI.
I fear we've not yet felt his utmost strength.
Perhaps 'twere wise to wait for succour, and
Withdraw within the castle.
HOHENDAHL.
What!—withdraw?
Retreat before the sweepings of our fields?
“The very dregs of tumult, stirred by knaves,
“To foam in frantic uproar for a day!—”
Who is the quaking renegade that dares
Insult us with such counsel?—our new ally!—
The loyal chief, Malinski!—you would, Sir,
Entrench your prudent valour, and peep out
From parapets, and loopholes on the foe.
MALINSKI.
My Lord, you wrong me;—
HOHENDAHL.
Caitiff! hast thou come
To breathe around the infection of thy fears!
I shall observe thee well;—by this good sword!
I'll have thee scourged, and hooted back to those,
From whom thou fled'st, because they scorned thee, coward!
MALINSKI.
My Lord! my loyalty deserves—
HOHENDAHL.
A halter!
Thy loyalty!—he who has been once a rebel,
Is not less stained for being twice a traitor!
Enter an Officer.
OFFICER.
My Lord, some skirmishers have just brought in
Two prisoners;—one, 'tis said, the Lady Walsingham.
HOHENDAHL.
Kind fortune, thou'rt my friend!
OFFICER.
“They found her wild,
“And wandering o'er the field, careless of danger;
“The Friar Jerome feebly following her.”
HOHENDAHL.
Conduct her to the castle instantly!
And charge they guard her as they would their lives.
“Dismiss the priest.”
[Exit Officer.
Now! now, my soul! will victory
Be doubly sweet, thus seasoned by revenge!
I ask no farther favour!—hark!—their trumpets!
[Alarum.
Soldiers! prepare to charge—retrieve your honour!
If you have hearts, in furious onset, urge
Your weapons home;—
And drive these mongrels howling to their kennels.
[Exeunt.
The official critic here takes new ground—his delicacy rejects this expression as a matter of taste; he being one of those scrupulous observers of decorum—
“That would not mention hell to ears polite.”It is to be hoped his zeal will induce him to employ some of that “otium cum dignitate,” which his new office provides for him, in giving to the world an “editio expurgata” of our principal dramatists: a “Shakspeare” reformed, according to the official standard of politics and politeness, would be a great acquisition to the stage. We should then be no longer shocked by such naughty illustrations of passion, character, and situation, as the unpolished and uncourtly bard of Avon has supplied, in the following instances.
“Let hell make crooked my mind to answer it.”
Indeed the whole play of “Richard the Third,” must be considered as little better than a standing outrage on the new principle of dramatic propriety, and doubtless, our loyal licenser will proceed forthwith, to expel it from the stage,—since the bare word tyrant is no more to be endured there, his respect for the “Divinity which doth hedge a king,” will no longer tolerate such a representation of “the Lord's anointed,” as Shakspeare has presumed to draw in the character of “crooked-back Richard.”
“Hell! hell!
“Burst from the centre, rage and roar aloud
“If thou art half so hot, so mad as I am.”
| Alasco | |