I have not seen it anywhere noticed that this play, printed under
Elkanah Settle's name, with a long dedication by him to the Earl of
Shaftsbury, in 1680, 4to., was certainly a mere alteration of an old
play on the same subject. It is impossible for any one to read many
pages of it, without seeing everywhere traces of a much more powerful
hand than "poor Elkanah's," although he needed no assistance in managing
the ceremony of pope-burning. Take at random the following quotation,
which is much more like Middleton's or Decker's than the debased style
after the Restoration:
"_Saxony._ And art thou then in earnest?
Come, prithee, speak: I was to blame to chide thee;
Be not afraid; speak but the fatal truth,
And by my hopes of heav'n I will forgive thee.
Out with it, come; now wouldst thou tell me all,
But art ashamed to own thyself a bawd:
'Las, that might be thy father's fault, not thine.
Perhaps some honest humble cottage bred thee,
And thy ambitious parents, poorly proud,
For a gay coat made thee a page at court,
And for a plume of feathers sold thy soul;
But 'tis not yet, not yet too late to save it.
_Amir._ Oh, my sad heart!
_Sax._ Come, prithee, speak; let but
A true confession plead thy penitence,
And Heaven will then forgive thee as I do.
_Amir._ But, Sir, can you resolve to lend an ear
To sounds so terrible, so full of fate,
As will not only act a single tragedy,
But even disjoint all Nature's harmony,
And quite untune the world? for such, such are
The notes that I must breathe.
_Sax._ Oh, my dear murderer,
Breathe 'em as cheerfully as the soaring lark
Wakes the gay morn. Those dear sweet airs that kill me
Are my new nuptial songs. My Angeline
Has been my first, and Death's my second bride."
_Fem. Prel._ p. 58.
Or the following:
"_Sax._ Carlo, she must die;
The softest heart that yon celestial fire
Could ever animate, must break and die.
We are both too wretched to outlive this day;
And I but send thee as her executioner.
_Carlo._ I flie to obey you, Sir.
_Sax._ Stay, Carlo, stay;
Why all this haste to murder so much innocence?
Yet, thou must go. And since thy tongue must kill
The brightest form th' enamoured stars can e'er
Receive, or the impoverisht world can lose.
Go, Carlo, go; but prithee wound her soul
As gently as thou canst; and when thou seest
A flowing shower from her twin-orbs of light
All drown the faded roses of her cheeks;
When thou beholdst, 'midst her distracted groans,
Her furious hand, that feeble, fair revenger,
Rend all the mangled beauties of her face.
Tear her bright locks, and their dishevell'd pride
On her pale neck, that ravisht whiteness, fall;
Guard, guard thy eyes: for, Carlo, 'tis a sight
Will strike spectators dead."--_Fem. Prel._ p. 61.
In the _Biog. Dram._ (vol. iii. p. 237.), it is stated that the same
play, with the same title, was printed in 4to., 1689, except that it was
there said to be written by a person of quality. The play is, however,
claimed by Settle in his dedication to Lord Shaftsbury, prefixed to the
edition of 1680, now before me. I do not, however, believe he had more
to do with it than in adapting it, as he did _Philastes_, for
representation. The only question seems to be by whom the original play
was written? This I will not at present attempt to decide, though I
entertain a strong opinion on the subject, but will leave it to be
resolved by the critical acumen of your readers.