UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE.

No. CLXXXVI.

JUNE, 1848.

VOL. XXXI.

CONTENTS.

Page

KING RENÉ'S DAUGHTER. A LYRICAL DRAMA. FROM THE DANISH OF HENRIK

HERTZ BY BON GAULTIER.

671

IRISHI RIVERS.-No. VI. THE LEE.-SECOND ARTICLE.-CONCLUSION

697

LIVE AND LET LIVE. BY G. LINNAEUS BANKS

714

PADDIANA

715

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE LATTER DAYS OF THE HON, RICHARD MARSTON,

OF DUNORAN. PART III.-CONCLUSION

728

THE EVE OF SAINT SILVESTER. FROM THE RUSSIAN OF TZOBOVSK. BY JAMES

CLARENCE MANGAN

781

JAMES MCGLASIAN, 21. D'OLIER-STREET.

WM. S. ORR, AND CO. 147 STRAND LONDON.

SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

As a translation of "KING RENE'S DAUGHTER," by the Hon. Edmund Phipps, has been published in London during the past month, in a separate volume, it is due to the translator of the version which appears in this number of our Magazine to state, that it was written in August last, and was in our hands for publication several months before Mr. Phipps' version was announced.-ED.

(The scene lies in Provence, in a valley of Vaucluse, and lasts from mid-day to sunset. Time-The middle

of the 15th century.

To the left (of the actor) stands a house of one story, covered with roses and clustering vines. A garden runs backwards from the house, in which the vegetation displays a tropical luxuriance. Some date-palms in the foreground. At the end of the garden is seen a wall of rock, overgrown with brushwood, and in it a door so covered with moss and stones, that it is only perceptible when open. Behind this wall lofty mountains stretch into the distance.

FIRST SCENE.

BERTRAND. Immediately afterwards, SIR ALMERIK. BERTRAND (entering from the house).-It was the bell!

the king!

Sir Almerik!

Then MARTHA.

Some message from

(Crosses the stage to the rock, and opens the concealed door. Returns immediately with Sir Almerik, but keeps him standing at the entrance.) What do I see? You here!

Nay, stop! Stand back! For here may no one enter.

ALMERIK.-I may and will.

BERTRAND.

I'm serious, Sir Knight.

For none must enter here. You have deceived me.
Hearing the bell, and with it, too, the sign,

I felt assured that it must be Raoul.

ALMERIK.-Raoul comes not. But in his stead the king

Has sent me hither. See his royal ring

This letter, too, which I have brought for thee!

BERTRAND. His ring? A moment !-Yes, it is the king's.

A letter! Sir, your pardon, while I read it.

"Frankly confide in Almerik, and give him

"Whatever information he desires."'

-This changes matters quite. Frown not, my lord,

For, if you know the secret of this place,

Then you must know, that prudence is my duty.

(Reads.)

ALMERIK (advancing with Bertrand to the front of the stage).—I know the place's

secret? Save the mark!

The message which King René charged me with,

Leads me, along these mountains' wild ravines,
Into a pass, concealed among the rocks,

VOL. XXXI.-NO. CLXXXVI.

2 Y

And through dark alleys, over rugged cliffs,
Right to this door-where, with amazement, I
Find, 'midst the crags, instead of howling waste,
A paradise; and see, yon house, how fair!
How rich and glorious all! I'm wonder-struck!
Pray tell me, what this mystery may import?

BERTRAND (distrustfully).—Did you not learn it from the king?
Nothing was said to me.

ALMERIK.

BERTRAND.

That is not well.

From me-you must perceive 'tis surely meet,
You look to learn still less.

Not I!

ALMERIK.-
,-

Nay, Bertrand, nay,

This is your jest!

BERTRAND.

'Tis sober, serious fact.

MARTHA (appearing at the door of the house).

MARTHA.-Whom, Bertrand, are you speaking with? What's here?

BERTRAND.—

Sir Almerik?

He brings King René's ring, And knows the sign to gain admittance; yet Are all things else unknown and strange to him. This is not right. He must at once begone. ALMERIK.-Begone, when the king sends me?

BERTRAND.

Ay, although he did. MARTHA.-Stay, Bertrand, stay! (To ALMERIK.) What is your message, sir? ALMERIK. I was to say, that in an hour the king Would come with his physician, Ebn Jahia. MARTHA. The very famous Moor, I know him well— ALMERIK.-Comes with the king, and you were to make sure— These were his words-that all things were prepared, As the leech order'd you.

BERTRAND.

MARTHA.

The king may trust to us.
Was Ebn Jahia here.

'Tis well, 'tis well!
Some hours ago

And yet, Sir Knight,
His majesty imparted nothing more?

ALMERIK.-He was in haste, and full, meseem'd, of thought.
The Moor, this Ebn Jahia, had arrived,
Raoul was ill, and secretly the king
Called me aside-"I can depend on you,"
He said" and in your secrecy confide;
Follow the messenger, who will conduct you,
And then fulfil your charge."

MARTHA.

ALMERIK.

Was told you by the king?

And this was all

Not all, and yet
What more he spake was wrapp'd in mystery.
He mused awhile, then, hesitating, said,
"Think well; I count on your fidelity;
You'll find my daughter, where you are to go."
Then all at once he suddenly broke off,

Penn'd in keen haste the letter which I brought,
And bade me go.

The letter?

Ah, yes! The letter! MARTHA (takes and reads the letter).—'Tis the king's hand. How can you doubt

his tale?

BERTRAND.-No, you are right, I had forgot the letter.
ALMERIK. Then by the letter you may gather, how

The king desires, that from your lips I learn
What things soe'er 'tis needful I should know-
All the more needful, that I'm called to fill
In my friend's room the charge, which yet to me
Is maze and mystery all. Who is this daughter,
The king did tell me of?
For Margaret
Is, I know well, in Britain, and Iolanthe

MARTHA. Is here. ALMERIK.

MARTHA.

Here? Iolanthe is in Spain,
Pent in a convent, where she hath been rear'd
Since infancy.

It is not so, Sir Knight.
'Tis here she lives. A mystery this, indeed,
As you have said, and of the strangest, too.
Yet, as it now is hidden from the world,

So look we on, with sad and troubled eyes,
Into a time shall make all clear and plain.
ALMERIK.-I do beseech you, Bertrand, tell me all !
BERTRAND. I will, since such his majesty's desire.

ALMERIK.

You oft, no doubt, have heard of the dispute
About Lorraine, that raged so long between
Our king and Vaudemont.

I know it well.
Yet is that ancient quarrel now forgot:
The terms of peace, by Burgundy arranged,
Secure as rumour gives the story out-
King René's daughter's hand in marriage to
The son of Count Antonio Vaudemont.
This daughter, Iolanthe, was a child,
When this alliance was determined on.

BERTRAND.-Amen. God speed the issue! Well, sir knight,
The compact scarce was settled, when, you know,
The palace was consumed by fire, which scared
The sleeping house at midnight from their pillows.
On this occasion, Iolanthe-who

Scarce numbered then one year-was all but lost.
Already raved the flames on every side,
Round the apartment where the baby lay.
To save her life one course alone was left-
We from the chamber window let her down,
And caught her safe on cushions as she fell.
-Yet, or through fear or injury from the fall,
Suffice to say, the child had lost her sight.
ALMERIK.-Had lost her sight?
MARTHA.-

Ay, even so, my lord.
Imagine our distress-her sire's despair.
Alas! a child so gentle and so sweet,
And of her sight bereft-how sad, how hard!
The hope, that with her life was intertwined,
Extinguished, and the old and bitter feud
About Lorraine renewed-ay, and renewed
Too sure, alas! more fiercely than of old.
For the Count Vaudemont will never brook
His son should have a blind girl for his mate.
He will believe, and hence his wrath will fire,
A cheat was practised on him, and that she
Was blind before the truce was ratified.
ALMERIK.-Surmise to him most probable. But the king,
What did he in this strait ?