Stuart! My pristine ardor has been subdued by the ig nominy of my chains. Thou hast nipped my existence in the bud. But pronounce those magnanimous words for which thou cam'st hither; for I will not believe that thou art come to enjoy the base delight of insulting thy victim! Pronounce the words so longed for, and say, "Mary, thou art free! Till now thou hast known only my power; now know my greatness." Woe to thee, shouldst thou not depart from me propitious, beneficent, like an invoked Deity. O sister! not for all England, not for all the lands the vast ocean embraces, would I present myself to thee with the inexorable aspect with which thou now regardest me.

Eliz.-At length thou confessest thyself vanquished! Hast thou emptied thy quiver of the artifices it contained? Hast thou no more assassins? Does there not remain to thee one single hero to undertake in thy defence the duties of knight-errant? Gone, Mary, gone forever are those days. Thou canst no longer seduce a follower of mine; other causes now inflame men's hearts. In vain didst thou seek a fourth husband among my English subjects; they knew too well that thou murderest thy husbands, as thou dost thy lovers.

Mary (Shuddering)-O heavens! sister! Grant me resignation.

Eliz.-(To LEICESTER, with contempt)-Earl, are these the boasted features, on which no mortal eye could gaze with safety? Is this the beauty to which no other woman's could be compared? In sooth, the reputation appears to have been easily won. To be thus celebrated as the reigning beauty of the universe seems merely to infer that she has been universal in the distribution of her favors.

Mary-Ah, 't is too much!

Eliz.-(With a smile of satisfaction-Now thou showest thyself in thine own form. Till now thou hast worn a mask.

Mary-(With dignified pride)-They were mere human errors that overcame my youth. My grandeur dazzled me. I have nought to conceal, nor deny my faults; my pride has ever disdained the base artifices of vile intriguers. The worst I ever did is known, and I may boast myself far better than my reputation. But woe to thee, thou malignant hypocrite, if thou ever lettest fall the mantle beneath which thou concealest thy shameless amours! Thou, the daughter of Anne Boleyn, hast not inherited virtue! The causes that brought thy sinful mother to the block are known to all.

Tal.-(Stepping between them)-Is this, O Mary, thine endurance? Is this thy humility?

Mary-Endurance? I have endured all that a mortal heart can bear. Hence, abject humility! Insulted patience, get ye from my heart! And thou, my long pentup indignation, break thy bonds, and burst forth from thy lair! Oh, Thou gavest to the angry serpent his deadly glance; arm my tongue with poisonous stings.

Tal.-(TO ELIZABETH)-Forgive the angry transports which thou hast thyself provoked.

Lei.-(Inducing ELIZABETH to withdraw)-Hear not the ravings of a distracted woman. Leave this ill

Mary-The throne of England is profaned by a baseborn-the British nation is duped by a vile pretender! If right did prevail, thou wouldst be grovelling at my feet, for 't is I who am thy sovereign. (ELIZABETH retires. LEICESTER and TALBOT follow.) She departs, burning with rage, and with bitterness of death at heart. Now happy I am! I have degraded her in Leicester's presence. At last! at last! After long years of insult and contumely, I have at least enjoyed a season of tri umph and revenge.-Adapted by J. HOWARD GORE.

A

SARACEN BROTHERS.

TTENDANT-A stranger craves admittance to your
Highness.

Saladin-Whence comes he?

Attendant-That I know not.

Enveloped with a vestment of strange form,
His countenance is hidden; but his step,
His lofty port, his voice in vain disguised,
Proclaim, if that I dare pronounce it,-

Saladin-Whom?

Attendant-Thy royal brother!

Saladin-Bring him instantly.

[Exit attendant.]

Now, with his specious, smooth, persuasive tongue,

Fraught with some wily subterfuge, he thinks

To dissipate my anger. He shall die!

[Enter attendant and Malek Adhel.]

Leave us together. [Exit attendant.] [Aside.] I should

know that form.

Now summon all thy fortitude, my soul,

Nor, though thy blood cry for him, spare the guilty!
[Aloud.] Well, stranger, speak; but first unveil thyself,
For Saladin must view the form that fronts him.

Malek Adhel-Behold it, then!
Saladin-I see a traitor's visage.
Malek Adhel-A brother's!

Saladin-No!

Saladin owns no kindred with a villain.

Malek Adhel-O, patience, Heaven! Had any tongue

but thine

Uttered that word, it ne'er should speak another. Saladin-And why not now? Can this heart be morc pierced

By Malek Adhel's sword than by his deeds?

O thou hast made a desert of this bosom!
For open candor, planted sly disguise;
For confidence, suspicion; and the glow
Of generous friendship, tenderness and love,
Forever banished! Whither can I turn,
When he, by blood, by gratitude, by faith,
By every tie, bound to support, forsakes me?
Who, who can stand, when Malek Adhel falls?
Henceforth I turn me from the sweets of love,
The smiles of friendship; and this glorious world,
In which all find some heart to rest upon,
Shall be to Saladin a cheerless void,-
His brother has betrayed him!

Malek Adhel-Thou art softened;

I am thy brother, then; but late thou saidst,-
My tongue can never utter the base title!
Saladin-Was it traitor? True!

Thou hast betrayed me in my fondest hopes!
Villain? 'Tis just; the title is appropriate!
Dissembler? 'Tis not written in thy face;
No, nor imprinted on that specious brow;
But on this breaking heart the name is stamped,
Forever stamped with that of Malek Adhel!

Thinkest thou I'm softened? By Mohammed! these hands
Should crush these aching eye-balls, ere a tear

Fall from them at thy fate! O monster, monster!
The brute that tears the infant from its nurse

Is excellent to thee; for in his form

The impulse of his nature may be read;
But thou, so beautiful, so proud, so noble,
O what a wretch art thou! O! can a term
In all the various tongues of man be found
To match thy infamy?

Malek Adhel-Go on! go on!

"Tis but a little time to hear thee, Saladin;

And, bursting at thy feet, this heart will prove
Its penitence, at least.

Saladin-That were an end

Too noble for a traitor! The bowstring is

A more appropriate finish! Thou shalt die!

Malek Adhel-And death were welcome at another's

mandate!

What, what have I to live for? Be it so,

If that, in all thy armies, can be found
An executing hand.

Saladin-O, doubt it not!

They're eager for the office. Perfidy,
So black as thine, effaces from their minds
All memory of thy former excellence.

Malek Adhel-Defer not, then, their wishes. Saladin,

If e'er this form was joyful to thy sight,

This voice seemed grateful to thine ear, accede
To my last prayer:-O, lengthen not this scene,
To which the agonies of death were pleasingl
Let me die speedily!

Saladin-This very hour!

[Aside]-For, O, the more I look upon that face,
The more I hear the accents of that voice,
The monarch softens, and the judge is lost
In all the brother's weakness; yet such guilt,-
Such vile ingratitude,-it calls for vengeance;

And vengeance it shall have! What, ho! who waits there? [Enter attendant.]

Attendant-Did your highness call?

Saladin-Assemble quickly

My forces in the court. Tell them they come
To view the death of yonder bosom traitor.