carrying reverence for his Author too far. But the tranflator's love for couplets is not marked by the conclufion of the fcenes alone, if the two following lines did not flide inadvertently into rhyme, "From th' inftant that reftored me to thy fight, Infenfibly my load of woe grows light.' The character of Metaftafio is already fixed by the public voice; his faults and perfections are fufficiently known; we think it therefore unneceffary to enter into a critical inveftigation of the drama, as Mr. Hamilton has for the most part pretty exactly followed his original, (if we except his divifion into five acts) both in the outline and the finishing. Inftead of which we fhall present our readers with the ftory of the piece, which is highly capable of intereft and pathos; especially to a Briton, when he fees the Grecian hero giving up riches, honours, power, nay life itself, for the love of his country. Themistocles, banished from Athens, is introduced in the first scene with his fon Neocles, in a gallery of the palace of Xerxes, the latter querulous, fearful, and exafperated at his country, the former with a firm and steady mind, rifing fuperior to all his misfortunes. He there meets with his daughter Afpafia, whom he had thought lost in a fhip bound for Argos, and hears that two hundred talents are offered for bringing him alive or dead to Xerxes. Afpafia, earnestly, with all the paffion of filial tenderness, adjures him to quit the inhofpitable fhores of Perfia, but Themiftocles perfifts in his refolution to behold his enemy, and leaves her abruptly, without giving any reafon for his exit. In this fituation fhe is accofted by Roxana, the mistress of the Perfian monarch, who accufes her of want of candour, in keeping from her "the fortunate event." Afpafia thinks, from the words of her addrefs, that the lrad overheard the converfation with her father, and is ftruck dumb with terror and confufion, but foon discovers that jealousy had given rife to the angry expoftulation. Happy that her father is not difcovered, the endeavours to calm the mind of the Perfian princefs, by difavowing all pretenfions to the heart of Xerxes, and confeffing an unchangeable paffion for another. In the meanwhile the prime-minifter, Sebastes, enters, to announce the arrival of the Athenian ambaffador, who he fays is come to demand Themistocles. Roxana quits the scene with Sebaftes; while Afpafia, who had heard from him the name of the ambaffador, remains in the utmost diftrefs, on finding that her lover Lyfimachus had accepted of fuch a commiffion. The fecond act opens with Themiftocles and his fon, in the audience chamber of the great king. 66 king. Xerxes, after teftifying a mortal hatred against the Athenian exile, without knowing he was fo near, gives audience to the ambaffador of Athens, who having hinted at peace, and demanded Themiftocles, is haughtily difmiffed by the Afiatic monarch. The conqueror of Xerxes at that moment difcovers himself, and difplays fuch dignity, and firmnefs of mind, that the king, after a thort struggle, receives him with open arms, and confiders him as the firmeft pillar of his throne. Afpafia having been informed by Neocles, that her father had difcovered himfelf to Xerxes, enters in the next fcene almoft diftracted with grief, and begs Roxana to protect her father. The jealoufy of the princefs, on hearing that he was the daughter of that illuftrious Athenian, is again awakened, and Sebaftes at that moment entering with a meffage from the king, expreffing an eager defire to fee Afpafia, the gives vent to all the bitterness of disappointed love. The wily minifter, who meditated treafon against his mafter, takes advantage of her ftate of mind, and endeavours to prompt her to revenge. Themistocles is introduced in the 3d act, furrounded with the magnificent gifts beftowed on him by Xerxes, meditating on the changeablenefs of human affairs, and diftrufting the ftability of his prefent fortune. "Well I perceive," fays he, “That life is but a tale-mine's yet untold." His fon appears, as much elated in profperity, as he was depreffed by adverfity. His father endeavours to convince him on what flippery ground they stand, and fays, "To ruin us there only needs a frown." Xerxes then enters, and addreffes the Grecian with all the warmth of friendship, pouring upon him at the fame time additional riches and honours. Themiftocles, without affigning any reafon for leaving the monarch alone, goes off in an extacy of gratitude, and military enthufiafm approaching to rant. The king ruminates on the cares of royalty, and on the bleffings that may be diffused by the hand of abfolute power; he next reflects on the advantages to be reaped by the acquifition of Themiftocles, and deter-. mines to fecure his faith by raising Afpafia to the throne of Perfia. This train of pleafing ideas is interrupted by the entrance of Roxana, whofe jealous reproaches are just about to bring on a confeffion of his love for Afpafia, when the minifter enters to inform him, that the Grecian ambassador requests a fecond audience, for the purpose of again demanding the perfon of Themiftocles. The monarch, in a rage, first forbids him the court, but afterwards grants the andience he demands; and unable to communicate his purpofes to Roxana, quits her with faying, let my filence fpeak a truth too harth for utterance.' A fhort fcene of little importance 2 importance between the two rival ladies fucceeds; and the act concludes with the interview of Afpafia and Lyfimachus, where the ftruggle between love and patriotifm is well fupported. In the fourth act, Xerxes, who had promifed Lyfimachus to fend back the Athenian exile to Greece, now unfolds his meaning by placing him at the head of the army he had deftined to carry vengeance into that country. The patriotic Greek refufes the command, and the enraged defpot fends him to prifon as the devoted victim of his refentment. Happy at this event, Roxana makes her appearance, but with her joy the blends her apprehenfions, left the interference of her rival fhould alter the determination of Xerxes. In the midst of her doubts Afpafia comes in, and by a promife of her hand to the king, prevails upon him to fufpend her father's doom. Roxana, abandoned to jealoufy and defpair, is accofted by Sebaftes; who unfolding his fcheme of trea-fon, prevails upon her apparently to enter into his defigns. She retires, her bofom torn by the contending paffions of love and revenge. In the laft act, Themistocles being informed by Sebaftes, that nothing lefs than his swearing "eternal hate to Greece" could appease the Perfian monarch, détermines, rather than prove a traitor to his country, to poifon himself at the altar where Xerxes expected him to pronounce the vow of lafting enmity. Without difclofing his defign, he feems to enter into the views of the king, and begs of Sebaftes, that the Athenian ambaffador may be prefent at the folemn act. His children are then introduced, to whom he reveals his purpofe, and quits them, after having bestowed his laft parental advice. After the first burst of grief is over, they are worked upon by the counfels and example of their father, to approve his refolution, and prepare to witnefs the patriotic facrifice. Xerxes then enters, overjoyed that he had at laft overcome the ftubborn virtue of the Greek. He is met by Roxana, in whofe heart love had taken the place of revenge. Under the influence of that paffion, the prefents him with a paper which difcovers the treafon of Sebaftes, who appears foon after the monarch had perufed it, and to further his treacherous defigns, folicits the command of the troops that were to march into Egypt. The king, having for fome time amufed him with anfwers which convey a double meaning, at laft puts the paper into his hands, and leaves him to the enjoyment of his disappointment and remorfe. In the laft fcene, Xerxes having difcovered the purpose of Themiftocles, prevents him from fwallowing the poifon, and won by, the virtues of the Grecian hero, receives him as his friend, and fwears "a lafting amity with Greece." Having likewise discovered the mutual love love of Afpafia and Lyfimachus, he leaves the former to the man of her choice, and rewards the generous conftancy of generous_conftancy Roxana, by raifing her to the Perfian throne. Even Sebaftes is forgiven; and the play, of course, ends happily. Not a drop of blood is fhed, nor does even a fingle with of any of the perfonages remain unsatisfied. Such is the plot of the tragedy-That our readers may be able to form fome judgement of the execution, we fhall prefent them with part of a fcene between Afpafia and Lyfimachus, which we select as rather a favourable ex tract. ་ Lyfimachus-Afpafia. Lyfimachus. The king has yielded to the pray'rs of Greece. Have pity on me! good Lyfimachus! By thee my father may be fav'd-Oh! fave him !-- [afide Lyfim. Ah-by what means?-The king, perhaps, already Expects me at the place, where all his troops, And people are affembl'd in their fight, He is refolv'd to put him in my hands. O think, what can remain within my pow'r? Afp. Afp. Art thou oblig'd to be an inftrument Of ire?-t'imbrue thy hands in guiltless blood? my with: Afp. Moft true: we both have duties to discharge: I ftrictly fhall attend to mine.-Farewel. Lyfim. Ah! whither flieft thou ? Alp. In Xerxes' hated arms. Lyfim. To entomb myfelf In Xerxes' arms? Afp. He loves me, and my filial zeal requires Lyfim. Wilt thou amaze the world with this example Afp. I but adopt But But in refentment of Afpafia's coldness: Ere now he made an offer of his hand, Lyfim. Say'it thou, Afpafia! Ajp. And yet Lyfim. Refiftlefs eloquence of weeping beauty! In thy breaft Too powerful for relistance. Alp. If yet a fpark of pity lives, oh! hear me ! Lyfim. No more-Farewel there's peril in my ftay! O gods! what mortal can, unmov'd, behold Diftreffed beauty pleading, and not yield! Who can refift fuch eyes, thus arm'd with tears!— I must or fly thee now, enchanting maid Or give up Athens-honour-duty-fame! [Exeunt.' We obferve" to give in my hands," instead of into, and a few other incorrect expreffions. Themiftocles tells his fon, "That virtue gains new luftre in affliction, "And oft is tarnished by profperity. "Aftream that runs o'er pebbles fweet and clear, This is the fimile unlike. We can difcern no refemblance between a clear ftream gliding over pebbles, and virtue in affliction. Afpafia, wifhing to fupport with proper fortitude the fatal refolution of her father, fays, ፡፡ Why fhou'd my brother of more firmnefs boast?"The blood that fills his veins alike fills mine, "And fprung too from the fame illuftrious fource." The fecond and third line appear to us to convey exactly the fame idea, which is, that both were the offspring of Themiftocles; though" And fprung too" in the third leads the reader to think that each of them has a diftinct meaning. Upon the whole this tranflation, though it does not equal the rapidity, and abrupt ardour of the original, has a confiderable degree of merit. MONTHLY |