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We had composed, with infinite perusal of its face, that our eyepleasure and no pain, a New-Year's- beams, after dancing a while, beDay Address to our beloved friends, came concentred in a focus that and were glancing over it in type, seemed as if it would burn a hole in with eyes unstartled by the most the boards. Erelong that passionate extraordinary errata, when a bulky fit subsided; and well pleased to parcel, directed by the well-known know that age had not deadened our hand of our much respected Mr enthusiasm, in sobered mood and Rees himself, was deposited by a solemn, we set ourselves, with all young gentleman in black on the our soul, to enjoy, after the lapse of Board of Green Clotb, with a thud so many years, a continuation of the that made the ink sparkle from the series of Plays on the Passions. All mouth of the Dolphin. Our first the sense, and all the nonsense that sheet is always the last to go to had been so well and so ill spoken press; and our manuscript had so and written about the theory of nicely filled the measure, that, like the illustrious poetess, we knew had the Thames, or any other first-rate long sunk in the waters of oblivion ; river, the article was, “without o'er- here was the completion of a plan flowing, full," and we need not say which only the noblest genius could so translucent, that we could have have conceived ; and on laying down seen the silver gravel shimmering Volume First, which in the depth, had it not been for through, from beginning to end, at the reflected imagery of heaven. one reclination, we felt that Scott With a sure presentiment of the was justified in linking her name delightful, we seized our ivory pan with that of Shakspeare. per-folder, sharp as a casc knife, Nay, do not start with superciand cut asunder the cords that lious brow ; for Shakspeare was but confined the treasure. Strong

a man--though of men the most sunshine was at the moment stream wonderful and what woman's name ing through the old painted glass, would you, in poetry, place above that usually lets in a dim religious that of Joanna Baillie ? What the light upon us, sitting like a saint in Mighty Minstrel has said of her, let his sanctum, and fell upon three vo- no inferior spirit gainsay; and be lumes of dramas by Joanna Baillie! assured that his judgment, rightly We shoved the sheet aside, almost understood, is the Truth, and has with scorn, and lifting one of them been confirmed by all the Poets. from the illumination, we pressed it She has "worshipped at the Tem. to our heart, and then fell to such ple's imer shrine;" and her revela.

we read

Longman, &c. 1836. Three Volumes. TOL. XXXIX. NO, OCXLIII.

tions are those of a Priestess, whose sympathy, so essential to our knowservices and ministrations have been ledge of the human mind, and withaccepted and consecrated by the out which there can be neither spirit of nature. Dark and dread. poetry nor philosophy, are necessary ful revelations they often are; for a largeness of beart, which willingly they are of the mysteries of the yields itself to conceive the feelings human heart, which is the dwelling and states of others, whose characplace of sin, or by sin often haunted ter of feeling is unlike to its own, at noon-day, when there are no and the freedom from any inordivisionarý spectres. Bright and beau- nate overpowering passion, which tiful they often are, too ; for the hu. quenches in the mind the feelings man heart has its angel visitants, and of nature it has already known, and then it is like the heavenly region, places it in babitual enmity to the and its pictured delight divine. natural affections and happiness of

Do you wonder how one mind can other men. To paint bad passions have such vivid consciousness of the is not to praise them : they alone feelings of another, while their cha. can paint them well who bate, fear, racters are cast in such different or pity them; and therefore Baillie moulds ? It is, indeed, wonderful- has done so far better than Byron. for the power is that of sympathy But we must not suffer ourselves and genius. The dramatic poet, to be carried away into dissertation, whose heart breathes love to all the sin which most easily besets us living things, and whose overflowing in common with all philosophical tenderness diffuses itself over the old gentlemen; for we desire now beauty even of unliving nature, may to show Specimens of true Dramatic yet paint with his creative hand the Poetry, and we know that by doing steeled heart of him who sits on a 80 we shall delight our friends a throne of blood-thelust of crime in a thousand times more than by our very mind polluted with wickedness-the happiest criticism. This article is the remorse of acts which could never first of a Series; and we love always pass in thought through his imagi. to present ample Specimens till we nation as his own. For, in the act have “paved our way" with gems, of imagination, he can suppress in and then, turning round and looking bis mind its own peculiar feelings back, we expatiate on the radiant its good and gracious affections, road we have travelled together, call up from their bidden places till love and admiration are rekin. those elements of his nature, of dled by the retrospect, and even which the seeds were sown in him burn in our bosoms with a brighter as in all-give them unnatural mag. flame. So let us single out one nitude and power-conceive the dis- Drama, and by some potent extracts order of passions, the perpetration of show what is the spirit of the whole, crimes, the tortures of remorse, or and its prevailing character ; and let the scorn of that human weakness, it be - Henriquez-a Tragedy"from which his own gentle bosom a tale of Jealousy, Revenge, and and blameless life are pure and Remorse. free. He can bring himself, in short, Don Henriquez is tlie victorious into an imaginary and momentary general of the King of Castile, sympathy with the wicked, just as Alonzo, surnamed the Noble ; * and his mind falls of itself into a natural Leonora, “the daughter of a hum. and true sympathy with those whose ble house," is his wife. During the character is accordant with his own; absence of her lord, her sister Men. and watching the emotions and cia has been residing iu their castle, workings of his mind in the spon- and been wooed by Don Juen, the taneous ant in the forced sympa. dearest friend of Henriquez, while thy, he knows and understands her heart was devoted to Antonio, a from himself what passes in the young gentleman of less exalted minds of others. What is done in birth. The frequent visits of Juen the highest degree by the highest have excited suspicions in the mind genius, is done by all of ourselves of Diego, the steward, of Leonora's in lesser degree, and unconsciously, virtue, and he drops a letter, charging at every moment in our intercourse her with guilt, in the way of Henriwith one another. To this kind of quez, on his return from the wars.

The poison instantly begins to letter, both sent for Mencia, but
work." The first symptoms of the believed by him, in his infatuation,
disease are skilfully exhibited, and to have been given to his faithless
so is the agony of conviction, on wife. Having assured himself that
his finding in a casket, which was his eyes have seen aright, he ex-
his earliest gift to Leonora, Juen's claims-
picture, and an impassioned love-

“ Things have been done, that, to the honest mind,
Did seem as adverse and impossible,
As if the very centre cope of heaven
Should kiss the nether deep.

And this man was my friend !
To whom my soul, shut from all men beside,
Was free and artless as an infant's love,
Telling its guileless faults in simple trust.
Oh! the coiled snake! It presses on me here!
As it would stop the centre throb of life.
And sonnets, too, made on her matchless beauty,
Named Celia, as his cruel shepherdess.
Ay! she was matchless, and it seems was cruel,
Till his infernal arts subdued her virtue.
I'll read no more. What said he in the letter?
(Reads again). The bearer will return with the key,
And I'll come by the path at nightfall.'

Night falls on some who never see the morn." Mean while Leonora, all uncon- sister Mencia, their respective chascious of any evil, is preparing a racters are manifested by a few proud and gorgeous pageant on ac- touches, which, under the circumcount of her lord's return, and in the stances, are very pathetic. following scene between her and her

SCENE III.

Enter Leonora and Mencia, followed by Diego, speaking as they enter.

Diego. It sball be done ; I understand you, Madam ;
Those lofty plumes must grace the seat of honour,
The chair of Don Henriquez

Leo. Yes ; and the chair of Don Henriquez's wife :
See that they both be graced.
Diego.

Never but once
(Lady, forgive the freedom of my words),
Never but once before was chair of state
Beneath this roof so crested : years gone by,
When Don Henriquez's father, from tbe king,
Held in these parts, then threatened with commotions,
A regent's power. And then his noble lady,
Although the blood of kings ran in her veins,
Did at due distance bumbly take her place
On a low stool, upmarked by any honour.

Leo. Ay, good Diego, such meek humble dames
Have lived, as we are told, in former days.
Do as I have desired thee.
Diego (aside, murmuring as he goes

out). Lofty dame!
Making so proud a stir, like some perth edgling,
Chirping and flutt'ring in an eagle's nest.

Men. Sister, you aggravate the mark'd dislike
That old domestic bears you : be more gentle.

Leo: O he dislikes me not; it is bis humour.
Dislike me! Have I not to him and his
Been even profuse in gifts? The foolish thought!

Men. Ay: but the meekness of his former lady,
She, too, who had a king's blood in her veins,
Dwells in his heart, and beggars all thy gifts,

[Exit.

Leo. Thou'rt fanciful.
Men.

Nay, nay! and why so fond
Of splendid pomp? Compared to what thou wert,
Thy marriage with Henriquez made thee great ;
This dotb not make thee greater ; wo the day!
Nor happier neither.
Leo.

Wo the day! Poor dove !
That would beneath the cottage eaves for ever
Sit moping in the shade with household birds,
Nor spread thy silver plumage to the sun.

Men. The sun hath scorch'd my wings, which were not made
For such high soaring.
He who would raise me to his nobler rank
Will soon perceive that I but grace it poorly.

Leo. Away with such benumbing diffidence !
Let buoyant fancy first bear up thy merit,
And fortune and the world's applause will soon
Support the freight. When first I saw Henriquez,
Though but the daughter of a humble house,
I felt the simple band of mcadow flowers
That bound my hair give to my glowing temples
The pressure of a princely coronet.
I felt me wortby of his love, nor doubted
That I sbould win his heart, and wear it too.

Men. Tbou dost, indeed, reign in his heart triumphant;
Long may thy influence last.

Leo. And fear not but it will. These pageantries
Give to the even bliss of wedded love
A varied vivifying power, which else
Might dic of very sloth. And for myself,
My love for him, returning froin the wars,
Blazon'd with lionours, as he now returns,
Is livelier, happier, and, inethinks, more ardent,
Than when we first were married. Be assured
All things will favour thee, if thou hast spirit
To think it so shall be. Thou sbak'st thy head,
It is not reason, but thy humble wisbes,
Thy low ignoble passion that deceives thee,
And conjures up those fears. Weak, wav'ring girl!
Art thou not bound ?

Men. Weakness in yiclding to your will, indeed,
Has fetter'd me with bands my heart disowns.

Leo. Ty! say not so. Ilush ! lct not that sad face
O'ercloud the joy my gen'rous lord will feel
When he discovers what we bave conceald,
With playful art, to make his joy the keener.
Hush! here comes Blas again.

Enter Blas.
How is my

Lord ?
Will he not see me now?
Blas.

He will not yet.
I have been watching near his chamber door,
And when I gently knock'd, as you desired,
He answered me with an impatient voice,
Saying his head was drowsy, and lack'd rest.

Leo. I'll go myself.
Blas.

Nay, Madam, do not yet.
I
guess

that some cross humour has disturb'd him; Sleep will compose it. Lco.

Humour, dost thou say ! He ne'er was cross with me,

[Ersunt,