hérvár,* in 1818-about nine years after the time of its composition and with such success that, in the following year, the Fehérvár company were invited to Pest, to perform it at the City Theatre, then under the superintendence of Count Ferencz Brunsvik. They made their first appearance in Pest in "A' Tatárok," on the third of May, 1819. The scene of this play is laid in Hungary, at the time of the invasion of the Tatars, in the middle of the thirteenth century. The success of A' Tatárok even surpassed expectation. On the first night of its representation, the author was called for, and Kisfaludy with difficulty extricated himself from the hands of the young men who wished to carry him upon the stage. This piece was performed repeatedly, and with ever increasing enthusiasm. The Fehérvár company wished to close their engagement at Pest with the performance of a new play by Kisfaludy. He offered them "Zach Clara," which had been written many years before. This play was, however, condemned by the censor, and it must be owned, not without reason. Political reasons had, perhaps, the greatest share in the condemnation of this piece; but the sentence could hardly be regarded as unjust, if pronounced upon other grounds. The opening scenes have great truth and beauty, and the characters are sketched with power and distinctness; but in the development of the plot, Kisfaludy has confined himself with too strict a fidelity to the actual facts; and though the piece maintains a certain hold on the interest to the end, it is an interest like that excited by a bald historical recital of some frightful atrocity, not that awakened by the idealized scenes of the tragic drama. The catastrophe passes the bounds even of the horrible, and touches on the revolting. "Zach Clara" being thus condemned, and Kisfaludy having, at this time, no other piece completed with which he was himself equally satisfied, he set himself to the composition of a new drama, and, in four days, produced "Ilka," which was first performed on the sixteenth of June, 1819. This new piece met with as enthusiastic a reception as the first. Kisfaludy was a rigid censor of his own works, and the "Ilka" *The German name of this city—the ancient capital of Hungary—is, Stuhlweissenburg. was afterwards criticized by himself with much severity. As, however, we regard this play, both in its merits and its defects, as peculiarly characteristic of the author, we have selected it as the subject of a more particular analysis. The scene is laid, in the year 1075, at Nándorfejérvár or Belgrade, at that time in the possession of the Greeks. Ilka, the heroine, is a Magyar maiden, who, made prisoner by the Pecsenegues, in one of their predatory incursions into Hungary, has been by them carried to Belgrade and sold to Niketas, the Greek governor of that city. The other principal characters are: Alexis, a young Greek, the adopted son of Niketas; and Gyula, a Magyar noble, the betrothed of Ilka. The first scene is in a room in the castle of Belgrade. ILKA and ALEXIS. ILKA. The unworthy conduct of thy chief towards me Pity me not; only mid grief and danger Is the pure heart made conscious of its strength. A cruel duty holds me fettered here, This most ungracious message; but, what choice But thou, too, — no, · let that remain unspoken. ILKA. What is it troubles thee? How have I striven ALEXIS. He hath not heard me, and my eager wishes, But think no more upon my fate. To thee I would not owe my freedom to a crime. VOL. LXX. NO. 147. 26 ALEXIS. To see thee in a dungeon, Loaded with chains! see that hand ILKA. Yet another hope Shall cheer my prison gloom; ere long my country Shall I forget the sorrows of my exile. ALEXIS. How various are our fates! a dungeon waits thee; Ere long, perhaps, shall fetters weigh thee down, Yet happier is thy bondage than my freedom. ILKA. Youth and a heart at peace should give content. ALEXIS. The time is past when peace of heart was mine; When, mid light joys and innocent sports, the hours Flew by unmarked. The radiant dreams of youth, Its soaring hopes, now visit me no more; But, in their place, grief and despondency ILKA. What weakness! Such vain fancies But ill become a manly breast, my friend. ALEXIS. I, too, once deemed that only thoughts of fame, And noble deeds, were worthy of a man. Now all is changed. (With resolution.) No, Ilka, hear me not! I was not born to waste my life in dreams; ILKA. And this tear That trembles in thy eye? Alexis, no, Thou art not happy; and thus easily Thy grief is not subdued. Some secret sorrow Preys on thy heart; confide to me its cause. ILKA. I can no longer bear thy silent sorrow, ALEXIS. Alexis, speak! Then hear What to myself I hardly dared to own. Ilka, I love thee! But, oh, turn not from me! I ask but that my heart may turn to thee, And, bound to earth, yet raise his thoughts to heaven. That bloomed upon thy path, and, cheering thee ILKA. (Aside.) Alas! it is, then, even as I feared. Thou art deceived, Alexis; thy young heart, My sorrows have awakened. Oh, believe me, It is but pity that thou feelst for me. ALEXIS. I understand thee; thou wouldst mitigate With gentle words the harsh necessity, And soothe my misery with a kind deceit. Fear not for me; Ilka, thy noble soul Has lent a portion of its strength to mine. Give all thy love to him thy heart has chosen. I will but ask that I may look on thee, And, with a silent, unrequiring love, Revere thy virtues. ILKA. Oh, thou noble youth! Accept a sister's love. No, I will love thee as an own dear brother. The holy tie, [Gives him her hand. That binds our hearts, death only shall divide. My spirit shall seek thine through worlds of light, The flowers of bliss have not so early faded. Death Ilka confides to the Greek youth that she is betrothed in her own land; that the bridal day was already appointed, when the fierce Pecsenegues stormed her home, and carried her a prisoner to Belgrade. ILKA. But I will trust my king, will trust my country; I know they will not long delay my rescue. ALEXIS. I will no longer hide it from thee, Ilka. Already is thy hope fulfilled; even now The Magyars stand before the walls of Belgrade. Still recognize each other. The true heart ALEXIS. Thou swayst me at thy pleasure. to give thee Great souls Oh, Ilka ! Speak, my friend! How fights the Magyar? Who is in the camp? ALEXIS. Listen then, The Pecsenegues, incited by Niketas, Passed down the Szava, fell upon your country, ILKA. Indignant at this outrage on his people, Niketas! Summoned his warriors; and now, fierce for vengeance, Advances upon Nandor. With him come His noble cousins, the two sons of Bela, Geza aud László. László! heaven's chosen ! By whose strong arm, late the Kerlesian mountains Upon the foe his sabre's deadly flash. Death walks beside him. ILKA. Where he turns his glance, What! Gyula! Gyula here! |