Be he who made thee and thy sire! We deem our curses vain; we must expire;

But as we know the worst, Why should our hymns be raised, our knees be bent

Before the implacable Omnipotent, 860 Since we must fall the same?

If he hath made Earth, let it be his shame,

To make a world for torture. - Lo! they come,

The loathsome waters, in their rage! And with their roar make wholesome nature dumb!

The forest's trees (coeval with the hour

When Paradise upsprung,

Ere Eve gave Adam knowledge for her dower,

Or Adam his first hymn of slavery

Time Space

For

Chorus of Mortals.

Where shall we fly?

Not to the mountains high; now their torrents rush, with double roar,

To meet the Ocean, which, advancing still,

Already grasps each drowning hill, Nor leaves an unsearched cave.

Enter a Woman.

Woman. Oh, save me, save! Our valley is no more:

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My father and my father's tent, My brethren and my brethren's herds, The pleasant trees that o'er our noonday bent,

And sent forth evening songs from sweetest birds,

The little rivulet which freshened all
Our pastures green,
No more are to be seen.

When to the mountain cliff I climbed

Than to behold the universal tomb, Which I

Am thus condemned to weep above in vain.

Why, when all perish, why must I remain ?

[The waters rise; Men fly in every direction; many are overtaken by the waves: the Chorus of Mortals disperses in search of safety up the mountains: JAPHET remains upon a rock, while the Ark floats towards him in the distance.

WERNER;1

OR,

THE INHERITANCE: A TRAGEDY.

ΤΟ

THE ILLUSTRIOUS GOETHE

BY ONE OF HIS HUMBLEST ADMIRERS, THIS TRAGEDY

IS DEDICATED.

PREFACE.

THE following drama is taken entirely from the German's Tale, Kruitzner, published many years ago in "Lee's Canterbury Tales," written (I believe) by two sisters, of whom one furnished only this story and another, both of which are considered superior to the remainder of the collection. I have

I

[Werner was begun at Pisa, December 18, 1821, and finished January 20, 1822. It was published November 23, 1822.]

[This is not correct. The Young Lady's Tale, or the Two Emilys and The Clergyman's Tale, or Pembroke, were contributed by Sophia Lee. Kruitzner, or the German's Tale, was written by Harriet Lee (1757-1851), the younger of the sisters.

The first volume of the Canterbury Tales, by Harriet Lee, was published in 1797; the second volume, by Sophia Lee, in 1798; a third volume,

adopted the characters, plan, and ever the language of many parts of this story Some of the characters are modised or altered, a few of the names changed, and one character (Ida of Stralenheim) added by myself: but in the rest the original is chiefly followed. When I was young (about fourteen, I think, I first read this tale, which made a deep impression upon me; and may, indeed, be said to contain the germ of much that I have since written. I am not sure that it ever was very popular; or, at any rate, its popularity has since been eclipsed by that of other great writers in the same department. But I have generally found that those who had read it, agreed with me in their estimate of the singular power of mind and conception which it develops. I should also add conception, rather than execution; for the story might, perhaps, have been developed with greater advantage. Amongst those whose opinions agreed with mine upon this story, I could mention some very high names: but it is not necessary, nor indeed of any use; for every one must judge according to his own feelings. I merely refer the reader to the original story, that he may see to what extent I have borrowed from it; and am not unwilling that he should find much greater pleasure in perusing it than the drama which is founded upon its contents.

I had begun a drama upon this tale so far back as 1815, (the first I ever attempted, except one at thirteen years old, called "Ulric and Ilvina," which I had sense enough to burn,) and had nearly completed an act, when I was interrupted by circumstances. This is somewhere amongst my papers in England; but as it has not been found, I have re-written the first, and added the subsequent acts.

The whole is neither intended, nor in any shape adapted, for the stage.

by Sophia and Harriet Lee, appeared in 1800: the fourth volume, by Harriet Lee (which contains The German's Tale, pp. 3-368) was published in 1801; and the fifth volume, by Harrict Lee, in 1805.]

[Werner was produced, for the first me, at the Park Theatre, New York, 1 1826. Mr Barry played "Werner." Werner was brought out at Drury ane Theatre, and played, for the first ime, December 15, 1830. Macready ppeared as "Werner," J. W. Wallack is "Ulric," Mrs Faucit as "Josephine,' and Miss Mordaunt as "Ida." According to the Times, December 16, 1830, "Mr Macready appeared to very great advantage. We have never seen him exert himself more we have never known him to exert himself with more powerful effect. Three of his scenes were masterpieces." Genest says that Werner was acted seventeen times in 1830-31.

There was a revival in 1833. Macready says (Diary, March 20) that he acted "Werner with unusual force, truth, and collectedness . finished off each burst of passion, and, in con

sequence, entered on the following

emotion with clearness and earnestness (Macready's Reminiscences, 1875, i. 366).

Werner was played in 1834, 5, 6, 7, 9; in 1841; in 1843-4 (New York, Boston, Baltimore, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Montreal); in 1845 (Paris, London, Glascow, Belfast, Dublin); in 1846, 1847; in America in 1848; in the provinces in 1849; in 1850; and, for the last time, at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, January 14, 1851. At the farewell performance Macready appeared as "Werner," Mr Davenport as "Ulric," Mrs Warner as "Josephine," Mrs Ryder as "Ida." In the same year (1851) a portrait of Macready as "Werner," by Daniel Maclise, R.A., was on view at the Exhibition at the Royal Academy. The motto was taken from Werner, act i. sc. 1, lines 114, sq. (See, for a detailed criticism of Macready's "Werner," Our Recent Actors, by Westland Marston, 1881, i. 89-98; and for the famous 'Macready burst," in act ii. sc. 2, and act v. sc. 1, vide ibid., i. 97.)

66

Werner was brought out at Sadler's Wells Theatre, November 21, 1860, and repeated November 22, 23, 24, 28,

29; December 3, 4, 11, 13, 14, 1860. Phelps appeared as "Werner," Mr Edmund Phelps as "Uric," Miss Atkinson as "Josephine." Perhaps the old actor never performed the part so finely as he did on that night. The identity between the real and ideal relations of the characters was as vivid to him as to the audience, and gave a deeper intensity, on both sides, to the scenes between father and son.' (See The London Stage, by H. Barton Baker, 1889, ii. 217.)

On the afternoon of June 1, 1887, Werner (four acts, arranged by Frank Marshall) was performed at the Lyceum Theatre for the benefit of Westland Marston. [Sir] Henry Irving appeared as "Werner," Miss Ellen Terry "Josephine," Mr Alexander as "Ulric." (See for an appreciation of Sir Henry Irving's presentation of Werner, the Athenæum, June 4, 1887.)]

as