her father likewise, and by no means sparing of promises to him. On her departure, Colacone, which is the holy man's name, being left alone with Parisa, with all humility tenders his services to Darius. This cringing, double-tongued character is sketched from the life. In a certain country, no sooner did the mitre cease to lord it over the crown, than she helped her rival against the people, that she might glean from the compliance at least a few offals of her former dominion. Colacone discovers to his new patroness that the demagogue Orcanes (another character in which the poet has drawn low ambition, clad in a more fashionable hypocrisy), who scorns all forms of government excepting pure democracy, has secretly endeavoured to add the high priest to his party, that he may dispose the mob to favour his projected sovereignty, and disseminate calumnies against both Megabyzus and Darius, reporting them as outrageous patricians and likely to turn out the worst of tyrants. On the other hand,

"Ch' io poi di lui le meraviglie spanda,

Chiedemi, e ch'io già già un secondo Ciro
Men vada in lui preconizzando, un raro
Filosofo questone tutto leggi

E umanità, e popolarità,

Un giojello.".

"He desires that I will distribute wonders respecting himself, and already foretel in him a second Cyrus, a rare upright philosopher, and a jewel framed altogether according to law, humanity, and popularity." Parisa is agreeably surprised at this unexpected token of friendship from the high priest. Darius had believed him to be hostile to his designs, and now, could he only obtain by his means the sanction of Heaven, the cause were already won. Parisa reminds the holy man of the mutual services they might render to each other;

"Assai l'un l'altro entrambi Giovar potiete voi ;"

and Darius, entering at this moment, is assured by Colacone that he sends fervent and unceasing prayers to Heaven, that Darius may soon, and for ever, be the sole ruler of the state. The Satrap is slow to credit these sudden professions. "Were I to trust to you to win the crown for me," says he," would you seriously and earnestly assist me, confiding in me for your reward hereafter?" "I can see none more worthy than you to rule over us." "Do not be too hasty in praising me," replies Darius, being neither whimsical nor philosophic enough to despise a crown, nor sufficiently blind in his ambition to lose sight of his human frailty;

" Rimirami qual sono:
Turbato, e quasi or fuor di me rimirami
Per un soggetto pueril, risibile,

Stolido, e tal, ch' io dirtelo arrossisco,
Eppur negarlo non mi attento, e dimmi

Poi, ch' io son degno di ottener comando ;"

“Behold what I am," he continues, "look at me, perplexed and nearly beside myself as I now am, and on such childish, laughable, and silly grounds, that I blush to discover and yet dare not deny them: and now tell me whether I am fit to rule." But Parisa, who little understands the sort of philosophy which turns against ourselves, frankly

confesses to Colacone that the strong understanding of Darius is quite disordered by the sickness of his horse :-there is here, surely, no ground for a patrician to blush, and still less, as Darius is not doting upon an irrational brute, but upon the high hopes connected with that brute's life. Here the groom enters, quite breathless: Chesballeno is not yet recovered, but very sanguine hopes are entertained from the diviner's interpretation of the stable dream.-What! dare to speak of gipsy predictions under the very nose of the high priest! Colacone himself, however, checks the pious indignation of Darius-in the house of the powerful never trifle with trifles, for great things depend upon them; Ippofilo is allowed to relate the enigmatic answer, which, if properly attended to, is to secure the life of the fated steed with which are so intimately connected the destinies of Darius and of Persia. The oracle

says

"Ciò, ch' egli ha in corpo, annasi con le frogi

E sarà sano, e tutti ei farà grandi ;"

"That which the horse has in his body let him smell it with his nostrils, and he will recover his health and raise all of you to greatness." Darius again loses his patience. "What riddles! what fooleries!" But the groom unravels the enigma to a tittle, having received the clue to it from his dream. "What has the horse in his body?" Why, he has the sceptre and diadem of Cyrus, that is notorious: let him smell to the real diadem and sceptre, and he will presently recover: "And raise all of us to greatness!" adds Parisa, who, like an able stateswoman, has more consideration for the end than the means. All the by-standers are astounded with joy and amazement. "What sublime and promising mysteries! The human understanding is too limited to account for them, and nothing remains but to admire and obey! The regalia of Cyrus are in the custody of the high priest, who hurries home to produce them; having first forbidden Darius to harbour any more impiously sophistical objections, and recommended him to trust in Heaven. Darius can withstand the temptation no longer, and he now yields unresistingly to the fair promises of his fortune and the ambitious suggestions of his wife.-A loved woman, a priest, a fine horse, and a crown! What an inflexible mortal must he be whose mind could resist all these!

The fourth act opens with the appearance of Gobria on the stage; and, though the persons in this play are rather disputants than actors, and the characters rather sketched than finished, that of Gobria is powerfully drawn. Alfieri has here depicted himself, such as he was in his last years with regard to his opinion of politics and mankind. Gobria is a man of the world and a philosopher, but not a selfish apathist, like many in our days who screen themselves behind the revered name. Gobria has felt, and still feels, strong noble passions, but now, being well acquainted with mankind, he despairs of ever doing any thing that can gratify them. Nevertheless, he has not, from being undeceived, inferred that public virtue is a dream, or that the love of our country is a mere notion-ideas which have been adopted by many undeceived worthies who are well pleased with the vices of their species, as a means of more safely indulging their own, and happy that liberty is so difficult to establish, that they may cast themselves headlong into the pursuits of low ambition through baseness and iniquity.

Gobria is no more to be imposed upon by fair names and fair seemings, though he still scorns to flatter all-powerful villainy, and pays solitary devotion to virtue. He consents with grief to the dominion of the One as the only practicable government for a people debased by long bondage; but he expects no reward for this consent. Of all the seven magnates, he has atchieved the most for the deliverance of Persia ; but the only advantage he seeks for himself is not to be subservient to the future king. From the moment Gobria is mentioned in the play, the reader is, with a few masterly touches, fully apprised of his character. Megabyzus went to invite him to the first council of state, his comrades placing much faith in his sense and disinterested character; but Gobria declined interfering. The cause of the state, the welfare of the public, the happiness of the subject, and similar high-sounding words, with which state councils have everlastingly rung, had no effect upon him. Such questions, he knew, were not to be decided by argument; the most powerful or the most cunning is sure to carry them, and then what is to hinder him from styling at his leisure "the state well constituted and the subject most happy?" Gobria, therefore, takes no part in their proceedings. He was in bed when his friend waited upon him. Entreaties and remonstrances were all in vain.

"Per or (diss' egli)

Non ci vengo; dormire io vo' dell' altro,
Anzi che ir là spregare il tempo e il fiato
In dispute sofistiche. Le mai

Vi combinaste (aggiunse) ch' io nol credo,'
In un parere solo, io ci acconsento

Gia senz' udirlo; e allor noi sarem quattro,
Onde poi starci gli altri tre dovranno.
Ma se in fare i filosofi saccenti
Dario ed Orcane e tu ve la passaste
In chiacchiere, e tre voti disparati
Oi cucinaste, io poi verrò dentr' oggi
E in due parole mi lusingo porvi
Tosto d'accordo tutti."

I had rather sleep than go
If ever

"At present," said he, "I will not come. there and waste both my time and breath in captious debates. you agree in the same opinion (which I am sure you will not), I approve of it from this moment without hearing it, and thus, having obtained four votes, the remaining three potentates must abide by our resolution. But if, to shew off as philosophers and politicians, Orcanes, Darius, and you, spend your time in talking, and give in three different votes, in that case I will come to-day, and hope with two words to make you all of one mind." Having said this and turned himself in his bed, he again tucked up his legs, and, very shortly, gave audible tokens of sleep. Thus all that his friends can obtain from him is good advice. The scene is succeeded by a debate between the four statesmen-as impressive a one as the poet ever conceived. Gobria has the rough and careless manners of a soldier, with the sharp jests of a cynic. He begins with irreverently sneering at his fellow-heroes; each of whom, appearing to refer the whole matter to him, encourages a secret hope of gaining him to his side. But Gobria tells them he will side with them all provided they have a particle of sense in them, for good sense will make them but one. But as a like truism might be urged

in all human disputes, Megabyzus continues staunch to his own opinion and interest, namely, "seven heroes have, with equal wisdom and courage, delivered their country; let it then be equally shared amongst them, and you will have an heptarchy of the worthier few, which will be the cream of all governments. But whilst you are only endeavouring to protect the state from the abuse of power, you relax the nerves of government." Darius cannot hold with this; he is indeed an able advocate for despotism, and we should readily acquiesce in all that he urges in favour of it, were it not that he pleads for himself, as is generally the case. "To suppose that more than one person can reign at the same time," says he, "is a mere chimera. Invent as many names for them as you please, call them ephors, consuls, or tribunes, proveditors, presidents, or directors, these seven rulers will soon be divided into two factions. It will be strange if, amongst so many, there are not, at least, a brace of asses and a leash of cravens. These five, driven by the tide of accident, will cling now to one and then to the other of the two more powerful beasts; and lo! your heptarchy already dwindled into a binarchy; the two will strive which shall get the better of the other, and one must needs prevail—and

"Ecco l'Uno,

Che dopo tanti guai sangue e delitti

Sempre ritorna a galla. A mi par dunque
Meglio il pigliarselo subito, quest' Uno,
Pria di farci noi zero."

"Behold the One, after so many woes, crimes, and bloodshed, turns up at last! It is better then to take this One at once, rather than sink ourselves into so much misery." "Right," replies Orcanes, "a king is not an animal that will run in a pack. He is a free solitary beast. It is certainly much better to have one king than seven, but it is best of all to have none." Gobria interrupts him:

"Cioè Tutti,

Dir volevi ; e sbagliando hai detto il giusto.

Tutti è nessuno; ma in tuo cor tu speri,

E brami, e già ti tieni esserlo tu

Quel Nessuno de' tutti, e all' ombra starti
Dell' ingannata, invidiosa, stupida

Plebe, dico, e non popolo."

"To have All kings, you mean; and by mistake you have spoken right. To have none is to have all, and, in your heart, you hope and trust and already believe yourself to be the chief of that none, and expect to flourish under the shadow of a deceived, envious, and stupid rabble, whom I dare not flatter with the name of 'the people."" Gobria has well penetrated the designs of his friends: he cannot believe that the powerful will ever contend to make a nation free, or that they will aim at any thing but the privilege of swaying an undivided scepter. "Let us pull off the mask," says he, "you are all of the same mind." "Regnar da Rè vuol Dario ;

E da magnate regnar Megabize

E vuol regnar da tavernajo Orcane:

E Gobria vuol (direte voi senz' altro)
Regnare anch' ei, Da che? Da liber uomo,
Sovra me stesso, e sotto niun di voi :
E il vi vedrete."

"Darius wishes to reign like a king, Megabyzus like a patrician, and Orcanes like the keeper of a tavern. Gobria too, you will no doubt say, has a wish to reign. Like what? Like a freeman, over myself, and under none of you ;—and you shall find it." Orcanes, however, is not satisfied. Stubbornness is an ancient franchise of democratic people. He peremptorily demands of Gobria whether their country was not always miserable under the sway of a Cambyses or a Smerdis." Most miserable."-"How then could you prevent another and a worse king from being still more fatal to the public good?" Gobria now, like the weaker in matter and the stronger in experience, shifts his ground, and, passing over the objection, endeavours to convict the orator of imposture. "Did you not, Orcanes," replies he, "marry your daughter, Pafima, to the younger son of Cyrus? Pray tell us, was it the king, or was it his son who wooed her? Or, if neither of them, was it you yourself who brought about the marriage by your court cabals ?" Orcanes is struck dumb. The demagogue is at once disarmed of his eloquence. Gobria thus pushes him:

"Dimmi tu, Orcane,
Tu che il popolo amavi e veneravi,
Come facevi dunque a imparentarti
Con questi scanna popolo? E le due
Satrapie poi si pingui, che scroccastiti
Per mezzo de' pudichi abbracciamenti
Della figliuola tua col vero o forse
Col falso Smerdi? Or taci: ben tel vedi,
Che tu più ch' altri t' eri un mero arnese
Da regno, e il sei tuttora, ma non mai
Arnese tu da popolo. Via dunque,
Non disdegnar tu pure con costoro,
Ben tuoi pari, di correre la sorte
Di scroccarti lo scettro, ch'è il Papà
Di quante fur mai satrapie."

"Tell me, Orcanes, you who ever loved and revered the people, how could you sue to be allied to such oppressors? What of the two splendid satrapies which you gained by the chaste embraces of your daughter with the true, or perhaps the sham Smerdis? Not a word? You may see from this how you were, and still are, a mere tool of power, instead of a shield for the people. Come, then, do not scorn to run with these your friends, indeed your peers, the chance of winning a crown, which of all satrapies is the arch one." By these means Gobria brings it about that an election by lot shall decide the claims of the six competitors, and restore to Persia a single king. The fatal consent is given, and the puzzling question respecting the future constitution is about to be settled in the easiest manner. But Orcanes has recovered his presence of mind. When a politician is put to the blush, it is highly proper that he loses no time in correcting such an unstatesmanlike error. He still opposes the motion. "What an useless tenderness you have for these same people," says Darius,

"Ciascun di noi, qual sia che il Rè diventi,
Vogliam forse mangiarcelo a bocconi

Noi questo popolo, noi? E li darem pane
Una tal qual giustizia, e giuochi, e qualche
Bastonatina. Che bram' gli più?

E ch'altro ebb' egli mai?