The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1866-07-31 00:00:00

Litcraturr.

TWO PATRIOTIC PLAYS.'

The Prot of these pleasing end truly English
driotic dramas, bee Dot only appeared in print, but,
hiving ben duly beamed by the Lord Chamberlain,
kas beau presented upon the stage. The second
imed, which is even more attractive than the other,
;ma just flowed forth from the pen of the diatio.
guiebeil author, and M wo believe in preparation for
representation. Two subjects more heart•atirring
to patriotic Englishmen could not have been oho•an
tor dramatic treatment; and we are bound to lay
that Dr. Topper bringing to bear upon them his
bolo poetic fervour and enthusiasm, his mature
i term, esperienos, sad his ii;ngular stores of Anglo-
s,,,• lore, could bard:, fail in producing very
~,,ytablir accession. -•IVIt perhaps so much to our
stage rep's-lair as to that of our reading plays, which
however the prevailing fashionable readings promise
to bring into vogse as rapidly and completely as the
etsibm declioe of the theatre, at least in the pro-
viseta. and amongst the vast body of the people,
wore ei lower the acting drama. With regard to
A !Irr,l, Dr. Topper says welt is • prefatory note
that ho is " pro-eminently • traditional personage,"
who,i our national heart affectionately remembers
for his noble arid high principled character. In Ibis
play the author illastnitee a chief event in his well.
known career,—sdhering so closely to the traditions
that terry incident and every character introduced
miy hi perceived to he strictly biatorioaL For •
!oo:py denouement he renders, in the last, the
beathrn Dane Gothrom into the Christian Athol.
etas who married Alfred's sister; and this, we
believe to have been the ease. In our own locality
tins ploy gathers interest from the amine being laid
Jo or own immediate vicinity; for Dr. Tupper
wares us that the lost battle of Chippenhain was
really remedied within a few days by the *townies
motory of Ethandune. in great part des to the
victor. ague 'aphid of Alfred as • harper in the
Danish camp, on which the action of this drama
turns. The patriotic dialogues that ensue between
Alfred on the one part, and the noble Etlmlnotti
brad n.su of Somerset, and Hereward head man of
Wilt' on the other, are probably the high"' Bights
in the play. For domestic as well perhaps as
dramatic interest we prefer however to cite the
sable conduct of Bertha, the hero's sister.

!DUTRA emu In. ELSWITUA followitop *stogy.
Blunt..: tie. goo. !I wet hot whither; took hishairp,
And swage of some disguise.
Esuirsino. Gone? left us state,?
Bantus : In gouge of yonder gallant gentleman,—
And he hi gone alone to seek the Dane.
;tarry,.: 0 brave rash noble deed !—nay, let mei.,
FIU follow him, and goard him with my prayers
His minMterios •neel under heaven,—
Apne 11l might else betel,—
And leave the children'
ELssitell• : All. sister ! when a mother and a wife
'Oath to elect between her little ones
and him irk° made them here, marvel thou not
If 111 the wrestling &null& of her soul
She choose her husband I—Bertha—let one go.
Bingo : 1. 1 will go: 0•• here. I hem. my cleat,—
And h.rlr. the baby is awake and wants the.!
ELSWITA• : My precious !—Mertha,—nay, thou shalt
not
A b me. may very heart is torn in twain!
tit,iy with the children!
111 ITHA Rut the babe, dear airier,-
Th nig of its inking mouth, it. little face
ht. g with hanger if thou uort •woY:
is pio Bess and iiriy be long
Ar 4 tho.• marauders-- [Abe nuts off.]
EUMITIIe ladling after hes J : Sister --etay I brave girl.
She. vole or err I we. aw..re; 0 heaven
Shiel.l her, and him, and theme! . . .

if/ Precious babe,
Dear Alfred's fairest, bat. sod best beloved
f3i.s sobs brokes-heartadly and the set ends]

'This may ruffles for a sample of the natural treat.
ment which pervades the play of Alfred. In Raleigh
the author, has taken • wider range, sad whilst still
strictly and eminently historical, has set the maven-
tionalitiee of the stage and the dramatic unities more
it delkoce, and thus has given us as we have hinted
whet must properly he regarded as • reading play.
in fact, has followed the career of Raleigh
v.ii?ough all his fortunes and vicissitudes from
" Hayes' Halton Manor house," • gabled old Devon
•mansion with mullioned windows and • large notch,
.erberie the rustic maidens, Mande and Alioe, vie for
'the love of Gregory, a peasant, and faithful servitor
an.l adherent of tbe gallant young Raleigh,—to old
I. nod n Bridge with its crowd of citieses, where
the Queen is handed ashore by lAicester, followed by
• brilliant suite, and "appears on the top step of the
store, just stepping upon the parapet; and as she
h,..itas,a, Raleigh runs forward, gracefully throws his
de': down, and says no one knee, "Thus let me
bridge it for your Majesty," and the Queen steps on
d: accordingly.

lilt: Bridget quotha didal say tby Bridget wove
[The courtiers laugh.]
It mime : T liege, the lashing el suck ready wit
I. comes a court so brilliant ; so renowned
For Lrieesters, Sydneys. and an fentoue store
Encircling their bright moon, our glorious Qoeen
But this was bra.drd by my sweet young cousin,
Who owns a name above 41 other names.
The &i name all sland pray. grist Heaven to bless-
-. .

Elii.bt 1 ,
Quin: W.fl courtiered„ gentle sir I
Hear this, war Sydney ; lawn of him, Lord Ewes I
Rise (Wl...high) and halm speech with u; this cloak of
thine,
This fain, bridge for satin over mire.
HU be, sir, to thyself the bridge of honour :
ter._knoweet thou this mush ge.nlYman

[Meanwhile the people are bnoging in long
mats of rods'., and quieklyset a path of them.]
LICICIST.B: Madam, I know him; otos encase{ stock,
'Mises! of the Rsleigh and the Chseupernowne,
Of kin, too, with your Grace's cousin Carey;
Ili, famous brethren of the mother's side,
Sir Adrian Gilbert and Sir Humphrey Gilbert
Took him a voyage with them to the west,
Adventuring upon the Speoiell main.
lie also a-rved i' the Netherlands and Fromm.
Your Brat-name, sir. ant pleas.. you ; to the QUIPID.
Engrg : Good noel. I.' center need he 'ex us further?
Qestg : Be silent E-sex, +hat I will. I will.
Now courteous itentleman your noon witti errand?
R•LEIGH: !asthma!, nay name is Raleigh, Walter
Raleigh,
The younger son of an di Bevon squire.
My Lord of LeMeeter bee inhumed your Grate
POM. poor facts about tny pe.rer life,
And for all els% mine email b to sive
My sword 'to England—and myself to thee,
• serest's, an' it please I.m, to your Orsoll-
Qi•Tett : Well said, 'fedi done! Leicester, take charge
or h.ut ;
111 Imo. about our person of the guard,
Tee Carey blood is very kith and kin;'
'Essen take sip that cloak and follow us. I
[limes makes an angry Foram j
What, my lord?- -do my bidding, at my will.
Now. gentlemen, led this o'er pampered boy,
(I note his temper warn, think scorn of thee,
For our sweet mother's sister, Hunadon's Bake,
I elsim thee eousin Italei„gh ; take my hand.
roma on my lords."—

The neat matte is laid at Tilbury fort. Troops
are parsing and remaining with alartims. and crowds
of people passing shout. For Raleigh is here re.
served the announcement of the victory over the
Spanish armada. Another act translates it to the
throe...room in Nonsuch Palace, Queen Elisabeth
earrounded by her court, Sir Philip Sidney acting as
chamberlain. A fourth represents the death scenes
antiosyst the London populace on " the demise of the
crown" —Old London, near St. Paul's cross, two
streets converging centrally, citizens and soldiers
paseing to and fro, moodily and gloomily—evening
drawing on—and St. Paul's tolling ocomionally —for
'the great Queen's dead." le the final act we have
tac Privy Council Chionber, Kinn James and M.
favourites, Cum, Gondomar, Coke, Popham, and
other councillors before whom Raleigh is arraigned.
Cairns King Jamie, is drawn to the life, as a selfish
aold-Idoodnd casuist, and spiteful joker. Last same
of all is Raleigh's behaviour on the scaffold in Old
Palem Yard. His dying imsech and waterloo, es
we mug needs call it, is worth quoting.

RAL,IGN (meeting his wife) Chewly sweet wife, I'm
going home to God!
I hid bat thought to kin thy face again
Until we meet in heaven :131..s thee, dear son I
(Carr. showing impetienee, Raleigh lifts his
wife from his embrace, and says]
'wad nit lord. the Lady Raleigh waits.
And non. sir Sheriff, es this air nips cold.
And I do leer me of mine ages et,
List folk &bald sty I tretoble—cpsick Sir Sheriff!
Aerie this ease, it bath se mime lop;
My poor “Id friend, this rap may crown thy eorrowa.
[labia; hts jowelled hat off, and placing it dn
the head id the hnnegel
I shall not ••01 It longer. and rood Poo*
Take mini, I pardon ell mine 1n5.....
And well at pawn ws lanmen (albeit full oft
A sinner in my life), ind "
With all men equally. both friends end folw,
synilileni of treason as &amino my king ;
An I haring of my country well deeereed,
I bid this world farewell, and emmat to Leaven
Headsman, I do forgive thee cheerfully ;
Yoe ate bath • sharp wage, the sudden cure
Por every 111 In life; strike home, good
It matters little how the head ha laic!
NO that the heart lie light."

Even our citations show Um lOW, &Sop do.
awl genuine English spirit in which these play.
written. no day will coins when Dr. Tupper will
liars justice dons his genius.