, 1873-12-07
"BiANCA CAPpELLO."
\ Tragedy by llrs. T.. C. EEiunoy

"BiAMCA CAPPELLO."
y Tragedy by aars. T.. c. zIinnoy.
nosEo" tSsv. 2o) coTtatonae"ee Of tie Ses Eors
The publication Of MI actual tragedy, In fyo
acts, iH something OF Il novelty In t.lcse duy.;
but f1urd !: 1louGuton aro about to Try tho cx-
Ssr@t" IT, aaor b is s S22ba H2aGS' j. J. II as is qs IL
mother Of i. q. Stedlnnn, tho poot. Mira. Kin.
noy wro.a thu tragedy In Florence, md atlo con-
suited as asltliosIten fo.: tho facts ui hor drama,
to be"s Italian hltd frenc1, anthoss concerning
DtaucA cappollo." The a!ory Ii too saa aud
strange aot to DO tr1o. Tho character Of Biaucu
Muahosl '. III 3eft"ct mnstorncco OF iconsistoncy;
ane1 ,H1s : ~ poet would hardly da,o oyolyo from
naotlid cry OUT upon itB unuaturalnosH,
!, II si'o rss acl Of lilo tragedy, Dianca, hcau-
nlul Yeel!a,a yirl ofnoba lasnily, I,ap 1nt mar
flea lietro' '' thY son OF humble clt:cli Of Flor
oslco 5ho II dreadllls5, and with rc.You tic ro-
,yohgo Of !'or fahor ad her uucle Tor hor tatnl-
Y sro grlesoley iirenscd ut her inisal!iauco.
Sho ana r1otlo, lor husband, 60 To tho Prince
lct'enti EIrancesco, vino ia nt:e:warl to 10
ton. Immediately Francesca falls III love with
Hinl.ca. llo promises her lis uaaistau.e, and
aitor sac l1as left Ills presence liz dcelarol to a
so,,lldoiaf Minister, isorguidi, tho wild passion
guidi assurcu him hut ho cnnnot fail
20 win her, and then Frnncouco pain;a
her beauty to hia brother tho Cardinal,
= lover can use. Her hnir III tile gollon 1lccco;
her Dyes arc bIuer aud deeper tlnn tito hoaYaug;
her pHii' Il whlto roso's loaf aud 30 ho goog Oh
rliarsodizIng about her. Nor has She, ol, her
part. TAI lod 10 moot hn ardeut glance mud uoto
tic loyal grace Of hin lnion. no:e in tuo t iirst
inconsistency of her clsarnctor-an inconsistency
terribly consistent, howoye. with her IubBcaueut
%9n,serllialo9usnosH. sho Ind only Just married
pletro for loye-a love Btroag enough to iuro hcr
from, lilo palace Of hcr fathers to tic bare, l,ln-
VIE homo OF her husband. Who wonid tl,ipls
that such d lovo could fail-or that, having
given up for it her ambition, ambition could
sooa ne oSo oisal Of b.; uc, H0p But
began to soom to lor bottor Thing than tho dc.
votion Of rictro, grown contnonpiuce, por,apg,
III tho freedom aud familiarity OF niatrimony. II
may 5o because tho nccesstlos Of lho drama
hurry tho notion, but it aecms to cost tic rrlnco
worry alight effort to win bor As 4 ll.tlo inter
luto. tso marrios tho Archduchoas Jeanne Of Aus
Lila, for 'lH cstnto must not luck a legitimate
heir; but ut tho ioginning Of tho third act we
hnd Banca at home i'll stately palace, OF
Which tho Prince Francotco las the freedom;
mud piolro-a husband whom the worst Of women
would have right to deslse-is qato uatisnod
to have purchased ease and luxury and nocal
consideration at such cost. With }lanca, thora
eoe1.,s to DO something moro for motive tint tho
qualification Of hcr pride aud ambition. She
Lad mover boon 30 wooel before rs francesca
woood llor; SO loyod az he loved hor. Indeed,
tho doop. strong. unsaling love Of tdis guilty
Pair is tho one sole thing that ploats their cause.
They woro weak, aud mad, aid wicked--but, at
!oast, they loved. Tho wild 1ame, linaled in
Francoscoa heart by his frat sight Of Dauca,
hurned his wholc life through; aud sllo-leI
after-crimes made llcr q creature for angels to
woop oyor. and meu to Bluddor at-Lut through
it n!l Hilo loved francesca.
In tho fourth act pietro, Dianca's husband, Ii
killed in . quarrel, aud tho Archduchess Joanns
ontrcats Of her husband Dianca'a banshment.
uo struggles against hor urgency Tor long
tlmo. Ao Gays:
Could tho hcart banish, as the word can do,
Her banisament might leave tl.oe lis queen;
put Is that banlshod which, sent from our sight,
Stays ever with the uureuounclug hearth
At last, howeyor, Jeanne wriuga from him
promise; aud Blanca is sont AMY. Her aLsonct
proyea to bo but brief. francesca finds life
blank without hor and aends for her to tho con,
vent where Rho lad takon rofugo; and, on 10,
stalls her in his Own palace. There sho las op-
portunities Of which, like m Italian OF hor raca
and time, Bho makos tic most. Sho poisons tht
Arclducheas Joanne, and now francesca is, al
last, free.
Ii tho fifth act francesca hnB married Blanca,
has fallon hor to tho Grand Dukodom, and hii
fofnor Mistress and present wife shares ths
roEal laonors OF hlb coronation. Bianca's fathel
homage. She il crowned with loyo ~ with
royalty, and she thinks hcr JOY would DO conl'
p1oto buk for tic Cardinal, the brother Of Fran.
cesco. What is littlo poison. moro OF lossi
The Cardinal will only go to leayen tho sooner
for tho subtle powder sAo drops in his wine. He
detects the ptosonco Of tho roson, however, BY
means of q touchstono in his ring. and accusol
Blanca. To provo his own faith in his wifo,
francesca Hcizoe tho cup and drinks It, whila
a poisoned. But il is too lato. Bho throws hor-
'elf Into Francoaco's arms, and cries:
} God i I did it,, who loved thoe sol
rwa1 Fate who did it-occuso not thyselfl
3ut what is this fcc!-eau 1t DO death
80. ttis not deathit IL my hcnst-htriugs tearingt
Afc's tics may all DO severed, .h1uuo aud stass
rent from me-, get [iye.no such mortal panE
u th1s-shts violent parting Of our loyea
las alaat and he has loyci mo thuat
Oh, that kfss rnns through
4; ;fo'a shattered chords as AcaSsn'4 electric aho~
through thu torn alors of d tree urroutedI
lisa Mo again. 1t mocks mo with new life,
lead thing rs row an,! But must we part2
FOE stays With mo-thou soeat to meet thy Joy.
) thcrs existence, then, wlerc thou art not?
lof not fur 1Me there ID no Life to como ;
non art my ltfc-1 lcayo my heAvcn III thee.
blanca goes from him and pour1 out so,e q Tie fs.
[7oEdinq up tho cup,
lr lovea shall not pnr'--;sce, Frau:esco, sosl
drink where thou Aas dr'lk-1 dle with tlce.
rRASOEEco.
rink NOT ny love slali mover lii th:evs! !"'S'"''
H. Cod so drinks now heart on .oai nas co,s Sn"*'
. = sha!l i!ot b. asuneer torn-tear nott
'hs afa'ns kn CUP aa r'ts to Ter husband support.
BLANCA.
IL d'ns s 'oy ssap ay 1.; isp o. hs
Heaven au:i no ,,,ersy for mysait-
taYo to othosa bern unm:reiful-
Vt lot thls true, swco spirit pass anclctl
ronl every contact foul with ljue b!nud.snjned.