The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-23

nunbera.' The argument OF bis drama 10 OF
course familiar. Samson, captive. blind, and
now In the prison OF GAIA, on festival day, In
the general cessation OF labor, comes forth into
the open air, and while he benosns his condi-
ton Is visited by certain friends OF his tribe who
form the chorus. In their prelude, bv the way,
occur such inconeruities rs " Chdlvbcdn tenn
pered steel" and a reference to the fable
OF Atlas, paralleled later by illusions to Ciroe,
Tautalus, the PneDx, aud other Hellenic
legends which have straa 20 sound In the
mouths Of primitive Hebrews. We quote
few lines from Samsou's prologue, and from
the prelusOry chant which fooss:
little onw I'd lend thy guiding hand
For yonder oanN !, III en.iec OF sun or shade
THIS unfrcquented place to nd some ease,
f+s, ,n 10 me 10Y sohs; ma MA 70 ia" puma
CO.. ho sn , armed ed, o. 500, ca found alone,
Tunes past, what once was, and that am now
on, wherefore vas my bir,n from heaven tore.old
Should israel no. PM .,ian ieSs deliver:
kJless IN GsEl. n, the NIL With slaves.
Hmse IN oonds un er Phiusuan Yoke.
Chorus.
THIS, .hisishs sot.y while
Let Us not break IN upon MIN
o. shslss beyond , re-. o[i' tonight or Ssnef
MN a 6!., sssa n ,ssn Iapr ppsd
In siay,sh aAeii. II nited weeds
O'erw aud soned.
Returning to swinburne's tragedy, we Nod
that during the chanting Of the chorus, Prax-
THEA, the wife Of Erechtheus, has come upon the
stage. In the dialogue which ensues, her hus-
bands reluctance to communicate the oracle
engenders a species OF mystihcation, where tue
pid interch ange Of sententous single lines
may remind the reader Of Euripdes
Frox what portent from the MD oracuiAr place
Hath smitien the 80 lAe a cuIse That nies. -
E,ech Thy blood the Gods require not this nrs,
ffax. To me than thee more greNous thlt shO ild
krech That word ,ruer btterer than II knew
iTa<. ihls Ia not then, ty srief 70 see nle eie
Itay II Inl, r.g worse snos moi strange Il RAJ.
At length Erechtheus reveals the truth and
because he cannot bear the sight Of his wife's
frat anguish. leaves her alone, to be Joined,
however, presently by Chthonia, the destiLed
Offering. Meanwhile the chorus bemoSns the
destiny OF both:
lie hath uttered too surely HE wrath not obscnrey
Wrapt IN m.,ts Il his br attn
The T sss lH otr M s5i s s fns'' 'eu Out
As bolt from the cloud hash he sent It aloud ana pro
From tlc darkness ami height Of the OF night
Star N, name It ~ err no or n.ine shall say.
Bora II the womb tAAt born for the tomb Of the
Night whom other bu! thee for mother, and Death
Shall We 10 discover, save thee and thy lover
From the siamberess for thy bedfenoN spread and
Hast thou brous6, !orth wnd aud Unsuitable child
Fierce DC ian-s Of his wrath aud the pangs that
would i've.
There IL nothing In the play more moving
than the scene winch now begins. The mothers
mouth cannot shape the words that are 10 ac-
gu int her child with de tth, and she imploEes
counsel Of the chorus, all honor able and kindly
men Of aye" but they are dlmb. Al last waver-
ingly. hut gaining heart, "a she depicts the pub
lie danger and the splendid guerdon Of the ap-
pointed sacrifice, PraxItheA speaks:
Thou then, child.
Take noe q all Tue sri'lns o. my face
Thai bears M record; ifc ers aow, my Ne
Iher,oa that vas lhi1k vri!epi brle. 20 read.
Aed lravc them DARK a. dead men', Nay. dear CHILD,
10 saks : sae D aoweas ssssi tI Is a. ,ay crs
A AsS INV oxe sp S a s1 M S w Inn nine hr
Tysn I'VE my my To5 s n ss' ", wsTs a
Thy mot land mat osre thee
Now mi. ta.rd tine the wlni Of wrath mas clown
Right on tni people m.g Ter wa.e Of war
Three time. moe nu-e -raa iv.,no,..,.
Here never shah the Trpeisn plant on hisa.
Ala Il mi. De not ma,i give my chid
fRee to- be- I'm r1ra from nH c uTa thine eye.
A nt lie from me | can bear not yet
g mae 9s .Is sS, S.s ss% nave % .,o
sor nsa ~ LAR inst sci moi a. MD Storm
Lights ,hst o1las. nc ss'niI1 ,g ys. ny heart
Nor yet 70 Aaos !hes whom p, s, AID i bare
hid made NJ question OF thine eyes or heart
Nor spared to read the scriptures in them writ,
Vert tnou my son yet cOulist thou then but lie
Fallen IN sheer nshi Oy chance and charge OF spears
ANA hay no more o. memory nli no .omo
w., here many shsss 1hs groxe N Py me praise
Near, dead for tnls dear city.
We pass over several subsequent scenes, which
are occupied partly by the chorus In melancholy
rotrospeclion and foreboding, aud partly by a
dialogue Of the choral spokssman n, and aftor-
ward Of Erechtheus with the herald OF Edmol-
pas, the purport OF which Is TO announce the
hual and impending battle. Presently the stage
Is again untenanted, save by the chorus (wnlch
OF course never leaves ~ ard Praxithea enters
with her daughter robel for sacrifice. Their
farewell the spec sios of responsive Invocation
between the chorus and Chthonia, WHOA sounds
like solemn tany, and the virgins death song,
appear to us frlught with so much beauty, that
wo are tlnpelled to quote again. We shall mark,
a. all events, in this Athenian maid, none of that
filterng and wnlmpering which IA thought to
oe!ittie the "Iphigenoia" OF Eurpdes.
CAnloma.
That NAV give Ms Door rIr'- hood Of mine
s'tF'y lgt yg9 ";rne5 WI y s,G'ner tnI 'nI W.
10 huhd again my ci that no drop
Pal ga 90 i4trr ihuuCtut veins on the co u gfuuuA
lui shan irp hult tic iIluts OF atr nrm " l-,
10 knt a o. -tOut1 tor thCr ana maze
the btul about icr ui i % @ rirs.,td,
bucf fastened aud ul tll Wpn's ylul, nj hands
llNlolahr Tor ever, those to me
W"e 40 'urh ~ as 90 !ve no thanksgiving
But uY heart
lhot leaps up liyhtencd Of All SION Or tear
10 take ih sHufus point, yet with one houShih nau
~ 40 ana il| lac. iFtNDn ~ VIM that halls
Manned IN mit nlgIt tor Inv sake ana burne down,
thrr, mat ln N places where played
An arn'- lcdXfn 4rliu thY hOso.n ana no more
Ahalt nnd ui meyer, non me wax glad
!. q niA VIII ihlur rs lt. and Tor love
Laugh Wltlnut nrd. nlod VITA sweet hglt and speak
Noy,i III IN -" Y.t srt this thought
AEaHft al adge OF cyil as sword
1 o beat hack sorrow, hat Tor an tho word
Thou bruug tst me forth SAVIOR Who shat save
Ath"nhi In nOnn hut | from mono but thee
.hill ttke tnls Ocuh for garland and the men
MINI Il. mo- Nn rnldrnn Of unaOmmded Yea b.