Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-11
Frauresca aln HIn,ini.

ofsls;
Side b. side With me Immortal pic
ture Of the Cenci, the divine and suf-
fering Beatrice, staRds this story Of
the guilty love Of the Italian Fran
eesca and Paolo Of Rimini. She the
loveliest and teDderest Of Italian
women, be the Doblest and most beau
tliul OF her men. Flaxman has told
the story in color, Dante in immortal
verse, aud he who has seen the one
and read the other will carry to his
death the words of the guilty pair,
uttered to the author Of the Divine
Comedy and his Leader, and the re-
uorseiul faces Of Francesca and Paolo
as they appear 90 the canvass of the
inspired painter. Our poet has thus
told the story: The wars of the
Guelphs and Geibelins are for a mo-
men suspended, each rests upon his
bloody sword exhausted. Malatesta
Of Rlmini, a Guelph. has two sons;
One Count PaolO, handsome, noble,
accomplished. THE delight of Rim
mi; the other, L~anciotto, a hunoh
bick, 3 brave soldier, sensitive, the
stay aud barrier Of his country. To
cement a peace, Rimi1i and Rsvenna
offer TO unite their houses by marriage
aud LaDciotto is chosen as the bride.
oom for Francesca, the loveliest
maiden Of Ravenna. young, motherless
aud teadpr. The hunchback soldier
hrinks from the task OF marriage with
his rivals daughter, but yields, upon
condition that his handsome and be
lnvtd brother shall go as envoy 10
Rtvenna, WOO in his name the faiS
Francesca, telling fully all that should
be told OF the deiecls OF the bride
groom and using no deceit. The FIRST
act ends with the departure of the
brother CO his embassy to Ravenua.
Act Second opens in Ravenna. the
scene is the Court OF Guido Of Ra-
yrnna. the father of Francesca The
destined bride appears, hopeful, trust
Jog, loving The embassy arrives.
She stands face to face with Count
Paolo. She the beauty Of Ravenna.
he the delight of himini. The deceit
begins. She mistakes him for her
promised husband. Undeceived, she
asks Tor truth; he hesitates. The am
bassador Of love becomes the lover. 1t
is mutual. Pressed to describe the
qualities Of LanoiottO, the ambassador
equiyocates. Surrounded by deceit,
the innocent child becomes her own
protector, and with Italian readiness
repAys deception with deception
Fallen already 10 love with the EN-
o~assador, she yet consents, in spite Of
the known deceit, to be the bond
which ends the wars of Guelph aud
6hibelin Thus the second act ends
The scene is shifted 10 Rimini
Lanciotto the hunchbaok patiently
aud a~HxIously awaits the news from
Rsvenna. The Grand Square is iIlu-
minated, banners aud trophies hang
rom tie windows of all loyal Guelphs
Il is a festal day in Rimini. The
bride approaches, who, uniting her
blood with that OF the Malatesti, in
the person Of the heroic hunohbsek
L%anciotto, shall put an end 10 the de-.
structiye warfare which has for centu
ries drenched the plains of Italy with
blood. Face to face the bride and
bridegroom stand. She shudders and
falls back. The hunchback observing
Ger demeanor realizes that she has
heen deceived aud offers her release.
She resolves TO repay deception With
deceit. disclaims release and anew be
trotbs herself to the hunchback The
curtain falls upon his exultation iD
her unexpected love for him
The Fourth Act changes from the
Grand Square 10 the Cathedral oil
Rimini. b fore the altar stand bride
and bridegroom -hunchback and di.
yidity ire INCENSE arises. Rome's
Cardinal performs the sacred rite:
sround stand friends and relatives
and Guelph aud Ghibelin are but
empty names. Before the altar steps
the huDchback, aud pauses to salute
his bride. She shudders and shrinks
from him. He sees aud learns the
ruth 10 that involuntary act, While
he meditates, an outbreak Of the
Ghibellns takes place. Before the
very. altar wars messenger appears.
aud he, the hunchback, who hoped to
be the willing slave Of Hyuen, be-
comes Bellona's champion. DashiuR
aside his bride and Court Paolo, he
rushes to TIE wars to drown his sor
row in forgetfulness and strife.
The Fifth Act opens in the Gardens
OF the MalaIesti, at Rimini. The hus.
band is at the wars. The wife Is al
home. BY her side are brother and
lover. lie r ads TO her the story OF
Sir Launcelot and Queen Guineyere
tie kissed her full upon .he mouth"
AS the poet writes, so they perform;
aud duty, flial love, domestic truth.
loyalty to the absent, are swept away
10 that one torrent by which Anthony
lost Actium. absorbing, uncOnquerable
love. Tho vindictive fool oyerhears
the scene. and hating Lanciotto.
PUSHES TO him with the news. He
hnds him in the camp, a soldier before
the gates OF Ravenna Brcathlsss he
tells the story, and for reward finds
death. The snlaier and the husband
seeking vengeance, rides to Rimini.
The last scene opens 10 the boudoir
OF the guilty wife. The rcmorseIul
lovers paint ia horror their deceitful
past, yet dwell with rapture on the
glorious delights Of love. In the form
OF the ipjared husband vengeance an.
pears. The relief Is death. AT the
summit Of illicit love stands retribu.
uon, and the immortal story Of Dante
IS ended with the immolation oil the
lovers. the vengeance Of the bunch
back husband, and the baptism Of the
strife Of Guelph aud Ghibelin 10 the
blood Of Francesca and Paolo. and
that OF the heroic and sensitive bunch.
back.
The RAW, BLUs' ERrSd WINDS OF
WINTER, search out the weaknessea ~ mo