Samuel Coleridge - The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Like giant pent in disproportion’d cage,

Mourn’d his contracted strengths and crippled rage.

He who could tame his vast ambition down

To please some scatter’d gleanings of a town, 25

And, if some hundred auditors supplied

Their meagre meed of claps, was satisfied,

How had he felt, when that dread curse of Lear’s

Had burst tremendous on a thousand ears,

While deep-struck wonder from applauding bands 30

Return’d the tribute of as many hands!

Rude were his guests; he never made his bow

To such an audience as salutes us now.

He lack’d the balm of labour, female praise.

Few Ladies in his time frequented plays, 35

Or came to see a youth with awkward art

And shrill sharp pipe burlesque the woman’s part.

The very use, since so essential grown,

Of painted scenes, was to his stage unknown.

The air-blest castle, round whose wholesome crest, 40

The martlet, guest of summer, chose her nest —

The forest walks of Arden’s fair domain,

Where Jaques fed his solitary vein —

No pencil’s aid as yet had dared supply,

Seen only by the intellectual eye. 45

Those scenic helps, denied to Shakspeare’s page,

Our Author owes to a more liberal age.

Nor pomp nor circumstance are wanting here;

‘Tis for himself alone that he must fear.

Yet shall remembrance cherish the just pride, 50

That (be the laurel granted or denied)

He first essay’d in this distinguished fane,

Severer muses and a tragic strain.

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Written by the Author, and spoken by Miss SMITH in the character of

TERESA.

[As printed in The Morning Chronicle, Jan. 28, 1813.]

Oh! the procrastinating idle rogue,

The Poet has just sent his Epilogue;

Ay, ‘tis just like him! — and the hand!

[Poring over the manuscript.

The stick!

I could as soon decipher Arabic!

But, hark! my wizard’s own poetic elf 5

Bids me take courage, and make one myself!

An heiress, and with sighing swains in plenty

From blooming nineteen to full-blown five-and-twenty,

Life beating high, and youth upon the wing,

‘A six years’ absence was a heavy thing!’ 10

Heavy! — nay, let’s describe things as they are,

With sense and nature ‘twas at open war —

Mere affectation to be singular.

Yet ere you overflow in condemnation,

Think first of poor Teresa’s education; 15

‘Mid mountains wild, near billow-beaten rocks,

Where sea-gales play’d with her dishevel’d locks,

Bred in the spot where first to light she sprung,

With no Academies for ladies young —

Academies — (sweet phrase!) that well may claim 20

From Plato’s sacred grove th’ appropriate name!

No morning visits, no sweet waltzing dances —

And then for reading — what but huge romances,

With as stiff morals, leaving earth behind ‘em,

As the brass-clasp’d, brass-corner’d boards that bind ‘em. 25

Knights, chaste as brave, who strange adventures seek,

And faithful loves of ladies, fair as meek;

Or saintly hermits’ wonder-raising acts,

Instead of — novels founded upon facts!

Which, decently immoral, have the art 30

To spare the blush, and undersap the heart!

Oh, think of these, and hundreds worse than these,

Dire disimproving disadvantages,

And grounds for pity, not for blame, you’ll see,

E’en in Teresa’s six years’ constancy. 35

[Looking at the manuscript.

But stop! what’s this? — Our Poet bids me say,

That he has woo’d your feelings in this Play

By no too real woes, that make you groan,

Recalling kindred griefs, perhaps your own,

Yet with no image compensate the mind, 40

Nor leave one joy for memory behind.

He’d wish no loud laugh, from the sly, shrewd sneer,

To unsettle from your eyes the quiet tear

That Pity had brought, and Wisdom would leave there.

Now calm he waits your judgment! (win or miss), 45

By no loud plaudits saved, damn’d by no factious hiss.

[S. T. C.]

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1797. 1813-1834.

VELEZ = MARQUIS VALDEZ, Father to the two brothers,

and Doña Teresa’s Guardian.

ALBERT = DON ALVAR, the eldest son.

OSORIO = DON ORDONIO, the youngest son.

FRANCESCO = MONVIEDRO, a Dominican and Inquisitor.

MAURICE = ZULIMEZ, the faithful attendant on Alvar.

FERDINAND = ISIDORE, a Moresco Chieftain, ostensibly a

Christian.

Familiars of the Inquisition.

NAOMI = NAOMI.

Moors, Servants, &c.

MARIA = DOÑA TERESA, an Orphan Heiress.

ALHADRA, wife } = ALHADRA, Wife of Isidore.

of FERDINAND, }

FAMILIARS OF THE INQUISITION.

MOORS, SERVANTS, &c.

Time. The reign of Philip II., just at the close of the civil wars

against the Moors, and during the heat of the persecution which raged

against them, shortly after the edict which forbade the wearing of

Moresco apparel under pain of death.

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Table of Contents

The Sea Shore on the Coast of Granada.

DON ALVAR, wrapt in a Boat cloak, and ZULIMEZ (a Moresco), both as just landed.

Zulimez. No sound, no face of joy to welcome us!

Alvar. My faithful Zulimez, for one brief moment

Let me forget my anguish and their crimes.

If aught on earth demand an unmix’d feeling,

‘Tis surely this — after long years of exile, 5

To step forth on firm land, and gazing round us,

To hail at once our country, and our birthplace.

Hail, Spain! Granada, hail! once more I press

Thy sands with filial awe, land of my fathers!

Zulimez. Then claim your rights in it! O, revered Don Alvar, 10

Yet, yet give up your all too gentle purpose.

It is too hazardous! reveal yourself,

And let the guilty meet the doom of guilt!

Alvar. Remember, Zulimez! I am his brother,

Injured indeed! O deeply injured! yet 15

Ordonio’s brother.

Zulimez. Nobly-minded Alvar!

This sure but gives his guilt a blacker dye.

Alvar. The more behoves it I should rouse within him

Remorse! that I should save him from himself.

Zulimez. Remorse is as the heart in which it grows: 20

If that be gentle, it drops balmy dews

Of true repentance; but if proud and gloomy,

It is a poison-tree, that pierced to the inmost

Weeps only tears of poison!

Alvar. And of a brother,

Dare I hold this, unproved? nor make one effort 25

To save him? — Hear me, friend! I have yet to tell thee,

That this same life, which he conspired to take,

Himself once rescued from the angry flood,

And at the imminent hazard of his own.

Add too my oath —

Zulimez. You have thrice told already 30

The years of absence and of secrecy,

To which a forced oath bound you; if in truth

A suborned murderer have the power to dictate

A binding oath —

Alvar. My long captivity

Left me no choice: the very wish too languished 35

With the fond hope that nursed it; the sick babe

Drooped at the bosom of its famished mother.

But (more than all) Teresa’s perfidy;

The assassin’s strong assurance, when no interest,

No motive could have tempted him to falsehood: 40

In the first pangs of his awaken’d conscience,

When with abhorrence of his own black purpose

The murderous weapon, pointed at my breast,

Fell from his palsied hand —

Zulimez. Heavy presumption!

Alvar. It weighed not with me — Hark! I will tell thee all; 45