POE'S "POLITIAN." HAT Edgar Poe's youthful tragedy of Politian has attracted less attention than his other poetical works is not strange : unequal in execution, a fragment, and a mystery, the public naturally passed it by. Monsieur Hughes, it is true, when he translated Politian into French, spoke of it as a tragedy “où vivent des caractères vraiment humains," but he, so far as we know, is the only person who, as yet, has had a good word to say for it. The same writer has, also, more than once drawn attention to the not unnoteworthy fact that the hero of the play is, to some extent, and in some of his mental idiosyncrasies, a reflex of the author himself. "Comme tous les grands ecrivains," says Monsieur Hughes, "Edgar Poe prête aux personnages qu'il met en scène ses sensations et ses sentiments personnel." Certain it is that whatever merit the drama may possess has been depreciated in consequence of its fragmentary nature and inexplicable plot, but it is hoped that a fuller share of interest than it has hitherto attracted will now be obtained for it by our supplying some of the missing links of the story, and furnishing le mot d'enigme. Politian is based upon a tragedy of real life, and upon a tragedy that was enacted upon American soil. A clue to the story was first discovered in Poe's critique on Mr. Hoffman's Greyslaer, a romance, the poet remarks, "based on the well-known murder of Sharp, the Solicitor-General of Kentucky, by Beauchampe. . .. The real events were more impressive than are the fictitious ones," adds Poe; and, he continues, "the facts of this remarkable tragedy, as arranged by actual circumstance, would put to shame the skill of the most consummate artist. Nothing was left to the novelist but the amplification of character... the incidents might be better woven into a tragedy." And into his tragedy of Politian, a comparison with Mr. Hoffman's Greyslaer and Gilmore Simm's fine romance of Beauchampe convinced us Poe had woven the incidents. But it was not until we obtained possession of the poet's original draft of the drama -a draft containing much unpublished matter that we were enabled to * Works of Edgar A. Poe, vol. iv. p. 478. Edinburgh, 1875. demonstrate the truth of our theory. The fragment known as Scenes from Politian," an unpublished Drama, was first published in 1845, in a volume dedicated to Mrs. Browning, but the manuscript in our possession appears to have been written as long ago as 1831. It is entitled "Politian: a Tragedy. Scene, Rome in the century." A list of the Dramatis personæ follows, and is interesting not only from the fact that it introduces four new characters, but also because it describes Lalage as "an orphan, and the ward of Di Broglio;" Politian as a young and noble Roman," and Baldazzar as "his friend." The subsequent transformation of the two latter personages into "Earl of Leicester" and "Duke of Surrey" was in no way necessary to, and certainly did not increase, the vraisemblance of the drama. The printed extracts as now known are an almost literal transcript of this, the evidently first rough draft; the erasures are few and the alterations still fewer. The first act opens (with an unpublished scene) in the Palazzo of the Duke di Broglio, in an apartment strewed with the débris of a protracted revel. Two of the duke's servants, Benito and Ugo, the latter intoxicated, enter, and being joined by Rupert, a third servant, proceed, after the wellknown method of theatrical domestics, to introduce the story by talking over the affairs of their employer's family. Whilst Ugo contents himself with seeking out some unemptied bottles, the other two speak of the sad alteration in their master's son, Count Castiglione, who was, The most reprehensible act ascribed to him is his base treatment of the beautiful lady Lalage. Rupert asserts, "His conduct there has damned him in my eyes. O villain! villain! she his plighted wife And his own father's ward. I have noticed well His low debaucheries-his gaming habits- Of that most base seduction and abandonment." To this Benito acquiesces, deeming "The sin sits heavy on his soul And goads him to these courses." "They say," continues the speaker, "the Duke pardons his son, but is most wroth with the poor victim of his crime, who remains secluded in her chamber, lost to the world and hope. The domestics then introduce the topic of Castiglione's approaching nuptials with his cousin Alessandra, VOL. I. shall have it! Castigliones dressing-room. Scene 27 room. Castiglione (in deshabille) a San Ozzo. An excellent joke! I Gaith and San O2: and 0220. are excellent joke. Ha! ha! ha! ha! _ a most superlative joke Ha! ha! ha! ha! _ Oh I shall die of laughing I shall die I shall die. bartig : ( sullenly) I meant it for no 5.0 220. Oh no! oh no Joke. you meant it for no joke. ! - ha ha! ha ha! - Ill die. I'll die! Not you serious busmess I assure you get drunk бо a very serious business. you've turned penitent at last Why excellent! brave! Cas! Ive got a string of beads at home (Ill send them to you) a bundle of paternosters. (You shall have them all) a robe of sack cloits too who was "the bosom friend of the fair lady Lalage ere this mischance." Ugo now interrupting the dialogue, Benito and Rupert retire to bed, leaving the drunkard in possession of the stage. Just as he is about to depart, Jacinta, the serving-maid of Lalage, and whom Ugo is enamoured of, enters. Alternately she excites the jealousy and cupidity of her innamorato by displaying some jewels of great value to him, and leading him to suppose that they had been presented to her by his master, Count Castiglione. Finally, she sets Ugo's mind at rest by telling him that the jewels had been given to her by her mistress Lalage, "as a free gift and for a marriage present." The exit of this choice couple concludes Scene I. The second (an unpublished) scene, introduces Castiglione, and his evil genius, the Count San Ozzo, in the dressing-room of the former. The style of their dialogue may be gathered from the fac simile page. San Ozzo endeavours by taunts and ridicule to cure Castiglione of his sentimental fit, and, in the course of conversation, contrives to allude to the Duke's keeping Lalage in seclusion. He sings: This insulting allusion is too much, even for the despicable spirit of Castiglione, and he exclaims : "San Ozzo! you do her wrong-unmanly wrong! A purer heart! If ever woman fell "Exceeding fine!" responds San Ozzo: "I never heard a better speech in my life. With the unutterable ecstacies Of bread, and milk, and water!" San Ozzo's philosophy is too potent for Castiglione, and he strives to solace himself with the reflection that these mischances are of frequent occurrence, and that it would never do for him to bring disgrace upon "Di Broglio's haughty and time-honoured line," by wedding the discarded Lalage. With this comforting reflection, he dismisses the subject, and allows himself to be amused by a practical joke of his boon companion, San Ozzo, and to the account of which sorry jest the remainder of the lengthy scene is devoted. It is, “A Hall in the Palace" includes the action of the third scene. with some trifling alterations, that now published as the first in the extracts. It introduces Alessandra and Castiglione engaged in conversation: the latter appears inattentive, distrait, whilst his betrothed is already seen assuming the authority of a wife to reprimand and reprove. Mentally contrasting his former with his present love, Castiglione unwittingly exclaims, "Sweet, gentle Lalage !" The impending storm is, however, averted by the timely entrance of the Duke di Broglio, who announces an anticipated visit to Rome of Politian, Earl of Leicester. The second Act introduces Lalage, who is seen sitting at an open window which overlooks the palace garden; she is attended by the pert Jacinta. This scene, Poe's marginal pencil-notes would indicate, was intended for the first of the published scenes, but subsequently he wisely altered it to the second. The printed version is accessible to every one; it is, therefore, needless to recapitulate more of it than is absolutely necessary to thread the links of the story together. It portrays how the ungrateful serving-maid, deeming that she has now obtained all that her mistress had to give, takes occasion to insult and leave her. Whereupon a monk enters, and witnesses Lalage register a mental vow, a vow of vengeance. "Behold!" she cries, drawing a cross-handled dagger and raising it on high: "Behold the cross wherewith a vow like mine To which the monk responds: "Thy words are madness, daughter, And speak a purpose unholy-thy lips are livid- Swear not the oath-oh swear it not!" ""Tis sworn!" exclaims Lalage. The next, another unpublished scene, brings Di Broglio and his son before us again. Their conversation is about Politian, whom Castiglione has just met, and whom he acknowledges |