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    800 THE L E .ADE^ [SA TgBgA^

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    Spanish Dramas, Old And New". Six Dramas...

    caved little for translations in general , and Spanish in particular ; in fact , that for a translation to have any chance of success , it should be from the works of an author well known , and of European reputation . « To the fiict , that all plays and poems are very much hotter in their national idiom , I most unhesitatingly -succumb ; hut my object was not to induce the Spanish scholar to read an English translation of plays so infinitely superior in their original text , hut to support my assertion that Spain at the present day owns authors whose compositions well deserve the attention even of those who do not understand the language . * - s " ' . ' i I l i ;

    « T o /> nr , i . / i ; n ™ i , r A n , rXr . n ri » ,- >« ,, r ninr . n < vi + airiTir » flrn itiv innrlel Mr . IJewes' book " I accordingly devised a new plan , and taking for my model Mr . Lewes book on Lope de Vega and Calderon , endeavoured to select such parts of the dramatic writings of the authors above named as I thought most worthy of notice ; but here another difficulty presented itself , —my name was utterly unknown to the literary public ; the work was one requiring considerable research and accuracy , as well as time ; and I confess I did not feel disposed to undertake such a task , without at least a hope that when accomplished , my book might have some chance of success . Moreover , from the reasons I have stated , until a writer has some hold on public sympathy and opinion , the passages of his selection may agree very well with his own , but be utterly opposite to the public taste . ; :

    " Finally I determined on sending forward , as an experiment , one of these plays without any curtailment ; as even if it proved a total failure , it would at least have involved less sacrifice . " The first thing that struck us in the Flower of a Day was its essentially undramatic spirit ; the second , its essential unlikeness to the old Spanish plays ; the third , its resemblance to one and all of the dramas published by our own Unacted . Is it that bad dramas are necessarily all after one model ? or is it that the genius which is not dramatic must , by some law of its own , wander from the right path in only one particular direction ? Whatever the cause , the fact is certain—all unactable dramas are alike ,

    alike not only in the negative quality of being unadapted for the stage , but in the positive defects whereby they differ from actable dramas . Here is a play by a modern Spanish poet which might have been published by Saunders and Otley . Yet—curiously enough—this play is , Mr . Parker assures us , very popular in Spain : a fact the more curious when we think of the ancient Spanish drama , so illustrious for the rapidity and ingenuity of its plots , and breathless situations . The personages enter , speak , and depart in the most undramatifc style . Thus , a Negro servant ( coming to inform the heroine that his master is about to pay his respects ) is stopped by the fair lady , —

    " Say—wilt thou tell the tale Of thy past life to me : " which , of course , he is only too happy to do , " and does it in a speech of two pages and a half , setting forth how Don Diego saved him from " a panther fierce . " This tirade delivered , the JN " egro bows and departs . Presently , another gentleman is announced , and this scene takes place : — " The Marquis , Lola , and afterwards the Baeok . Marquis . Lady , I beg to offer my respects . Are you the Baron ' s daughter ? By my faith , ' The world hath not belied your boauty ' s fame . Lola . You are too courteous . Marquis . Pray do not ascribe To flattery , what alone is your desert . Z / ola . Marquis , a thousand thanks . ( Enter the Baron . ) Marquis . Baron , I rise . Baron . My house is hut too honoured when I see The Marquis of Montero as my guest . Marquis . You are too kind . On leaving Santander , Your sister begged that I would call to ask After your health . Lola . Father , shall I retire ? Marquis . I should feel sorry that my visit hero Should cause your absence—and the more , that oft 1 heard from Dona Anna of her niece As one of nature ' s paragons . Lola . Poor Aunt ! Huron . My sister . speaks too fondly of my child . Marquis-. The noble lady feels her strength decline By inoineiitH , and divides her every thought Between her niece and you . And , by my faith , She is ; i lady of high presence . I Owe to her friendship many n pleasant hour . Jiaron-. Throughout the war we have hoard much of you . Marquis . Yes , Baron ! I , like many , took up arms Against our foes , the French . Huron . And no small fame Chimed in the war . Marquis . To give a sabre stroke One does not need much gcniu . i . Huron . T ) o you still Pursue the . same career ? Marquis . When Brigadier , 1 usk <>( l for my retirement from the King . I did not servo for honours . Jiaron . Bui you held A high renown for valour and for pikill . . Marquis . A hopeless love had made mo desperate . Reckless of life , 1 fought not , to defend My country' —I but , sought distraction , and JK ' en this I could not find in war . Lola . Wero then All ties to life so prematurely crushed . Marquis . What , help had I ? the wound still throbs at times . Lola . Was yours an unrequited passion V Marquis . No , Lady ; that does not kill .

    Zola . Then perhaps you gave Your heart to one unworthy of your love ? Marqiiis . Yes , and was cruelly deceived . My soul—My being—all my feelings were engrossed By one loved , worshipped girl ; for one fond hope I gave my peace—my rest ; when this was lost What passions could exist'in the-parched soul ? Fierce" jealousies which drive to madness—keen" . Distrust of all—a weariness of life- — The cold—cold ashes of a thing that was . Lola . In truth I pity you . Marquis . These , lady , are The inner mysteries of the heart , which you Have not yet learned . I sought to find a grave In battle—but the wretched never meet Their death when wished for . Lola . Was your grief so keen , It made you wish for death ? Marquis . When you have learned All I have suffered , you will know my love . Baron . But time and change will give you back your peace . Marquis , Who gives me back the virgin purity Of soul—the faith—the hopes that 1 have lost , E ' en should oblivion blot this scene from life . Baron . Marquis , you should not say , I will not drink A draught like this—the future God alone Dispqseth . Marquis . Blessed be the voice which tells Of hope to me . Lola . Marquis , there is a God Who watches over the unfortunate . Marquis { aside ) . Why knew I not this woman in the hour That I could love ? Lola { aside ) . There is a bitter force In all his words , that interests my heart . Marquis ( rising up ) . I fear I trespass on" your time . Baron . Not so , 'Tis we are honoured by your company . I trust our friendship may increase by time . Marquis . Ofsueh society one ne'er can tire . Adieu—( giving Ms hand to the Baron ) . Adieu , lady—( aside ) how beautiful she is !" Has not the reader read that in a hundred dreary dramas P How easy and natural the transitions ! how unforced the topics ! and then the sudden love of the marquis for a young lady , whose principal remark is , that there is a God watching over the unfortunate ! Don Diego , the betrothed of Lola , now appears , to inform her father that he is summoned away to Buenos Ayres , and begs the Baron " will grant his prayer , that Lola may become his wife ; " a prayer the Baron , refuses on the not very intelligible ground , — " I did not think thou would ' st prevent her tears From falling on an aged father ' s grave . " But Diego seems satisfied , and departs with the assurance that Lola shall be his wife on his return . Of course , on his return she has married another ; and that other the most ingenuous reader cannot but have guessed to be the melancholy marquis . She tells us , however , that sho didn't love the marquis , — " I gave my hand through pride and not thro' love . " The marquis , it appoars , has just been saved from drowning—of course by his rival —( returned lovers always take care of tho misc en schic , that their re-appearance may be a coup dc theatre )—and very wonderful it is to see upon how slight an indication Lola , who fancies him in Buenos Ayrcs , inBtantly divines tho stranger to bo Diego : — "The sailors strove their utmost to assist Our failing strength , but could not near us , for The surf would not allow it—when a man . Tumped from the nearest boat , and hwuiu at once To our assistance , caught me in his * arms As if a straw , and bore me to his boat . What strength of arm ! Good God !—Lola ,. i hope you wore Most generous to the gallant sailor . Marquis . No , He was no sailor , but a gentleman Most brave , most polished—dark , of pleasing form—Well dressed , not foppish—with a giant ' s heart , And u child ' s frankness . Wishing to repay ( Lor , a . listens with yreat uneasiness . As far as in me lies his noble act , I bogged him to come here , but ho refused . 1 lelt him at his inn , and since have ; sent Oar carriage , praying him to honour us At least to-night—and , Lola , pray receivo My guest us ' one who saved your husband ' * life . Lola ( aside ) . This in a judgment seat from ( lod i Marquis . " My wife ! Lola ! what , ails you ? You nro pale .... Lola , , y > y . .... I am not well—I . tremble — " . Wo hnvo quoted enough 16 indicate to any experienced oyo ft'fty of this pioiu ) . Uven Mr . ttirkor , who iraiiHktcs it , doen not » V ^ ^ of j 1 , 8 divumiiiu qualities : — « The . FUmu : r of a Day is but ' an old talc , and often told : ' tho J" ^^ uepuration of two lovers , and tho infidelity of the lady ; who , like tho *«»' J 11 b

    800 The L E .Ade^ [Sa Tgbga^

    800 THE L E . ADE ^ [ SA TgBgA ^

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 3, 1853, page 20, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_03091853/page/20/