Riego; or, the Spanish Martyr, Act III (drama) [pp. 302-306]

30. Rig;o,te-en~ atr MY
[The subjoined dialogue seems to have been intended as
the conclusion of the 2nd Act. Whether withheld by the
direction of the author, or inadvertently omitted, we do not
know. We give it as we find it.]
That man must b)e dead to every elevated thought and
every generous sentiment, who does not feel indignation
and sorrow in considering the TRAGIC CLOSE OF THE[
GREAT DRAMA OF THE SPANISH REVOLUTION; the rise
of which excited so much interest, and inspired so much
hope.- Westminster Review.
Saez. O conscientious! Justice-loving traitor!
O law-revering outlaw!
Nun. Merciful withal,
His sovereign lives to attest.
Saez. He doth-He doth And to req uite his subject's clemen cy.
I laugh to see thi s valiant rebel marching
Thus gaily to his doom.
Nun. Rebels are they
Wh o fail: s ucc es s makes heroes.
Saez. He hath failed!
Foregone e the vanta ge his rash valor won,
And left unplucked the fruits of victory.
Will Fortune, think'st thou, smile again on him
Who slights her favors?
Nun. Did she not shield
Him from the bravo's steel?
Saez. Mina had struck
The mutinous ruffian down.
Nun. Leaves she not now
His monarch in his power?
Saez. A bootless bounty:
Mina had rolled the monarch's crowned head
Beside his feet. Romantic fool!
Nun. Would that he were!
Not so, Saez, the world doth rate him.
Saez. True: in its mawkish phrase, a generous hero!
And such kind nature meant him, but o'erdid
Her work, stifling the hero's qualities
With seed of loftier virtues. Brave, she made him;
Ambitious:-Aye, he would be great; but yet
Would shun the crooked paths which lead to greatness.
Lo! Clad in Honor's time-worn coat of mail,
And brandishing on high, the rusty lance
Of Justice, like La Mancha's crazy knight
He sallies forth to right all wrongs; aloud
Chaunting the praises of the mountain nymph,Sweet Liberty-a bold-faced wanton, ready
To meet the ravisher's embrace-in his
Enchanted eye forsooth, a peerless angel.
Nun. All Spain is mad. But prithee, if amid
This wreck thou dost discern one ray of hope Saez. Hope?-Triumph! Vengeance! Speedy ven geance on
Its guilty authors. Come: Your Eminence
Ere long shall see the mystery solved, and find
Our barque in trim to meet a fiercer storm.
The trusty Pilot of the State who sees
The rising whirlwind in the playful breeze
Forewarned, forearmed, his helm serenely guides
Thro' starless nights, and mid tempestuous tides;
By Hope inspired beholds beyond the gloom
The brightening sky its cheering lights relume;
The winds that waked in wrath the mighty deep,
Soft zephyrs gently fanning it asleep;
And its broad face a beaming mirror glow,
Show'ing to th' Heavens above a Heaven below.
The theme attempted in this drama, is the Revolution in
Spain-that of 1820-and more particularly the fate of its
ill-starred champion, RIEGO. No event, probably, ever
more deeply excited the public sympathy. "Notwithstanding its disgraceful termination," as has well been observed by a powerful writer, "the Spanish Revolution,
from the magnitude of the interests involved in its success
or failure, and from the nature of the experiment, must be
regarded as one of the most tremendous catastrophes which
are to be found recorded in the history of our time."
The author's object has been to present some of the most
interesting incidents and prominent actors, in that glorious,
though unfortunate struggle. He will not say that he has
followed history in every particular, with scrupulous exactness. But the principal scenes and traits of character,the various fortune of the Revolutionary contest-the
stormy debates in the Cortes-the artful villainy of Saezthe treachery of Abisbal, Ballasteros, and Morillo-the
falsehood, cruelty and pusillanimity of Ferdinand VIIthe energy and persevering constancy of Mina-the patriotic devotion and execrable assassination of the Great Chief
of the Revolution-and the tenderness and distress of his
wife-will be found sufficiently sustained by authentic
narratives, or contemporary opinion.
RIEGO, Military Chief of the Revolutionary party, called the
Liberals.
MINA, )
QUIROGA, Officers, attached to the same party.
BAssos,
ARGUELLES, Civil Chief of the same.
FERRER,uis Ultra Liberals: Members of the Cortes.,
FERRER, wetLbryablfaewatnred
DIAZ, a youth: son of Porlier who was slain in a previous
civil war.
FERDINAND VII., King of Spain.
VINUESSA, his Confessor.
SAEZ, also Confessor to the King, and afterwards Prime Min ister.
ALAGON, Commander of the Life-Guard.
CHA.MORRO, King's buffoon.
ABISBAL, ) Officers: originally attached to the LibeBALLASTEROS, > rals, but who deserted to the Serviles, or
MORILLO, King's party.
A NUNCIO, from Rome.
UGARTE, a familiar of the Inquisition.
ROMUALDO, a monk turned Soldier.
DON. THERESA, Wife of Riego.
DoN.A LucIE, Widow of Porlier.
INEZ, attendant on Dofia Theresa.
Soldiers, Courtiers, Ladies, Monks, Attendants.
SCENE: Madrid.
[MAY,
3 0'2
Rie,o,-o; or, the Spanish Martyr.
RIEGO; OR, THE SPANISH MARTYR,
A PLAY, IN FIVE ACTS.
Exeunt RIEco and Soldiers with KING FERDINAND guard ed. Drum, 4-c. Playing RIEGO's HYMN.]
Man,ent SAEZ: The NUNCIO.
INTRODUCTION.
DR,KMATIS PERSON2E.