The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume II Part 5

OSORIO

A TRAGEDY[518:1]

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

[_Not in MSS._]

_Osorio_, 1797. _Remorse._ _VELEZ_ = _MARQUIS VALDEZ, Father to the two brothers, and Dona 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._ _NAOMI_ = _NAOMI._ _MARIA_ = _DOnA TERESA, an Orphan Heiress._ _ALHADRA, wife of FERDINAND_ = _ALHADRA, Wife of Isidore._ _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 forbad the wearing of Moresco apparel under pain of death._

FOOTNOTES:

[518:1] First published in 1873 by Mr. John Pearson (under the editorship of R. H. Shepherd): included in _P. and D. W._ 1877-80, and in _P. W._ 1893.

Four MSS. are (or were) extant, (1) the transcript of the play as sent to Sheridan in 1797 (_MS. I_); (2) a contemporary transcript sent by Coleridge to a friend (_MS. II_); (3) a third transcript (the handwriting of a 'legal character') sold at Christie's, March 8, 1895 (_MS. III_); (4) a copy of Act I in Coleridge's handwriting, which formerly belonged to Thomas Poole, and is now in the British Museum (_MS. P._). The text of the present issue follows MS. I. The variants are derived from MSS. I, II as noted by J. d.y.k.es Campbell in _P. W._ 1893, from a MS. collation (by J. D. Campbell) of MS. III, now published for the first time, and from a fresh collation of MS. P.

_Osorio_ was begun at Stowey in March, 1797. Two and a half Acts were written before June, four and a half Acts before September 13, 1797. A transcript of the play (_MS. I_) was sent to Drury Lane in October, and rejected, on the score of the 'obscurity of the last three acts', on or about December 1, 1797. See 'Art.' Coleridge, _Osorio_ and _Remorse_, by J. D. Campbell, _Athenaeum_, April 8, 1890.

In the reign of Philip II shortly after the civil war against the Moors, and during the heat of the Persecution which raged against them. Maria an orphan of fortune had been espoused to Albert the eldest son of Lord Velez, but he having been supposed dead, is now addressed by Osorio the brother of Albert.

In the character of Osorio I wished to represent a man, who, from his childhood had mistaken const.i.tutional abstinence from vices, for strength of character--thro' his pride duped into guilt, and then endeavouring to shield himself from the reproaches of his own mind by misanthropy.

Don Garcia (supposed dead) and Valdez father of Don Ordono, and Guardian of Teresa di Monviedro. Don Garcia eldest son of the Marquis di Valdez, supposed dead, having been six years absent, and for the last three without any tidings of him.

Teresa Sennora [_sic_] di Monviedro, an orphan lady, bequeathed by both Parents on their death-bed to the wardship of the Marquis, and betrothed to Don Garcia--Gulinaez a Moorish Chieftain and ostensibly a new Christian--Alhadra his wife. _MS. III._

For the Preface of _MS. I_, vide Appendices of this edition.

LINENOTES:

_Osorio A Tragedy_--t.i.tle] Osorio, a Dramatic Poem MS. II: Osorio, The Sketch of a Tragedy MS. III.

ACT THE FIRST[519:1]

SCENE--_The sea sh.o.r.e on the coast of Granada._

_VELEZ, MARIA._

_Maria._ I hold Osorio dear: he is your son, And Albert's brother.

_Velez._ Love him for himself, Nor make the living wretched for the dead.

_Maria._ I mourn that you should plead in vain, Lord Velez!

But Heaven hath heard my vow, and I remain 5 Faithful to Albert, be he dead or living.

_Velez._ Heaven knows with what delight I saw your loves; And could my heart's blood give him back to thee I would die smiling. But these are idle thoughts!

Thy dying father comes upon my soul 10 With that same look, with which he gave thee to me: I held thee in mine arms, a powerless babe, While thy poor mother with a mute entreaty Fix'd her faint eyes on mine: ah, not for this, That I should let thee feed thy soul with gloom, 15 And with slow anguish wear away thy life, The victim of a useless constancy.

I must not see thee wretched.

_Maria._ There are woes Ill-barter'd for the garishness of joy!

If it be wretched with an untired eye 20 To watch those skiey tints, and this green ocean; Or in the sultry hour beneath some rock, My hair dishevell'd by the pleasant sea-breeze, To shape sweet visions, and live o'er again All past hours of delight; if it be wretched 25 To watch some bark, and fancy Albert there; To go through each minutest circ.u.mstance Of the bless'd meeting, and to frame adventures Most terrible and strange, and hear _him_ tell them: (As once I knew a crazy Moorish maid, 30 Who dress'd her in her buried lover's cloaths, And o'er the smooth spring in the mountain cleft Hung with her lute, and play'd the selfsame tune He used to play, and listen'd to the shadow Herself had made); if this be wretchedness, 35 And if indeed it be a wretched thing To trick out mine own death-bed, and imagine That I had died--died, just ere his return; Then see him listening to my constancy; And hover round, as he at midnight ever 40 Sits on my grave and gazes at the moon; Or haply in some more fantastic mood To be in Paradise, and with choice flowers Build up a bower where he and I might dwell, And there to wait his coming! O my sire! 45 My Albert's sire! if this be wretchedness That eats away the life, what were it, think you, If in a most a.s.sur'd reality He should return, and see a brother's infant Smile at him from _my_ arms? [_Clasping her forehead._ O what a thought! 50 'Twas horrible! it pa.s.s'd my brain like lightning.

_Velez._ 'Twere horrible, if but one doubt remain'd The very week he promised his return.

_Maria._ Ah, what a busy joy was ours--to see him After his three years' travels! tho' that absence 55 His still-expected, never-failing letters Almost endear'd to me! Even then what tumult!

_Velez._ O power of youth to feed on pleasant thoughts Spite of conviction! I am old and heartless!

Yes, I am old--I have no pleasant dreams-- 60 Hectic and unrefresh'd with rest.

_Maria (with great tenderness)._ My father!

_Velez._ Aye, 'twas the morning thou didst try to cheer me With a fond gaiety. My heart was bursting, And yet I could not tell me, how my sleep Was throng'd with swarthy faces, and I saw 65 The merchant-ship in which my son was captured-- Well, well, enough--captured in sight of land-- We might almost have seen it from our house-top!

_Maria (abruptly)._ He did not perish there!

_Velez (impatiently)._ Nay, nay--how aptly thou forgett'st a tale 70 Thou ne'er didst wish to learn--my brave Osorio Saw them both founder in the storm that parted Him and the pirate: both the vessels founder'd.

Gallant Osorio! [_Pauses, then tenderly._ O belov'd Maria, Would'st thou best prove thy faith to generous Albert 75 And most delight his spirit, go and make His brother happy, make his aged father Sink to the grave with joy!

_Maria._ For mercy's sake Press me no more. I have no power to love him!

His proud forbidding eye, and his dark brow 80 Chill me, like dew-damps of the unwholesome night.

My love, a timorous and tender flower, Closes beneath his touch.

_Velez._ You wrong him, maiden.

You wrong him, by my soul! Nor was it well To character by such unkindly phrases 85 The stir and workings of that love for you Which he has toil'd to smother. 'Twas not well-- Nor is it grateful in you to forget His wounds and perilous voyages, and how With an heroic fearlessness of danger 90 He roamed the coast of Afric for your Albert.

It was not well--you have moved me even to tears.

_Maria._ O pardon me, my father! pardon me.

It was a foolish and ungrateful speech, A most ungrateful speech! But I am hurried 95 Beyond myself, if I but dream of one Who aims to rival Albert. Were we not Born on one day, like twins of the same parent?

Nursed in one cradle? Pardon me, my father!

A six years' absence is an heavy thing; 100 Yet still the hope survives----

_Velez (looking forwards)._ Hush--hush! Maria.

_Maria._ It is Francesco, our Inquisitor; That busy man, gross, ignorant, and cruel!

_Enter FRANCESCO and ALHADRA._

_Francesco (to Velez)._ Where is your son, my lord? Oh! here he comes.

_Enter OSORIO._