ROME. — A Hall in a Palace. Alessandra and Castiglione.

LESSANDRA. Thou art sad, Castiglione,

Castiglione. Sad ! — not I.
Oh, I'm the happiest, happiest man in Rome !
A few days more, thou knowest, my Alessandra,
Will make thee mine. Oh, I am very happy!

Aless. Methinks thou hast a singular way of showing
Thy happiness! - what ails thee, cousin of mine?
Why didst thou sigh so deeply?

Cas. Did I sigh?
I was not conscious of it. It is a fashion,
A silly - a most silly fashion I have
When I am very happy. Did I sigh ? (Sighing.)
Aless. Thou didst. Thou art not well. Thou hast

indulged
Too much of late, and I am vexed to see it.
Late hours and wine, Castiglione, — these
Will ruin thee! thou art already altered -
Thy looks are haggard — nothing so wears away
The constitution as late hours and wine.

Cas. (musing). Nothing, fair cousin, nothing — not

even deep sorrow Wears it away like evil hours and wine. I will amend.

Aless. Do it! I would have thee drop Thy riotous company, too

fellows low born Ill suit the like with old Di Broglio's heir And Alessandra's husband.

Cas. I will drop them.
Aless. Thou wilt thou must. Attend thou also

more
To thy dress and equipage — they are over plain
For thy lofty rank and fashion — much depends
Upon appearances.

Cas. I'll see to it.

Aless. Then see to it ! - pay more attention, sir,
To a becoming carriage — much thou wantest
In dignity.

Cas. Much, much, oh much I want
In proper dignity.

Aless. (haughtily). Thou mockest me, sir !
Cas. (abstractedly). Sweet, gentle Lalage !

Aless. Heard I aright?
I speak to him — he speaks of Lalage !
Sir Count! (places her hand on his shoulder) what art

thou dreaming? he's not well! What ails thee, sir?

Cas. (starting). Cousin ! fair cousin ! — madam! I crave thy pardon- indeed I am not well — Your hand from off my shoulder, if you please. This air is most oppressive !

Madam - the Duke !

Enter Di Broglio.
Di Broglio. My son, I've news for thee ! - hey?-

what's the matter? (observing Alessandra.)
I'the pouts ? Kiss her, Castiglione ! kiss her,
You dog! and make it up, I say, this minute !
I've news for you both. Politian is expected
Hourly in Rome — Politian, Earl of Leicester!
We 'll have him at the wedding. 'T is his first visit
To the imperial city.

Aless. What! Politian
Of Britain, Earl of Leicester?

Di Brog. The same, my love. We'll have him at the wedding. A man quite young years,

but
gray

in fame. I have not seen him,
But Rumor speaks of him as of a prodigy
Pre-eminent in arts and arms, and wealth,
And high descent. We 'll have him at the wedding.

Aless. I have heard much of this Politian.
Gay, volatile, and giddy - is he not?
And little given to thinking.

Di Brog. Far from it, love.
No branch, they say, of all philosophy
So deep, abstruse he has not mastered it.
Learned as few are learned.

In

Aless. 'T is very strange !
I have known men have seen Politian
And sought his company. They speak of him
As of one who entered madly into life,
Drinking the cup of pleasure to the dregs.

Cas. Ridiculous ! Now I have seen Politian
And know him well nor learned nor mirthful he.
He is a dreamer and a man shut out
From common passions.

Di Brog. Children, we disagree.
Let us go forth and taste the fragrant air
Of the garden. Did I dream, or did I hear
Politian was a melancholy man?

(Exeunt.)

II.

ROME. — A Lady's apartment, with a window open and looking

into a garden, Lalage, in deep mourning, reading at a table on
which lie some books and a hand mirror. In the background
Jacinta (a servant-maid) leans carelessly upon a chair.
Lal. Jacinta ! is it thou ?
Jac. (pertiy). Yes, ma'am, I'm here.

Lal. I did not know, Jacinta, you were in waiting.
Sit down ! let not my presence trouble you
Sit down!

- for I am humble, most humble. Jac. (asiile). 'Tis time.

(Jacinta seats herself in a sidelong manner upon

the chair, resting her clbows upon the back, and regarding her mistress with a contemptuous look. Lalage continues to read )

(Pauses

Lal. “It in another climate, so he said,
Bore a bright golden flower, but not i' this soil! ”

turns over some leaves, and resumes.) “No lingering winters there, nor snow, nor shower But Ocean ever to refresh mankind Breathes the shrill spirit of the western wind.” Oh, beautiful ! — most beautiful ! - how like To what my fevered soul doth dream of Heaven ! O happy land ! (pauses). She died ! — the maiden

died ! O still more happy maiden who couldst die! Jacinta!

(Facinta returns no answer, and Lalage presently

resumes.) Again ! a similar tale Told of a beauteous dame beyond the sea ! Thus speaketh one Ferdinand in the words of the play, “ She died full young

one Bossola answers him “I think not so - her infelicity Seemed to have years too many". - Ah, luckless lady! Jacinta! (Still no answer.)

Here's a far sterner story But like-oh, very like in its despair — Of that Egyptian queen, winning so easily A thousand hearts — losing at length her own. She died. Thus endeth the history -- and her maids Lean over her and weep — two gentle maids