I wish that others would, for surely there is dramatic power somewhere, where Joanna Baillie, and Milman, and John Wilson exist. The City of the Plague [1816] and the Fall of Jerusalem [1820] are full of the best "material" for tragedy that has been seen since Horace Walpole, except passages of Ethwald [1802] and De Montfort [1798]. It is the fashion to underrate Horace Walpole; firstly, because he was a nobleman, and secondly, because he was a gentleman; but, to say nothing of the composition of his incomparable letters, and of the Castle of Otranto [1765], he is the "Ultimus Romanorum," the author of the Mysterious Mother [1768], a tragedy of the highest order, and not a puling love-play. He is the father of the first romance and of the last tragedy in our language, and surely worthy of a higher place than any living writer, be he who he may.

In speaking of the drama of Marino Faliero, I forgot to mention that the desire of preserving, though still too remote, a nearer approach to unity than the irregularity, which is the reproach of the English theatrical compositions, permits, has induced me to represent the conspiracy as already formed, and the Doge acceding to it; whereas, in fact, it was of his own preparation and that of Israel Bertuccio. The other characters (except that of the Duchess), incidents, and almost the time, which

conceive nothing better than Kemble, Cooke, and Kean, in their very different manners, or than Elliston in Gentleman's comedy, and in some parts of tragedy. Miss O'Neill I never saw, having made and kept a determination to see nothing which should divide or disturb my recollection of Siddons. Siddons and Kemble were the ideal of tragic action; I never saw anything at all resembling them, even in person: for this reason, we shall never see again Coriolanus or Macbeth. When Kean is blamed for want of dignity, we should remember that it is a grace not an art, and not to be attained by study. In all, not SUPER-natural parts, he is perfect; even his very defects belong, or seem to belong, to the parts themselves, and appear But of Kemble we may say, truer to nature. with reference to his acting, what the Cardinal de Retz said of the Marquis of Montrose, "that he was the only man he ever saw who reminded him of the heroes of Plutarch."

Who sent up my appeal unto the Forty

To try him by his peers, his own tribunal. Ber. F. His peers will scarce protect him; such an act

Would bring contempt on all authority. Doge. Know you not Venice? Know you not the Forty?

But we shall see anon.

Ber. F. (addressing VINCENZO, then entering.) How now - what tidings?

[The Avogadori, three in number, were the conductors of criminal prosecutions on the part of the State; and no act of the councils was valid, unless sanctioned by the presence of one of them; but they were not, as Byron seems to imply, a court of first instance. The implied reproach that they preferred to send the case to appeal because Steno was a member of the 'Quarantia," is based on an error of Sanudo's.]

Doge. I tell thee - must I tell thee what thy father

Would have required no words to comprehend?

sense

Hast thou no feeling save the external 150 Of torture from the touch? hast thou no soul

No pride no passion - no deep sense of honour?

Ber. F. 'Tis the first time that hon

our has been doubted,

And were the last, from any other sceptic.

Doge. You know the full offence of this born villain,

This creeping, coward, rank, acquitted felon,

Who threw his sting into a poisonous libel,

And on the honour of - Oh God! my wife,

The nearest, dearest part of all men's honour,

Left a base slur to pass from mouth to mouth

160 Of loose mechanics, with all coarse foul