[ACT IV. Hear, all ye powers, that watch o'er inno- shade Of my departed lord! attend, while here Around th' accursed bed! Bur. Begone, remorse! Guards, do your office: drag her to the altar- Selim. Who call'd on Achmet?-Did not Bar. Officious slave, retire! I call'd thee not. Zaph. O kind and gen'rous stranger, lend O rescue me from these impending horrors! Selim. Pity her woes, O mighty Barbarossa! [Kneels. [Lays hold of BARBAROSSA's garment. Bar. Presuming slave, begone! [Strikes SELIM. Selim. Nay then, die, tyrant! [Rises and aims to stab BARBAROSSA, who wrests his dagger from him. Bur. Ah, traitor! have I caught thee? Perfidious wretch, who art thou?-Bring the rack: Let that extort the secrets of his heart. And torments are my doom. Yet, ere I die, Now view me!-Hear me, tyrant!—while, More terrible than thunder, I proclaim, Zaph. O Heaven! my son! my son! Do I then live, once more to see my Selim! Her speechless agonies, and not relent? Selim. Canst thou behold Selim. Lo, Barbarossa! thou at length hast conquer'd! Behold a hapless prince, o'erwhelm'd with [Kneels. woes, Prostrate before thy feet!-not for myself Bar. Have I then bent thy pride? Selim. Dost thou insult my griefs?-unmanly Curse on the fear, that could betray my limbs, Sure filial virtue never was a crime! Selim. What! doom thyself [ror! Whose hands yet reek with thy dear husband's blood! To be the mother of destructive tyrants- Bar. Or yield thee, or he dies! Zaph. The conflict's past. I will resume my We'll bravely die, as we have liv'd,-with Selim. Now, tyrant, pour thy fiercest fury on us: Shall conquer, though in ruin. Bar. Drag them hence: Her to the altar :-Selim to his fate. Selim. 'Would I could give it thee! tion! Sure the most mournful boon, that ever son Against surprise? [secur'd Aladin. They are, and mock th' attempt Of force or treachery. Bar. This whisper'd rumour Of dark conspiracy, Irene. Yet hear me ! Ere my tortur'd soul Rush on some deed of horror! Bar. Convey the frantic idiot from my pre sence: See that she do no violence on herself. Irene. O Selim!-generous youth!-how have my fears Betray'd thee to destruction! Inhuman father! Generous, injur❜d prince! Methinks, I see thee stretch'd upon the rack, Hear thy expiring groans. O horror! horror! What shall I do to save him? Vain, alas! Vain are my tears and prayers. At least, I'll die. Death shall unite us yet! [Exit. Bar. O torment! torment! Seems but a false alarm. Our spies, sent out, Conspires to blast my peace! Affirm, that sleep Has wrapp'd the city. Aladin. But while Selim lives, Destruction lurks within the palace walls. Bar. Right, Aladin. His hour of fate approaches. How goes the night? Aladin. The second watch is near. Now, Aladin, Enter ALADIN. He will not, sure, conspire against my peace? Aludin. He's fled, my lord. I dread some lurking ruin. Hast thou seen Othman? Bar. 'Tis well. Whene'er it rings, the trai- The sentinel on watch says, that he pass'd tor dies. Irene. O night of horror!-Hear me, honour'd father! If e'er Irene's peace was dear to thee, Bar. Impious! dar'st thou disobey? Bar. What wouldst thou say? Whom plead for? Irene. For a brave unhappy prince, Sentenc'd to die. Bar. And justly! But this hour The traitor half fulfill'd thy dream, and aim'd His dagger at my heart. Irene. Might pity plead! Bar. What! plead for treachery? Irene. Yet pity might bestow a milder name. Wouldst thou not love the child, whose fortiShould hazard life for thee? [tude .Bar. Damn'd was his purpose; and accurs'd art thou, Whose perfidy would save the dark assassin, Who sought thy father's life! Hence, from my sight. Irene. Óh, never, till thy mercy spare my Selim! Bar. Thy Selim? Thine? Irene. Thou know'st-by gratitude He's mine. Had not his gen'rous hand re deem'd me, What then had been Irene? Oh! Who sav'd me from dishonour? Bar. By the powers Of great revenge, thy fond entreaties seal His instant death.-In him, I'll punish thee. Away! Along the ground he lies, o'erwhelm'd with The ministers of death stand round; and wait Thy last command. Bar. Once more I'll try to bend [him; His stubborn soul. Conduct me forthwith to And if he now refuse my proffer'd kindness, Destruction swallows him! [Exeunt. SCENE II-A Prison in the Palace. SELIM in chains, Executioners, &c. and the rack. Selim. I pray you, friends, When I am dead, let not indignity Insult these poor remains; see them interr'd Close to my father's tomb! I ask no more. Offi. They shall. To question Heaven. Th'intent and not the deed [greatly, Is in our power; and therefore who dares Does greatly. Bar. Yet bethink thee, stubborn boy, What horrors now surround thee Selim. Think'st thou, tyrant, I came so ill prepar'd? Thy rage is weak, Relent, and save Zaphira !-For the bell Selim. Let guilt like thine Tremble at death: I scorn its darkest frown. Hence, tyrant, nor profane my dying hour! Bar. Then take thy wish. There goes the fatal knell. [Bell tolls. Thy fate is seal'd. Not all thy mother's tears, Nor prayers, nor eloquence of grief, shall save thee [They embrace. Offi. No more.-Prepare the rack. Irene. Here will I cling. No power on earth shall part us, Till I have sav'd my Selim! [Shout; clashing of swords. Aladin. [Without.] Arm, arm!-Treach'ry and murder! Selim. Off, slaves!-Or I will turn my chains to arms, And dash you piece-meal! Enter ALADIN. Aladin. Where is the king? The foe pours in. The palace gates are burst: The sentinels are murder'd! Save the king; They seek him through the palace! Offi. Death and ruin! Follow me, slaves, and save him. Selim. Now, bloody tyrant! Now, thy hour is come! [walls, Vengeance at length hath pierc'd these guilty And walks her deadly round! Irene. Whom dost thou mean? my father! [Clash of swords. Hark! 'twas the clash of swords! Heaven save my father! O cruel, cruel Selim! [Exit. Selim. Curse on this servile chain, that binds me fast In powerless ignominy; while my sword Should hunt its prey, and cleave the tyrant down! Oth. [Without.] Where is the prince? Selim. Here, Othman, bound to earth! Set me but free!-O cursed, cursed chain! Enter OTHMAN and Party, who free SELIM. Oth. O my brave prince!-Heaven favours our design. [Embraces him. Take that: I need not bid thee use it nobly. [Giving him a sword. Selim. Now, Barbarossa, let my arm meet thine. "Tis all I ask of Heaven! [Exit. Oth. Guard ye the prince- [Part go out. Pursue his steps. Now this way let us turn, And seek the tyrant. [Exeunt. SCENE III-A Court in the Palace. [Exeunt ALADIN, OFFICER, and Guards. My trembling steps, I find some dying wretch, mand, Convey'd the weeping fair one to her chamber. Selim. Then haste, and find her. O'er her father's crimes, Pity shall draw her veil; nay, half absolve them, When she beholds the virtues of his child. Now let us thank th' eternal Power: convinc'd, That Heaven but tries our virtue by affliction; That oft the cloud, which wraps the present hour, Serves but to brighten all our future days! [Exeunt. THE RECRUITING SERGEANT: A MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT, IN ONE ACT. BY ISAAC BICKERSTAFF. REMARKS. THE musical merits of this Burletta have always been acknowledged: it is now seldom performed, but it is well entitled to preference., In 1789, it was produced at the Royalty Theatre, under the management of Mr. John Palmer, and met with great success. SCENE.-View of a Village, with a Bridge. On one side, near the front, a Cottage; on the other, at the foot of the Bridge, an Alehouse. The Curtain rises and discovers two Light Horsemen, supposed to be on their march, sitting at an Alehouse door; with their arms against the wall, their horses at some distance. The SERGEANT then passes with his party over the bridge, drums, and fifes playing; and afterwards the COUNTRYMAN, his WIFE, and his MOTHER, come out from the Cottage. QUARTET. SERGEANT, COUNTRYMAN, MOTHER, and WIFE. Moth. You graceless rogue, Is your heart a stone? Serg. All gallant lads, who know no fears, Wife. I'm flesh of your flesh, And bone of your bone. To serve the king for volunteers; Coun. Zounds, let me alone. Speak you, my boys, that dare. Serg. Drums, strike up a flourish, and fol Come, who'll be a grenadier? The listing money down Is three guineas and a crown, To be spent in punch or beer. Coun. Adds flesh, I'll go with him. Moth. Oh, no, Wife. Dear Joe! Coun. Adds flesh, I'll go with him. Coun. Adds flesh, but I will; So hold your tongues still: Tho'f they strive for their life, low me now All honest hearts and clever : Free quarters and beer at the sign of the Plough: Huzza! king George for ever. Coun. Hip, Measter Sergeant. A lad about my soize, though, would na' do. Coun. And a coptain too! |