[598:1] First published in a single octavo volume, 1800: included in 1828, 1829, 1834, and in Dramatic Works (one vol. 8vo) 1852. The Piccolomini and the Death of Wallenstein were translated from MS. copies which had been acquired by the Messrs. Longman. The MS. copy of the original of the Death of Wallenstein is in the possession of Mrs. Alexander Gillman. The MS. of the copy of the original of the Piccolomini was at one time in the possession of Mr. Henry R. Mark of 17 Highbury Crescent. A note in Schiller's handwriting, dated 'Jena, 30. September 1799', attesting the genuineness of the copies, is attached to either play. The MS. copy of Wallenstein's Camp ('Wallenstein's Lager'), which Coleridge did not attempt to translate, is not forthcoming. See two articles by Ferdinand Freiligrath, published in the Athenæum, July 15 and August 31, 1861. See, too, Die Wallensteinübersetzung von Samuel T. Coleridge und ihr Deutsches Original . . . vorgelegt von Hans Roscher. Borna-Leipzig, 1905. A copy of the translation which Macready marked for acting is in the Forster Library, which forms part of the Victoria and Albert Museum at South Kensington. See note by J. Dykes Campbell, P. W., 1893, p. 649. An annotated copy (in Coleridge's handwriting) of the translation of the Piccolomini and the Death of Wallenstein, presented by Mr. Shadworth Hodgson, is in the Library of Rugby School [MS. R.]. The MS. contents of this volume are now published for the first time. Coleridge began his translation of the two plays at No. 21 Buckingham Street, Strand, in December, 1799, and finished the 'last sheet' at Town End, Grasmere, April 20, 1800.
'These dramas have two grievous faults: they are prolix in the particular parts and slow in the general movement. But they have passion, distinct and diversified character, and they abound in passages of great moral and poetic beauty.' S. T. Coleridge.
'The defects of these dramas are all of an instructive character; for tho' not the products of genius, like those of Shakespere, they result from an energetic and thinking mind. (1) The speeches are seldom suited to characters—the characters are truly diversified and distinctly conceived—but we learn them from the actions and from the descriptions given by other characters, or from particular speeches. The brutal Illo repeatedly talks language which belongs to the Countess, &c. (2) Astrology (an undramatic superstition because it inspires no terror, and its foundation of imagination is overbuilt and concealed by its scientific superstructure, with other cause from the imagery, is thus unpopular or swallowed up in more general and pleasing associations, as the Sun and Moon) is made prophetic, and yet treated ludicrously: the author as philosopher is in compleat discord with himself as Historian. This is a most grievous fault. (3) The assassins talk ludicrously. This is a most egregious misimitation of Shakespere—Schiller should not have attempted tragico-comedy, and none but Shakespere has succeeded. It is wonderful, however, that Schiller, who had studied Shakespere, should not have perceived his divine judgment in the management of his assassins, as in Macbeth. They are fearful and almost pitiable Beings—not loathsome, ludicrous miscreants. (4) The character of Thekla = O, the bold Heroine of any novel. Nothing of the Convent, no superstition, nothing of the Daughter of Wallenstein, nothing that her past life is represented by. (5) Wallenstein is a finer psychological than dramatic, and a more dramatic than a tragic character. Shakespere draws strength as in Richard the Third, and even when he blends weakness as in Macbeth—yet it is weakness of a specific kind that leaves the strength in full and fearful energy—but Schiller has drawn weakness imposing on itself the love of power for the sense of strength (a fine conception in itself, but not tragic—at least for the principal character of a long drama).—Hence Wallenstein, with one exception (that of the Regimental Deputation to him in the Second Part) evaporates in mock-mysterious speeches. These are the chief defects, I think. On the other hand, the character of Butler is admirable throughout. Octavio is very grand, and Max, tho' it may be an easy character to draw, for a man of thought and lofty feeling—for a man who possesses all the analoga of genius, is yet so delightful, and its moral influence so grand and salutary, that we must allow it great praise. The childish love-toying with the glove and Aunt Tertsky in the first act should be omitted. Certain whole scenes are masterly, and far above anything since the dramatists of Eliz. & James the first.' Note on fly-leaf of annotated copy (MS. R.).
THE PICCOLOMINI[600:1]
ACT I
Scene I
An old Gothic Chamber in the Council House at Pilsen, decorated with Colours and other War Insignia.
Illo with Butler and Isolani.
Count Isolan, excuses your delay.
At Donauwert[600:2] it was reported to us,
A Swedish caravan was on its way 5
Transporting a rich cargo of provision,
[601]Almost six hundred waggons. This my Croats
Plunged down upon and seized, this weighty prize!——
We bring it hither——
The illustrious company assembled here. 10
The very churches are all full of soldiers.
And in the Council-house, too, I observe,
You're settled, quite at home! Well, well! we soldiers
Must shift and suit us in what way we can. 15
You'll find Count Tertsky here, and Tiefenbach,
Kolatto, Goetz, Maradas, Hinnersam,
The Piccolomini, both son and father——
You'll meet with many an unexpected greeting 20
From many an old friend and acquaintance. Only
Galas is wanting still, and Altringer.
I see him yet, ('tis now ten years ago,
We were engaged with Mansfeld hard by Dessau)
I see the youth, in my mind's eye I see him,
Leap his black war-horse from the bridge adown,
And t'ward his father, then in extreme peril, 30
Beat up against the strong tide of the Elbe.
The down was scarce upon his chin! I hear
He has made good the promise of his youth,
And the full hero now is finished in him.
The Duchess Friedland hither, and the Princess[601:1]
From Carnthen. We expect them here at noon.
He crowds in visitants from all sides.
So much the better! I had framed my mind 40
[602] To hear of nought but warlike circumstance,
Of marches, and attacks, and batteries:
And lo! the Duke provides, that something too
Of gentler sort, and lovely, should be present
To feast our eyes. 45
That the Count Galas joins us not?
He importuned me to remain behind.
Noble Butler!
Had laid so newly on me——
A pleasant duty—Major-General,
I wish you joy!
I hear, too, that to make the gift still sweeter, 55
The Duke has given him the very same
In which he first saw service, and since then,
Worked himself, step by step, through each preferment,
From the ranks upwards. And verily, it gives
A precedent of hope, a spur of action 60
To the whole corps, if once in their remembrance
An old deserving soldier makes his way.
I dare accept this your congratulation.
The Emperor has not yet confirmed the appointment. 65
Placed you, is strong enough to keep you there,
Spite of the Emperor and his Ministers!
If we would all of us consider it so! 70
The Emperor gives us nothing; from the Duke
Comes all—whate'er we hope, whate'er we have.
The Duke will satisfy my creditors?
Will be himself my banker for the future, 75
[603] Make me once more a creditable man!—
And this is now the third time, think of that!
This kingly-minded man has rescued me
From absolute ruin, and restored my honour.
Why, friend! he'd give the whole world to his soldiers.
But at Vienna, brother! here's the grievance!—
What politic schemes do they not lay to shorten
His arm, and, where they can, to clip his pinions.
Then these new dainty requisitions! these, 85
Which this same Questenberg brings hither!—
These requisitions of the Emperor,—
I too have heard about them; but I hope
The Duke will not draw back a single inch! 90
—From office!
We should be ruined, every one of us!
Yonder I see our worthy friend[603:1] approaching
With the Lieutenant-General, Piccolomini.
FOOTNOTES:
[600:1] In 1800 the following table of Dramatis Personae was prefixed to Act I of The Piccolomini, or The First Part of Wallenstein. In 1828, 1829, and 1834 this table was omitted.
| DRAMATIS PERSONAE | |||
Wallenstein, Duke of Friedland, Generalissimo of the Imperial Forces in The Thirty-years' War. |
|||
Octavio Piccolomini, Lieutenant-General. |
|||
Max Piccolomini, his son, Colonel of a Regiment of Cuirassiers. |
|||
Count Tertsky, the Commander of several Regiments, and Brother-in-law of Wallenstein. |
|||
Illo, Field Marshal, Wallenstein's Confidant. |
|||
Isolani, General of the Croats. |
|||
Butler, an Irishman, Commander of a Regiment of Dragoons. |
|||
| Tiefenbach, Don Maradas, Goetz, Kolatto, |
|
Generals under Wallenstein. | |
Neumann, Captain of Cavalry, Aide-de-Camp to Tertsky. |
|||
The War Commissioner, Von Questenberg, Imperial Envoy. |
|||
General Wrangel, Swedish Envoy. |
|||
Baptista Seni, Astrologer. |
|||
Duchess of Friedland, Wife of Wallenstein. |
|||
Thekla, her Daughter, Princess of Friedland. |
|||
The Countess Tertsky, Sister of the Duchess. |
|||
A Cornet. |
|||
Several Colonels and Generals. |
|||
Pages and Attendants belonging to Wallenstein. |
|||
Attendants and Hoböists belonging to Tertsky. |
|||
The Master of the Cellar to Count Tertsky. |
|||
Valet de Chambre of Count Piccolomini. |
|||
[600:2] A town about 12 German miles NE. of Ulm.
[601:1] The Dukes in Germany being always reigning powers, their sons and daughters are entitled Princes and Princesses. 1800, 1828, 1829.
[603:1] Spoken with a sneer. 1800, 1828, 1829.
LINENOTES:
are 1800.
After 12 [Casts his eye round. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Illo (hesitating). How so? 1817, 1828, 1829. you 1800, 1828, 1829.
Before 25 Isolani (interrupting him). 1817, 1828, 1829.
Illo (who has been standing in the attitude of meditation, to Butler, whom he leads a little on one side). And how, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.
me 1800, 1828, 1829.
1817, 1828, 1829.
all 1800, 1828, 1829.
Before 91 Butler (shocked and confused). 1817, 1828, 1829. aught 1800, 1828, 1829.
our worthy friend 1800, 1828, 1829.
Before 95 Butler (shaking his head significantly). 1817, 1828, 1829.
Scene II
Enter Octavio Piccolomini and Questenberg.
Acknowledge, friend! that never was a camp,
Which held at once so many heads of heroes.
Welcome, Count Isolani!
Even now am I arrived; it had been else my duty— 5
Thus to renew acquaintance with a man
Whose worth and services I know and honour.
See, see, my friend!
[604] There might we place at once before our eyes 10
The sum of war's whole trade and mystery— [To Questenberg, presenting Butler and Isolani at the same time to him.
These two the total sum—Strength and Dispatch.
The bearer of the Emperor's behests, 15
The long-tried friend and patron of all soldiers,
We honour in this noble visitor.
You have shewn our camp this honour.
I stood before these colours. 20
It was at Znäim[604:1] in Moravia, where
You did present yourself upon the part
Of the Emperor, to supplicate our Duke
That he would straight assume the chief command. 25
So far extended neither my commission
(At least to my own knowledge) nor my zeal.
I can remember me right well, Count Tilly 30
Had suffered total rout upon the Lech.
Bavaria lay all open to the enemy,
Whom there was nothing to delay from pressing
Onwards into the very heart of Austria.
At that time you and Werdenberg appeared 35
Before our General, storming him with prayers,
And menacing the Emperor's displeasure,
Unless he took compassion on this wretchedness.
Wherefore with your commission of to-day 40
[605] You were not all too willing to remember
Your former one.
No contradiction sure exists between them.
It was the urgent business of that time 45
To snatch Bavaria from her enemy's hand;
And my commission of to-day instructs me
To free her from her good friends and protectors.
We have wrested this Bohemia from the Saxon, 50
To be swept out of it is all our thanks,
The sole reward of all our hard-won victories.
Only a change of evils, it must be
Freed from the scourge alike of friend and foe. 55
Can answer fresh demands already.
If you discourse of herds and meadow-grounds—
The Emperor gains so many more new soldiers. 60
With profitable industry the purse,
The others are well skilled to empty it. 65
The sword has made the Emperor poor; the plough
Must reinvigorate his resources.
Times are not yet so bad. Methinks I see [Examining with his eye the dress and ornaments of Questenberg.
Good store of gold that still remains uncoined.
Some little from the fingers of the Croats.
On whom the Emperor heaps his gifts and graces,
To the heart-burning of all good Bohemians—
Those minions of court favour, those court harpies, 75
Who fatten on the wrecks of citizens
Driven from their house and home—who reap no harvests
[606] Save in the general calamity—
Who now, with kingly pomp, insult and mock
The desolation of their country—these, 80
Let these, and such as these, support the war,
The fatal war, which they alone enkindled!
So constantly beneath the Emperor's table,
Who cannot let a benefice fall, but they 85
Snap at it with dog's hunger—they, forsooth,
Would pare the soldier's bread, and cross his reckoning!
How when I went to court seven years ago,
To see about new horses for our regiment, 90
How from one antechamber to another
They dragged me on, and left me by the hour
To kick my heels among a crowd of simpering
Feast-fattened slaves, as if I had come thither
A mendicant suitor for the crumbs of favour 95
That fall beneath their tables. And, at last,
Whom should they send me but a Capuchin!
Straight I began to muster up my sins
For absolution—but no such luck for me!
This was the man, this Capuchin, with whom 100
I was to treat concerning the army horses:
And I was forced at last to quit the field,
The business unaccomplished. Afterwards
The Duke procured me in three days, what I
Could not obtain in thirty at Vienna. 105
Too well I know we have still accounts to settle.
Finish one's work by soft means; every trifle
Must not be blackened into sacrilege. 110
If we should wait till you, in solemn council,
With due deliberation had selected
The smallest out of four-and-twenty evils,
I'faith, we should wait long.—
'Dash! and through with it!'—That's the better watch-word. 115
Then after come what may come. 'Tis man's nature
[607] To make the best of a bad thing once past.
A bitter and perplexed 'what shall I do?'
Is worse to man than worst necessity.
The troublesome task of choosing.
Cares with a father's feelings for his troops;
But how the Emperor feels for us, we see.
Nor will he offer one up to another. 125
As beasts of prey, that so he may preserve
His dear sheep fattening in his fields at home.
'Twere dangerous, sure, to give us liberty.
And therefore it becomes an urgent duty
To rein it in with curbs.
This is no more than a remembrancing 135
That you are now in camp, and among warriors.
The soldier's boldness constitutes his freedom.
Could he act daringly, unless he dared
Talk even so? One runs into the other.
The boldness of this worthy officer, [pointing to Butler. 140
Which now has but mistaken in its mark,
Preserved, when nought but boldness could preserve it,
To the Emperor his capital city, Prague,
In a most formidable mutiny
Of the whole garrison. [Military music at a distance. 145
Hah! here they come!
Announces the arrival of the Duchess.
Fetched and attended them from Carnthen hither. 150
You'll not forget, that yet ere noon we meet
The noble Envoy at the General's palace.
[Exeunt all but Questenberg and Octavio.
FOOTNOTES:
[604:1] A town not far from the Mine-mountains, on the high road from Vienna to Prague.
LINENOTES:
Before 1 Octavio (still in the distance). 1817, 1828, 1829.
After 4 [Approaching nearer. 1817, 1828, 1829.
1817, 1828, 1829.
where 1800, 1828, 1829.
supplicate 1800, 1828, 1829.
compel 1800, 1828, 1829.
Before 39 Isolani (steps up to them). 1817, 1828, 1829.
out 1800, 1828, 1829.
you 1800, 1828, 1829.
these 1800.
these 1800.
pare 1800.
me 1800, 1828, 1829.
This was, &c. 1800.
does 1800, 1828, 1829.