[947] Find reason to fear Emerick, more than all
The mummer-fiends that ever masqueraded
As gods or wood-nymphs!—
Ha! 'tis done then!
Our necessary villain hath proved faithful, 280
And there lies Casimir, and our last fears!
Well!—Aye, well!——
And is it not well? For though grafted on us,
And filled too with our sap, the deadly power
Of the parent poison-tree lurked in its fibres: 285
There was too much of Raab Kiuprili in him:
The old enemy looked at me in his face,
E'en when his words did flatter me with duty.
Enter Casimir and Bathory.
The path is narrow! Rudolph will assist thee. 290
I'll scan that face once more, and murmur—Here
Lies Casimir, the last of the Kiuprilis!
Hell! 'tis Pestalutz!
'Tis Pestalutz! 'tis thy trusty murderer! 295
To quell thee more, see Raab Kiuprili's sword!
Dare whisper fear to Emerick's destiny?
Ho! Treason! Treason!
[They fight. Emerick falls.
By mine own tool!——Oh! [Dies.
Thou should'st have witnessed thine own deed. O Father,
Wake from that envious swoon! The tyrant's fallen!
[948] Thy sword hath conquered! As I lifted it
Thy blessing did indeed descend upon me; 305
Dislodging the dread curse. It flew forth from me
And lighted on the tyrant!
Enter Rudolph, Bathory, and Attendants.
One moment——
Devoted to a joy, that bears no witness,
I follow you, and we will greet our countrymen
With the two best and fullest gifts of heaven— 315
A tyrant fallen, a patriot chief restored!
[Casimir enters the Cavern.
Scene.—Chamber in Casimir's Castle. Confederates discovered.
E'en to the wood, our messengers are posted
With such short interspace, that fast as sound
Can travel to us, we shall learn the event! 320
Enter another Confederate.
Th' assembled chieftains have deposed the tyrant:
He is proclaimed the public enemy,
And the protection of the law withdrawn.
Is it known on whom the sov'reignty will fall?
Points to Lord Casimir. The grateful memory
Of his renownéd father——
Enter Sarolta.
Worthy your noble cause! Kiuprili lives,
And from his obscure exile, hath returned
[949] To bless our country. More and greater tidings
Might I disclose; but that a woman's voice
Would mar the wondrous tale. Wait we for him, 335
The partner of the glory—Raab Kiuprili;
For he alone is worthy to announce it.
[Shouts of 'Kiuprili, Kiuprili,' and 'The Tyrant's fallen,' without. Enter Kiuprili, Casimir, Rudolph, Bathory, and Attendants.
Behold, your Queen!
[Enter Zapolya and Andreas royally attired, with Glycine.
Kiuprili, thou art safe!
To the heavenly powers, pay we our duty first;
Who not alone preserved thee, but for thee
And for our country, the one precious branch
Of Andreas' royal house. O countrymen, 345
Behold your King! And thank our country's genius,
That the same means which have preserved our sovereign,
Have likewise reared him worthier of the throne
By virtue than by birth. The undoubted proofs
Pledged by his royal mother, and this old man, 350
(Whose name henceforth be dear to all Illyrians)
We haste to lay before the assembled council.
Unworthy of a royal birth, to shrink 355
From the appointed charge. Yet, while we wait
The awful sanction of convened Illyria,
In this brief while, O let me feel myself
The child, the friend, the debtor!—Heroic mother!—
But what can breath add to that sacred name? 360
Kiuprili! gift of Providence, to teach us
That loyalty is but the public form
Of the sublimest friendship, let my youth
Climb round thee, as the vine around its elm:
[950] Thou my support and I thy faithful fruitage. 365
My heart is full, and these poor words express not,
They are but an art to check its over-swelling.
Bathory! shrink not from my filial arms!
Now, and from henceforth thou shalt not forbid me
To call thee father! And dare I forget 370
The powerful intercession of thy virtue,
Lady Sarolta? Still acknowledge me
Thy faithful soldier!—But what invocation
Shall my full soul address to thee, Glycine?
Thou sword that leap'dst forth from a bed of roses: 375
Thou falcon-hearted dove?
For ere she lived, her father saved thy life,
Thine, and thy fugitive mother's!
O shame upon my head! I would have given her
To a base slave!
And sent an angel to thy house to guard her!
Thou precious bark! freighted with all our treasures!
The sports of tempests, and yet ne'er the victim,
How many may claim salvage in thee! Take her, son!
A queen that brings with her a richer dowry 385
Than orient kings can give!
On this auspicious day, for some few hours
I claim to be your hostess. Scenes so awful
With flashing light, force wisdom on us all!
E'en women at the distaff hence may see, 390
That bad men may rebel, but ne'er be free;
May whisper, when the waves of faction foam,
None love their country, but who love their home:
For freedom can with those alone abide,
Who wear the golden chain, with honest pride, 395
Of love and duty, at their own fire-side:
While mad ambition ever doth caress
Its own sure fate, in its own restlessness!
END OF ZAPOLYA.
LINENOTES:
After 16 [They take hands, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Lord Rudolph. And his main policy too. 1817.
Restless and vext, as if some angering hand,
With fitful, tetchy snatch, unrolled and pluck'd
The jetting ringlets of the vaporous fleece!
These are sure signs of conflict nigh at hand,
And elemental war!
1817-1851.
[Note.—The text of 1829, 1831 is inscribed in Notebook 20 (1808-1825).]
Which, as Poets tell us, the Sea-Shepherds tend, Notebook 20.
my 1828, 1829.
After 68 [Exit Rudolph and manet Casimir.
You will ken Bethlen?
Yea, oft where Light's own courier-beam exhausted
Drops at the threshold, and forgets its message,
A something round me of a wider reach
Feels his approach, and trembles back to tell me.
MS. correction (in the margin of Zapolya 1817) inserted in text of P. and D. W. 1877, iv. pp. 270-71.
After 99 [Zapolya, who had been gazing affectionately after Glycine, starts at Bathory's voice. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Before 128 Pestalutz (affecting to start). 1817, 1828, 1829.
Laska (in affright). Ha, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Before 134 Laska (pompously). 1817, 1828, 1829.
Pestalutz (with a sneer). What! &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Before 139 Laska (throwing down a bow and arrows). 1817, 1828, 1829.
Take] there's 1817, 1828, 1829.
After 141 [They run . . . Glycine, and she shrieks without: then enter, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.
[Clash of swords, and Bethlen's voice heard from behind the scenes; Glycine enters alarmed; then, as seeing Laska's bow and arrows.
1817, 1828, 1829.
After 146 [She seizes . . . following her. Lively and irregular music, and Peasants with hunting spears, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.
After 162 Re-enter, as the Huntsmen pass off, Bathory, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Before 163 Glycine (leaning on Bethlen). 1817, 1828, 1829.
Before 166 Bathory (to Bethlen exultingly). 1817, 1828, 1829.
Before 181 Bethlen (hastily). 1817, 1828, 1829.
thee 1817, 1828, 1829.
After 209 [Thunder again. 1817, 1828, 1829.
After 211 [Pointing without to the body of Pestalutz. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Lo] Low 1828, 1829.
After 215 [Exeunt . . . Glycine, Andreas, having in haste dropt his sword. Manet Bathory. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Yon bleeding corse (pointing to Pestalutz's body) 1817, 1828, 1829.
[Exit Bathory. After awhile several Hunters cross the stage as scattered. Some time after, enter Kiuprili in his disguise, fainting with fatigue, and as pursued.
1817, 1828, 1829.
Haste! . . . flee! [He enters the Cavern, and then returns in alarm.
1817, 1828, 1829.
my 1817, 1828, 1829.
arm] arms 1817, 1828, 1829.
bitter] bitterer 1817.
his 1817, 1828, 1829.
After 239 [Then observing Kiuprili. 1817, 1828, 1829.
After 245 [As he retires, in rushes Casimir. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Casimir (entering). Monster! 1817, 1828, 1829.
Bathory. There (pointing to the body of Pestalutz) 1817, 1828, 1829.
After 256 [Bathory points to the Cavern, whence Kiuprili advances. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Before 259 Casimir (discovering Kiuprili). 1817, 1828, 1829.
Before 261 Bathory (to Kiuprili). 1817, 1828, 1829.
Kiuprili (holds out the sword to Bathory). Bid him, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Before 266 Kiuprili (in a tone of pity). 1817, 1828, 1829.
After 275 [Kiuprili and Casimir embrace; they all retire to the Cavern supporting Kiuprili. Casimir as by accident drops his robe, and Bathory throws it over the body of Pestalutz. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Before 276 Emerick (entering). 1817, 1828, 1829.
1817, 1828, 1829.
last 1817, 1828, 1829.
not 1817, 1828, 1829.
After 288 [As Emerick moves towards the body, enter from the Cavern Casimir and Bathory. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Before 289 Bathory (pointing to where the noise is, and aside to Casimir). 1817, 1828, 1829.
Casimir (aside to Bathory). Hold, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Before 291 Emerick (aside, not perceiving Casimir and Bathory, and looking at the dead body). 1817, 1828, 1829.
After 293 [Uncovers the face, and starts. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Casimir (triumphantly). Hear, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Before 308 Rudolph and Bathory (entering). 1817, 1828, 1829.
After 316 [Exeunt Casimir into the Cavern. The rest on the opposite side. 1817, 1828, 1829.
Before 317 Scene changes to a splendid Chamber, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.
After 337 [Shouts . . . without. Then enter Kiuprili . . . Attendants, after the clamour has subsided. 1817, 1828, 1829.
my . . . I 1817, 1828, 1829.
thy 1817, 1828, 1829.
And sent an angel (pointing to Sarolta) to thy, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.
After 382 [To Andreas. 1817, 1828, 1829.
How many may claim salvage in thee! (Pointing to Glycine.) Take, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.
After 398 Finis. 1817.
EPIGRAMS[951:1]
1
EPIGRAM
AN APOLOGY FOR SPENCERS
Why Spencers abound in this bleak wintry season.
Quoth Edmund to William, I perceive you're no Solon—
Men may purchase a half-coat when they cannot a whole-one.
March 21, 1796. First published in The Watchman, No. IV. March 25, 1796. First collected Poems, 1907.
2
EPIGRAM
ON A LATE MARRIAGE BETWEEN AN OLD MAID AND FRENCH PETIT MAÎTRE
She considered the matter full well,
And wisely preferred leading one ape on earth
To perhaps a whole dozen in hell.
First published in The Watchman, No. V, April 2, 1796. Included in Literary Remains, 1836, i. 45. First collected P. and D. W., 1877, ii. 368.
3
EPIGRAM
ON AN AMOROUS DOCTOR
And left it sticking in Sangrado's heart.
No quiet from that moment has he known,
And peaceful sleep has from his eyelids flown.
And opium's force, and what is more, alack!
His own orations cannot bring it back.
In short, unless she pities his afflictions,
Despair will make him take his own prescriptions.
First published in The Watchman, No. V, April 2, 1796. Included in Lit. Rem., i. 45. First collected P. and D. W., 1877, ii. 368.
4
EPIGRAM
Who so modish are grown, that they think plain sense cumbersome;
And lest they should seem to be queer or ridiculous,
They affect to believe neither God or old Nicholas!
First published in article 'To Caius Gracchus' (signed S. T. Coleridge) in The Watchman, No. V, p. 159. Reprinted in Essays on His Own Times, 1850, i. 164. First collected P. and D. W., 1877, ii. 368.
5
ON DEPUTY ——
I leave your haunts, ye sons of wit!
And swear, by Heaven's blessed light,
That Epigrams no more I'll write.
Now hang that ***** for an ass,
Thus to thrust in his idiot face,
Which spite of oaths, if e'er I spy,
I'll write an Epigram—or die.
First published in Morning Post, Jan. 2, 1798. First collected, P. and D. W., 1877, ii. 369.
6
[EPIGRAM]
Yet in truth a direct-tory governs them both.
1798. First collected P. and D. W., 1877, ii. 166.
7
ON MR. ROSS, USUALLY COGNOMINATED NOSY[953:1]
Ross,
More great than a Lion is Rhy nose
ros.
1799. Now first published from an MS.
8
[EPIGRAM]
And now he'll have a wife all in a trice.
Must I advise—Pursue thy dad's example
And marry not.—There, heed now my advice.
Imitated from Lessing's 'Bald willst du, Trill, und bald willst du dich nicht beweiben.' Sinngedicht No. 93. Now first published from an MS.