really possesses from our own pleasurable sense of difficulty overcome without effect. Translation of poetry into poetry is difficult, because the translator must give a brilliancy to his language without that warmth of original conception, from which such brilliancy would follow of its own accord. But the translator of a living author is incumbered with additional inconveniences. If he render his original faithfully, as to the sense of each passage, he must necessarily destroy a considerable portion of the spirit; if he endeavour to give a work executed according to laws of compensation, he subjects himself to imputations of vanity, or misrepresentation. I have thought it my duty to remain bound by the sense of my original, with as few exceptions as the nature of the languages rendered possible.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

WALLENSTEIN, Duke of Friedland, Generalissimo of the Imperial Forces in the Thirty-years' War.

DUCHESS OF FRIEDLAND, Wife of Wallenstein.
THEKLA, her Daughter, Princess of Friedland.
THE COUNTESS TERTSKY, Sister of the Duchess.
LADY NEUBrunn.

OCTAVIO PICCOLOMINI, Lieutenant-General.

MAX. PICCOLOMINI, his Son, Colonel of a Regiment of Cuiras

siers.

COUNT TERTSKY, the Commander of several Regiments, and Brother-in-law of Wallenstein.

ILLO, Field Marshal, Wallenstein's Confidant.

BUTLER, an Irishman, Commander of a regiment of Dragoons. GORDON, Governor of Egra.

MAJOR GERALDIN.

CAPTAIN DEVereux.

-MACDONALD.

NEUMANN, Captain of Cavalry, Aide-de-camp to Tertsky.
SWEDISH CAPTAIN.

SENI.

BURGOMASTER of Egra.

ANSPESSADE of the Cuirassiers.

GROOM OF THE CHAMBER, belonging to the Duke.

A PAGE,

CUIRASSIERS, DRAGOONS, SERVANTS.

THE

DEATH OF WALLENSTEIN.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-A Chamber in the House of the Duchess of Friedland.

Countess Tertsky, Thekla, Lady Neubrunn. (The two latter sit at the same table at work.)

Coun. (watching them from the opposite side.)

So you have nothing, niece, to ask me?
Nothing?

I have been waiting for a word from you.
And could you then endure in all this time
Not once to speak his name?

[The Countess rises and advances to her.
Why, how comes this?
Perhaps I am already grown superfluous,
And other ways exist, besides through me?
Confess it to me, Thekla! have you seen him?

Thek. To-day and yesterday I have not seen him. Coun. And not heard from him either? Come, be open!

Thek. No syllable.

Coun.

Thek. I am.

And still you are so calm?

Coun. May't please you, leave us, Lady Neu

brunn !

[Exit Lady Neubrunn.

BO

SCENE II.

The Countess, Thekla.

DLE

Coun. It does not please me, Princess! that he

holds

Himself so still, exactly at this time.

Thek. Exactly at this time?

Coun.

He now knows all.

"Twere now the moment to declare himself.

Thek. If I'm to understand you, speak less darkly. Coun. 'Twas for that purpose that I bade her leave us.

Thekla, you are no more a child. Your heart
Is now no more in nonage: for you love,
And boldness dwells with love-that you have
proved.

Your nature moulds itself upon your father's
More than your mother's spirit. Therefore may

you

Hear, what were too much for her fortitude.
Thek. Enough! no further preface, I entreat you.
At once out with it! Be it what it may,
It is not possible that it should torture me
More than this introduction. What have you

To say to me? Tell me the whole and briefly! Coun. You'll not be frightened

Thek.

Name it, I entreat you.

Coun. It lies within your power to do your

A weighty service

Thek.

father

Lies within my power?

Coun. Max. Piccolomini loves you.

You can

What need of me for that? And is he not

Already linked to him?

Coun.

Thek.

He was.

And wherefore

Should he not be so now-not be so always?

Coun. He cleaves to the Emperor too.

Thek.

Not more than duty

We ask

And honour may demand of him.

Coun.

Proofs of his love, and not proofs of his honour. Duty and honour!

Those are ambiguous words with many meanings.

You should interpret them for him: his love
Should be the sole definer of his honour.

Thek. How?

Coun. The Emperor or you must he renounce. Thek. He will accompany my father gladly In his retirement. From himself you heard, How much he wished to lay aside the sword.

Coun. He must not lay the sword aside, we mean;