The black plague flew o'er it- Of their own desolation.- Forages I've done, and shall still be renewing! Enter the Second and Third DESTINIES. Our hands contain the hearts of men, The spirits of our slaves! Enter NEMESIS. First Dest. Say, where hast thou been? My sisters and thyself are slow to-night. Nem. I was detain'd repairing shatter'd thrones, Marrying fools, restoring dynasties, our clouds! SCENE IV-The Hall of Arimanes.-Arimanes on his Throne, a Globe of Fire, surrounded by the Spirits. Hymn of the Spirits. Hail to our Master!-Prince of Earth and Air! Who walks the clouds and waters-in his hand The sceptre of the elements, which tear Themselves to chaos at his high command! He breatheth-and a tempest shakes the sea; He speaketh-and the clouds reply in thunder; He gazeth-from his glance the sunbeams flee; He moveth-earthquakes rend the world asunder. Beneath his footsteps the volcanos rise; His shadow is the Pestilence; his path The comets herald through the crackling skies; And planets turn to ashes at his wrath. To him war offers daily sacrifice; To him death pays his tribute; Life is his, With all its infinite of agoniesAnd his the spirit of whatever is! Enter the DESTINIES and NEMESIS. First Dest. Glory to Arimanes! on the earth His power increaseth-both my sisters did His bidding, nor did I neglect my duty! The necks of men, bow down before his Sec. Dest. Glory to Arimanes! we who bow Third Dest. Glory toArimanes! we await Third Spirit. Bow down and worship, slave! What, know'st thou not Thine and our Sovereign?-Tremble, and obey! All the Spirits. Prostrate thyself, and thy Child of the Earth! or dread the worst. condemned clay, And yet ye see I kneel not. Manf. I know it; Fourth Spirit. "Twill be taught thee. Manf. Tis taught already;-many a On the bare ground, have I bow'd down night on the earth, my face, And strew'd my head with ashes; I have known The fulness of humiliation, for Fifth Spirit. Dost thou dare not The terror of his Glory-Crouch! I say. The overruling Infinite-the Maker Who made him not for worship-let him kneel, And we will kneel together. The Spirits. Crush the worm! Tear him in pieces! First Dest. Hence! Avaunt! he's mine. Prince of the Powers invisible! this man Is of no common order, as his port And presence here denote: his sufferings Have been of an immortal nature, like Our own; his knowledge and his powers and will, As far as is compatible with clay, Which clogs the etherial essence, have been such As clay hath seldom borne; his aspirations That knowledge is not happiness, and science Nor breath from the worm upwards is exempt, The heart and the form And the aspect thou worest Redeem from the worm. Appear!-Appear! - Appear! Who sent thee there requires thee here! (The Phantom of ASTARTE riscs and stands in the midst.) Man. Can this be death? there's bloom upon her cheek? But now I see it is no living hue, Nemesis. By the power which hath broken Or those who have call'd thee! And in that silence I am more than answer'd. Nem. My power extends no further. Prince of Air! It rests with thee alone- command her voice. Arim. Spirit-obey this sceptre! Nem. Silent still! She is not of our order, but belongs Have pierced his heart; and in their con-To the other powers. Mortal! thy quest is vain, Than I am changed for thee. Thou lovedst me For I have call'd on thee in the still night, Startled the slumbering birds from the hush'd boughs, And woke the mountain-wolves, and made the caves Acquainted with thy vainly echoed name, Which answer'd me-many things answer'd me Spirits and men-but thou wert silent all. Yet speak to me! I have outwatch'd the stars. And gazed o'er heaven in vain in search of thee Speak to me! I have wander'd o'er the earth And never found thy likeness-Speak to me! Look on the fiends around-they feel for me: I fear them not, and feel for thee aloneSpeak to me! though it be in wrath;— but say If that I did not know philosophy The golden secret, the sought "Kalon," found, And seated in my soul. It will not last, 1 reck not what—but let me hear thee once-But it is well to have known it, though but This once-once more! [The Spirit of Astarte disappears. Nem. She's gone, and will not be recall'd; Her words will be fulfill'd. Return to the earth. A Spirit. He is convulsed.-This is to be a mortal And seek the things beyond mortality. Another Spirit. Yet, see, he mastereth himself and makes His torture tributary to his will. Nem. Hast thou further question Nem. Then for a time farewell. earth? once : It hath enlarged my thoughts with a new sense, And I within my tablets would note down That there is such a feeling. Who is there? Re-enter HERMAN. Herm. My lord, the Abbot of St. Maurice craves To greet your presence. Enter the ABBOT OF ST. MAURICE Abbot. Peace be with Count Manfred! Manf. Thanks, holy father! welcome to these walls; Thy presence honours them, and blesseth those Who dwell within them. Abbot. Would it were so, Count!But I would fain confer with thee alone. Manf. Herman, retire. What would my reverend guest? Abbot. Thus, without prelude:-Age and zeal, my office, And good intent, must plead my privilege; Our near, though not acquainted, neighbourhood May also be my herald. Rumours strange, Manf. Proceed,- I listen. Abbot. 'Tis said thou holdest converse with the things Which are forbidden to the search of man; That with the dwellers of the dark abodes, The many evil and unheavenly spirits Which walk the valley of the shade of death, Thou communest. I know that with mankind, SCENE I.—A Hall in the Castle of Manfred. Thy fellows in creation, thou dost rarely MANFRED and HERMAN. Manf. What is the hour? Herm. It wants but one till sunset, Are all things so disposed of in the tower Herm. All, my lord, are ready, [Erit Herman. Exchange thy thoughts, and that thy solitude Is as an anchorite's, were it but holy. Manf. And what are they who do avouch these things? Abbot. My pious brethren - the scared peasantry Even thy own vassals - who do look on thee With most unquiet eyes. Thy life's in peril. Manf. Take it. Abbot. I come to save, and not destroyI would not pry into thy secret soul; But if these things be sooth, there still is time For penitence and pity: reconcile thee With the true church, and through the church to heaven. Manf. I hear thee. This is my reply: 'Tis strange - even those who do despair whate'er I may have been, or am, doth rest between Heaven and myself.—I shall not choose a mortal To be my mediator. Have I sinn'd But penitence and pardon ;-with thyself To higher hope and better thoughts; the first I leave to Heaven - "Vengeance is mine alone!" So saith the Lord, and with all humbleness His servant echoes back the awful word. Manf. Old man! there is no power in holy men, Nor charm in prayer-nor purifying form Of penitence-nor outward look - nor fastNor agony-nor, greater than all these, The innate tortures of that deep despair, Which is remorse without the fear of hell, But all in all sufficient to itself Would make a hell of heaven – can exorcise Upon itself; there is no future pang Abbot. All this is well; For this will pass away, and be succeeded And all we can absolve thee, shall be par don'd. Manf. When Rome's sixth Emperor was near his last, The victim of a self-inflicted wound, With show of loyal pity, would have staunch'd The gushing throat with his officious robe; The dying Roman thrust him back and said Some empire still in his expiring glance, "It is too late - is this fidelity?" Abbot. And what of this? Manf. I answer with the Roman "It is too late!" Abbot. It never can be so, To reconcile thyself with thy own soul, And thy own soul with Heaven. Hast thou no hope? above, Yet shape themselves some phantasy on earth, To which frail twig they cling, like drowning men. Manf. Ay father! I have had those earthly visions And noble aspirations in my youth, Even in the foaming strength of its abyss, Abbot. And wherefore so? Manf. I could not tame my nature down; for he Must serve who fain would sway — and soothe and sue And watch all time-and pry into all place-- Abbot. And why not live and act with other men? Manf. Because my nature was averse from life; And yet not cruel; for I would not make, o'er The barren sands which bear no shrubs to blast, And revels o'er their wild and arid waves, And seeketh not, so that it is not sought, But being met is deadly; such hath been The course of my existence; but there came Things in my path which are no more. Abbot. Alas! I'gin to fear that thou art past all aid From me and from my calling; yet so young, I still would— Manf. Look on me! there is an order Of mortals on the earth, who do become Old in their youth and die ere middle age, Without the violence of warlike death; Some perishing of pleasure- some of studySome worn with toil-some of mere weari ness Some of disease and some insanity- Am what I am, but that I ever was, Far more than me, in shunning at this time creature: he To whom the gifts of life and warmth have Of a more fatal nature. He is gone: SCENE III.—The Mountains - The Castle of Manfred at some distance-A Terrace before a Tower.-Time, Twilight. HERMAN, MANUEL, and other Dependants of MANFRED. Herm. 'Tis strange enough; night after night, for years, Hath all the energy which would have made | He hath pursued long vigils in this tower, Mix'd and contending without end or order, SCENE II-Another chamber. MANFRED and HERMAN. Herman. My Lord, you bade me wait He sinks behind the mountain. [Manfred advances to the Window Glorious Orb! the idol Of early nature, and the vigorous race The erring spirits who can ne'er return- Of the Chaldean shepherds, till they pour'd Centre of many stars! which mak'st our earth Without a witness. I have been within it,- The fee of what I have to come these three To pore upon its mysteries. Manuel. Twere dangerous; Content thyself with what thou knowest already. Herm. Ah! Manuel! thou art elderly and |