must submit-Yet, tell me something of this Rudolph-You have read of him in the book of Fate?

Hieronymus. Little, and much But it is not for your ear, dread Lord. Emperor. But I will, I must know

it.

it!

Hieronymus. You could not endure

Emperor. I not endure it! Who dares speak so false a word?

Hieronymus. The master, to whom alone it is given to read the book of Fate.

Emperor. Honour to the Master, but obedience to the Emperor!

Hieronymus. Honour to whom honour, obedience to whom obedience is due.

Emperor. That I now require from you. Speak, I command you! How run the words of the book of Fate concerning Rudolph of Habsburg? Hieronymus. You constrain me to speak-Be it so! (Seizes a sheet of paper, and speaks as if inspired.) Thus run the words of the book of Fate, touching Rudolph of Habsburg-Terribly roars the Lion of Habsburg, and shakes his mane! Germany's castles totter! Terribly roars the Lion of Habsburg, and shakes his mane! The rock-fortress of Hohenstauffen totters! Terribly roars the Lion of Habsburg and shakes his mane! The rock-fortress of Hohenstauffen falls in hideous ruin to the earth! The Lion of Habsburg is crowned! (He wipes the sweat drops from his brow.)

The consequence of this fearful vaticination is, that the Emperor, after consulting with the Abbot, resolves to send Rudolph and his brothers in arms, with a few hundred men, to combat the dissatisfied Lombards, trusting that he must fall in the unequal conflict. Rudolph, in spite of many hints from Manfred, accepts the command. In a parting scene with Anna, a mutual declaration of love takes place, and he receives from her a green scarf, which he swears shall float upon his banner's point in the hour of danger, whilst his battle cry shall be Anna! The first period closes with the departure of Rudolph and his small band, accompanied by Manfred, who disobeys his father's repeated orders to desist from his purpose, in the hope that by sharing, he may diminish his friend's danger.

The second period begins with a long historical detail of Frederic the Second's political views, and particularly of his differences with the Pope and the Lombards, which we mention only to introduce the remark that RUDOLPH OF HABSBURG' is interspersed with narrative in a manner unusual in these 'GEMAHLDE,' and which would have prevented our selecting it as a sample of them, had we not thought a hero who has of late years been so agreeably introduced to the British Public by Coxe's HISTORY OF THE HOUSE OF AUSTRIA, likely to be considered a more interesting personage than Frederic with the Bitten Cheek, or any other old German, whose very name is unknown out of his own country.

The dramatic portion of the second period opens in the Palace of the Podestà of Milan, Pietro Tiepolo, and is formidably long; but tedious as it is, we fear we must extract a considerable part of this scene, both because it places Rudolph in a striking point of view, and because we should feel that we had not given our readers a just idea of the nature of the original, if we spared them all its tediousness. Besides, we suspect that much of the interest we confess to have found in it, is to be ascribed to the sort of reality which, like Richardson's Novels, it derives even from its wearisome prolixity. We are introduced into an assembly of noble Lombards, engaged in discussing their condition with regard to the Emperor. Some laugh at all apprehension of further danger from him, whom they consider as inextricably involved in German affairs. The Podestà endeavours to dispel this absolute security, and informs the company of the precautions he has taken against an invasion; every pass he has caused to be occupied and fortified, so as, in case of the worst, to render a surprise impossible. The other party are ridiculing such superfluous prudence, when a page announces Count Milo of Verona. The Podestà starts, orders him to be admitted, bids his friends prepare for bad news, since the appearance at Milan of the man appointed to defend the Tyrolese frontier must be ominous, and receives the Count upon his entrance with the words, "Count Milo of Verona is welcome, but not his news-that is most displeasing."

Count Milo. And is a secret to every one in Milan but myself! Who can' have revealed it to you?

Podestà. Your presence. Count Milo. Under our circumstances such a revelation cannot deceive. You then already know the chief point?

Podestà. Frederic has overpowered you, and penetrated with a mighty army into Italy.

Count Milo. Not Frederic with a mighty army-you should in that case have had earlier intelligence of his approach. Milo in person had not brought it.-A small body, hardly consisting of five or six hundred Germans.

Podestà. Has overthrown three thousand brave Veronese? Has spared only their commander to publish this extraordinary event throughout Lombardy?

Count Milo. To publish the terror spreading news of the advance of a young, a beardless adventurer! Oh, it is humbling for an old soldier to be constrained not only to confess to himself, but to proclaim to the world, that he has been defeated by a boy! Podestà. You, the dread of the Ghibellines, by a boy?

Count Milo. Listen to my story, and your wonder will rise yet higher. It was on St Gregory's day, that in an early visit to my outposts, I perceived a small troop of perhaps twenty German horse, headed by a Knight magnificently armed, about to cross the Tyrolese boundaries; I sprang forward with my escort and obstructed the way. The leader, a boy scarcely sixteen or eighteen, assuming an air of surprise, asked with insolent defiance whether we were in jest or earnest. In earnest, young master, I replied to the pert questioner; you do not pass through here, and had better carry your skin peaceably back to Germany, whilst it is yet whole. This rebuff seemed to abash the youth; he looked round as if seeking a bye-road to escape, and then inquired with a more friendly, and somewhat uneasy air,Is not a well-born youth, who would traverse the world in search of foreign arts and knowledge, allowed to visit the beautiful and cultivated Italy?— Since when, I returned, have young German noblemen been seized with the strange fancy of running about the world in search of the arts and sciences? That does not accord with my notion

You are

of pure German manners. of the Emperor's party, and sent out to procure intelligence?—I am a free man, answered the young rogue, and will not at present engage in any dispute. If you will not believe me, I must needs begone, and indeed I have already, from the boundaries here, seen enough of your country, as you shall learn to your cost. At these words the whole troop gallopped off at full speed.

Podestà. Evidently a spy, whom you should immediately have laid hands on.

Count Milo. Yes, if he would have let himself be laid hands on. Whilst I was about to have him seized, he escaped, and vanished from our sight as though he had never been there. I pursued him with a hundred horsemen, but could discover no traces of him or his companions.

Podestà Really this sounds marvellous!

Count Milo. Like a tale of King Arthur's Round Table. Its truth is also too irrefragably proved by the result. My attention was roused by the stranger's appearance and concluding menace. I collected my forces, and for three days and nights in person sought our vanished visitors-in vain. -Throughout the whole district, no one was to be seen.

Paul Traversara. They had then been raised into Heaven, or swallowed up by the depths of the earth.

Podestà. They will be seen again I fear. They were probably concealed.

Count Milo. Probably amongst the forests and mountain-caverns. Upon the morning of the fourth day the whole troop rushed upon us,—it now amounted to five or six hundred.

Podestà. You then gave battle?

Count Milo. We did-why should not three thousand engage five hundred? They found us not unprepared; at the first sound of the trumpet we were in order of battle. They seemed confounded, and halted at a short distance from us. But suddenly resounded a unanimous and terrible cry of Anna! Anna! and a wedge-formed, sharp-pointed body, breaking from amidst them, gallopped against us; two other similar bodies flying round us, fell upon our rear-Spare me the rest-You guess the issue.

Podestà. Five hundred against three thousand, commanded by Milo!

Count Milo. Whilst I live, I shall not forget you. But though I certainly am indebted to you for the prolongation of my wretched existence, I did not judge that we were friends.

Rudolph. I will excuse your thanks, and you will forgive me any pain I may have given you. When the scuffle is ended, all enmity vanishes from my heart. We are therefore friends. Count Milo. Strange, importunate companion! Have I desired your friendship?

Rudolph. Strange I am, perhaps; but when you shall once know how right importunate I can be

Count Godfrey. Of that I should think you had given him abundance of bloody proofs.

Rudolph. A taste only, not a sufficiency.

Count Henry. You speak confidently, German.

Rudolph. You shall find me yet more confidential in action.

Count Henry. The young gentleman talks of action like a man, though he has scarcely yet escaped from his schoolmaster's rod.

Rudolph. But so well taught, that he has already played the schoolmaster somewhat roughly to many a greybearded boy. This is not the place to prove it to you, else- ~(Turning to the Podestà.) Your excellency will be pleased to pardon this little forced digression-I requested a conversation with you for a more serious purpose. Am I to speak in presence of these gentlemen?

Podestà. Does the affair concern me alone, or the common weal?

sir.

Rudolph. The common weal, noble

Podestà. Then open your business unreservedly in presence of these gentlemen.

Rudolph. The business is your own, although I am commanded by the Emperor to take in every possible way the most active part in arranging it. But, first (Takes off his scarf, and hangs it up outside of the window.) Some mischief might otherwise occur.

Podestà. What are you doing, Count Rudolph Giving a signal to your horsemen ?

Rudolph. To remain quiet. A sig

Rudolph. The honourable German had not even a word in his language to denote any thing so infamous, previous to his acquaintance with the Italians.

Podestà. Your noble demeanour is a pledge for your good faith-Let us hear your commission to us.

Rudolph. My commission is to conquer you, and ravage your lands with fire and sword, so long as you resist the just claims of his Imperial Majesty.

Podestà. Then our negociation is at once ended. The Emperor's pretensions are unjust, and we neither can, will, nor ought, servilely to submit to

them.

Rudolph. Verona has submittedher example will speedily be followed by the rest of the confederates.

Podestà. One false member of the great Lombard Association will not be inissed-Should there be more, let them go. The diminished body, gaining strength by the closer connexion of its sound members, will only hold together the more firmly,

Rudolph. Your excellency must not rely too confidently upon that-You are now about to see the power and majesty of the empire in their full splendour. Frederic's first step upon your soil will fearfully convince you, that, even should not a single member of the Lombard Confederacy fail, you could not stand against his might.

Podestà. We are confederated for the maintenance of our rights and liberties, which we have sworn to defend, even to the last drop of our blood, against Frederic's violence and usurpation. We have, during ten whole years, proved to the astonishment of the world, that freedom renders men fearless, and constancy invincible. And do you insolently imagine you can terrify the noble chiefs of the Lombard League, with a vain phantom of German superiority?

Rudolph. That was not my purpose, my Lord Podestà.

Podestà. What was it then? To deceive by an air of cordiality, as you would have deceived the Veronese Captain upon the frontier of the Tyrol?

Paul Traversara. For which we could now take a dreadful revenge! Count Milo. Ha! Revenge! Revenge! But I must strike the blow! Count Henry. Who hinders you? (Count Milo draws a dagger.)

Podestà, (throwing him off) Your Podestà! No one shall ever say that Pietro Tripolo, the noble Venetian, the chief of the Lombard League, proved false to his plighted word! Count Milo, henceforward avoid our assemblies and our territories for ever and ever.

Count Milo. Treachery! Treachery! Noble Lombards, the Podestà has betrayed you to the Germans!

Podestà. Wretch! I despise you and your paltry calumny too much to stoop to justification or revenge. Begone! Count Milo. Podestà! Podestà! I will amply repay you this disgrace !— (Exit furiously.)

Podestà. I shall quietly await it. Rudolph. Lord Podestà, you have pronounced a severe, but just sentence, upon an unworthy member of your honourable League. My esteem for you is yet further heightened.

Podestà. And you remained so cool and undisturbed when the traitor raised his poniard against you.

Rudolph. I could not suppose that the noble Venetian would suffer his word to be violated by a villain. But had you not prevented the crime, fearfully should I have avenged my death upon you and your friends.

Podestà. Hardly upon me, Sir Knight-Count Milo understands the use of the poniard.

Rudolph. And Rudolph of his sword, Lord Podestà. Swifter than the glance of an eye would it have flown from the scabbard, and done some slaughter, ere Milo's poniard could have struck. When overpowered by numbers, I should fighting have struggled to this window, have torn this scarf down with me in my fall—and ere long had the fair and magnificent Milan been on fire in three different places, whilst a band of German destroying angels carried death and desolation through your dominions.

We think this is a very sufficient taste of Frederic Christian Schlenkert's manner, and will spare our readers the remarks to which Rudolph's exposition of his arrangements gives birth, as well as the deep political reasoning that occupies the remaining pages of this scene, though we thus deprive

Rudolph of some of his glory, as in it he fairly out-argues the Podestà. The interests and views of either side are given pretty nearly with the detail of a council debate in modern history; and, in truth, one way or another, so much historical knowledge is bestowed upon us in this performance, that we are not quite certain whether it may not be intended rather for the edification of young ladies who are not fond of dry reading, than for the recreation of the better informed. Be that as it may, Rudolph having proposed terms, and suggested that recourse should be had to the mediation of the Pope, allows a couple of hours for deliberation, and departs.

In the next scene Rudolph's friends appear watching the scarf; he returns to them, and soon after the Podestà arrives to notify his acceptance of the terms. But we cannot afford space or patience to proceed as much in detail as we have begun. The reader now understands the fashion of this "Picture," and we will make the best of our way to the fulfilment of the Astrologer's prediction.

Rudolph, by his personal character and influence, amidst some fighting, goes on increasing his numbers and authority; and conformably to his proposition to the Pedestà, proceeds, in virtue of the powers intrusted to him, to conclude, through the mediation of the Pope, a final treaty with the Lombards. His enemies, meanwhile, have been busy at court. Hieronymus has persuaded the Emperor that Rudolph is caballing with the rebels to obtain the iron crown for himself; and the deceived Monarch, leaving the troubles in Germany unappeased, hastens, with a considerable army, across the Alps, to supplant and disgrace his unexpectedly successful general.

The third period introduces to us, amongst other new characters, the noted tyrant, (in a small way,) Ezzelino di Romano, who immediately acquires unbounded influence over the Emperor, and leads him into many faults and atrocities. Rudolph is at first very ill treated, but by his frankness, resolution, and services, recovers Frederic's favour, in spite of his detractors. He is, however, unable to prevent many acts of injudicious cruelty, is disgusted, and, with his brothers in arms, leaving the Emperor to settle his Ita-lian affairs his own way, returns +