378 The Early English Drama: [APRIL, 



and adapting means to ends. Let us now turn at once to the drama 

 before us; for, as we have hinted above, it possesses intrinsic merits and 

 sources of interest, which make it fully worthy of fixing our exclusive 

 attention for a time. 



The plot of the Witch, if not very skilfully, is at least very artfully 

 constructed, with a view to extracting a moral interest from a certain 

 wild kind of poetical justice a justice, however, rather more consonant 

 with the seeming views of nature than of those metaphysical philoso- 

 phers who have of late years been kind enough to interpret her voice to 

 us : for all the leading persons of the drama would, with one beautiful 

 exception, be pronounced monsters of moral guilt by the class of casuists 

 just alluded to ; and yet all of them arrive at their respective ends, and 

 are made happy at last. 



The opening scene of the Witch is constructed with great dramatic 

 skill since it places before us, in the most natural manner, and with the 

 utmost clearness and brevity, the motives of all the principal persons of 

 the drama, and at the same time justifies the views (as much, at least, as 

 any thing can justify such views), the development of which forms the 

 main business of the piece. This fine scene, too, has enough both of 

 poetical merit and of characteristic manner, to fit it in all respects for our 

 main purpose, of making the subjects of our notice in these papers 

 explain and illustrate themselves. Before giving the chief portions of 

 this scene, it may be well to premise that the general scene of the drama 

 is placed at Ravenna, in Italy, and that it opens at the house of Antonio, 

 a lord of the Duke of Ravenna's court, on the day of the marriage of 

 Antonio with the Governor's niece, Isabella a lady previously betrothed 

 to and loving Sebastian, who has long been reported dead, but has this 

 day returned, before the supposed commencement of the play, and having 

 heard of the marriage, has taken upon himself the disguise of a servant, 

 and contrived to introduce himself into the house of Antonio, the bride- 

 groom. 



A Room in ANTONIO'S House. 



Enter SEBASTIAN and FERNANDO (his Friend}. 



Seb. My three years spent in war have now undone 

 My peace for ever. 



Fer. Good, be patient, Sir. 



Seb. She is my wife by contract before Heaven 

 And all the angels, Sir. 



Fer. I do believe you ! 



But where's the remedy now ? You see she's gone ; 

 Another has possession. 



Seb. There's my torment. 



Fer. This day, being the first of your return, 

 Unlucky, proves the first too of her fastening. 

 Her uncle, Sir, the Governor of Ravenna, 

 Holding a good opinion of the bridegroom, 

 As he's fair-spoken, Sir, and wond'rous mild 



Seb. There goes the devil in a sheep-skin 



Fer. With all speed 



Clapt it up suddenly. I cannot think, sure, 

 That the maid over-loves him : though, being married, 

 Perhaps for her own credit now she intends 

 Performance of an honest, duteous wife. 



Seb. Sir, I've a world of business. Question nothing : 



