with tributary presents, to demand a princess in marriage, but know not if the Emperor will ratify the engagement with the customary oaths. The fineness of the season has drawn away our chiefs on a hunting excursion, amidst the sandy steppes: may they meet with success! for we Tartars have no fields; our bows and arrows are our sole means of subsistence.' [Exit.]

The Chinese leave more to the imagination than we do; for they neither contrive that the action should all proceed on one spot, as in the Greek tragedy, nor do they make use of shifting scenes. You can never bring in a wall,' says Snug, the joiner-so say the Chinese; and their contrivances, though not quite so absurd as those of the "Mechanicals" in Midsummer Night's Dream, are scarcely more artificial.

The next personage that appears is the minister of the emperor, and he at once displays his character by these four verses, with the recital of which he enters :

'Let a man have the heart of a kite, and the talons of an eagle ; Let him deceive his superiors, and oppress those below him; Let him enlist flattery, insinuation, profligacy, and avarice on his

side,

And he will find them a lasting assistance through life.'

The falsehood of this bad morality, however, is ultimately proved in the fate of its author, who thus continues:

'By a hundred arts of specious flattery and address, I have deceived the Emperor, until he places his chief delight in me alone. My words he listens to, and he follows my counsel. Within the precincts of the palace, as without them, who is there but bows before me, who is there but trembles at my approach? But observe the chief art which I have learned-it is this-to persuade the emperor to keep aloof from his wise counsellors, and seek all his pleasures amidst the women of his palace. Thus it is that I strengthen my power and greatness; but, in the midst of my lucubrations, here comes the emperor.

(Enter the Emperor Yuente, attended by eunuchs and women.) Emp. (Recites verses)—During the ten generations that have sncceeded our acquisition of empire,

My race has alone possessed the four hundred districts of the world:* Long have the frontiers been bound in tranquillity by the ties of mutual oaths;

And our pillow has been undisturbed by grief or anxiety.'

The worthy minister and his sovereign agree that there is no better mode of improving these piping times of peace, than by adding to the numbers of the imperial haram: the favourite is appointed on the spot commissioner of selection, desired to search diligently through the realm for all that is most beautiful of woman

* That is, of China.

kind, between the ages of fifteen and twenty, and then furnish his master with portraits of each, as a means of fixing his choice. And so ends the introductory act.

The minister proceeds on his commission, and does just what Falstaff did on his recruiting service- misuses the king's press most damnably.' The knight, however, takes money for letting off the proper objects of his selection, and discharges those likely fellows, Bullcalf and Mouldy, while he marshals in his ranks the half-faced Shadow, the forceless Feeble, and the ragged Wart. Our emissary, on the contrary, was bribed to take, and not to reject. He met at length with a maiden of uncommon attractions:

'The brightness of her charms was piercing as an arrow! She was perfectly beautiful; and doubtless unparalleled in the whole empire. But unfortunately her father is a cultivator of the land, not possessed of much wealth. When I insisted on a hundred ounces of gold, to secure her being the chief object of the imperial choice, they first pleaded their poverty; and then, relying on her extraordinary beauty, rejected my offers altogether. I therefore left them. (Considers awhile.)-But no! I have a better plan. (He knits his brows, and matures his scheme.) I will disfigure her portrait in such manner, that, when it reaches the emperor, it shall secure her being doomed to neglected seclusion. Thus I shall contrive to make her unhappy for life-base is the man who delights not in revenge!'

We next see the lady herself, who appears soliloquizing amidst the shades of night:

My mother dreamed, on the day I was born, that the light of the moon shone on her bosom, but was soon cast low to the earth. I was just eighteen years of age when chosen as an inhabitant of the imperial palace: but the minister, Maouyenshow, disappointed in the treasure which he demanded on my account, disfigured my portrait in such manner as to keep me out of the emperor's presence, and now I live in neglected solitude. While at home, I learned a little music, and could play a few airs on the lute. Thus sorrowing in the stillness of midnight, let me practise one of my songs to dispel my griefs. (Begins to play on the lute.)

(Enter Emperor, attended by a eunuch, carrying a light).

Emp. Since the beauties were selected to grace our palace, we have not yet discovered a worthy object on whom to fix our preference. Vexed and disappointed, we have passed this day of leisure, roaming in search of her who may be destined for our imperial choice. (Hears the lute.) Is not that some lady's lute?

Attend. It is; I hasten to advise her of your majesty's approach.

home.

Because, once admitted within the precincts of the palace, she could never return † Boding a short, but fatal distinction to her offspring.

Emp.

Emp-No, hold! Keeper of the yellow gate, discover to what part of our palace that lady pertains, and bid her approach our presence; but beware lest you alarm her.

Attend. (Approaches in the direction of the sound, and speaks.)— What lady plays there? The emperor comes; approach to meet him. (Lady advances.)

Emp.-Keeper of the yellow gate, see that the light burns brightly within your gauze lamp, and hold it nearer to us.

Lady. (Approaching.)-Had your handmaid but known it was your majesty, she would have been less tardy; forgive, then, this delay. Emp.-Truly, this is a very perfect beauty! From what quarter come such superior charms?'

The secret is now discovered, and the lady makes known to his majesty the cruel perfidy of the minister.

Emp.-Keeper of the yellow gate, bring us that picture, that we may view it. (Sees the picture.) Ah! how has he dimmed the purity of the gem, bright as the waves in autumn! (To the attendant.) Transmit our pleasure to the officer of the guard, to behead Maouyenshow, and report to us his execution.'

The traitor, however, contrives to escape from this tranchant sentence, and, in the next act, flies to the Tartar camp with a true likeness of the lady (now created a princess), which he exhibits to the barbarian king, and persuades him, with ingenious villainy, to demand her of the emperor. No sooner said than done: an envoy is despatched by the khan, who adds Should he refuse, I will presently invade the south: his hills and rivers shall be exposed to ravage. Our warriors will commence by hunting, as they proceed on their way; and thus, gradually entering the frontiers, I shall be ready to act as may best suit the occasion.'

The unfortunate emperor's fondness continues to increase; and the arrival of the Tartar envoy fills him with perplexity and despair. He calls on his servants to rid him of these invaders; but they bewail the weakness of the empire, point out the necessity of the sacrifice, and call on his majesty to consult the peace and safety of his realms by complying with the khan's demand. He consents, after a struggle, to yield up the princess; but insists on accompanying her a part of the way. In the following act we have the parting scene :—

Envoy-Lady, let us urge you to proceed on your way; the sky darkens, and night is coming on.

Prin.-Alas! when shall I again behold your majesty? I will take off my robes of distinction and leave them behind me. To-day in the palace of Han; to-morrow I shall be espoused to a stranger. I cease to wear these splendid vestments; they shall no longer adorn my beauty in the eyes of men!

Envoy.-Again let us urge you, princess, to depart; we have deTayed but too long already!

Emp.

Emp.-'Tis done!-Princess, when you are gone, let your thoughts forbear to dwell with sorrow and resentment upon us. (They part.) -And am I the great monarch of the line of Han?

Presid. Let your majesty cease to dwell with such grief upon this subject!

Emp.-She is gone! In vain have we maintained those armed heroes on the frontiers. Mention but swords and spears, and they tremble at their hearts like a young deer. The princess has this day performed what belonged to themselves; and yet do they affect the semblance of men!

Presid.--Your majesty is entreated to return to the palace; dwell not so bitterly, sir, on her memory; allow her to depart!

Emp.-Did I not think of her, I had a heart of iron-a heart of iron! The tears of my grief stream in a thousand channels. This evening shall her likeness be suspended in the palace, where I will sacrifice to it; and tapers, with their silvery light, shall illuminate her chamber.'

Then comes the catastrophe. The Tartar army retires with its prize, and they proceed on their march towards the north, until they reach the banks of the river Amoor, or Saghalien, which falls into the sea of Ochotsk.

'Princess. What place is this?

Envoy. It is the river of the Black Dragon, the frontier of the Tartar territories, and those of China. This southern shore is the Emperor's on the northern side commences our Tartar dominion.

Princess.-(To the Khan)-Great King, I take a cup of wine, and pour a libation towards the south-my last farewell to the Emperor. -(Pours the libation.)-Emperor of Han, this life is finished; I await thee in the next!-(Throws herself into the river.)'

The lady is drowned, and the khan, in great sorrow, decrees that her sepulchre shall be placed on the river's bank, and called 'the verdant tomb.' This is said to exist at the present day, and to remain green all the year round, while the vegetation of the desert in which it stands is parched by the summer sun. With more generosity than might have been expected from him, the Tartar remits all further demands on the emperor, and directs that the wicked cause of these misfortunes shall be delivered over to the Chinese, to receive the just reward of his misdeeds.

The last act opens with the grief of Yuente at his recent loss; and the princess appears to him in a vision, which vision, however, is not a whit more extravagant than the similar scene in our own tragedy of Richard III.cum multis aliis. But let our readers judge for themselves.

Emp-Since the Princess was yielded to the Tartars, we have not held an audience. The lonely silence of night increases our melanchoły! We take the picture of that fair one and suspend it here, as

some

some small solace to our grief. (To the attendant)-Keeper of the yellow gate, behold, the incense in yonder vase is burnt out; hasten, then, to add some more. Though we cannot see her, we may at least retain this shadow, and, while life remains, betoken our regard. But, oppressed and weary, we would fain take a little repose.-(Lies down to sleep.)

(The Princess appears before him in a visim.)

Princess.-Delivered over as a captive to appease the barbarians, they would have conveyed me to their northern country; but I took an occasion to elude them, and have escaped back. Is not this the Emperor, my Sovereign ?-Sir, behold me again restored.

captive, has made (Carries her off.)

(A Tartar soldier appears in the vision.) Sold. While I chanced to sleep, the lady, our her escape, and returned home-Is not this she? (The Emperor starts from his sleep.)

Emp. We just saw the Princess returned; but alas, how quickly has she vanished! In bright day she answered not to our call, but when morning dawned on our troubled sleep, a vision presented her in this spot. (Hears the wild-fowl's cry.) Hark! the passing fowl screamed twice or thrice! Can it know there is one so desolate as I? (Cries repeated.) Perhaps, worn out and weak, hungry and emaciated, they bewail at once the broad nets of the south, and the tough bows of the north. (Cries repeated.) The screams of those waterbirds but increase our melancholy!

Attend. Let your majesty cease this sorrow, and have some regard to your sacred person.

Emp. My sorrows are beyond control. Cease to upbraid this excess of feeling, since ye are all subject to the same. Yon doleful

cry is not the note of the swallow on the carved rafters, nor the song of the variegated bird on the blossoming tree. The Princess has abandoned her home! Know ye in what place she grieves; listening, like me, to the screams of the wild bird?

(Enter President.)

Presid. This day, after the close of the morning council, a foreign envoy appeared, bringing with him the fettered traitor Maouyenshow. He announces that the renegade, by deserting his allegiance, led to the breach of truce, and occasioned all these calamities. The Princess is no more!—and the Khan wishes for peace and friendship between the two nations. The envoy attends with reverence your imperial decision.

Emp.-Then strike off the traitor's head, and be it presented as an offering to the shade of the Princess! Let a fit banquet he got ready for the envoy, preparatory to his return. (Recites these verses.)

Yengo, a species of wild-goose (as well as the yuenyang—anas nobilis), is the emblem in China of intersexual attachment and fidelity, being said never to pair again after the loss of its mate. An image of it is worshipped by newly-married couples.'

'At