66 October, Byways of History. Giacomo de Valencia ; or, the Student of Bologna. Works of Hans Christian Andersen. November, The American Library. December, Emerson. 1855. March, April, August, 1856. March, April, 1858. January, March, August, 66 November, 1859. July, August, Life of Lord Metcalfe. Sir Benjamin Brodie's Psychological Inquiries. Liddell's History of Rome. Prescott's Philip the Second. Debit and Credit. Sullivan on Cumberland. Gladstone's Homer. White's Eighteen Christian Centuries. Buckle's History of Civilisation. Dr. Mansel's Bampton Lectures. Leaders of the Reformation. October, Sir William Hamilton. November, Vaughan's Revolutions in English History. Vol. i. 1860. August, October, 1861. February, May, June, August, Dr. Hanna's Wycliffe and the Huguenots. Charles Hemans on Papal Government. Motley's History of the Netherlands. Vaughan's Revolutions in English History. Vol. ii. November, M. Ernest Renan. Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1862. May, 1864. February, April, 66 October, 1865. March, 1866. May, 66 June, 1867. February, March, Kirk's Charles the Bold. Mr. Knight's Reminiscences. Victor Hugo's Shakespeare. Max Müller's Lectures on the Science of Lan guage. 2d Series. William Blake. J. S. Mill on Sir William Hamilton. Scraps of Verse from a Tourist's Journal. Life of Steele. Dallas's Gay Science. Ferrier. Hemans's Ancient Christianity. April, June, The Duke of Argyll's Reign of Law. 1867. September, La Physique Moderne (Saigey). Motley's History of the Netherlands. 1868. July, November, Professor Porter on the Human Intellect. 1871. July, CHAPTER XI. 66 ATHELWOLD.” Six years had passed since the unsuccessful publication of "Guidone" and "Solitude," when their author, in 1842, gave to the world another drama, "Athelwold." There were some who in private praised it highly. Mill wrote to the author quoting the good opinion of his friend Mrs. Taylor, and Serjeant Talfourd expressed in a letter his warm admiration. The next spring, Macready brought it out on the stage, himself taking the part of Athelwold, while Miss Helen Faucit impersonated the heroine. On its first night, the play met with decided success, and the author was enthusiastically called for. We are not told that he responded — it is hardly possible to imagine him coming before the foot-lights, and bowing in response to the plaudits of the house. But for an hour he must have tasted in its full flavor the highest reward that external success can bestow on the author. The other forms of literary fame seem poor and cold beside the satisfaction of the dramatist in seeing his creations worthily bodied forth and striking home to a thousand hearts whose answering emotion speaks in face and voice. All we are told of the author's feelings is that he seemed most impressed by Macready's exquisite rendering of the character of Athelwold. The Memoir adds that Macready pronounced one particular moment in Miss Faucit's acting of Elfrida, "the best thing she ever did." So for one instant the drama stood on the shining height of popularity. Then it sank into oblivion. Its production on the stage occurred just at the end of the theatrical season, and the next year it was not reproduced. The literary critics seem to have paid it no attention. Eight years afterward, a reviewer in "Blackwood" disentombed from a dusty pile of books the little volume containing “Athelwold” and its companions, and gave to it enthusiastic praise. But it won no general recognition, and probably very few readers are acquainted with it. There is no trace of any effect of this failure upon the author's mind. The youth who in bitterness of spirit made a literal grave for his first unsuccessful book had become the mature and disciplined man, not to be elated by success nor cast down by failure. And in truth the mind that could create "Athelwold" might well be so strong in its own resources as not to depend on popularity. The play is based upon the story of King Edgar, Athelwold, and Elfrida, as Hume relates it. The action is vigorous, and the development of the story hurries the reader with breathless interest to the tragic close. The wealth of philosophic thought and of poetic imagery does not clog the movement of the plot. The graver scenes are diversified with lighter action, full of spirit and grace. The interest centres in the characters of Athelwold, Dunstan, and Elfrida. At the opening, Edgar is amusing himself with the nun Edith, whom he has carried off from her convent. Dunstan comes upon him with stern rebuke, but imposes only a trivial penance. He treats Edith's pitiful plea for compassion with the harshest scorn. Then Edgar confides to him that he is about to dispatch his trusted soldier and servant Athelwold on a secret errand, to see whether a certain noble lady, Elfrida, kept by her father in seclusion, is worthy of her reputation for wonderful beauty; with the purpose, if Athelwold brings a favorable report, to make her his queen. Then follows a dialogue between Dunstan and Athelwold, the churchman's purpose being revealed in his previous soliloquy. |