Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 002.djvu/693

Some detached parts of it are very beautiful, such as the description of Aldabella, in the first scene; and the soliloquy of Bianca, at the beginning of the third act: and there are two or three fine touches of nature, particularly that where Bianca forgets the name of the old senator,—"him—him-him," &c. act III. scene I.—and that where she keeps watching for the Duke's order to seize the person of Fazio, and when it is given, rushes to the officer, and exclaims, "you'll find him at the Marchesa Aldabella's," &c. Act III. scene II.

Upon the whole, comparing it with the dramas of our own day, Fazio is undoubtedly superior to any that have been written for the stage, with the exception of Miss Baillie's De Montfort, and perhaps Mr Coleridge's Remorse; and quite equal to any that have been written for the closet only, with one exception—that of Count Julian,—a work possessing rare and admirable beauties, though but little known, and most imperfectly appreciated.

As Fazio was written for the stage, we may congratulate the author on its complete success in the performance. Mr C. Kemble plays the first scenes with considerable spirit and effect; but he flags and grows lame towards the last. As for Bianca, we have liked her less than ever, since she has infused her boisterous and complaining spirit into Miss O'Neill. She was made to suffer, but not to talk of it—to complain with her eyes and her heart, not her tongue. When she is unhappy, she becomes, "like Niobe, all tears." She has no need to "give sorrow words,"—a sigh of her's is more potent than a volume of execrations. Her silent grief at the end of the third act, when they are taking Fazio to prison, was more affecting than all the loud-talking part of the performance put together.

On Feb. 21, a new Opera, entitled Zuma, or the Tree of Health, was produced at Covent-Garden Theatre. When we say that this peice is intended merely as a vehicle for the music, and that it is written by Mr T. Dibdin, we have described it. It would be a work of supererogation to say more, unless it would gratify our medical friends to learn, that the plot is founded on the efficacy of Peruvian Bark in curing diseases incidental to hot climates!

The new music, which is by Braham and Bishop, we cannot better describe than by saying, that all we remember of it is, that it contains nothing to be remembered. In this description, we do not include an adaptation of the fine music of the Marseillois hymn to English words. This was given by Braham in a very grand style, and was called for three times.

Of the Comedy called the Castle of Glendower, which was produced and condemned at Drury-Lane Theatre on the 2d instant, we have nothing to say, because, luckily for our time and patience, we did not see it.

1. ↑ Melissus is celebrated in two odes, 3d and 4th of the Isthmian.