thor of the following pages that a deeper interest, as well as a stronger colour of nationality might be imparted to the scenes in which she has feebly attempted "to describe high passions and high actions; " by connecting a religious feeling with the patriotism and high-minded loyality which had thus been proved "faithful unto death," and by surrounding her ideal dramatis persona with recollections derived from the heroic legends of Spanish chivalry. She has, for this reason, employed the agency of imaginary characters, and fixed upon "Valencia del Cid" as the scene to give them "A local habitation and a name." THE SIEGE OF VALENCIA. SCENE I. Room in a Palace of Valencia. XIMENA singing to a Lute. BALLAD. "THOU hast not been with a festal throng, A mien so dark as thine! -There's blood upon thy shield, There's dust upon thy plume, -Thou hast brought, from some disastrous field, That brow of wrath and gloom!" "And is there blood upon my shield? -Maiden! it well may be ! We have sent the streams from our battle-field, All darken'd to the sea! We have given the founts a stain, "The ground is wet-but not with rain- And the noblest blood of Christian Spain I have seen the strong man die, "In the gloomy Roncesvalles' Strait There's many a fair young face, For those that come no more!" |