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SONG.

Worn with speed is my caballo,
And I march me hurried, worried;
Onward, caballito mio,

With the white star in thy forehead!
Onward, for here comes the Ronda,
And I hear their rifles crack!
Ay, jaléo! Ay, ay, jaléo !

Ay, jaléo! They cross our track.

(Song dies away.

Enter PRECIOSA on horseback, attended by VICTORIAN, HYPOLITO, DON CARLOS, and CHISPA, on foot, and armed.)

VICTORIAN. This is the highest point. Here let

us rest,

See, Preciosa, see how all about us

Kneeling, like hooded friars, the misty mountains

Receive the benediction of the sun!

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San Ildefonso, from its noisy belfries,

Sends up a salutation to the morn,

As if an army smote their brazen shields,
And shouted victory!

PRECIOSA.

Segovia ?

And which way lies

VICTORIAN. At a great distance yonder.

Dost thou not see it?

PRECIOSA.

No.

I do not see it.

VICTORIAN.-The merest flaw that dents the hori

zon's edge.

There, yonder!

HYPOLITO.

'Tis a notable old town,

Boasting an ancient Roman aqueduct,
And an Alcázar, builded by the Moors,

Wherein, you may remember, poor Gil Blas
Was fed on Pan del Rey. O many a time
Out of its grated windows have I looked
Hundreds of feet plumb down to the Eresma,
That, like a serpent through the valley
creeping,

Glides at its foot.

PRECIOSA.

O yes! I see it now,
Yet rather with my heart than with mine eyes,
So faint it is. And all my thoughts sail thither,
Freighted with prayers and hopes, and forward
urged

Against all stress of accident, as in

The Eastern tale, against the wind and tide, Great ships were drawn to the Magnetic Mountains,

And there were wrecked, and perished in the sea !

(She weeps.)

VICTORIAN. O gentle spirit! Thou didst bear unmoved

Blasts of adversity and frosts of fate!

But the first ray of sunshine that falls on thee
Melts thee to tears!0 let thy weary heart
Lean upon mine! and it shall faint no more,
Nor thirst, nor hunger; but be comforted
And filled with my affection.

PRECIOSA.

Stay no longer!
My father waits. Methinks I see him there,
Now looking from the window, and now
watching

Each sound of wheels or footfall in the street,
And saying," Hark! she comes !" O father,
father!

(They descend the pass. CHISPA remains behind.)

CHISPA. I have a father too, but he is a dead one. Alas and alack-a-day! Poor was I born, and poor do I remain. I neither win nor lose. Thus

I wag through the world, half the time on foot, and the other half walking; and always as merry as a thunder-storm in the night. And so we plough along, as the fly said to the ox. Who knows what may happen? Patience, and shuffle the cards! am not yet so bald, that you can see my brains; and perhaps, after all, I shall some day go to Rome, and come back Saint Peter. Benedicite! [Exit.

(A pause. Then enter BARTOLOME wildly, as if in pursuil, with a carbine in his hand.)

BARTOLOME. They passed this way! I hear their horses' hoofs!

Yonder I see them! Come, sweet caramillo,
This serenade shall be the Gipsy's last!

(Fires down the pass.)

Ha! ha! Well whistled, my sweet caramillo !
Well whistled!-I have missed her!-O, my
God!

(The shot is returned. BARTOLOME falls.)

EVANGELINE.

INTRODUCTION.

The beautiful poem of "EVANGELINE" cannot fail to awaken painful feelings in the mind of every thoughtful Englishman. It recalls to recollection one of those deplorable acts of cruelty and unfeeling tyranny which too frequently marked the career of our early colonization and conquest. British history takes little notice of the transaction; but on the north-western shores of the Atlantic, the scene of the afflicting events, it is still remembered, and portrayed in vivid colours, forming one of the most interesting portions c. household narrative and tradition. As many of the readers of "Evangeline" are not acquainted with the facts upon which the poem is founded, a short statement of them is prefixed, which will in some measure explain the tale, and increase the pleasure of its perusal.

Previous to 1713, Great Britain had not obtained any permanent hold of those extensive colonies, situated in North America, which are now subject to her sway, and which form a most important part of her colonial empire. In that year,! Acadia, now called Nova Scotia, was formally ceded to her by France. The inhabitants, whose teelings or interests seem to have been little considered in the matter, were induced to take the oath of allegiance to their new masters, only on the express reservation that they would not be called on to take up arms at any time against the French or the Indians in defence of the province. This condition was insisted on, because of their natural unwillingness to take up arms either against the former, who were their kinsmen, or the latter, who had long been connected with them by treaties of friendship and alli

The British government, it is said, objected to this arrangement, when informed of it; but be this as it may, the oaths were never taken, nor for years afterwards were they ever proposed in any different form.

Subsequently to the annexation o. Acadia to the English settlements, at the termination of the "war of succession," when the British extended their dominion still farther in that quarter by the capture of the French fort Beau Sejour, the Acadians were charged with having for. feited their neutrality, in supplying the French and Indians with intelli. gence, provisions, and quarters, and by a body of them, amounting to three hundred, being found in arms, and assisting at Beau Sejour.

Whether the charges alleged were true or false, we have now no means of satisfactorily ascertaining, but the result was most disastrous to the primitive, simple-minded Acadians. The lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia, with his council, and the British admirals, deeming it more than probable that, if they drove the inhabitants away from the country, they would join, and thus recruit, the French army in Canada, determined to disperse them among the distant British colonies, where they could not unite in any offensive measures. This iniquitous decision was carefully concealed from the Acadians until they had gathered in their harvest, which the British required for stores; when a proclamation was issued, calling on the people to assemble in their different vil lages, to hear the king's orders. The melancholy sequel cannot be better narrated than in the words of the writers of the day. Minot says:

"At Grand Pre, where Colonel Winslow had the immediate command, four hundred and eighteen of their best men assembled.

"These being shut into the church (for that had become an arsenal), he placed himself, with his officers, in the centre, and addressed them :"Gentlemen-I have received from his excellency, Governor Lawrence, the King's commission, which I have in my hand; and by his orders you are convened together, to manifest to you his Majesty's final resolution to the French inhabitants of this his province of Nova Scotia, who, for almost half a century, have had more indulgence granted them than any of his subjects in any part of his dominions; what use you have made of it, you yourselves best know.

"The part of duty I am now upon, though necessary, is very disagree. able to my natural make and temper, as I know it must be grievous to you, who are of the same species.

"But it is not my business to animadvert, but to obey such orders as I receive; and therefore, without hesitation, shall deliver you his Majesty's orders and instructions; namely:

"That your lands and tenements, cattle of all kinds, and live stock of all sorts, are forfeited to the Crown; with all other your effects, saving your money and household goods: and you yourselves to be removed from this his province.

"Thus it is peremptorily his Majesty's orders that the whole French inhabitants be removed; and I am, through his Majesty's goodness, directed to allow you liberty to carry off your money and household goods, as many as you can, without discommoding the vessels you go in. I shall do everything in my power that all those goods be secured to you, and that you are not molested in carrying them off; also that whole families shall go in the same vessel, and make this remove, which I am sensible must give you a good deal of trouble, as easy as his Majesty's service will admit; and hope that, in whatever part of the world you may fall, you may be faithful subjects, a peaceable and happy people.

"I must also inform you that it is his Majesty's pleasure that you remain in security, under the inspection and direction of the troops that I have the honour to command.""

With this quaint, but significant address, Colonel Winslow declared

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