The Revenge: A Tragedy

This tragedy is the dramatic master-piece of it's valuable author, but at first was not so successful as Busiris and his other plays. Though similar, in some degree, to the story of Shakspeare's Othello , the motives for resentment in Zanga are of a more noble and consistent nature, and the credulous object of his deadly hatred more excusable and more pitied in yielding to it's subtlety.
There is great scope for talent in the character of Zanga; but the whining nonsense of Alonzo and Carlos would tire in any hands.
We have inserted, on page 59, a narrative said to have really happened in Spain a few years before this piece was written;—it is so nearly followed by Dr. Young in his admirable Revenge , as to leave no doubt of having formed it's ground-work.
Enter Zanga.
Enter Don Manuel and Don Carlos.
Enter Don Manuel and Zanga.
Enter Zanga.
Enter Don Alonzo and Zanga.
Enter Alonzo, meeting Zanga.
Enter Alonzo.—Leonora sleeping.
Mr. Hughes, in his criticism on Othello , introduces the following narrative, to which allusion is made in our remarks.— The short story I am going to tell is a just warning to those of jealous honour to look about them, and begin to possess their souls as they ought; for no man of spirit knows how terrible a creature he is, till he comes to be provoked.
Don Alonzo, a Spanish nobleman, had a beautiful and virtuous wife, with whom he had lived some years in great tranquillity. The gentleman, however, was not free from the faults usually imputed to his nation; he was proud, suspicious, and impetuous. He kept a Moor in his house, whom, on a complaint from his lady, he had punished for a small offence with the utmost severity. The slave vowed revenge, and communicated his resolution to one of the lady's women, with whom he had lived in a criminal way. This creature also hated her mistress, for she feared she was observed by her; she therefore undertook to make Don Alonzo jealous, by insinuating that the gardner was often admitted to his lady in private, and promising to make him an eye witness of it. At a proper time, agreed on between her and the Morisco, she sent a message to the gardner, that his lady, having some hasty orders to give him, would have him come that moment to her in her chamber. In the mean time she had placed Alonzo privately in an outer room, that he might observe who passed that way. It was not long before he saw the gardner appear. Alonzo had not patience, but following him into the apartment, struck him at one blow with a dagger to the heart; then dragging his lady by the hair, without inquiring farther, he instantly killed her.