Poems

by George Pope Morris

Scene I.

Discovered. The stage represents a large apartment without the usual side-entrances. On the left hand is a row of long, old-fashioned windows, with painting-screens so arranged as to let the light fall obliquely on the tables beneath; at which the FACTORY GIRLS are seated, employed in painting various articles of porcelain. SOPHIA MANSFIELD is seated at the table nearest the audience. On the right are separate tables, at which GIRLS are employed mixing and grinding colors. In the center of the stage is a small platform, on which a number of painted vases, ready for the oven, are placed. KARL is engaged in examining them. At the rear of the stage is the entrance to the room—a large open door—on each side of which are rows of shelves, filled with vases, bowls, plates, jars, mantel ornaments, and the like, put there to dry. The whole representing the painting-room of the Royal Porcelain Factory. Through the doors the furnaces are seen, on which the porcelain is placed to set the colors, and which several WORKMEN are attending. The curtain rises slowly to the music.

CHORUS.
(German air.)
Home, home, home—
Dear, lost home!
Though here we pine in slavery,
Our hearts are all in Saxony,
Our girlhood's happy home!

Land of the free and bold,
To hopeless bondage sold!
While abject toil and fear
Enchain thy daughters here,
We yearn for thee,
O Saxony!—
For freedom, love, and home!

(The GIRLS attempt to waltz to the music; but, overcome by their feelings, they resume their tasks.)

SOLO—SOPHIA.
Home, home, home—
Dear, lost home!
Though cares oppress us fearfully,
We exiles carol cheerfully
Of girlhood's happy home!

Beneath our native sky,
The hours went swiftly by;
While on a foreign soil,
Our youth consumes in toil!
We yearn for thee,
O Saxony!—
For freedom, love, and home!

(The GIRLS attempt to waltz, as before, etc.)

CHORUS.
Home, home, home, etc.

(The WORKMEN and the GIRLS resume their tasks.)

(Enter Count LANISKA, ALBERT, and WEDGEWOOD.)

WEDGEWOOD (looking around, and speaking enthusiastically as he enters.) Admirable, upon my word! Every department better than the last, and this the best of all! Never saw anything like it. The colors brilliant—the designs exquisitely classical—"a place for everything, and everything in its place!"

COUNT. Whatever His Majesty constructs, whether a fortress or a factory, is perfect in all its details.

WEDGEWOOD. Yet look around, and read your monarch's history in the eyes of these prisoners of war. Observe that picture of melancholy (pointing to SOPHIA, who, during the scene, has been leaning dejectedly on her hand.—KARL standing by her side.) How reluctantly she pursues her task! Our English manufacturers work in quite another manner, for they are free!

KARL. And are free men or free women never indisposed?—or do you Englishmen blame your king whenever any of his subjects turn pale? The woman at whom you are looking is evidently ill.

WEDGEWODD. The fie upon your inhumanity for making a poor, sick girl work when she seems scarcely able to hold up her head! (Aside.) I don't half like that fellow. Villainously odd.

ALBERT (to SOPHIA.) My poor girl, what is the matter with you. The overseer says that, since you came here, you have done nothing worthy of your pencil. Yet this charming piece (pointing to an ornament on her painting)—which was brought from Saxony is of your design—is it not?

SOPHIA.
Yes, sir, it was my misfortune to paint it. If the king had never seen or liked it,
I should now be—

ALBERT.
In Saxony; but forget that country, and you may be happy in this.

SOPHIA. I can not forget it!—I can not forget everybody that I ever loved. Ask not a Saxon woman to forget her country!

ALBERT.
Whom do you love in Saxony now?

SOPHIA. Whom do I NOT love in Saxony? I have a brother there, whom I have not seen since childhood. He was at college when I was carried off from the cottage in which we both were born. He is ignorant of my fate. (She regards ALBERT with great attention, and examines his features minutely.)

ALBERT.
Why do you gaze upon me so intently?

SOPHIA. I know not why, sir; but you seemed even now a dear heart-cherished one, whom I have wished for long and anxiously.

ALBERT.
Think me that one, and trust me.

SOPHIA. I will—for there's a cherub nestling in my heart which whispers, "You are here to save me!" (ALBERT leads her to her task, which she resumes in great dejection of spirits.)

WEDGEWOOD (to KARL.)
Is that poor girl often thus?

KARL.
She sits as you see her, like one stupefied, half the day.

WEDGEWOOD.
The cause of this—if it is convenient?

KARL. She has fallen to the lot of a soldier (glancing at SOPHIA)—who swears, if she delays another day to MARRY HIM, that he will complain to the king.

COUNT (turning furiously upon KARL.)
Wretch! (seizes him.)

KARL (throwing him off.)
This insult will cost you dear! Your scorn for the king's commands—

COUNT (scornfully.)
I had forgotten. (Releases him.) You are a mere instrument in the hands of a tyrant!

KARL (aside.)
That word again!—

SOPHIA (running between them, and throwing herself at the feet of LANISKA.) Save me! save me! You CAN save me! You are a powerful lord, and can speak to the king! Save me from this detested marriage.

KARL (aside to SOPHIA.)
Are you mad?

COUNT (raising SOPHIA, who clings to him, and shrinks from KARL.)
I will do so, or perish in the attempt!

KARL (aside.)
Ah! say you so? Then the king shall know HIS enemy and MINE! [Exit.

WEDGEWOOD (noticing KARL go off.) Whew! There's mischief brewing! If that black-muzzled rascal is not hatching trouble for us all, I'll never trust my seven senses again! I wonder they permit such a bear to go at large in a garden like this—he'll root up the flowers as well as weeds.—Dangerously odd!

(Trumpet sounds without, and a buzz and hum as if of a distant crowd; the noise comes near the Factory.)

WEDGEWOOD.
What's afoot now, I wonder?

ALBERT.
Some new freak, no doubt, of this eccentric monarch. (Noises.)

WEDGEWOOD (looking out.) The town is all astir (noise louder)—humming and buzzing like a hive of bees! (Noise, and distant shouts.) And yonder comes a fussy little burgomaster with a proclamation, and a crowd of noisy citizens at his heels—odd! [Noise and shouts increase.

(Sophia and the other GIRLS and the WORKMEN leave their occupations, as if anxious to learn the cause of the uproar. When the buzzing, huzzaing, and noise reach the Factory, loud sound of the trumpet.)

BURGOMASTER (without.) Make way there, good people—make way there for the royal herald! (The BURGOMASTER bustles in with the HERALD—the crowd following and surrounding him—noises.) Stand back (using his wand)—stand back, you idle, ragged tatterdemalions, and pay all due reverence to the constituted authorities! (laughter)—for know all men by these presents (very pompously,) that I represent the king! (laughter.)

WEDGEWOOD.
What a figure for the part! (laughter.)

BURGOMASTER (smartly striking with his wand one who laughs louder than the rest.) Take that, and let it teach you better manners in future, you scarecrow!—Now draw near, good people, and be dumb! Lend me all your ears!—

WEDGEWOOD.
You have ears enough already for any two-legged animal—

BURGOMASTER.
While I, by virtue of my office as a magistrate, publish this important document!
(SOPHIA comes forward.)

CITIZEN (eagerly.)
Now for it!

BURGOMASTER (hitting him smartly over the head.) You will, will you?—Hish! This paper is big with information to the whole realm; but more especially to the daughters of Saxony. (SOPHIA and the GIRLS of the Factory, by looks and actions, evince great interest in the reading of the paper.)

BURGOMASTER. Hish! (To HERALD.) Now proceed in regular order, and according to ancient form and usage, to read the royal proclamation!—Hish! (Hands paper to HERALD.)

HERALD (reads.) "By the grace of God, we, Frederick the Second, King of Prussia, hereby make known that he will give freedom—"

SOPHIA (eagerly aside.)
Freedom? (Listens with anxiety.)

HERALD. "And a reward of five hundred crowns to the ARTIST who shall produce the most beautifully designed and highly-finished enameled porcelain vase of Berlin china; and permit her to marry whomsoever she shall think proper."

SOPHIA (aside and joyfully.)
Her I aright? (The GIRLS of the Factory show great joy at this.)

HERALD.
"The ARTIST's name shall be inscribed upon the vase, which shall be called 'The Prussian
Vase.'"

SOPHIA (aside.)
Oh, happy, happy news!

HERALD.
"Signed at the Sans Souci—
"By the King."

OMNES. HA-z-z-a-a-h-a-a-a-a! (Amid the shouts and general joy of the GIRLS, the BURGOMASTER bustles out, using his wand frequently, and speaking all the while; the HERALD following, and the CITIZENS buzzing and huzzaing as before.) Silence you nondescript villains!—Silence, I say! You stun me with your uproar! (Loud shout.—Passionately.) Oh, shut your ugly mugs! (Strikes them.)

WEDGEWOOD.
Mugs! I like that. He's in the crockery-trade, like myself.

SOPHIA (with joy.)
This proclamation has animated me with new life and energy. I feel like one inspired!

COUNT.
What mean you?

SOPHIA.
To become a competitor for the prize.

ALBERT.
You will have many opponents.

SOPHIA.
I heed them not.

WEDGEWOOD.
All will be zeal throughout the manufactory.

SOPHIA.
So much the greater need for my perseverance.

ALBERT.
Some will be excited with the hope of gaining their liberty.

SOPHIA.
Oh, blessed hope!

WEDGEWOOD.
Some stimulated by the crowns.—Not at all odd.—It would be odd if they were not!

SOPHIA.
But none have so strong a motive for exertion as I have.

COUNT (with enthusiasm.)
Nobly resolved! I will assist you with every faculty I possess.

ALBERT (with the same feeling.)
And I!

WEDGEWOOD (with the same.)
And all!—If it is convenient.

SOPHIA (joyfully.) Then doubt not my success. (Exit LANISKA, ALBERT, and, WEDGEWOOD.) Oh, how my heart bounds with the thoughts of once more seeing Saxony! Its mountains, torrents, vineyards, are all before me now! And then our native songs!—They steal into my heart and melt it.

SONG AND CHORUS.
(German air.)
SOPHIA and FACTORY GIRLS.
Sky, stream, moorland, and mountain,
Tree, cot, spire, and dome,
Breeze, bird, vineyard, and fountain,
Kindred, friends, country, and home!—
Home, home, home, home!—
These are the blessings of home!

(The FACTORY-GIRLS now waltz cheerfully to the music.)

Hope how fondly I cherish,
Dear land, to see thee once more!
O Fate! let me not perish
Far from my own native shore!
Home, home, home, home!—
Saxony, Liberty's home!

(The GIRLS waltz as before, etc.)

Those who freedom inherit,
Bow not to Tyranny's throne;
Then, friends, in a kind spirit,
Judge of my love by your own.
Home, home, home, home!—
The land of the heart is our home!

(They all waltz with great spirit until the scene closes.)