SATAN IN LOVE: DEDICATED, BY PERMISSION, TO PRINCE ALBERT.
" THE object t of this drama," says the writer, " is to carry out the principle, awl nothiv rellicle God has made eau be 11,,,,ned r,pro- bate,* or he (Melly and eternally lost consoquently, that the Deed lthusql* (supposing the Author of Evil to be a real personage) must have still remaining in hint a grime of pazet,* being the crea- tion of the benevolent Father of the Universe. Lone* is here made to be the divine agent to cfrect hi. reaceeration." The scene of this strange conception is leid in the land of diablerie, Germany ; the time, " twelve- thousand years from time creation of the world." The plot opens with a German noble de- termining to offer his hand to Agnes, an orphan girl, whom he hod vainly tricd to se,Ince; ::nil the next scene s!i;o....s Ltici!'er himself fruitlessly engaged in his vocation tempting her, though he adopted the plan which succeeded in Paradise when he sat squat like a total close at the ear of Eve." Al!, howeacr, that Lucifer can do with Agnes, is to disturb her slumber : she awakes—feels feverish— declares that s'le hates nothing., not even the Devil, whom she pities and prays for. So much aooduess touches " the author of all ill" ; he makes himself visible, tied, after some discourse, vanishes " in it flash or lightnieg." The conduct of the whole piece corresponds- with this beginnings Lucifer becoming a hanger-on of Agnes, has a longish contest between "the germ if guest'" and his habitual practice ; sometimes amusing himself by tempting the rustic neighbours, s esetimes brae ling with the mortal lover. When the repenting-fit is (.11 bier, he iat ds a tame serpent or Agnes with bread and milk, as a specimen of his humility ; and at last, standing sponsor to a little in [Ina with ::ates, he solemnly " renounces the Devil and his coot ks," and disappears. Towards the end of the drama, he enters rain in company with the Dav of Judgment ; having in time interim made his peace with heaven. Agnes dies in his arms, respiration being impossible by reason of time hot air : Lucifer conveys her corpse to the presence of the Most IIigh; and on lice revival, it turns out that she was a sister of Lucifer before his fall; and was incarnated fit' the purpose of converting him, though she was unconscious of her prei,,aisting state during her continuance in the flesh.
* The Italics, in all the quotations, are Mrs. DOWNING'S.
Tile execution of Satan in Lore corresponds with its design. Ire some of the scenes between the mortals, there is a purpose and briskness in the dialogue, which seem to indicate the " germ" of a dramatic capability in Mrs. HARRIET DOWNING, if her theme were on a level with her capacity. In all the deeper and superhuman scenes, or rather in what ought to be such, the absurdity of the images, and the matter-of-fact style of the diction, contrast most ludicrously with the nature of the subject and the obvious good faith of time writer. As an example of the puerility of the thing, we will take a little passage from the soliloquy where Satan-
" whose form had not yet lost
All its original brightness, nor appear'd Less than archangel ruined "-
is debating in what guise he shall appear to Agnes.
"I must be Brest: I have a wardrobe ever at command : What shall it be ? A suit of comely brown!? No, that looks oldam1smq6—Lineoln-green? That is gone out of date—lt shall be Mack : There is no lie in black ; 'tis my own hue! My linen shall be of most snowy whiteness, And fine as cobwebs; 'twill attract her eye, For women like a band soul linen fair. As for my features, they will serve my turn ; The outline poi feet, dark, and rather sad, With mnneulc:t of the /brit in the eyes! Teeth whito with charedn (ny sole dentifrice) ; And hair—'tis rather erilid, I own, With the brain-fever-11 moisten it with oil; Here's some, I see, at hand."
How little this small satire becomes such a being on such an occasion, must be obvious to all, even in the Mephistopheles read- ing of the Devil's character. The subject of Lucifer's eventual restoration is not so absurd as Mrs. DOWNING has contrived to make it appear, or so unfit for poetry; but the first " compunctious visitings" of Satan are not to be painted in this slight way. Assuming that the titlepag-e is correct in asserting that Satan in Lore is dedicated to Prince ALBERT " by permission," we must take leave to remark that the officer of his " Establishment" whose vocation it is to attend to these matters, should be more careful in the exercise of his functions. Whether the subject was one which should be stamped by royal reception before the public had set its seal of approbation on the work, we do not stop to inquire. Our oloectom is of a critical nature; for it is difficult to prevent some of the ridicule inherent in the work from attaching to the too facile patron, especially as the poetess does her best by encomium.
4, DEDICATION.
" Most fulsome and unsavoury things in general are Dedications : this one at least shall not offend er distust the young Prince, who thus honours me with his patronage, by attempting a praise which must necessarily lull short of las merits. It is enough to sac, that I dedicate to the man, and not to the consort of our Queen. the 1■01:min, pain, leding assured that he will fully comprehend the spirit with which it was written."
if " lie" does, his Boyd Highness has more comprehension than we imagine.
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