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Now this being the presupposition, it was a great thought of Schiller to bring his humane dreamer face to face with the somber despot, Philip the Second, Let it be granted that Posa's views of statesmanship, which belong to the Age of Enlightenment, could hardly have found lodgment in the brain of a chevalier of the 16th century.

All Europe may condemn me, Europe may overwhelm me with its curse, But I deserved his thanks. DOMINGO. What spell is this? KING. And, say, for whom did he desert me thus? A boy, my son? Oh, no, believe it not! A Posa would not perish for a boy; The scanty flame of friendship could not fill A Posa's heart. It beat for human kind.

FERIA. A new discovery! ALVA. A Carthusian monk My guards observed, with stealthy footsteps, creep Into the prince's chamber, and inquire With anxious curiosity, about The Marquis Posa's death. They seized him straight, And questioned him.

His Elizabeth is perhaps a shade too angelic, she is an ideal figure like all his women, but winsome she certainly is. One is a little startled by the readiness with which she approves Posa's treasonable plan of a revolution to be headed by Don Carlos, but in this play the sentiment of patriotism cuts no figure anywhere.

ALVA. Spies Despatched by me, moreover, have observed Equipments at the convent for a journey, On which the prince's arms were recognized. FERIA. And it is rumored that large sums are raised In the queen's name, among the Moorish agents, Destined for Brussels. KING. Where is Carlos? ALVA. With Posa's body. KING. And there are lights as yet Within the queen's apartments?

Unfortunately Schiller did not have at hand a matchless fable to make his doctrine concrete and give it human interest. In places his language is abstract and difficult to follow, but taken as a whole the scene is admirable in its denotation of Posa's manly independence and humane philosophy.

It is possible to frame an intelligible theory of Posa's conduct, but not one which is perfectly coherent, and least of all one which shall harmonize with the impression produced by the first three acts.