THE TWO DREAMS.

Calphurnia here, my wife, stays me at home;
She dreamt to-night she saw............

And these does she apply for warnings, portents,
And evils imminent.

JULIUS CÆSAR, Act II. Scene 2.

And dreams in their developement have breath,
And tears, and tortures, and the touch of joy ;
They leave a weight upon our waking thoughts,
And look like heralds of eternity;

They pass like spirits of the past, they speak
Like sibyls of the future.

LORD BYRON.-The Dream.

THE TWO DREAMS.

This scene is founded on a tale of Boccaccio. Gabriello, a young gentleman of Brescia, was privately married to the daughter of a nobleman there. Andreana (which was her name) excluded him one night from her society. On his remonstrance afterwards, she related to him a dream; and he, at the moment of relating another, intending to shew her the fallacy of dreams, fell dead.

GABRIELLO, ANDREANA. (A Garden.)

Gabr. Come hither, Andreana; you and I
Have lived in Brescia here as lovers-nay
Husband and wife, full three years now: or more?
- And. 'Tis more.

Gaur. You're right, sweet: 'tis so. In that time

I never failed to see you at the hour

We fixed for meeting: if 'twere fine, 'twas well;

If cold, my love was warm: if stormy, I

Wrapped my cloak round and smiled, for you were safe:

And when the piping winds of winter blew
Sharp sleet against me and the blinding rain,
And the loud quarrelling elements cast ont
Their sheeted fires, 'twas something cheerful still
To think of the after-welcome you would give me.
But these are trifles.

And. Not to me: I know

How constant you have been, love: have I not
Confess'd it often?

Gabr. Often.

And. Well then, why

Remind me thus-thus harshly (for you did)

Of what I own so gratefully?

Gabr. Andreana,

Last night 'tis said (the only night when I

Since our sweet marriage, have been barred from you)

The young Count Strozzi visited

Was't not so ?

-your father: