Page:Osorio; a tragedy, as originally written in 1797 (IA cu31924105501831).pdf/29

 beautiful scene from the first draft of the tragedy, the Foster-Mother's Tale, and of another fragment omitted in the drama, but printed in an appendix to the later editions, the poet's surviving son thus writes:—"Both these scenes appear more or less necessary for the perfect understanding of the plot. If there were many such curtailments, or if for the sake of a more rapid action the reflective character of the piece were in any degree sacrificed, it might almost be regretted that the rejected Osorio, for such was the original title, had not been preserved as it came from the author's pen."

Now that the original Osorio is at length given to the world, and placed beyond the chance of future loss, the reader will see that there were many such curtailments, amounting not only to innumerable verbal differences, all the most important of which are indicated in footnotes, but to the omission of whole scenes of great poetic beauty and the entire remodelling of others. Preserved from destruction by one of those strange and unaccountable freaks of chance or fortune which