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other, it is said, endeavoured to wrest from his comrade. They went out to fight: which becoming known to Clara, she repaired to the place of meeting. It was never known what means she took to calm their fury, but she returned in the evening to Cadiz, leaning upon the arms of the two rivals, whom she had reconciled. She took them home to supper, and their friendship was never after troubled by the slightest difference.

Her literary reputation began with the piece entitled, A Woman is a Devil! The public were completely ignorant of the subject of the piece; and we may judge of the surprise of a Spanish audience, at seeing for the first time inquisitors in full costume introduced upon the stage. This trifle had the most astonishing success. It gave the spectators pleasure similar to that of school-boys who should see their master wincing under the rod. However, the bigots began to rally, and cry scandal: three or four duchesses and marchionesses, who were in despair at finding their drawing-rooms deserted for that

of Donna Clara, obliged their husbands to make a complaint to the government. But Clara had also powerful protectors; the comedy kept its place on the stage; and there was added to it, by way of moral, the prologue which we give at the head of this translation. Clara intended to bring forward a second part of A Woman is a Devil; but her confessor, the chaplain of the regiment of the constitution, was so shocked at it, that he prevailed upon her to throw it into the fire. From that moment her reputation went on increasing, and her comedies succeeded each other rapidly, until her flight into England at the restoration. However, as they were not printed until 1822, and had not been represented at the Madrid theatre till a short time before the restoration, they are scarcely known in Paris, where, within the last few years, a taste has sprung up for foreign productions.

An edition of her complete works, in two small quarto volumes, had been published at Cadiz; but, immediately after the discomfiture

The

of the constitutionalists, the royalist junta did every thing in their power to suppress it: the original is therefore very scarce. present translation will be found a faithful one, having been made in England under the eyes of Donna Clara, who had even the kindness to give me one of her inedited pieces to add to the collection. This is the last in the volume, and is entitled Heaven and Hell; it has been played only in London, and at a private theatre.

JOSEPH L'ESTRANGE.

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* The translator has rendered the Spanish Jornada by the word
Day. Clara Gazul made use, in preference, of this term, already
ancient, for which the Spanish classical writers have substituted long
since the term Act. It is easy to be seen, that Day does not indicate
the time which passes between the rising and setting of the sun.-
See the Alcade of Zalamia, and Don Tiempsal Tiempy of Calderon.

THE

SPANIARDS IN DENMARK;

A

COMEDY IN THREE DAYS.

Quel el orbe se admire,

Y en nosostros mire

Los hijos del Cid.

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