Lanterna Rally

Author: Franklin P. Norton

Publisher: Forgotten Books

Published: 2015-06-26

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 9781330407196

Excerpt from Six Dramas of American Romance and History In offering these "Plays" to an indulgent public, the author wishes to make a frank confession that the credit, if any credit be due, belongs not so much to himself, as to William Shakespeare, and his immortal works, and to the Bible. Shakespeare's literary style, and his methods of dramatic conception and construction, have been attempted to be imitated, and much of his thought, and some of his actual language, have been used. The same is true, (but in a lesser degree) of Ben Jonson, Christopher Marlowe, and Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton; whose superb plays, have been freely resorted to both for thoughts and language. It, in fact, has been an enthusiastic effort, (however unworthily executed) to inject a strong flavor of Shakespeare and the others, into the text of a series of "Dramas," that would have for their aim, the presentation of some striking events in American life, conditions, and history. In the "Secretary of State" some rich gems of the many that are found in Milton's "Paradise Lost," have been utilized, with the idea that they would sparkle most brilliantly when separated from the cluster. From the Bible, the book of books; whose sacred pages I have read and studied with enthusiasm for a number of years, there has seemingly come to me great help and inspiration in literary composition. A word seems necessary in regard to Hubert's belief, (in "The Third Term") that the spirit of George Washington, appeared to him; which illusion or delusion, whichever you may prefer to term it, was shared in by Hubert's friends. The author wishes to be distinctly understood as saying that no such appearance, is either probable or possible, except that the influence of some good man, who has passed away but left an enduring record behind him, often becomes real to those who venerate him. It is the author's sincere hope that the plays may be the source of some pleasure and profit to at least a few persons. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.