Chapter III: Prologue: Spoken by Mr. Martin

A native Bard, a native scene displays,
And claims your candour for his daring lays:
Daring, so soon, in mimic scenes to shew,
What each remembers as a real woe.
Who has forgot when gallant ANDRÉ died?
A name by Fate to Sorrow's self allied.
Who has forgot, when o'er the untimely bier,
Contending armies paus'd, to drop a tear.

Our Poet builds upon a fact tonight;
Yet claims, in building, every Poet's right;
To choose, embellish, lop, or add, or blend,
Fiction with truth, as best may suit his end;
Which, he avows, is pleasure to impart,
And move the passions but to mend the heart.

Oh, may no party-spirit blast his views,
Or turn to ill the meanings of the Muse:
She sings of wrongs long past, Men as they were,
To instruct, without reproach, the Men that are;
Then judge the Story by the genius shewn,
And praise, or damn, it, for its worth alone.

CHARACTERS

GENERAL, _dress, American staff uniform, blue, faced with buff, large gold epaulets, cocked hat, with the black and white cockade, indicating the union with France, buff waistcoat and breeches, boots,_ Mr. Hallam.

M'DONALD, _a man of forty years of age, uniform nearly the same of the first,_ Mr. Tyler.

SEWARD, _a man of thirty years of age, staff uniform,_ Mr. Martin.

ANDRÉ, _a man of twenty-nine years of age, full British uniform after the first scene,_ Mr. Hodgkinson.

BLAND, _a youthful but military figure, in the uniform of a Captain of horse--dress, a short blue coat, faced with red, and trimmed with gold lace, two small epaulets, a white waistcoat, leather breeches, boots and spurs; over the coat, crossing the chest from the right shoulder, a broad buff belt, to which is suspended a manageable hussar sword; a horseman's helmet on the head, decorated as usual, and the union cockade affixed,_ Mr. Cooper.

MELVILLE, _a man of middle age, and grave deportment; his dress a Captain's uniform when on duty; a blue coat, with red facings, gold epaulet, white waistcoat and breeches, boots and cocked hat, with the union cockade,_ Mr. Williamson.

BRITISH OFFICER, Mr. Hogg.

AMERICAN OFFICER, Mr. Miller.

CHILDREN, Master Stockwell and Miss Hogg.

AMERICAN SERGEANT, Mr. Seymour.

AMERICAN OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS, &c.

MRS. BLAND, Mrs. Melmoth.

HONORA, Mrs. Johnson.

SCENE, the Village of Tappan, Encampment, and adjoining Country. Time, ten hours.

ANDRÉ