has had, moreover,
ominous dreams. The entrance of Bertrand, a countryman just arrived from
the neighbouring town of Vaucouleurs, interrupts the conversation. He
carries a helmet in his hand, which has been forced upon him, in the
marketplace, by a strange woman. Johanna, who has all this while
remained quite silent, not answering a word to the rebuke of her parent,
comes suddenly forward, and claims the helmet as having been sent for
her. Through the interposition of her lover, it is granted to her.
Bertrand, being asked what news of the war he has heard at Vaucouleurs,
gives a desponding account of the king's cause, and brings the report
that Orleans, pressed by the besiegers, is on the point of surrendering.
Johanna now breaks forth:--

"Of treaty, of surrender not a word!
A saviour comes and arms her for the fight.
At Orleans wrecks the fortune of the foe!
His measure full, he is for harvest ripe,
And with her sickle shall the virgin come,
And reap the rank luxuriance of his pride.
Down from the heavens she tears that blazon'd fame
These English knights have hung about the stars.
Fly not! droop not!
Before the corn is yellow in the fields,
Before this moon has fill'd her globe of light,
There shall not drink an English horse
Of the sweet-flowing waters of the Loire.
_Bertrand._--Alas! the age of miracles is past.
_Johanna._--Not past! ye shall behold a miracle.
Lo! a white dove with eagle courage flies
Down on the vulture that still rends his prey,
Our mangled country. The traitor Burgundy,
The haughty Talbot that would storm the skies,
This Salisbury, scandal of the Temple's order,
And all these insolent proud islanders
Shall fly before her like a herd of lambs."

Of this prologue it has been justly said, that it might as well have
been the first scene of the first act: for it is as essential to the
progress of the piece as any one scene in the play; and the speakers
re-appear, and for very important purposes, in the body of the drama.
For our part, we look upon prologues of this description as little else
than a device of the poet to gain more space than his five acts afforded
him. When it has no connexion with the action of the piece, we wish to
know what claim it has to be there at all; and when it is so connected,
we are at a loss to perceive what end it answers, which could not be as
legit