Helen Zimmern.

MISS SARA SAMPSON.

A TRAGEDY IN FIVE ACTS.

Miss Sara Sampson, the first of Lessing's tragedies, was completed in
the year 1755, while Lessing was at Potsdam. In the same year it was
represented at Frankfort-on-the-Oder, and was very well received. It
was afterwards translated and acted in France, where it also met with
success.

The present is the first English translation which has appeared.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

Sir William Sampson.
Miss Sara Sampson, _his daughter_.
Mellefont.
Marwood, _formerly_ Mellefont's _mistress_.
Arabella, _a child, daughter of_ Marwood.
Waitwell, _an old servant of_ Sir William.
Norton, _servant of_ Mellefont.
Betty, Sara's _maid_.
Hannah, Marwood's _maid_.
_The_ Innkeeper _and others_.

MISS SARA SAMPSON.

ACT I.

Scene I.--_A room in an inn_.

Sir William Sampson, Waitwell.

SIR WILLIAM.

My daughter, here? Here in this wretched inn?

WAITWELL.

No doubt, Mellefont has purposely selected the most wretched one in the
town. The wicked always seek the darkness, because they are wicked. But
what would it help them, could they even hide themselves from the whole
world? Conscience after all is more powerful than the accusations of a
world. Ah, you are weeping again, again, Sir!--Sir!

SIR WILLIAM.

Let me weep, my honest old servant! Or does she not, do you think,
deserve my tears?

WAITWELL.

Alas! She deserves them, were they tears of blood.

SIR WILLIAM.

Well, let me weep!

WAITWELL.

The best, the loveliest, the most innocent child that ever lived
beneath the sun, must thus be led astray! Oh, my Sara, my little Sara!
I have watched thee grow; a hundred times have I carried thee as a
child in these arms, have I admired thy smiles, thy lispings. From
every childish look beamed forth the dawn of an intelligence, a
kindliness, a----

SIR WILLIAM.

Oh, be silent! Does not the present rend my heart enough? Will you make
my tortures more infernal still by recalling