Note 197 — Chapter VI

It begins, “Retrayida està la Infanta,” (Romancero, 1550,) and is one of the most tender and beautiful ballads in any language. There are translations of it by Bowring (p. 51) and by Lockhart (Spanish Ballads, London, 1823, 4to, p. 202). It has been at least four times brought into a dramatic form;—viz., by Lope de Vega, in his “Fuerza Lastimosa”; by Guillen de Castro; by Mira de Mescua; and by José J. Milanes, a poet of Havana, whose works were printed there in 1846 (3 vols. 8vo);—the three last giving their dramas simply the name of the ballad,—“Conde Alarcos.” The best of them all is, I think, that of Mira de Mescua, which is found in Vol. V. of the “Comedias Escogidas” (1653, 4to); but that of Milanes contains passages of very passionate poetry.