An Arthurian Miscellany The Town hath seldom been more divided in its Opinion, than concerning the Merit of the following Scenes. Whilst some publickly affirmed, That no Author could produce so fine a Piece but Mr. " P" , others have with as much Vehemence insistsed, That no one could write any thing so bad, but Mr. " F" .
Nor can we wonder at this Dissention about its Merit, when the learned World have not unanimously decided even the very Nature of this Tragedy. For tho' most of the Universities in " Europe" have honoured it with the Name of " Egregium " nay, Dr. " B" hath pronounced, " Citis Maevii AEneadem quam Scribleri istius Tragaediam hanc crediderim, cujus Autorem Senecam ipsum tradidisse haud dubitrim" ; and the great Professor " Burman" , hath stiled " Tom Thumb, Heroum omnium Tragicorum facil Principem". Nay, tho' it hath, among other Languages, been translated into " Dutch" , and celebrated with great Applause at " Amsterdam" (where Burlesque never came) by the Title of " Mynheer Vander Thumb" , the Burgomasters receiving it with that reverent and silent Attention, which becometh an Audience at a deep Tragedy: Notwithstanding all this, there have not been wanting some who have represented these Scenes in a ludicrous Light; and Mr. " D" hath been heard to say, with some Concern, That he wondered a Tragical and Christian Nation would permit a Representation on its Theatre, so visibly designed to ridicule and extirpate every thing that is Great and Solemn among us.
This learned Critick, and his Followers, were led into so great an Error, by that surreptitious and piratical Copy which stole last Year into the World; with what Injustice and Prejudice to our Author, I hope will be acknowledged by every one who shall happily peruse this genuine and original Copy. Nor can I help remarking, to the great Praise of our Author, that, however imperfect the former was, still did even that faint Resemblance of the true " Tom Thumb" , contain sufficient Beauties to give it a Run of upwards of Forty Nights, to the politest Audiences. But, nothwithstanding that Applause which it receiv'd from all the best Judges, it was as severely censured by some few bad ones, and I believe, rather maliciously than ignorantly, reported to have been intended a Burlesque on the loftiest Parts of Tragedy, and designed to banish what we generally call Fine Things, from the Stage.
Now, if I can set my Country right in an Affair of this Importance, I shall lightly esteem any Labour which it may cost. And this I the rather undertake, First, as it is indeed in some measure incumbent on me to vindicate myself from that surreptitious Copy before-mentioned, published by some ill-meaning People, under my Name: Secondly, as knowing my self more capable of doing Justice to our Author, than any other Man, as I have given my self more Pains to arrive at a thorough Understanding of this little Piece, having for ten Years together read nothing else; in which time, I think I may modestly presume, with the help of my English Dictionary, to comprehend all the Meanings of every Word in it.
But should any Error of my Pen awaken " Clariss. Bentleium" to enlighten the World with his Annotations on our Author, I shall not think that the least Reward or Happiness arising to me from these my Endeavours.
I shall wave at present, what hath caused such Feuds in the learned World, Whether this Piece was originally written by " Shakespear" , tho' certainly That, were it true, must add a considerable Share to its Merit; especially, with such who are so generous as to buy and to commend what they never read, from an implicit Faith in the Author only: A Faith! which our Age abounds in as much, as it can be called deficient in any other.
Let it suffice, that the " Tragedy of Tragedies" , or, " The Life and Death of Tom Thumb" , was written in the Reign of Queen " Elizabeth". Nor can the Objection made by Mr. " D" , That the Tragedy must then have been antecedent to the History, have any Weight, when we consider, That tho' the " History of Tom Thumb" , printed by and for " Edward M r" , at the Looking-Glass on " London-Bridge" , be of a later Date; still must we suppose this History to have been transcribed from some other, unless we suppose the Writer ther to be inspired: A Gift very faintly contended for by the Writers of our Age. As to this History's not bearing the Stamp of Second, Third, or Fourth Edition, I see but little in that Objection; Editions being very uncertain Lights to judge of Books by: And perhaps Mr. " M r" may have joined twenty Editions in one, as Mr. " C l" hath ere now divided one into twenty.
Nor doth the other Argument, drawn from the little Care our Author hath taken to keep up to the letter of the History, carry any greater Force. Are there not Instances of Plays, wherein the History is so perverted, that we can know the Heroes whom they celebrate by no other Marks than their Names? Nay, do we not find the same Character placed by different Poets in such different Lights, that we can discover not the least Sameness, or even Likeness in the Features? The " Sophonisba" of " Mairet" , and of " Lee" , is a tender, passionate, amorous Mistress of " Massinissa; Corneille" , and Mr. " Thomson" give her no other Passion but the Love of her Country, and make her as cool in her Affection to " Massinissa" , as to " Syphax". In the two latter, she resembles the Character of Queen " Elizabeth" ; in the two former she is the Picture of " Mary" Queen of " Scotland". In short, the one " Sophonisba" is as different from the other, as the " Brutus" of " Voltaire" , is from the " Marius" Jun. of " Otway" ; or as the " Minerva" is from the " Venus" of the Ancients.
Let us now proceed to a regular Examinatoin of the Tragedy before us, in which I shall treat separately of the Fable, the Moral, the Characters, the Sentiments, and the Diction. And first of the
" Fable" ; which I take to be the most simple imaginable; and, to use the Words of an eminent Author, 'One, regular, and uniform, not 'charged with a Multiplicity of Incidents, and yet affording several 'Revolutions of Fortune; by which the Passions may be excited, 'varied, and driven to their full Tumult of Emotion.' -- Nor is the " Action" of this Tragedy less great than uniform. The Spring of all, is the Love of " Tom Thumb" for " Huncamunca" ; which causeth the Quarrel between their Majesties in the first Act; the Passion of Lord " Grizzle" in the Second; the Rebellion, Fall of Lord " Grizzle" , and " Glumdalca" , Devouring of " Tom Thumb" by the Cow, and that bloody Catastrophe, in the Third.
Nor is the " Moral" of this excellent Tragedy less noble than the " Fable" ; it teaches these two instructive Lessons, " viz". That Human Happiness is exceeding transient, and, That Death is the certain End of all Men; the former wher is inculcated by the fatal End of " Tom Thumb" ; the latter, by that of all the other Personages.
The " Characters" are, I think, sufficeintly described in the " Dramatis Personae" ; and I believe we shall find few Plays, where greater care is taken to maintain them throughout, and to preserve in every Speech that Characteristical Mark which distinguishes them from each other. 'But (says Mr. " D" ) how well doth the " Character" of '" Tom Thumb" , whom we must call the Hero of this Tragedy, if it hath 'any Hero, agree with the Precepts of " Aristotle" , who defineth " Tragedy 'to be the Imitation of a short, but perfect Action, containing a just 'Greatness in itself" , I thought I could afford them no stronger Justification, than by producing parallel Passages out of the best of our " English" Writers. Whether this Sameness of Thought and Expression which I have quoted from them, proceeded from an Agreement in their Way of Thinking; or whether they have borrowed from our Author, I leave the Reader to determine. I shall adventure to affirm this of the Sentiments of our Author; That they are generally the most familiar which I have ever met with, and at the same time delivered with the highest Dignity of Phrase; which brings me to speak of his " Diction". -- Here I shall only beg one Postulatum, " viz". That the greatest Perfection of the Language of a Tragedy is, that it is not to be understood; which granted (as I think it must be) it will necessarily follow, that the only ways to avoid this, is by being too high or too low for the Understanding, which will comprehend every thing within its Reach. Those two extremities of Stile Mr. " Dryden" illustrates by the familiar Image of two Inns, which I shall term the Aerial and the Subterrestrial.
" Horace" goeth farther, and sheweth when it is proper to call at one of these Inns, and when at the other;
Telephus & Peleus, cm pauper & exul uterque,
Projicit Ampullas for had not " Telephus the Subterrestrial is appointed for the Entertainment of the poorer sort of People only, whom " Horace" advises,
" dolere Sermone pedestri".
The true Meaning of both which Citations is, That Bombast is the proper Language for Joy, and Doggrel for Grief, the latter of which is literally imply'd in the " Sermo pedestris" , as the former is in the " Sesquipedalia Verba".
" Cicero" recommendeth the former of these. " Quid est tam furiosum vel tragicum qum verborum sonitus inanis, null subject Sententi neque Scienti". What can be so proper for Tragedy as a Set of big sounding Words, so contrived together, as to convey no Meaning; which I shall one Day or other prove to be the Sublime of " Longinus. Ovid" declareth absolutely for the latter Inn:
" Omne genus scripti Gravitate Tragaedia vincit".
Tragedy hath of all Writings the greatest Share in the " Bathos" , which is the Profound of " Scriblerus".
I shall not presume to determine which of these two Stiles be properer for Tragedy. -- It sufficeth, that our Author excelleth in both. He is very rarely within sight through the whole Play, either rising higher than the Eye of your Understanding can soar, or sinking lower than it careth to stoop. But here it may perhaps be observed, that I have given more frequent Instances of Authors who have imitated him in the Sublime, than in the contrary. To which I answer, First, Bombast being properly a Redundancy of Genius, Instances of Nature occur in Poets whose Names do more Honour to our Author, than the Writers in the Doggerel, which proceeds from a cool, calm, weighty Way of Thinking. Instances wher are most frequently to be found in Authors of a lower Class. Secondly, That the Works of such Authors are difficultly found at all. Thirdly, That it is a very hard Task to read them, in order to extrat these Flowers from them. And Lastly, It is very often difficult to transplant them at all; they being like some Flowers of a very nice Nature, which will flourish in no Soil but their own: For it is easy to transcribe a Thought, but not the Want of one. The " Earl of Essex" , for Instance, is a little Garden of choice Rarities, whence you can scarce transplant one Line so as to perserve its original Beauty. This must account to the Reader for his missing the Names of several of his Acquaintance, which he had certainly found here, had I ever read their Works; for which, if I have not a just Esteem, I can at least say with " Cicero, Quae non contemno, quipp quae nunquam legerim". However, that the Reader may meet with due Satisfaction in this Point, I have a young Commentator from the University, who is reading over all the modern Tragedies, at Five Shillings a Dozen, and collecting all that they have stole from our Author, which shall shortly be added as an Appendix to this Work.
King \" Arthur" , A passionate sort of King, Husband to Queen " Dollallolla" , of whom he stands a little in Fear; Father to " Huncamunca" , whom he is very fond of; and in Love with " Glumdalca".
Mr. " Mullart".
Tom Thumb \" the Great" , A little Hero with a great Soul, something violent in his Temper, which is a little abated by his Love for " Huncamunca".
Young " Verhuyck".
Ghost of " Gaffar Thumb" , A whimsical sort of Ghost.
Mr. " Lacy".
Lord GRIZZLE, Extremely zealous for the Liberty of the Subject, very cholerick in his Temper, and in Love with " Huncamunca".
Mr. " Jones".
Merlin, A Conjurer, and in some sort Father to " Tom Thumb".
Mr. " Hallam".
Noodle, Courtiers in Place, and consequently of that Party that is uppermost.
Doodle, Courtiers in Place, and consequently of that Party that is uppermost.
Mr. " Reynolds".
Mr. " Wathan".
Foodle, A Courtier that is out of Place, and consequently of that Party that is undermost.
Mr. " Ayres".
Bailiff, and
Follower, Of the Party of the Plaintiff.
Mr. " Peterson".
Mr. " Hicks".
Parson, Of the Side of the Church.
Mr. " Watson".
Queen \" Dollallolla" , Wife to King " Arthur" , and Mother to " Huncamunca" , a Woman entirely faultless, saving that she is a little given to Drink; a little too much a " Virago" towards her Husband, and in Love with " Tom Thumb".
Mrs. " Mullart".
The Princess Huncamunca, Daughter to their Majesties King " Arthur" and Queen " Dollallolla" , of a very sweet, gentle, and amorous Disposition, equally in Love with Lord " Grizzle" and " Tom Thumb" , and desirous to be married to them both.
Mrs. " Jones".
Glumdalca, of the Giants, a Captive Queen, belov'd by the King, but in Love with " Tom Thumb".
Mrs. " Dove".
Cleora, Maid of Honour, in Love with " Noodle".
Mustacha, Maid of Honour, in Love with " Doodle".
\" Courtiers, Guards, Rebels, Drums, Trumpets, Thunder and Lightning".
Scene \" the Court of King" Arthur, " and a Plain thereabouts".
Doodle. Sure, such a 1 Day as this was never seen!
The Sun himself, on this auspicious Day,
Shines, like a Beau in a new Birth-Day Suit:
This down the Seams embroider'd, that the Beams.
All Nature wears one universal Grin.
Noodle. This Day, O Mr. " Doodle" , is a Day
Indeed, 2 a Day we never saw before.
The mighty 3 " Thomas Thumb" victorious comes;
Millions of Giants crowd his Chariot Wheels,
4 Giants! to whom the Giants in " Guild-hall"
Are Infant Dwarfs. They frown, and foam, and roar,
While " Thumb" regardless of their Noise rides on.
So some Cock-Sparrow in a Farmer's Yard,
Hops at the Head of an huge Flock of Turkeys.
Doodle. When Goody " Thumb" first brought this " Thomas" forth,
Noodle. I've seen a Thousand Sights this day, where none
Are by the wonderful Bitch herself outdone,
The King, the Queen, and all the Court are Sights.
Grizzle. 90 D n your Delay, you Trifler, are you drunk, ha?
I will not hear one Word but " Huncamunca".
Noodle. By this time she is married to " Tom Thumb".
Grizzle. 91 My " Huncamunca".
Noodle. Your " Huncamunca".
" Tom Thumb's Huncamunca" , every Man's " Huncamunca".
Grizzle. If this be true all Womankind are damn'd.
Noodle. If it be not, may I be so my self.
Grizzle. See where she comes! I'll not believe a Word
Against that Face, upon whose 92 ample Brow,
Sits Innocence with Majesty Enthron'd.
Grizzle, Huncamunca.
Grizzle. Where has my " Huncamunca" been? See here
The Licence in my Hand!
Huncamunca. Alas! " Tom Thumb".
Grizzle. Why dost thou mention him?
Huncamunca. Ah me! " Tom Thumb".
Grizzle. What means my lovely " Huncamunca" ?
Huncamunca. Hum!
Grizzle. Oh! Speak.
Huncamunca. Hum!
Grizzle. Ha! your every Word is Hum
93 You force me still to answer you " Tom Thumb".
" Tom Thumb" , I'm on the Rack, I'm in a Flame,
94 " Tom Thumb" , " Tom Thumb" , " Tom Thumb" , you love the Name;
So pleasing is that Sound, that were you dumb
You still would find a Voice to cry " Tom Thumb".
Huncamunca. Oh! Be not hasty to proclaim my Doom,
My ample Heart for more than one has Room,
A Maid like me, Heaven form'd at least for two,
95 I married him, and now I'll marry you.
Grizzle. Ha! dost thou own thy Falshood to my Face?
Think'st thou that I will share thy Husband's place,
Since to that Office one cannot suffice,
And since you scorn to dine one single Dish on,
Go, get your Husband put into Commission,
Commissioners to discharge, (ye Gods) it fine is,
The duty of a Husband to your Highness;
Yet think not long, I will my Rival bear,
Or unreveng'd the slighted Willow wear;
The gloomy, brooding Tempest now confin'd.
Within the hollow Caverns of my Mind,
In dreadful Whirl, shall rowl along the Coasts,
Shall thin the Land of all the Men it boasts,
96 And cram up ev'ry Chink of Hell with Ghosts.
97 So have I seen, in some dark Winter's Day,
A sudden Storm rush down the Sky's High-Way,
Sweep thro' the streets with terrible ding dong,
Gush thro' the Spouts, and wash whole Crowds along.
The crowded Shops, the thronging Vermin skreen,
Together cram the Dirty and the Clean,
And not one Shoe-Boy in the Street is seen.
Huncamunca. Oh! fatal Rashness should his Fury slay,
My hapless Bridegroom on his Wedding Day;
I, who this Morn, of two chose which to wed,
May go again this Night alone to Bed;
98 So have I seen some wild unsettled Fool,
Who had her Choice of this, and that Joint Stool;
To give the Preference to either, loath
And fondly coveting to sit on both:
While the two Stools her Sitting Part confound,
Between 'em both fall Squat upon the Ground.
Ghost. Hail! ye black Horrors of Midnight's Midnoon!
Ye Fairies, Goblins, Bats and Screech-Owls, Hail!
And Oh! ye mortal Watchmen, whose hoarse Throats
Th' Immortal Ghosts dread Croakings counterfeit,
All Hail! -- Ye dancing Fantoms, who by Day,
Are some condemn'd to fast, some feast in Fire;
Now play in Church-yards, skipping o'er the Graves,
To the 100 loud Musick of the silent Bell,
All Hail!
King. What Noise is this? -- What Villain dares,
At this dread Hour, with Feet and Voice prophane,
Disturb our Royal Walls?
Ghost. One who defines
Thy empty Power to hurt him; 101 one who dares
Walk in thy Bed-Chamber.
King. Presumptuous Slave!
Thou diest!
Ghost. Threaten others with that Word,
102 I am a Ghost, and am already dead.
King. Ye Stars! 'tis well; were thy last Hour to come,
This Moment had been it; 103 yet by thy Shrowd
I'll pull thee backward, squeeze thee to a Bladder,
'Till thou dost groan thy Nothingness away.
Ghost \" retires".
Thou fly'st! 'Tis well.
104 I thought what was the Courage of a Ghost!
Yet, dare not, on thy Life -- Why say I that,
Since Life thou hast not? -- Dare not walk again,
Within these Walls, on pain of the " Red-Sea".
For, if henceforth I ever find thee here,
As sure, sure as a Gun, I'll have thee laid --
Ghost. Were the " Red-Sea" , a Sea of " Holland's" Gin,
The Liquor (when alive) whose very Smell
I did detest, did loath -- yet for the Sake
Of " Thomas Thumb" , I would be laid therein.
King. Ha! said you?
Ghost. Yes, my Liege, I said " Tom Thumb" ,
Whose Father's Ghost I am -- once not unknown
To mighty " Arthur". But, I see, 'tis true,
The dearest Friend, when dead, we all forget.
King. 'Tis he, it is the honest Gaffer " Thumb".
Oh, let me press thee in my eager Arms,
Thou best of Ghosts! Thou something more than Ghost!
Ghost. Would I were Something more, that we again
Might feel each other in the warm Embrace.
But now I have th' Advantage of my King,
105 For I feel thee, whilst thou dost not feel me.
King. But say, 106 thou dearest Air, Oh! say, what Dread,
Important Business sends thee back to Earth?
Ghost. Oh! then prepare to hear -- which, but to hear,
Is full enough to send thy spirit hence.
Thy Subjects up in Arms, by " Grizzle" led,
Will, ere the rosy finger'd Morn shall ope
The Shutters of the Sky, before the Gate
Of this thy Toyal Palace, swarming spread:
107 So have I seen the Bees in Clusters swarm,
So have I seen the Stars in frosty Nights,
So have I seen the Sand in windy Days,
So have I seen the Ghosts on " Pluto's" Shore,
So have I seen the Flowers in Spring arise,
So have I seen the Leaves in " Autumn" fall,
So have I seen the Fruits in Summer smile,
So have I seen the Snow in Winter frown.
King. D n all thou'st seen! -- Dost thou, beneath the Shape
Of Gaffer " Thumb" , come hither to abuse me,
With Similies to keep me on the Rack?
Hence -- or by all the Torments of thy Hell,
108 I'll run thee thro' the Body, tho' thou'st none.
Ghost. \" Arthur" , beware; I must this Moment hence,
Not frighted by your Voice, but by the Cocks;
" Arthur" beware, beware, beware, beware!
Strive to avert thy yet impending Fate;
For if thou'rt kill'd To-day
To-morrow all thy Care will come too late.
King. Oh! stay, and leave me not uncertain thus!
And whilst thou tellest me what's like my Fate,
Oh, teach me how I may avert it too!
Curst be the Man who first a Simile made!
Curst, ev'ry Bard who writes! -- So have I seen
Those whose Comparisons are just and true,
And those who liken things not like at all.
The Devil is happy, that the whole Creation
Can furnish out no Simile to his Fortune.
Queen. What is the Cause, my " Arthur" , that you steal
Thus silently from " Dollallolla's" Breast?
Why dost thou leave me in the 109 Dark alone,
When well thou know'st I am afraid of Sprites?
King. Oh " Dollallolla" ! do not blame my Love;
I hop'd the Fumes of Last Night's Punch had laid
Thy lovely Eye-lids fast. -- But, Oh! I find
There is no Power in Drams, to quiet Wives;
Each Morn, as the returning Sun, they wake,
And shine upon their Husbands.
Queen. Think, Oh think!
What a Surprize it must be to the Sun,
Rising, to find the vanish'd World away.
What less can be the wretched Wife's Surprize,
When, stretching out her Arms to fold thee fast,
She folds her useless Bolster in her Arms.
110 Think, think on that -- Oh! think, think well on that.
I do remember also to have read
111 In " Dryden's Ovid's Metamorphosis" ,
That " Jove" in Form inanimate did lie
With beauteous " Danae" ; and trust me, Love
112 I fear'd the Bolster might have been a " Jove".
King. Come to my Arms, most virtuous of thy Sex;
Oh " Dollallolla" ! were all Wives like thee,
So many Husbands never had worn Horns.
Should Huncamunca of thy Worth partake,
" Tom Thumb" indeed were blest. -- Oh fatal Name!
For didst thou know one Quarter what I know,
Then would'st thou know -- Alas! what thou would'st know!
Queen. What can I gather hence? Why dost thou speak
Like Men who carry " Raree-Shows" about,
" Now you shall see, Gentlemen, what you shall see" ?
O tell me more, or thou hast told too much.
Noodle. Long life attend your Majesties serene,
Great " Arthur" , King, and " Dollallolla" , Queen!
Lord " Grizzle" , with a bold, rebellious Crowd,
Advances to the Palace, threat'ning loud,
Unless the Princess be deliver'd straight,
And the victorious " Thumb" , without his Pate,
They are resolv'd to batter down the Gate.
King. See where the Princess comes! Where is " Tom Thumb" ?
Huncamunca. Oh! Sir, about an Hour and half ago
He sallied out to encounter with the Foe,
And swore, unless his Fate had him mis-led,
From " Grizzle's" Shoulders to cut off his Head,
And serve't up with your Chocolate in Bed.
King. 'Tis well, I find one Devil told us both.
Come " Dollallolla, Huncamunca" , come,
Within we'll wait for the victorious " Thumb" ;
In Peace and Safety we secure may stay,
While to his Arm we trust the bloody Fray;
Tho' Men and Giants should conspire with Gods,
113 He is alone equal to all these Odds.
Queen. He is indeed, a 114 Helmet to us all,
While he supports, we need not fear to fall;
His Arm dispatches all things to our Wish,
And serves up every Foe's Head in a Dish.
Void is the Mistress of the House of Care,
While the good Cook presents the Bill of Fare;
Whether the Cod, that Northern King of Fish,
Or Duck, or Goose, or Pig, adorn the Dish.
No Fears the Number of her Guests afford,
But at her Hour she sees the Dinner on the Board.
Grizzle. Thus far our Arms with Victory are crown'd;
For tho' we have not fought, yet we have found
115 No Enemy to fight withal.
Foodle. Yet I,
Methinks, would willingly avoid this Day,
116 This First of " April" , to engage our Foes.
Grizzle. This Day, of all the Days of th' Year, I'd choose,
For on this Day my Grandmother was born.
Gods! I will make " Tom Thumb" an " April" Fool;
117 Will teach his Wit an Errand it ne'er knew,
And send it Post to the " Elysian" Shades.
Foodle. I'm glad to find our Army is so stout,
Nor does it move my Wonder less than Joy.
Grizzle. 118 What Friends we have, and how we came so strong,
I'll softly tell you as we march along.
Tom Thumb. Oh, " Noodle" ! hast thou seen a Day like this?
119 The unborn Thunder rumbles o'er our Heads,
120 As if the Gods meant to unhinge the World;
And Heaven and Earth in wild Confusion hurl;
Yet will I boldly tread the tott'ring Ball.
Merlin. \" Tom Thumb!"
Tom Thumb. What Voice is this I hear?
Merlin. \" Tom Thumb!"
Tom Thumb. Again it calls.
Merlin. \" Tom Thumb!"
Glumdalca. It calls again.
Tom Thumb. Appear, whoe'er thou art, I fear thee not.
Merlin. Thou hast no Cause to fear, I am thy Friend,
" Merlin" by Name, a Conjuror by Trade,
And to my Art thou dost thy Being owe.
Tom Thumb. How!
Merlin. Hear then the mystick Getting of " Tom Thumb".
121 His Father was a Ploughman plain,
His Mother milk'd the Cow;
And yet the way to get a Son,
This Couple knew not how.
Until such time the good old Man
To learned Merlin goes,
And there to him, in great Distress,
In secret manner shows;
How in his Heart he wish'd to have
A Child, in time to come,
To be his Heir, tho' it might be
No biger than his Thumb:
Of which old Merlin was foretold,
That he his Wish should have;
And so a Son of Stature small,
The Charmer to him gave.
Thou'st heard the past, look up and see the future.
Tom Thumb. 122 Lost in Amazement's Gulph, my Senses sink;
See there, " Glumdalca" , see another 123 Me!
Glumdalca. O Sight of Horror! see, you are devour'd
By the expanded Jaws of a red Cow.
Merlin. Let not these Sights deter thy noble Mind,
124 For lo! a Sight more glorious courts thy Eyes;
See from a far a Theatre arise;
There Ages yet unborn, shall Tribute pay
To the Heroick Actions of this Day:
Then Buskin Tragedy at length shall choose
Thy Name the best Supporter of her Muse.
Tom Thumb. Enough, let every warlike Musick sound,
We fall contented, if we fall renown'd.
Foodle. At length the Enemy advances nigh,
125 I hear them with my Ear, and see them with my Eye.
Grizzle. Draw all your Swords, for Liberty we fight,
126 And Liberty the Mustard is of Life.
Tom Thumb. Are you the Man whom Men fam'd " Grizzle" name?
Grizzle. 127 Are you the much more fam'd " Tom Thumb" ?
Tom Thumb. The same.
Grizzle. Come on, our Worth upon our selves we'll prove,
For Liberty I fight.
Tom Thumb. And I for Love.
\" A bloody Engagement between the two Armies here, Drums beating, Trumpets sounding, Thunder and Lightning. -- They fight off and on several times. Some fall". Grizzle \" and" Glumdalca \" remain". Glumdalca. Turn, Coward, turn, nor from a Woman fly.
Grizzle. Away -- thou art too ignoble for my Arm.
Glumdalca. Have at thy Heart.
Grizzle. Nay then, I thrust at thine.
Glumdalca. You push too well, you've run me thro' the Guts,
And I am dead.
Grizzle. Then there's an End of One.
Tom Thumb. When thou art dead, then there's an End of Two,
138 Howl Wolves, grunt Bears, hiss Snakes, shriek all ye Ghosts!
King. What does the Blockhead mean?
Noodle. I mean, my Liege
139 Only to grace my Tale with decent Horror;
Whilst from my Garret, twice two Stories high,
I look'd abroad into the Streets below;
I saw " Tom Thumb" attended by the Mob,
Twice Twenty Shoe-Boys, twice two Dozen Links,
Chairmen and Porters, Hackney-Coachmen, Whores;
Aloft he bore the grizly Head of " Grizzle" ;
When of a sudden thro' the Streets there came
A Cow, of larger than the usual Size,
And in a Moment -- guess, Oh! guess the rest!
And in a Moment swallow'd up " Tom Thumb".
King. Shut up again the Prisons, bid my Treasurer
Not give three Farthings out -- hang all the " Culprits" ,
Guilty or not -- no matter -- Ravish Virgins,
Go bid the Schoolmasters whip all their Boys;
Let Lawyers, Parsons, and Physicians loose,
To rob, impose on, and to kill the World.
Noodle. Her Majesty the Queen is in a Swoon.
Queen. Not so much in a swoon, but I have still
Strength to reward the Messenger of ill News.
" Kills" Noodle.
Noodle. Oh! I am slain.
Cleora. My Lover's kill'd, I will revenge him so.
" Kills the" Queen.
Huncamunca. My Mamma kill'd! vile Murtheress, beware.
" Kills" Cleora.
Doodle. This for an old Grudge, to thy Heart.
" Kills" Huncamunca.
Mustacha. And this
I drive to thine, Oh " Doodle" ! for a new one.
" Kills" Doodle.
King. Ha! Murtheress vile, take that
" Kills" Mustacha.
140 And take thou this.
" Kills himself, and falls".
So when the Child whom Nurse from Danger guards,
Sends " Jack" for Mustard with a Pack of Cards;
Kings, Queens and Knaves throw one another down,
'Till the whole Pack lies scatter'd and o'erthrown;
So all our Pack upon the Floor is cast,
And all I boast is -- that I fall the last.
" Dies".
1 " Corneille" recommends some very remarkable Day, wherein to fix the Action of a Tragedy. This the best of our Tragical Writers have understood to mean a Day remarkable for the Serenity of the Sky, or what we generally call a fine Summer's Day: So that according to this their Exposition, the same Months are proper for Tragedy, which are proper for Pastoral. Most of our celebrated " English" Tragedies, as " Cato, Mariamne, Tamerlane" ,
The Morning dawns with an unwonted Crimson,
The Flowers all odorous seem, the Garden Birds
Sing louder, and the laughing Sun ascends,
The gaudy Earth with an unusual brightness,
All Nature smiles. (Caes. Borg.) " Massinissa" in the new " Sophonisba" is also a Favourite of the Sun;
-- The Sun too seems
As conscious of my Joy with broader Eye
To look abroad the World, and all things smile
Like Sophonisba. " Memnon" in the " Persian Princess" , makes the Sun decline rising, that he may not peep on Objects, which would prophane his Brightness.
-- The Morning rises slow,
And all those ruddy Streaks that us'd to paint
The Days Approach, are lost in Clouds as if
The Horrors of the Night had sent 'em back,
To warn the Sun, he should not leave the Sea,
To Peep , for I have heard of no other sort of Giants in the Reign of King " Arthur. Petrus Burmanus" makes three " Tom Thumbs" , one wher he supposes to have been the same Person whom the " Greeks" called " Hercules" , and that by these Giants are to be understood the " Centaurs" slain by that Heroe. Another " Tom Thumb" he contends to have been no other than the " Hermes Trismegistus" of the Antients. The third " Tom Thumb" he places under the Reign of King " Arthur" , to which third " Tom Thumb" , says he, the Actions of the other two were attributed. Now tho' I know that this Opinion is supported by an Assertion of " Justus Lipsius, Thomam illum Thumbum non alium quam Herculem fuisse satis constat" ; yet shall I venture to oppose one Line of Mr. " Midwinter" , against them all,
" In" Arthur's " Court" Tom Thumb " did live".
But then, says Dr. " B y" , if we place " Tom Thumb" in the Court of King " Arthur" , it will be proper to place that Court out of " Britain" , where no Giants were ever heard of. " Spencer" , in his " Fairy Queen" , is of another Opinion, where describing " Albion" he says,
-- Far within a salvage Nation dwelt
Of hideous Giants.
And in the same Canto,
" Then" Elfar, who two Brethren Giants had,
The one of which had two Heads --
The other three.
Risum teneatis, Amici.
5 To whisper in Books says Mr. " D s" is errant Nonsense. I am afraid this learned Man does not sufficiently understand the extensive meaning of the Word Whisper. If he had rightly understood what is meant by the " Senses Whisp'ring the Soul" in the " Persian Princess" , or what " Whisp'ring like Winds" is in " Aurengzebe" , or like Thunder in another Author, he would have understood this. " Emmeline" in " Dryden" sees a Voice, but she was born blind, which is an Excuse " Panthea" cannot plead in " Cyrus" , who hears a sight.
-- Your Description will surpass,
All Fiction, Painting, or dumb Shew of Horror,
That ever Ears yet heard, or Eyes beheld.
When Mr. " D s" understands these he will understand Whisp'ring in Books.
6 -- \" Some Ruffian stept into his Father's Place" ,
And more than half begot him. (" Mary Q. of Scots").
7 -- \" For" Ulamar " seems" sent Express from Heaven,
" To civilize this rugged" Indian " Clime". (Liberty Asserted.)
8 " Omne majus continet in se minus, sed minus non in se majus continere potest" , says " Scaliger" in " Thumbo". - I suppose he would have cavilled at these beautiful Lines in the Earl of " Essex" ;
-- Thy most inveterate Soul,
That looks through the foul Prison of thy Body.
And at those of Dryden,
The Palace is without too well design'd,
Conduct me in, for I will view thy Mind. (Aurengzebe.)
9 Mr. " Banks" hath copied this almost Verbatim,
" It was enough to say, here's" Essex come,
And Nurses still'd their Children with the fright. (E. of " Essex".)
10 The Trumpet in a Tragedy is generally as much as to say enter King: Which makes Mr. " Banks" in one of his Plays call it the Trumpets's formal Sound.
11 " Phraortes" in the " Captives" seems to have been acquainted with King " Arthur".
Proclaim a Festival for seven Days space,
Let the Court shine in all its Pomp and Lustre,
Let all our Streets resound with Shouts of Joy;
Let Musick's Care-dispelling Voice be heard,
The sumptuous Banquet, and the flowing Goblet
Shall warm the Cheek, and fill the Heart with Gladness.
Astarbe shall sit Mistress of the Feast.
12 " Repentance" frowns on " thy contracted Brow". (Sophonisba.)
" Hung on his clouded Brow, I mark'd Despair". (Ibid.)
"" -- A sullen Gloom,
"" Scowls on his Brow. (Busiris.)
13 \" Plato" is of this Opinion, and so is Mr. " Banks" ;
" Behold these Tears sprung from fresh Pain and Joy". (E. of " Essex".)
14 These Floods are very frequent in the Tragick Authors.
Near to some murmuring Brook I'll lay me down,
Whose Waters if they should too shallow flow,
My Tears shall swell them up till I will drown. (Lee's Sophonisba.)
Pouring forth Tears at such a lavish Rate,
That were the World on Fire, they might have drown'd
The Wrath of Heav'n, and quench'd the mighty Ruin. (Mithridates.)
One Author changes the Waters of Grief to those of Joy,
-- These Tears that sprung from Tides of Grief,
Are now augmented to a Flood of Joy. (Cyrus the Great.)
Another,
Turns all the Streams of Hates, and makes them flow
In Pity's Channel. (Royal Villain.)
One drowns himself,
" -- Pity like a Torrent" pours me down,
Now I am drowning all within a Deluge. (Anna Bullen.)
" Cyrus" drowns the whole world,
Our swellin Grief
Shall melt into a Deluge, and the World
Shall drown in Tears. (Cyrus the Great.)
15 An Expression vastly beneath the Dignity of Tragedy, says Mr. " D s" , yet we find the Word he cavils at in the Mouth of " Mithridates" less properly used and applied to a more terrible Idea;
" I would be drunk with Death". (Mithrid.)
The Author of the New " Sophonisba" taketh hold of this Monosyllable, and uses it pretty much to the same purpose,
" The" Carthaginian " Sword with" Roman Blood
Was drunk.
I would ask Mr. " D s" which gives him the best Idea, a drunken King, or a drunken Sword?
Mr. " Tate" dresses up King " Arthur's" Resolution in Heroicks,
Merry, my Lord, o' th' Captain's Humour right,
I am resolv'd to be dead drunk to Night.
Lee also uses this charming Word;
" Love's the Drunkenness of the Mind". (Gloriana.)
16 \" Dryden" hath borrowed this, and applied it improperly,
" I'm half Seas o'er in Death". (Cleom.)
17 This Figure is in great use among the Tragedians;
" 'Tis therefore, therefore 'tis". (Victim.)
" I long repent, repent and long again". (Busiris.)
18 A Tragical Exclamation.
19 This Line is copied verbatim in the " Captives".
20We find a Candlestick for this Candle in two celebrated Authors;
-- Each Star withdraws
His golden Head and burns within the Socket. (Nero.)
" A Soul grown old and sunk into the Socket". (Sebastian.)
21 This Simile occurs very frequently among the Dramatick Writers of both Kinds.
22 Mr. Lee hath stolen this Thought from our Author;
-- This perfect Face, drawn by the Gods in Council,
Which they were long a making. (Lu. Jun. Brut.)
-- At his Birth, the heavenly Council paus'd,
And then at last cry'd out, This is a Man!
Dryden hath improved this Hint to the utmost Perfection:
So perfect, that the very Gods who form'd you, wonder'd
At their own Skill, and cry'd, A lucky Hit
Has mended our Design! Their Envy hindred,
Or you had been Immortal, and a Pattern,
When Heaven would work for Ostentation sake,
To copy out again. (All for Love.)
" Banks" prefers the Works of " Michael Angelo" to that of the Gods;
A Pattern for the Gods to make a Man by,
Or Michael Angelo " to form a Statue".
23 It is impossible says Mr. " W " sufficiently to admire this natural easy Line.
24 This Tragedy which in most Points resembles the Antients differs from them in this, that it assigns the same Honour to Lowness of Stature, which they did to Height. The Gods and Heroes in " Homer" and " Virgil" are continually described higher by the Head than their Followers, the contrary of which is observ'd by our Author: In short, to exceed on either side is equally admirable, and a Man of three Foot is as wonderful a sight as a Man of nine.
25 "" My Blood leaks fast, and the great heavy lading
My Soul will quickly sink. (Mithrid.)
" My Soul is like a Ship". (Injur'd Love.)
26 This well-bred Line seems to be copied in the " Persian Princess" ;
\" To be your humblest, and most faithful Slave".
27 This Doubt of the King puts me in mind of a Passage in the " Captives" , where the Noise of Feet is mistaken for the Rustling of Leaves,
-- Methinks I hear
The sound of Feet
No, 'twas the Wind that shook yon Cypress Boughs.
28 Mr. " Dryden" seems to have had this Passage in his Eye in the first Page of " Love Triumphant".
29 " Don Carlos" in the Revenge suns himself in the Charms of his Mistress,
" While in the Lustre of her Charms I lay".
30 A tragical phrase much in use.
31 This Speech hath been taken to pieces by several Tragical Authors who seem to have rifled it and shared its Beauties among them.
My soul waits at the Portal of thy Breast,
To ravish from thy Lips the welcome News. (Anna Bullen.)
" My Soul stands listening at my Ears". (Cyrus the Great.)
Love to his Tune my jarring Heart would bring,
But Reason overwinds and cracks the String. (D. of Guise.)
-- I should have lov'd,
Tho' Jove " in " muttering " Thunder had forbid it". (New Sophonisba.)
" And when it" (my Heart) wild resolves to love no more,
Then is the Triumph of excessive Love. (Ibidem.)
32 \" Massinissa" is one fourth less happy than " Tom Thumb".
" Oh! happy, happy, happy." (New Sophonisba.)
33 \" No by my self." (Anna Bullen.)
34 -- Who caus'd
This dreadful Revolution in my Fate?
Ulamar. " Who but a Dog, who but a Dog?" (Liberty Asserted.)
35 -- A Bride,
Who twenty Years lay loving " by your side". (Banks.)
36 For born upon a Cloud, from high I'll fall,
And rain down Royal Vengeance on you all. (Albion Queens.)
37 An Information very like this we have in the " Tragedy of Love" , where " Cyrus" having stormed in the most violent manner, " Cyaxares" observes very calmly,
" Why, Nephew Cyrus -- " you are mov'd.
38 'Tis in your Choice,
Love me, or love me not! (Conquest of Granada.)
39 There is not one Beauty in this Charming Speech, but hath been borrowed by almost every Tragick Writer.
40 Mr. " Banks" has (I wish I could not say too servilely) imitated this of " Grizzle" in his " Earl of Essex."
" Where art thou " Essex, "
Why sayst thou so, I love thee well, indeed
I do, and thou shalt find by this, 'tis true.
Or with this in Cyrus;
The most heroick Mind that ever was.
And with above half of the modern Tragedies.
47 " Aristotle" in that excellent Work of his which is very justly stiled his Masterpiece, earnestly recommends using the Terms of Art, however coarse or even indecent they may be. Mr. " Tate" is of the same Opinion.
Bru. Do not, like young Hawks, fetch a Course about,
Your Game flies fair.
Fra. " Do not fear it".
He answers you in your own " Hawking Phrase". (Injur'd Love.)
I think these two great Authorities are sufficient to justify " Dollalolla" in the use of the Phrase -- " Hie away hie" ; when in the same Line she says she is speaking to a setting Dog.
48 We meet with such another Pair of Scales in " Dryden's" King " Arthur".
Arthur " and " Oswald and their different Fates,
Are weighing now within the Scales of Heav'n
Also in Sebastian.
" This Hour my Lot is weighing in the Scales".
49 Mr. " Rowe" is generally imagin'd to have taken some Hints from this Scene in his Character of " Bajazet" ; but as he, of all the Tragick Writers, bears the least Resemblance to our Author in his Diction, I am unwilling to imagine he would condescend to copy him in this particular.
50 This method of surprizing an Audience by raising their Expectation to the highest Pitch, and then baulking it, hath been practis'd with great Success by most of our Tragical Authors.
51 " Almeyda" in " Sebastian" is in the same Distress;
Sometimes methinks I hear the Groan of Ghosts,
Thin hollow Sounds and lamentable Screams;
Then, like a dying Echo from afar,
My Mother's Voice that cries, wed not Almeyda
" Forewarn'd" , Almeyda, " Marriage is thy Crime".
52 As very well he may if he hath any Modesty in him, says Mr. " D s". The Author of " Busiris" , is extremely zealous to prevent the Sun's blushing at any indecent Object; and therefore on all such Occasions he addresses himself to the Sun, and desires him to keep out of the way.
Rise never more, O Sun! let Night prevail,
Eternal Darkness close the World's wide Scene. (Busiris.)
" Sun hide thy Face and put the World in Mourning." (Ibid.)
Mr. " Banks" makes the Sun perform the Office of " Hymen" ; and therefore not likely to be disgusted at such a Sight;
" The Sun sets forth like a gay Brideman with you". (Mary Q. of Scots.)
53 \" Nourmahal" sends the same Message to Heaven;
For I would have you, when you upwards move,
Speak kindly of us, to our Friends above. (Aurengzebe.)
We find another to Hell, in the " Persian" Princess;
Villain, get thee down
To Hell, and tell them that the Fray's begun.
54 \" Anthony" gives the same Command in the same Words.
56 Nothing is more common than these seeming Contradictions; such as,
" Haughty Weakness." (Victim.)
" Great small World". (Noah's Flood.)
57 \" Lee" hath improv'd this Metaphor.
Dost thou not view Joy peeping from my Eyes,
The Casements open'd wide to gaze on thee;
So Rome's glad Citizens to Windows rise,
When they some young Triumpher fain would see. (Gloriana.)
58 \" Almahide" hath the same Contempt for these Appetites;
" To eat and drink can no Perfection be". (Conquest of Granada.)
The Earl of " Essex" is of a different Opinion, and seems to place the chief Happiness of a General therein.
Were but Commanders half so well rewarded,
Then they might eat. (Banks' Earl of Essex.)
But if we may believe one, who knows more than either, the Devil himself; we shall find Eating to be an Affair of more moment than is generally imagined.
" Gods are immortal only by their Food". (Lucifer in the State of Innocence.)
59 This Expression is enough of it self (says Mr. " D s" ) utterly to destroy the Character of " Huncamunca" ; yet we find a Woman of no abandon'd Character in " Dryden" , adventuring farther and thus excusing her self;
To speak our Wishes first, forbid it Pride,
forbid it Modesty: True, they forbid it,
But Nature does not, when we are athirst,
Or hungry, will imperious Nature stay,
Nor eat, nor drink, before 'tis bid fall on. (Cleomenes.)
" Cassandra" speaks before she is asked. " Huncamunca" afterwards.
" Cassandra" speaks her Wishes to her Lover.
Huncamunca " only to her Father."
60 Her Eyes resistless Magick bear,
Angels I see, and Gods are dancing there. (Lee's Sophonisba.)
61 Mr. " Dennis" in that excellent Tragedy, called " Liberty Asserted" , which is thought to have given so great a Stroke to the late " French" King, hath frequent Imitations of this beautiful Speech of King Arthur;
Conquest light'ning in his Eyes, and thund'ring in his Arm.
Joy lighten'd in her Eyes.
Joys like Light'ning dart along my Soul.
62 Jove with excessive Thund'ring tir'd above,
Comes down for Ease, enjoys a Nymph, and then
Mounts dreadful, and to Thund'ring goes again. (Gloriana.)
63 This beautiful Line, which ought, says Mr. " W " to be written in Gold, is imitated in the New " Sophonisba" ;
Oh! " Sophonisba, Sophonisba" , oh!
Oh! " Narva, Narva" , oh!
The Author of a Song call'd Duke upon Duke, hath improv'd it.
" Alas! O " Nick, " O" Nick, " alas!"
Where, by the help of a little false Spelling, you have two Meanings in the repeated Words.
64 " Edith" , in the " Bloody Brother" , speaks to her Lover in the same familiar Language.
" Your Grace is full of Game".
65 "" Traverse the glitt'ring Chambers of the Sky,
Born on a Cloud in view of Fate I'll lie,
And press her Soul while Gods stand wishing by. (Hannibal.)
66 Let the four Winds from distant Corners meet,
And on their Wings first bear it into France;
" Then back again to " Edina's proud Walls,
Till Victim to the Sound th' aspiring City falls. (Albion Queens.)
67 I do not remember any Metaphors so frequent in the Tragick Poets as those borrow'd from Riding Post;
" The Gods and Opportunity ride Post". (Hannibal.)
-- Let's rush together,
For Death rides Post. (Duke of Guise.)
" Destruction gallops to thy murther Post". (Gloriana.)
68 This Image too very often occurs;
-- Bright as when thy Eye
'First lighted up our Loves. (Aurengzebe.)
" This not a Crown alone lights up my Name". (Busiris.)
69 There is great Dissension among the Poets concerning the Method of making Man. One tells his Mistress that the Mold she was made in being lost, Heaven cannot form such another. " Lucifer" in " Dryden" , gives a merry Description of his own Formation;
Whom Heaven neglecting, made and scarce design'd,
But threw me in for Number to the rest. (State of Innocence.)
In one Place, the same Poet supposes Man to be made of Metal;
I was form'd
Of that coarse Metal, which when she was made,
The Gods threw by for Rubbish. (All for Love.)
In another, of Dough;
When the Gods moulded up the Paste of Man,
Some of their Clay was left upon their Hands,
And so they made Egyptians. (Cleomenes.)
In another of Clay;
" -- Rubbish of remaining Clay". (Sebastian.)
One makes the Soul of Wax;
" Her waxen Soul begins to melt apace." (Anna Bullen.)
Another of Flint;
Sure our two Souls have somewhere been acquainted
In former Beings, or struck out together,
One Spark to Africk " flew, and one to " Portugal. (Sebastian.)
To omit the great Quantities of Iron, Brazen and Leaden Souls which are so plenty in modern Authors -- I cannot omit the Dress of a Soul as we find it in Dryden;
Souls shirted but with Air. (King Arthur.)
Nor can I pass by a particular sort of Soul in a particular sort of Description, in the New Sophonisba.
Ye mysterious Powers,
-- Whether thro' your gloomy Depths I wander,
Or on the Mountains walk; give me the calm,
The steady smiling Soul, where Wisdom sheds
Eternal Sun-shine, and eternal Joy.
70 This Line Mr. " Banks" has plunder'd entire in his " Anna Bullen".
71 "" Good Heaven, the Book of Fate before me lay,
But to tear out the Journal of that Day.
Or if the Order of the World below,
Will not the Gap of one whole Day allow,
Give me that Minute when she made her Vow. (Conquest of Granada.)
72 I know some of the Commentators have imagined, that Mr. " Dryden" , in the " Altercative" Scene between " Cleopatra" and " Octavia" , a Scene which Mr. " Addison" inveighs against with great Bitterness, is much beholden to our Author. How just this their Observation is, I will not presume to determine.
73 A cobling Poet indeed, says Mr. " D". and yet I believe we may find as monstrous Images in the Tragick-Authors: I'll put down one;
Untie your folded Thoughts, and let them dangle loose as a
Bride's Hair. (Injur'd Love.)
Which Lines seem to have as much Title to a Milliner's Shop, as our Author's to a Shoemaker's.
74 Mr. " L " takes occasion in this Place to commend the great Care of our Author to preserve the Metre of Blank Verse, in which " Shakespear, Johnson" and " Fletcher" were so notoriously negligent; and the Moderns, in Imitation of our Author, so laudably observant;
-- Then does
Your Majesty believe that he can be
A Traitor! (Earl of Essex.)
Every Page of " Sophonisba" gives us Instances of this Excellence.
75 "" Love mounts and rowls about my stormy Mind. (Aurengzebe.)
" Tempests and Whirlwinds thro' my Bosom move." (Cleom.)
76 With such a furious Tempest on his Brow,
As if the World's four Winds were pent within
His blustring Carcase. (Anna Bullen.)
77 Verba Tragica.
78 This Speech hath been terribly maul'd by the Poets.
79 -- My Life is worn to Rags;
Not worth a Prince's wearing. (Love Triumph.)
80 Must I beg the Pity of my Slave?
Must a King beg! But Love's a greater King,
A Tyrant, nay a Devil that possesses me.
He tunes the Organ of my Voice and speaks,
Unknown to me, within me. (Sebastian.)
81 When thou wer't form'd, Heaven did a Man begin;
But a Brute Soul by chance was shuffled in. (Aurengzebe.)
82 -- I am a Multitude,
Of walking Griefs. (New Sophonisba.)
83 I will take thy Scorpion Blood,
And lay it to my Grief till I have Ease. (Anna Bullen.)
84 Our Author, who every where shews his great Penetration into human Nature, here outdoes himself: Where a less judicious Poet would have raised a long Scene of whining Love. He who understood the Passions better, and that so violent an Affection as this must be too big for Utterance, chooses rather to send his Characters off in this sullen and doleful manner: In which admirable Conduct he is imitated by the Author of the justly celebrated " Eurydice". Dr. " Young" seems to point at this Violence of Passion;
-- Passion choaks
Their Words, and they're the Statues of Despair.
And " Seneca" tells us, " Curaeleves Loquuntur, ingentes stupent". The Story of the " Egyptian" King in " Herodotus" is too well known to need to be inserted; I refer the more curious Reader to the excellent " Montagne" , who hath written an Essay on this Subject.
85 "\" To part is Death --
-- 'Tis Death to part.
-- Ah.
-- Oh. (Don Carlos.)
86 \" " Nor know I whether,
What am I, who or where, (Busiris.)
" I was I know not what, and am I know not how." (Gloriana.)
87 To understand sufficiently the Beauty of this Passage, it will be necessary that we comprehend every Man to contain two Selfs. I shall not attempt to prove this from Philosophy, which the Poets make so plainly evident.
One runs away from the other;
Let me demand your Majesty,
Why fly you from your self? (Duke of Guise.)
In a " 2d." One Self is a Guardian to the other;
" Leave me the Care of me". (Conquest of Granada.)
Again, " My self am to my self less near". (Ibid.)
In the same, the first Self is proud of the second;
" I my self am proud of me". (State of Innocence.)
In a " 3d." Distrustful of him;
Fain I would tell, but whisper it in mine Ear,
That none besides might hear, nay not my self. (Earl of Essex.)
In a " 4th." Honours him;
" I honour " Rome,
" But honour too my self". (Sophonisba.)
In a " 5th." At Variance with him;
" Leave me not thus at Variance with my self". (Busiris.)
Again, in a 6th.
I find my self divided from my self. (Medea.)
" She seemed the sad Effigies of her self." (Albion Queens.)
" Assist me, " Zulema, if thou would'st be
The Friend thou seemest, assist me against me.
From all which it appears, that there are two Selfs; and therefore " Tom Thumb's" losing himself is no such Solecism as it hath been represented by Men, rather ambitious of Criticizing, than qualify'd to Criticize.
88 Mr. " F " imagines this Parson to have been a " Welsh" one from his Simile.
89 Our Author hath been plunder'd here according to Custom;
" Great Nature" break thy Chain that links together,
The Fabrick of the World and make a Chaos,
" Like that within my Soul". (Love Triumphant.)
-- Startle Nature, unfix the Globe,
And hurl it from its Axle-tree and Hinges. (Albion Queens.)
" The tott'ring Earth seems sliding off its Props."
90 D n your delay, ye Torturers proceed,
I will not hear one Word but Almahide. (Conq. of Granada.)
91 Mr. " Dryden" hath imitated this in " All for Love".
92 This Miltonick Stile abounds in the New " Sophonisba".
-- And on her ample Brow
Sat Majesty.
93 Your ev'ry Answer, still so ends in that,
You force me still to answer you Morat. (Aurengzebe.)
94 Morat, Morat, Morat, " You love the Name". (Aurengzebe.)
95 Here is a Sentiment for the Virtuous " Huncamunca" (says Mr. " D s" ) and yet with the leave of this great Man, the Virtuous " Panthea" in " Cyrus" , hath an Heart every whit as Ample;
For two I must confess are Gods to me,
Which is my Abradatus" first, and thee." (Cyrus the Great.)
Nor is the Lady in " Love Triumphant" more reserv'd, tho' not so intelligible;
-- I am so divided,
That I grieve most for both, and love both most.
96 A ridiculous Supposition to any one, who considers the great and extensive Largeness of Hell, says a Commentator: But not so to those who consider the great Expansion of immaterial Substance. Mr. " Banks" makes one Soul to be so expanded that Heaven could not contain it;
" The Heavens are all too narrow for her Soul". (Virtue Betray'd.)
The " Persian Princess" hath a Passage not unlike the Author of this;
We will send such Shoals of murther'd Slaves,
Shall glut Hell's empty Regions.
This threatens to fill Hell even tho' it were empty; Lord " Grizzle" only to fill up the Chinks, supposing the rest already full.
97 Mr. " Addisoin" is generally thought to have had this Simile in his Eye, when he wrote that beautiful one at the end of the third Act of his " Cato".
98 This beautiful simile is founded on a Proverb, which does Honour to the " English" Language;
" Between two Stools the Breech falls to the Ground."
I am not so pleased with any written Remains of the Ancients, as with those little Aphorisms, which verbal Tradition hath delivered down to us, under the Title of Proverbs. It were to be wished that instead of filling their Pages with the fabulous Theology of the Pagans, our modern Poets would think it worth their while to enrich their Works with the Proverbial Sayings of their Ancestors. Mr. " Dryden" hath chronicl'd one in Heroick;
" Two ifs scarce make one Possibility". (Conquest of Granada.)
My Lord " Bacon" is of Opinion, that whatever is known of Arts and Sciences might be proved to have lurked in the Proverbs of " Solomon". I am of the same Opinion in relation to those abovemention'd: At least I am confident that a more perfect System of Ethicks, as well as Oeconomy, might be compiled out of them, than is at present extant, either in the Works of the Antient Philosophers, or those more valuable, as more voluminous, ones of the modern Divines.
99 Of all the Particulars in which the modern Stage falls short of the ancient, there is none so much to be lamented, as the great Scarcity of Ghosts in the latter. Whence this proceeds, I will not presume to determine. Some are of opinion, that the Moderns are unequal to that sublime Language which a Ghost ought to speak. One says ludicrously, That Ghosts are out of Fashion; another, That they are properer for Comedy; forgetting, I suppose, that " Aristotle" hath told us, That a Ghost is the Soul of Tragedy; for so I render the which M. " Dacier" , amongst others, hath mistaken; I suppose mis-led, by not understanding the " Fabula" of the " Latins" , which signifies a " Ghost" as well as a " Fable".
" -- Te premet nox, fabulaeque Manes" (Hor.)
Of all the Ghosts that have ever appeared on the Stage, a very learned and judicious foreign Critick, gives the Preference to this of our Author. These are his Words, speaking of this Tragedy;
" -- Nec quidquam in ill admirabilius quam Phasma quoddam horrendum, quod omnibus aliis Spectris, quibuscum scatet Anglorum Tragaedia, long (pace D isii V. Doctiss. dixerim) praetulerim."
100 We have already given Instances of this Figure.
101 \" Almanzor" reasons in the same manner;
-- A Ghost I'll be,
And from a Ghost, you know, no Place is free. (Conq. of Granada.)
102 \" The Man who writ this wretched Pun" (says (Mr. " D." ) " would have picked your Pocket:" Which he proceeds to shew, not only bad in it self, but doubly so on so solemn an Occasion. And yet in that excellent Play of " Liberty Asserted" , we find something very much resembling a Pun in the Mouth of a Mistress, who is parting with the Lover she is fond of;
Ul. " Oh, mortal Woe! one Kiss, and then farewel."
Irene. The Gods have given to others to fare well.
O miserably must Irene fare.
Agamemnon , in the " Victim" , is full as facetious on the most solemn Occasion, that of Sacrificing his Daughter;
Yes, Daughter, yes; you will assist the Priest;
Yes, you must offer up your -- Vows for Greece.
103 I'll pull thee backwards by thy Shrowd to Light,
Or else, I'll squeeze thee, like a Bladder, there,
And make thee groan thy self away to Air. (Conquest of Granada.)
" Snatch me, ye Gods, this Moment into Nothing." (Cyrus the Great.)
104 So, art thou gone? Thou canst no Conquest boast,
I thought what was the Courage of a Ghost. (Conquest of Granada.)
King " Arthur" seems to be as brave a Fellow as " Almanzor" , who says most heroically,
" -- In spight of Ghosts, I'll on."
105 The Ghost of " Lausaria" in " Cyrus" is a plain Copy of this, and is therefore worth reading.
" Ah" , Cyrus!
Thou may'st as well grasp Water, or fleet Air,
As think of touching my immortal Shade. (Cyrus the Great.)
106 \" Thou better Part of heavenly Air." (Conquest of Granada.)
107 \" A String of Similies" (says one) " proper to be hung up in the Cabinet of a Prince".
108 This Passage hath been understood several different Ways by the Commentators. For my part, I find it difficult to understand it at all. Mr. " Dryden" says,
I have heard something how two Bodies meet,
But how two Souls join, I know not.
So that 'till the Body of a Spirit be better understood, it will be difficult to understand how it is possible to run him through it.
109 \" Cydaria" is of the same fearful Temper with " Dollallolla" ;
" I never durst in Darkness be alone." (Ind. Emp.)
110 \" Think well of this, think that, think every way." (Sophonisba.)
111 These Quotations are more usual in the Comick, than in the Tragick Writers.
112 \" This Distress" (says Mr. " D " ) " I must allow to be extremely beautiful, and tends to heighten the virtuous Character of " Dollallolla, " who is so exceeding delicate, that she is in the highest Apprehension from the inanimate Embrace of a Bolster. An Example worthy of Imitation from all our Writers of Tragedy".
113 Credat Judaeus Apelles.
Non ego -- (Says Mr. " D." ) -- " For, passing over the Absurdity of being equal to Odds, can we possibly suppose a little insignificant Fellow - I say again, a little insignificant Fellow able to vie with a Strength which all the " Sampsons" and " Hercules's " of Antiquity would be unable to encounter."
I shall refer this incredulous Critick to Mr. " Dryden's" Defence of his " Almanzor" ; and lest that should not satisfy him, I shall quote a few Lines from the Speech of a much braver Fellow than " Almanzor" , Mr. Johnson's Achilles;
Tho' Human Race rise in embattel'd Hosts,
" To force her from my Arms -- Oh! Son of" Atreus!
By that immortal Pow'r, whose deathless Spirit
Informs this Earth, I will oppose them all. (Victim.)
114 \" I have heard of being supported by a Staff" (says Mr. " D." ) " but never of being supported by an Helmet". I believe he never heard of Sailing with Wings, which he may read in no less a Poet than Mr. " Dryden" ;
" Unless we borrow Wings, and sail thro' Air." (Love Triumphant.)
What will he say to a kneeling Valley?
-- I'll stand
Like a safe Valley, that low bends the Knee,
To some aspiring Mountain. (Injur'd Love.)
I am asham'd of so ignorant a Carper, who doth not know that an Epithet in Tragedy is very often no other than an Expletive. Do not we read in the New " Sophonisba" of " grinding Chains, blue Plagues, white Occasions" , and " blue Serenity" ? Nay, 'tis not the Adjective only, but sometimes half a Sentence is put by way of Expletive, as, " Beauty pointed high with Spirit" , in the same Play -- and, " In the Lap of Blessing, to be most curst" , in the Revenge.
115 A Victory like that of " Almanzor".
Almanzor " is victorious without Fight". (Conq. of Granada.)
116 Well have we chose an happy Day for Fight,
For every Man in course of Time has found,
Some Days are lucky, some unfortunate. (K. Arthur.)
117 We read of such another in Lee;
Teach his rude Wit a Flight she never made,
And sent her Post to the Elysian" Shade." (Gloriana.)
118 These Lines are copied " Verbatim" in the " Indian Emperor".
119 \" Unborn Thunder rolling in a Cloud." (Conq. of Gran.)
120 Were Heaven and Earth in wild Confusion hurl'd,
Should the rash Gods unhinge the rolling World,
Undaunted, would I tread the tott'ring Ball,
Crush'd, but unconquer'd, in the dreadful Fall. (Female Warrior.)
121 See the History of " Tom Thumb" , pag. 2.
122 -- Amazement swallows up my Sense,
And in th' impetuous Whirl of circling Fate,
Drinks down my Reason. (Pers. Princess.)
123 -- I have outfaced my self,
What! am I two? Is there another Me? (K. Arthur.)
124 The Character of " Merlin" is wonderful throughout, but most so in this Prophetick Part. We find several of these Prophecies in the Tragick Authors, who frequently take this Opportunity to pay a Compliment to their Country, and sometimes to their Prince. None but our Author (who seems to have detested the least Appearance of Flattery) would have past by such an Opportunity of being a Political Prophet.
125 \" I saw the Villain, " Myron, " with these Eyes I saw him". (Busiris.)
In both which Places it is intimated, that it is sometimes possible to see with other Eyes than your own.
126 \" This Mustard" (says Mr. " D." ) " is enough to turn one's Stomach: I would be glad to know what Idea the Author had in his Head when he wrote it". This will be, I believe, best explained by a Line of Mr. " Dennis" ;
" And gave him Liberty, the Salt of Life". (Liberty asserted.)
The Understanding that can digest the one, will not rise at the other.
127 Han. " Are you the Chief, whom Men fam'd" Scipio " call?"
Scip. " Are you the much more famous " Hannibal? (Hannib.)
128 Dr. " Young" seems to have copied this Engagement in his " Busiris" :
Myr. " Villain!"
Mem. Myron!
Myr. " Rebel!"
Mem. Myron!
Myr. " Hell!"
Mem. Mandane
129 This last Speech of my Lord " Grizzle" , hath been of great Service to our Poets;
-- I'll hold it fast
As Life, and when Life's gone, I'll hold this last;
And if thou tak'st it from me when I'm slain,
I'll send my Ghost, and fetch it back again. (Conquest of Granada.)
130 My Soul should with such Speed obey,
It should not bait at Heaven to stop its way.
" Lee" seems to have had this last in his Eye;
'Twas not my Purpose, Sir, to tarry there,
I would but go to Heaven to take the Air. (Gloriana.)
131 \" A rising " Vapour rumbling " in my Brains". (Cleomenes.)
132 Some kind Spright knocks softly at my Soul,
To tell me Fate's at Hand.
133 Mr. " Dryden" seems to have had this Simile in his Eye, when he says,
" My Soul is " packing up, " and just on Wing". (Conquest of Granada.)
134 \" And in a purple Vomit pour'd his Soul." (Cleomenes.)
135 The Devil swallows vulgar Souls
Like whipp'd Cream. (Sebastian.)
136 \" How I could curse my Name of " Ptolemy!
It is so long, it asks an Hour to write it.
By Heav'n! I'll change it into Jove, " or " Mars,
Or any other civil Monosyllable,
That will not tire my Hand. (Cleomenes.)
137 Here is a visible Conjunction of two Days in one, by which our Author may have either intended an Emblem of a Wedding; or to insinuate, that Men in the Honey-Moon are apt to imagine time shorter than it is. It brings into my Mind a Passage in the Comedy call'd the " Coffee-House Politician" ;
" We will celebrate this Day at my House To-morrow".
138 These beautiful Phrases are all to be found in one single Speech of " King Arthur" , or " The British Worthy".
139 I was but teaching him to grace his Tale
With decent Horror. (Cleomenes.)
140 We may say with Dryden,
Death did at length so many Slain forget,
And left the Tale, and took them by the Great.
I know of no Tragedy which comes nearer to this charming and bloody Catastrophe, than " Cleomenes" , where the Curtain covers five principal Characters dead on the Stage. These Lines too,
I ask no Questions then, of Who kill'd Who?
The Bodies tell the Story as they lie.
seem to have belonged more properly to this Scene of our Author. -- Nor can I help imagining they were originally his. The Rival Ladies too seem beholden to this Scene;
We're now a Chain of Lovers link'd in Death,
Julia " goes first" , Gonsalvo hangs on her,
And Angelina " hangs upon " Gonsalvo,
" As I on " Angelina.
No Scene, I believe, ever received greater Honours than this. It was applauded by several " Encores" , a Word very unusual in Tragedy -- And it was very difficult for the Actors to escape without a second Slaughter. This I take to be a lively Assurance of that fierce Spirit of Liberty which remains among us, and which Mr. " Dryden" in his " Essay" on " Dramatick Poetry" hath observed -- " Whether Custom" (says he) " hath so insinuated it self into our Countrymen, or Nature hath so formed them to Fierceness, I know not, but they will scarcely suffer Combats, and other Objects of Horror, to be taken from them". -- And indeed I am for having them encouraged in this Martial Disposition: Nor do I believe our Victories over the " French" have been owing to any thing more than to those bloody Spectacles daily exhibited in our Tragedies, of which the " French" Stage is so entirely clear.