to extend, to several of the female poets in this nation, who fhall still be left in full poffeffion of their gods and goddeffes, in the fame manner as if this paper had never been written.*" The marvellous is indeed fo much promoted by machinery, that it is not wonderful to find it embraced by the plurality of writers, and perhaps of readers. If indulged at all, it is generally indulged to excels. Homer introduceth his deities with no greater ceremony than as mortals; and Virgil has ftill lefs moderation: a pilot spent with watching cannot fall afleep, and drop into the fea by natural means: one bed cannot receive the two lovers, Æneas and Dido, without the immediate interpofition of fuperior powers. The ridiculous in fuch fictions, muft appear even through the thickeft vail of gravity and folemnity. Angels and devils ferve equally with Heathen deities as materials for figurative language; perhaps better among Chriftians, because we believe in them, and not in Heathen deities. But every one is fenfible, as well as Boileau, that the invifible powers in our creed make a much worfe figure as actors in a modern poem, than the invifible powers in the Hea-` then creed did in ancient poems; the cause of which is not far to feek. The Heathen deities, in the opinion of their votaries, were beings elevated one ftep only above mankind, fubject to the fame paffions, and directed by the fame motives; therefore not altogether improper to mix with men in an important action. In our creed, fuperior beings are placed at fuch a mighty distance from us, and are of a nature fo different, that with no propriety can we appear with them upon the fame flage: man, a creature much inferior, lofes all dignity in the comparifon. There There can be no doubt that an hiftorical poem admits the embellishment of allegory, as well as of metaphor, fimile, or other figure. Moral truth in particular, is finely illuftrated in the allegorical manner: it amufes the fancy to find abstract terms, by a fort of magic, metamorphos'd into active beings; and it is highly pleafing to discover a general propo fition in a pictured event. But allegorical beings fhould be confined within their own fphere, and never be admitted to mix in the principal action, nor to co-operate in retarding or advancing the cataftrophe. This would have a ftill worfe effect than invible powers; and I am ready to affign the reason. The impreffion of real exiftence, effential to an epic poem, is inconfiftent with that figurative exiftence which is cffential to an allegory; and therefore no means can more effectually prevent the impreffion of reality, than to introduce allegorical beings co-operating with thofe whom we conceive to be really exifting. The love-epifode, in the Henriade,† infufferable by the difcordant mixture of allegory with real life, is copied from that of Rinaldo and Armida, in the Gierufalemme liberata, which hath no merit to intitle it to be copied. An allegorical object, fuch as Fame in the Eneid, and the Temple of Love in 'the Henriade, may find place in a defcription: But to introduce Difcord as a real perfonage, imploring the affiftance of Love, as another real perfonage, to enervate the courage of the hero, is making these figurative beings act beyond their fphere, and creating a frange jumble of truth and fiction. The allegory of Sin and Death in the Paradife Loft, is, I prefume, not generally relifhed, though it is not entirely of the fame nature with what I have been condemning: in a work comprehending the achievements of fupericr beings, beings, there is more room for fancy than where it is confined to human actions. What is the true notion of an epifode? or how is it to be diftinguished from the principal action? Every incident that promotes or retards the catastrophe, must be part of the principal action. This clears. the nature of an epifode; which may be defined, "An incident connected with the principal action, but contributing neither to advance nor to retard it." The defcent of Eneas into hell doth not advance nor retard the catastrophe, and therefore is an epifode. The story of Nifus and Euryalus, producing an alteration in the affairs of the contending parties, is a part of the principal action. The family fcene in the fixth book of the Iliad is of the fame nature; for by Hector's retiring from the field of battle to vifit his wife, the Grecians had opportunity to breathe, and even to turn upon the Trojans. The unavoidable effect of an epifode, according to this definition, muft be, to break the unity of action; and therefore it ought never to be indulged, unless to unbend the mind after the fatigue of a long narration. An epifode, when fuch is its purpose, requires the following conditions: it ought to be well connected with the principal action: it ought to be lively and interefting: it ought to be short; and à time ought to be chofen when the principal action relents. In the following beautiful episode, which clofes the fecond book of Fingal, all these conditions are united. Comal Homer's defcription of the fhield of Achilles is properly introduc-, ed at a time when the action relents, and the reader can bear an interruption. But the author of Telemachus defcribes the fhield of that young hero in the heat of battle: a very improper time for an inter ruption, Comal was a fon of Albion; the chief of an hundred hills. His deer drank of a thousand ftreams; and a thoufand rocks replied to the voice of his dogs. His face was the mildness of youth; but his hand the death of heroes. One was his love, and fair was the! the daughter of mighty Conloch. She appeared like a fun-beam among women, and her hair was like the wing of the raven. Her foul was fixed on Comal, and the was his companion in the chace. Often met their eyes of love, and happy were their words in fecret. But Gormal loved the maid, the chief of gloomy Ardven. He watched her lone fteps on the heath, the foe of unhappy Comal. One day tired of the chace, when the mist had concealed their friends, Comal and the daughter of Conloch met in the cave of Ronan. It was the wonted haunt of Comal. Its fides were hung with his arms; a hundred fhields of thongs were there, a hundred helms of founding fteel. Reft here, faid he, my love Galvina, thou light of the cave of Ronan, a deer appears on Mora's brow; I go, but foon will return. I fear, faid fhe, dark Gormal my foe: I will reft here: but foon return, my love. He went to the deer of Mora. . The daughter of Conloch, to try his love, clothed her white "fide with his armour, and ftrode from the cave' of Ronan. Thinking her his foe, his heart beat high, and his colour changed. He drew the bow: the arrow flew: Galvina fell in blood. He ran to the cave with hafty fteps, and called the daughter of Conloch. Where art thou, my love? but no anfwer. -He marked, at length, her heaving heart beating against the mortal arrow. O Conloch's daughter, is it thou! he funk upon her breast. The hunters found the hapless pair. Many and filent were his steps round the dark dwelling of his love. The fleet of the ocean came: he fought, and the ftrangers fell: he fearched for death over the field; but who could kill the mighty Comal? Throwing away his fhield, an arrow found his manly breaft. He fleeps with his Galvina; their green tombs are feen by the mariner, when he bounds on the waves of the north. Next, upon the peculiarities of a dramatic poem. And the first I fhall mention is a double plot; one af of which muft refemble an epifode in an epic poem ; for it would diftract the fpectator, instead of entertaining him, if he were forc'd to attend, at the ame time, to two capital plots equally interefting. And even fuppofing it an under-plot like an epifode, it feldom hath a good effect in tragedy, of which fimplicity is a chief property; for an interefting fubject that engages our affections, occupies our whole attention, and leaves no room for any feparate concern. Variety is more tolerable in comedy, which pretends only to amufe, without totally occupying the mind. But even there, to make a double plot agreeable, is no flight effort of art: the underplot ought not to vary greatly in its tone from the principal; for difcordant emotions are unplealant when jumbled together; which, by the way, is an infuperable objection to tragi-comedy. Upon that account, the Provok'd Hufband deferves cenfure ; all Racine, in his preface to the tragedy of Berenice, is fenfible that fimplicity is a great beauty in tragedy, but miflakes the caufe. Nothing fays he) but verifimilitude pleafes in tragedy: but where is the ver ifimilitude, that within the compafs of a day, events should be crowded which commonly are extended through months?" This is mifiaking the accuracy of imitation for the probability or improbability of future events. I explain myfelf. The verifimilitude required in tragedy is, that the actions correfpond to the manners, and the manors to nature. When this refemblance is preferved, the imitation is juft, because it is, a true copy of nature. But I deny that the verifimilitude of future events, meaning the pobability of future events, is any rule in tracedv. A number of extraordinary events, are, it is truc, feidem crowd with in the compafs of a day but what feldom happens may happen; and when fuch events, fall out, they appear no lefs natural than the most ordinary accidents. To make verifimilitude in the fenfe of probability a governing rule in tragedy, would anni ilate that fort of writing altogether; for it would exclude all extraordinary events, in which the life of tragedy confifts. It is very improbable or unlikely, pitching upon any man at random, that he will facrifice his life and for tune for his mifitels or for his country: yet when that event happens, fuppofing it conformable to the character, we recognise the verifimilis tude as to nature, whatever want of verifimilitude or of probability there was a priorį that fuch would be the event, : |