so, in physick, things of melancholick hue and quality are used against melancholy, sour against sour, salt to remove salt humours. Hence philosophers and other gravest writers, as Cicero, Plutarch, and others, frequently cite out of tragick poets, both to adorn and illustrate their discourse. The Apostle Paul himself thought it not unworthy to insert a verse of Euripides into the text of Holy Scripture, 1 Cor. xv. 33; and Paræus, commenting on the Revelation, divides the whole book as a tra

3

Paracelsus. Labyrinth. Med. c. 8. And Dr. Pemberton's very elegant preface to the English edition of the London Dispensary. DUNSTER.

3 a verse of Euripides] The verse, here quoted, is Evil communications corrupt good manners: but I am inclined to think that Milton is mistaken in calling it a verse of Euripides; for Jerome and Grotius (who published the fragments of Menander) and the best commentators, ancient and modern, say that it is taken from the Thais of Menander, and it is extant among the fragments of Menander, p. 79. Le Clerc's edit. Osipovσiv on χρήσθ ̓ ὁμιλίαι κακαί. Such slips of memory may be found sometimes in the best writers. NEWTON.

4

Mr. Glasse, the learned translator of this tragedy into Greek Iambicks, agrees with Dr. Newton. Dr. Macknight, in his excellent Translation of the Epistles, is of opinion, that the sentiment is of elder date than the time of Menander; that it was one of the proverbial verses commonly received among the Greeks, the author of which cannot now be known. Clemens Alexandrinus calls it 'Iaμßɛtov тpayıòv, Strom. lib. i. And Socrates the historian expressly assigns it to Euripides, Ecc. Hist. lib. iii. cap. 16. ed. Vales. p. 189. It is extant indeed in the fragments of Euripides, as well as in those of the comick writer Milton therefore is not to be charged with forgetfulness or mistake. TODD.

gedy, into acts distinguished each by a chorus of heavenly harpings and song between. Heretofore men in highest dignity have laboured not a little to be thought able to compose a tragedy. Of that honour Dionysius the elder was no less ambitious, than before of his attaining to the tyranny. Augustus Cæsar also had begun his Ajax; but, unable to please his own judgement with what he had begun, left it unfinished. Seneca, the philosopher, is by some thought the author of those tragedies (at least the best of them) that go under that name. Gregory Nazianzen, a Father of the Church, thought it not unbeseeming the sanctity of his person to write a tragedy, which is entitled Christ suffering. This is mentioned to vindicate tragedy from the small esteem, or rather infamy, which in the account of many it undergoes at this day with other common interludes; happening through the poet's errour of

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▲ a tragedy, &c.] A very severe, but very just, criticism on this tragedy of Gregory, which has been too much applauded, has been given by the learned Valckenaer, Præfat. in Euripidis Hippolytum, p. 13. 4to. Lugd. Bat. 1768. Jos. WARTON.

It seems very extraordinary that Milton did not here likewise mention the tragedies of Grotius; his Adamus Exul, Christus Patiens, and Sophomphanaus; in his dedication of the last of which to Gerard Vossius, Grotius justifies the writing of tragedy with examples and arguments similar to those of Milton in this tragedy. DUNSter.

5

of intermixing comick stuff &c.] This might refer to Shakspeare, or Beaumont and Fletcher, or other dramatick writers of that time. Dryden also, who, when Samson appeared, was the active play-wright of the age, frequently at that period wrote Tragi-Comedies. His earliest piece of the kind was Secret Love,

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intermixing comick stuff with tragick sadness and gravity; or introducing trivial and vulgar persons, which by all judicious hath been counted absurd; and brought in without discretion, corruptly to gratify the people. And though Ancient Tragedy use no prologue, yet using sometimes, in case of selfdefence, or explanation, that which Martial calls an epistle; in behalf of this tragedy coming forth after the ancient manner, much different from what among us passes for best, thus much before-hand may be epistled; that Chorus is here introduced after the

or the Maiden Queen. In the preface to his Spanish Friar he defends this style of writing, at least he says the taste of the age required it. "The truth is," says he, "the audience are grown weary of continued melancholy scenes. And I dare venture to prophesy, that few tragedies, except those in verse, shall succeed in this age, if they are not enlightened with a course of mirth." The Spanish Friar was a particularly favourite play with Charles the Second; to please whom Dryden perhaps first began to enlighten his tragedies with a course of mirth; as the levity of the king's disposition would hardly have reconciled itself to five acts of continued melancholy scenes. Milton, we may well suppose, thought of these interludes, in which comick stuff was intermixed with tragick sadness, much in the same way as he did of their admirers; whose vitiated taste, and weak levity of disposition, he most probably held in no small degree of contempt.

DUNSTER.

though Ancient Tragedy use no prologue,] That is, no prologue apologising for the poet, as we find the Ancient Comedy did. See Terence's Prologues. HURD.

7 Chorus is here introduced] The reader will find a masterly account of the old Chorus in Mr. Cumberland's Observations on the tragedy. 'But," to use the words of Dr. Warton, "what shall we say to the strong objections lately made by some very

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Greek manner, not ancient only but modern, and still in use among the Italians. In the modelling therefore of this poem, with good reason, the Ancients and Italians are rather followed, as of much more authority and fame. The measure of verse used in the Chorus is of all sorts, called by the Greeks Monostrophick, or rather Apolelymenon, without regard had to Strophe, Antistrophe, or

able and learned criticks of the use of the Chorus at all? The Criticks I have in view, are Metastasio, Twining, Pye, Colman, and Johnson; who have brought forward such powerful arguments against this so important a part of the ancient drama, as to shake our conviction of its utility and propriety, founded on what Hurd, Mason, and Brumoy, have so earnestly and elegantly recommended on the subject." See Warton's Pope, vol. i. p. 158. TODD.

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not ancient only but modern, and still in use among the Italians.] So, in The Warres of Cyrus, 1594, the Address to the Audience observes, that all "antickes, imitations, shews, or new devices sprung a late, are exilde from their magick stage, as trash, &c.

"For what they do

"Instead of mournful plaints our CHORUS sings;
Although it be against the vpstart guise,

Yet, warranted by graue antiquitie,

“We will reuiue the which hath long beene done."

The obligations we owe to Italy in regard especially to Tragedy, as well as the history and nature of the Italian drama, are illustrated with great learning, precision, and elegance, in an Historical Memoir on Italian Tragedy, 4to. 1799, and in an Historical and Critical Essay on the Revival of the Drama in Italy, 8vo. 1805; both by Joseph Cooper Walker, Esq. to which I refer the reader for the fullest information on this subject. TODD.

9 Apolelymenon,] Free from the restraint of any particular measure, not from all measure whatsoever. HURD.

Epode, which were a kind of stanzas framed only for the musick, then used with the Chorus that sung; not essential to the poem, and therefore not material; or, being divided into stanzas or pauses, they may be called Allæostropha. Division into act and scene referring chiefly to the stage (to which this work never was intended) is here omitted.

It suffices if the whole drama be found not produced beyond the fifth act. Of the style and uniformity, and that commonly called the plot, whether intricate or explicit, which is nothing indeed but such œconomy, or disposition of the fable as may stand best with versimilitude and decorum; they only will best judge who are not unacquainted with Æschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, the three tragick poets unequalled yet by any, and the best rule to all who endeavour to write tragedy. The circumscription of time, wherein the whole drama begins and ends, is according to ancient rule, and best example, within the space of twenty-four hours.