ing hint, that makes discovery of the fatal turn which the plot is now about to take; for when Novall turning afide to Beaumelle, by one word -Miftrefs!-conveys the reproach of inconftancy, the replies, Oh, Servant! Virtue frengthen me! Thy prefence blows round my affection's vane : (Exit.) Young Novall is left on the scene with certain followers and dependants, which hang upon his fortune, one of which (Pontalier by name) a man under deep obligations to him, yet of an honeft nature, advises him to an honourable renunciation of all further hopes or attempts to avail himself of the affections of Beaumelle Tho' you have fav'd my life, Refcu'd me often from my wants, I must not】 You know my blunt way, and my love to truth: Forfake the purfuit of this lady's honour, Now you do fee her made another man's. This honourable advice is rejected with contempt: Novall, in whofe mean bofom there does not seem a trace of virtue, avows a determined perfeverance; and the poet having in this hasty manner compleated these inauspicious nuptials, clofes the fecond act of his tragedy. N° LXXXIX. W N° LXXXIX. E have now expended two entire acts of The Fatal Dowry in advancing to that period in the fable, at which the tragedy of The Fair Penitent opens. If the author of this tragedy thought it neceffary to contract Maffinger's plot, and found one upon it of a more regular conftruction, I know not how he could do this any otherwife than by taking up the story at the point where we have now left it, and throwing the antecedent matter into narration; and though these two prefatory acts are full of very affecting incidents, yet the pathos, which properly appertains to the plot and conduces to the catastrophe of the tragedy, does not in ftrictness take place before the event of the marriage. No critic will fay that the pleadings before the judges, the interference of the creditors, the diftreffes of Charalois, or the funeral of the Marshal, are necessary parts of the drama; at the same time no reader will deny (and neither could Rowe himself overlook) the effect of these incidents: He could not fail to foresee that he was to facrifice very much of the intereft of his fable, when he was to throw that upon narration, which his original had given in fpectacle; and the lofs was more enhanced by falling falling upon the hero of the drama; for who that compares Charalois, at the end of the fecond act of Maffinger, with Rowe's Altamont at the opening scene of The Fair Penitent, can doubt which character has most interest with the spectators? We have seen the former in all the most amiable offices which filial piety could perform; enduring infults from his inveterate oppreffors, and voluntarily furrendering himself to a prison to ransom the dead body of his father from unrelenting creditors. Altamont presents himself before us in his wedding suit, in the splendour of fortune and at the fummit of happiness; he greets us with a burst of exultation Let this aufpicious day be ever facred, Let happy lovers ever make it holy, Choose it to bless their hopes and crown their wishes; The reft of the scene is employed by him and Horatio alternately in recounting the benefits conferred upon them by the generous Sciolto; and the very fame incident of the feizure of his father's corpfe by the creditors, and his redemption of it, is recited by Horatio When his hard creditors, Urg'd and affifted by Lothario's father, (Foe to thy house and rival of their greatness). By fentence of the cruel law forbade His venerable corpse to reft in earth, Thou gav ft thyself a ransom for his bones; With piety uncommon didft give up Thy bopeful youth to flaves, who ne'er knew mercy. It is not however within the reach of this, or any other defcription, to place Altamont in that interefting and amiable light, as circumftances have already placed Charalois; the happy and exulting bridegroom may be an object of our congratulation, but the virtuous and fuffering Charalois engages our pity, love and admiration. If Rowe would have his audience credit Altamont for that filial piety, which marks the character he copied from, it was a fmall overfight to put the following expreffion into his mouth Oh, great Sciolto! Oh, my more than father! A clofer attention to character would have reminded him that it was poffible for Altamont to express his gratitude to Sciolto without fetting him above a father, to whofe memory he had paid fuch devotion. From this contraction of his plot, by the defalcation of so many pathetic incidents, it became impoffible II impoffible for the author of the Fair Penitent to make his Altamont the hero of his tragedy, and the leading part is taken from him by Horatio, and even by Lothario, throughout the drama. There are feveral other reafons, which concur to fink Altamont upon the comparison with Charalois, the chief of which arifes from the captivating colours in which Rowe has painted his libertine: On the contrary, Maffinger gives a contemptible picture of his young Novall; he makes him not only vicious, but ridiculous; in foppery and impertinence he is the counterpart of Shakespear's Ofrick; vain-glorious, purseproud, and overbearing amongst his dependants; a fpiritless poltroon in his interview with Romont. Lothario (as Johnfon obferves) with gaiety which cannot be hated, and bravery which cannot be defpifed, retains too much of the spectator's kindness. His high fpirit, brilliant qualities and fine perfon are fo defcribed, as to put us in danger of falfe impreffions in his favour, and to fet the paffions in oppofition to the moral of the piece fufpect that the gallantry of Lothario makes more advocates for Califta than she ought to have. There is another confideration, which operates against Altamont, and it is an indelicacy in his character, which the poet fhould have provided againft: He marries Califta with the full perfuafion T 2 |