Like Apollo, tell me Sweetest (74) Shall I fray Shall In the middle Air, &c.] The Character of the Attendant Spirit in Comus is this Satyr under another Shape and Name. The Satyr in the third Act is fent by Pan to guide aright the wandring Shepherds, and to protect Virtue in Distress. But to my Charge: here muft I fay If I find it, then in bafe And will pinch him to the Bone, Till bis lufful Thoughts be gone. The attendant Spirit has much the fame Office: He is fent by Jupiter to protect the Virtuous against the Enchantments of Comus. Therefore when any favour'd of high Jove I boot from Heav'n to give him fafe Convoy. When they have finished their Office, they both give the fame Account of their Power and Velocity. In imitation of the Lines now referr❜d to, and to the two laft of the Satyr's firft Speech: (I must go, and I muft run, Swifter than the fiery Sun.) The Attendant Spirit thus takes leave of the Audience. But now my Task is smoothly done, I can fly, от I can run, Quickly to the green Earth's End, Where the bow'd Welkin flow doth bend ; And from thence can foar as foon To the Corners of the Moon. Shall I dive into the Sea, And bring thee Coral, making way The two first and the two laft of Milton's Lines are directly taken from Fletcher: The Sky flowly bending to the Horizon, in the middle Couplet, is a noble Image; but I can scarce think that it can alone vie with the Variety of Beauties in Fletcher; fuch as, making fuit to the pale Queen of Night for a Moon-beam; darting through the Waves that fall on each Side in fnowy Fleeces; and catching the wanton Farns, and Flies whofe woven Wings are dyed by the Summer of many Colours. But it may perhaps be thought that Milton has improved the Measure, and made his Sound more an Echo to his Sense; if he has, he only imitates in this the following Lines, which are a fine Inftance of this Species of Beauty. I will dance Round about thefe Woods, as quick I have now finished my Notes on this Play, and the Reader who is infenfible of its Beauties, muft be content to be engrafted on that many-headed Monster whom Ben Johnson fo feverely lashes for condemning the Faithful Shepherdess at its firft Appearance; and rank, as Beaumont fays, with thofe Whofe very Reading makes Verse fenfeless Profe. [See the two Prefatory Poems to Fletcher, by Johnson and Beaumont.] Of fuch I ask no pardon for the Length of my Notes, but beg it of those who want no Lamp to discover Excellencies befides that which fhines in their own Bofoms. Thefe, I believe, will wonder that the Aminta and Paftor fido fhould be fo well known to, and fo much talked of by their Countrymen, whilft very few have ever heard, that we have a Dramatick Paftoral of our own that yields to neither of the former in Prettinefs and Delicacy, and in Energy and Sublimity vastly excels them. I would not infinuate that Fletcher was capable of more Sublimity than the two Italians, particularly than Taffo: But the Paffion of Love being the fole Aim of the Aminta and Paftor Fido, and the Virtue of Chastity being the chief End of the Faithful Shepherdess, Fletcher's Subject naturally led him into a greater Sublimity of Stile and Sentiments. Not that this has ever made him tranfgrefs the Bounds of Paftoral Simplicity, which Virgil in his Georgicks and Milton in his Mask have frequently done. The Italians have the Honour of being the Introducers of the Dramatick Paftoral, but I cannot upon Examination find that Fletcher has borrowed a fingle Sentiment or Expreffion from any of them, except the Name of the Faithful Sheperdefs from the Paftor Fido. I catch I catch the wanton Fawns, or Flyes, To do her service all these Woods adore. Clor. No other Service, Satyre, but thy Watch Sat. Holy Virgin, I will dance pray So I take my leave, and Clor. And to thee, N 3 [Exeunt omnes. THE |