nave seen, to be more or less mixed up with Scripture characters and events; the aim being, to illustrate and enforce the virtues that refer immediately to the practical conduct of life. Doubtless, the instincts of duty, as, under Christian culture, they emerged more and more into the clear light of consciousness, had much to do in furthering this innovation. The new-comers kept encroaching more and more upon the ancient tenants: invited in as auxiliaries, they remained as principals; and at last quite superseded and replaced the original occupants of the ground. Hence there grew into use quite a different style or order of workmanship, a distinct class of symbolical or allegorical dramas; that is, dramas made up entirely of abstract ideas personified. These are properly termed, from their structure and purpose, Moral-plays. We shall see hereafter, that much the same course and process of transition was repeated in the gradual rising of genuine Comedy and Tragedy out of the allegorical dramas.

Of course, representations of the Devil made a legitimate part of the Miracle-plays. Nor was it without a profound insight of nature, that in those representations he was endowed in large measure with a biting, caustic humour, and with a coarse, scoffing, profane wit. To these was properly joined an exaggerated grotesqueness of look and manner, such as would awaken mixed emotions of fear, mirth, and disgust. In these qualities of mind and person, together with the essential malignity, of which they are the proper surface and outside, we have, no doubt, the germs of both Comedy and Tragedy. For, in the nature of things, the horrible and the ridiculous easily pass into each other, both being indeed but different phases of one and the same thing. Accordingly, the Devil, under one name or another, continued to propagate himself on the stage some time after his original co-actors had withdrawn.

It is plain, also, that from the nature and principle of the thing an allegorical personage, called Iniquity, Vice, or some

such name, would be among the first characters to take stand in Moral-plays, as a personification of the evil tendencies in man. And the Vice, thus originating from the mora. view of things, would needs be, evidently, a sort of counterpart to that more ancient impersonation of evil which took its origin from the theological sphere. The Devil, being the stronger principle, would naturally have use for the Vice as his agent or factor. Hence we may discover in these two personages points of mutual sympathy and attraction; and, in fact, it was in and through them that the two species of drama first met and coalesced into one; Miracle-plays borrowing the Vice as a primitive up-shoot of Moral-plays, and the latter retaining the Devil as the most vigorous and operative element of the former. Nor is it anywise strange that the Vice, while acting as the Devil's factor, should for that very reason be fond of abusing and belabouring him: on the contrary, this is his most natural means of stifling or escaping from the sense whom he is serving, and that he is to have nothing but pain and perdition in reward of his service.

In Moral-plays the Devil and the Vice, or at least one of them, almost always bore a leading part, though not always under those names. Most commonly, for causes already stated, the two were retained together; though there are some cases of each figuring apart from the other. We have ample proof that there was no sparing of pains to give the Devil as hideous an aspect as possible. He was made an out-and-out monster in appearance, all hairy and shaggy, with a "bottle nose " and an "evil face," having horns, noofs, and a long tail; so that the sight had been at once loathsome and ludicrous, but for the great strength and quickness of wit, and the fiendish, yet merry and waggish malignity, which usually marked his conversation; though he was sometimes endowed with a most protean versatility of mind and person, so that he could walk abroad as "plain devil," scaring all he met, or steal into society as a prudent

counsellor, a dashing gallant, or whatsoever else would best work his ends.

As for the Vice, he commonly acted the part of a broad, rampant jester and buffoon, full of mad pranks and mischiefmaking, liberally dashed with a sort of tumultuous, swaggering fun. He was arrayed in a fantastic garb, with something of drollery in its appearance, so as to aid the comic effect of his action, and armed with a dagger of lath, perhaps as symbolical that his use of weapons was but to the end of provoking his own defeat, and that he was dangerous only as a friend. He was hugely given to cracking ribald and saucy jokes with and upon the Devil, and treating him in a style of coarse familiarity and mockery; and a part of his ordinary function was, to bestride the Devil, and beat him till he roared, and the audience roared with him; the scene ending with his being carried off to hell on the Devil's back. Much of the old custom in these two personages is amusingly set forth in Ben Jonson's Staple of News, where, at the end of each Act, we have some imaginary spectators commenting on the performance. At the end of Act i., one of them expressing a fear that the play has no Fool in it, as the Vice was often called, Gossip Tattle delivers herself thus: "My husband, Timothy Tattle, God rest his poor soul! was wont to say, there was no play without a Fool and a Devil in't; he was for the Devil still, God bless him! The Devil for his money, he would say; I would fain see the Devil. And why would you so fain see the Devil? would I say. Because he has horns, wife, and may be a cuckold as well as a devil, he would answer." It being asked,-"But was the Devil a proper man?" Gossip Mirth replies, “As fine a gentleman of his inches as ever I saw trusted to the stage or any where else; and loved the commonwealth as well as ever a patriot of them all: he would carry away the Vice on his back, quick to hell, wherever he came, and reform abuses." Again, at the end of Act ii., the question being put,like you the Vice in the play?" Widow Tattle complains,

'How

"But here is never a fiend to carry him away. Besides he has never a wooden dagger! I would not give a rush for a Vice that has not a wooden dagger, to snap at every body he meets." Whereupon, Mirth observes, "That was the old way, gossip, when Iniquity came in like Hokos-Pokos, in a juggler's jerkin, with false skirts, like the knave of clubs." Some further light on the subject may be found in Twelfth Night, Act iv. sc. 2, note 13; and in King Richard III., Act iii. sc. 1, note 11.

The most ancient specimen of a Moral-play, known to have survived, dates as far back as the reign of Henry VI., which closed in 1461. It is entitled The Castle of Perseverance, and evinces such a degree of perfection as would naturally infer many earlier attempts in the same line. It is opened by Mundus, Belial, and Caro, descanting on their several gifts: Humanum Genus, who represents mankind, then announces himself, just born, and naked; while he is speaking, a good and a bad angel appear on his right and left, each claiming him as a follower. He prefers the bad angel, who leads him straight to Mundus; the latter orders his friends, Voluptas and Stultitia, to take him in hand. Detractio, who calls himself Backbiter, is also made one of his train, and procures him the acquaintance of Avaritia, by whom he is introduced to the other Deadly Sins: not long after, the youth meets with Luxuria, and has her for his mistress. At all this, Bad Angel exults, but Good Angel mourns, and sends Confessio to Humanum Genus, who at first repels him as having come too soon. However, with the help of Pœnitentia, Confessio at last reclaims him; and he asks where he can live in safety, and is told, in the Castle of Perseverance: so, thither he goes, being at that time, if Bad Angel may be credited, "forty winters old." The Seven Cardinal Virtues wait upon him in the Castle, with their re spective counsels. Belial, after having beaten the Seven Deadly Sins for letting him escape, heads them in laying siege to the Castle; but he appeals to "the Duke that died

on rood" to defend him, and the assailants retire discomfited, being beaten "black and blue" by the roses which Charity and Patience hurl against them. As Humanum Genus is now grown "hoary and cold," and his "back ginneth to bow and bend," Avaritia worms in under the walls, and with his persuasive eloquence induces him to quit the Castle, and submit to the discipline of his new friend. No sooner has he got well skilled in the new lore, than Garcio, who stands for the rising generation, demands all his wealth, alleging that Mundus has given it to him. Presently Mors comes in for his turn, and makes a long speech extolling nis own power: Anima, also, hastens to the spot, and invokes the aid of Misericordia; notwithstanding, Bad Angel shoulders the hero, and sets off with him for the infernal regions. Then follows a discussion in heaven, Mercy and Peace pleading for the hero, Verity and Justice against him: God sends for his soul; Peace takes it from Bad Angel, who is driven off to hell; Mercy presents it to heaven; and "the Father sitting in judgment" pronounces the sentence, which of course unfolds the moral of the performance.

From the foregoing analysis it will have been seen that the piece partakes somewhat the character of a Miracleplay. A list of the persons is given at the end, to the number of thirty-seven; and also a rude sketch of the representation, showing a castle in the centre, with a bed under it for the hero, and five scaffolds for Deus, Belial, Mundus, Caro, and Avaritia. Bad Angel is the Devil of the performance: there is no personage answering to the Vice. The authorship is unknown; but Mr. Collier thinks it was not the work of a clergyman, because the hero remarks of Invidia, one of the characters, that "in abbeys he dwelleth full oft."

The next piece to be noticed bears the title of Mind, Will, and Understanding. It is opened by Wisdom, who repre sents the second Person of the Trinity, and is dressed in rich purple, with a beard of gold, and an imperial crown on