Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

Cymon. agreeable entertainment; as to the closet, it can only amuse very young, or very weak minds, on each of which the notion of enchantment must work a prejudicial effect, and therefore we cannot justly recommend it to perusal.

[blocks in formation]

CAT Ο.

A TRAGEDY. By Mr. ADDISON.

T

HE moral tendency of all Mr. ADDISON'S works, the strength of expression, the harmony of versification, the purity of sentiment, and the affuence of idea, which so eminently distinguish his productions, have stamped great estimation on his name as an author; perhaps his independent circumstances and station might to the obsequious or ignorant add fome luftre: were we to judge of the play now before us by the complimentary copies of verses which precede it, we should naturally presume it one of the most correct and amazing efforts of genius; yet, Mr. Dennis, a bold and laborious critic, undertook to point deficiencies in every scene, and though his remarks wore in general the appearance of snarling, yet many of his strictures, and those very fevere ones, were indisputably just ; his review, however, we have not been able to procure a copy of, and retain but a very flight recollection of it, therefore what we offer will neither incur the censure due to his apparent malevolence, or rob him of any praise his ingenuity may deserve; we shall trace the piece as we have done others, not hunt after triffing flips, nor, on account of a great name, flip over material ones, we confefs an exalted idea of the author, but will not be blind to his faults.

Cato

Cato.

Cato commences with Portius and Marcus, the former cooly and the latter impetuously lamenting the perilous state of their father and their country, they are both furnished with observations worthy of great and patriotic minds, but Marcus diminishes much by introducing his amorous paffion when matters of so much deeper concern claim attention, and Portius disgraces his dignity by mean diffimulation; the advice he gives Marcus is worthy a philosopher, but when we confider it springs from a defire of weaning him from the object of his own affection, it finks under the denomination of plausible artifice; thus the elder brother becomes less an object of estimation in this scene than the younger: on the appearance of Sempronius, Marcus retires to prevent his mental agitation from being discovered.

Sempronius not immediately seeing Portius, hints at a conspiracy, but goes to no point of explanation, as the youth catches his eye; under a previous profeffion of diffimulation, he speaks as a fon of Liberty, mourning her approaching fate: a fine compliment to Cato occurs, that of his virtues rendering the penurious and shattered remains of Rome's senate awful; it is astonishing why our author should have blended fo much love with a fubject so foreign to it, yet Sempronius mentions his paffion for Marcia, as does Juba sometime after, fo that there are four swains employed in fighing even while Cæfar is at, and ready to storm their gates. Portius indeed justly mentions, that it is a most unfavourable feafon to court his fifter, and goes off with a spirited refolution

Cato.

resolution of encouraging the soldiers to fulfil their duty as Romans.

On his departure Sempronius, in soliloquy, gives us to understand, that he expects Syphax, a Numidian chief, to grant him assistance in matters of mifchief; then informs us, that Cato's refusal of Marcia to his wishes rouses resentment, and thence intimates a design of giving up Cato to Cæfar; Syphax's appearance brings this point to further explanation, the Numidian general declares his troops ready for a revolt, but at the same time acknowledges and laments Juba's firm attachment to the virtuous Roman; Sempronius, however, urges a fresh trial to bring over that young prince. We admire Mr. ADDI SON's idea of hypocritical patriotism, where on the principles of deception he makes Sempronius speak

thus :

I'll conceal

My thoughts in passion ('tis the surest way)
I'll bellow out for Rome and for my country,
And mouth at Cæfar till I shake the fenate;
Your cold hypocrisy's a stale device;
A worn-out trick-Wouldst thou be thought in earneft
Cloath thy feign'd zeal in rage, in fire, in fury.

He goes off to cultivate a spirit of mutiny amongst the Roman soldiers, and leaves his friend to work, if possible, upon Juba; the young prince immediately appears, and taxes Syphax with looks of gloomy coldness, defiring an explanation; the old man, in a short, blunt reply, throws a farcaftical charge on, and disclaims Roman dissimulation; this draws from Juba a liberal compliment in favour

of

Calo.

of his allies; in return, Syphax enters into a spirited comparison of Numidian worth, but confines himself to martial excellence, while Juba very sensibly contrafts the moral and focial virtues; this warms the rough impatience of the old general, who gives his expression such scope, that the prince is under a neceffity of giving a check, which stomachs the veteran, and causes him to try the pathetic, by making mention of Juba's dying father; afterwards he touches upon Juba's love as the foundation of his other attachments, and paints the fuperior charms of those beauties who may be met with in his own court of Zama, but the royal youth most sensibly returns, that his regard is fixed upon internal not external merit; here Marcia and Lucia appear, which causes Syphax to retire, execrating the former, as being confcious that a smile from her can overturn all the power of his perfuafion.

The intercourse between Juba and his mistress we deem extremely infipid, the lady indeed judiciouly reproves her lover's whining at fuch an interesting point of time, and fends him off to more material concerns with becoming resolution; Lucia, who seems to have fofter and less noble ideas than Marcia, upbraids her with giving the good-natured prince, as she oddly stiles him, fuch treatment: Cato's daughter, however, manifefts great good sense in proceeding upon the principles of self-denial, rather than effeminate the public caufe; Lucia confeffes herself unequal to fuch fortitude, hence arifes a difcovery of her attachment to one of Marcia's broVOL. I.

LII

thers,

« ZurückWeiter »