fpeak a prologue in the fketch of his various plans for an allegorical drama. It is indeed, poffible that Milton might never fee the performances either of Lancetta or Andreini; yet conjecture has ground enough to conclude very fairly, that he was acquainted with both; for Andreini wrote a long allegorical drama on Paradife, and we know that the fancy of Milton firft began to play with the fubject according to that peculiar form of compofition. Lancetta treated it alfo in the fhape of a dramatick allegory; but faid, at the same time, under the character of Mofes, that the subject might form an incomparable epick poem; and Milton quitting his own hafty sketches of allegorical dramas, accomplished a work which answers to that intimation." The following analysis of this drama has been made by Mr. Hayley. ACT I. SCENE 1. "GOD commemorates his creation of the heavens, the earth, and the water-determines to make Man-gives him vital spirit, and admonishes him to revere his Maker, and live innocent. SCENE 11. RAPHAEL, MICHAEL, GABRIEL, and ANGELS. Raphael praises the works of God-the other Angels follow his example, particularly in regard to Man. SCENE III. "GOD and ADAM. God gives Paradise to Adam to hold as a fief-forbids him to touch the appleAdam promises obedience. SCENE IV. "ADAM. Acknowledges the beneficence of God, and retires to repose in the shade. ACT II. SCENE I. "GOD and ADAM. GOD refolves to form a companion for Adam, and does fo while Adam is fleeping-he then awakes Adam, and, prefenting to him his new affociate, bleffes them both; then leaves them, recommending obedience to his commands. SCENE II. "ADAM and EVE. Adam receives Eve as his wife-praises her, and entreats her to join with him in revering and obeying God-fhe promises fubmiffion to his will-and intreats his inftruction-he tells her the prohibition, and enlarges on the beauties of Paradife-on his fpeaking of flocks, the defires to fee them, and he departs to show her the various animals. SCENE III. "LUCIFER, BELIAL, SATAN. Lucifer laments his expulfion from heaven, and meditates revenge against Man the other Demons relate the cause of their expulfion, and ftimulate Lucifer to the revenge he meditates -he refolves to employ the Serpent. SCENE IV. "The SERPENT, EVE, LUCIFER. The Serpent questions Eve-derides her fear and her obedience -tempts her to tafte the apple-she expreffes her eagerness to do fo―the Serpent exults in the prospect of her perdition -Lucifer (who feems to remain as a feparate perfon from the Serpent) expreffes alfo his exultation, and fteps a fide to liften to a dialogue between Adam and Eve. SCENE V. " EVE, ADAM. Eve declares her refolution to taste the apple, and prefent it to her husband-she tastes it, and expreffes unufual hope and animation-fhe fays the Serpent has not deceived her-she feels no fign of death, and presents the fruit to her husband-he reproves her-she perfifts in preffing him to eat-he complies-declares the fruit fweet, but begins to tremble at his own nakedness-he repents, and expresses his remorfe and terrour-Eve propofes to form a covering of leaves-they retire to hide themfelves. in foliage. ACT III. SCENE I. "LUCIFER, BELIAL, SATAN. Lucifer exults in his fuccefs, and the other Demons applaud him. SCENE II. "RAPHAEL, MICHAEL, GABRIEL. Thefe good Spirits lament the fall, and retire with awe on the appearance of God. SCENE III. "GOD, EVE, ADAM. God calls on Adam -he appears and laments his nakednefs-God interrogates him concerning the tree-he confeffes his offence, and accufes Eve he blames the Serpent-God pronounces his malediction, and fends them from his prefence. SCENE IV. "RAPHAEL, EVE, and ADAM. Raphael bids them depart from Paradife-Adam laments his destiny -Raphael perfifts in driving them rather harfhly from the garden-Adam begs that his innocent children may not suffer for the fault of their mother-Raphael replies, that not only his children, but all his race muft fuffer; and continues to drive them from the garden-Adam obeys-Eve laments, but foon comforts Adam-he at length departs, animating himself with the idea, that to an intrepid heart every region is a home. SCENE V. "A CHERUB, moralizing on the creation and fall of Adam, concludes the third and last Act." Mr. Walker, in his Hiftorical Memoir on Italian Tragedy, has enlarged this analyfis with fome fpecimens of the author's ftyle and manner, together with a fac fimile of the quaint table exhibiting the morale efpofatione" of the work, From the fame ingenious and entertaining volume we learn that, "as Lancetta denominates himself Benacenfe, it is prefumed he was a native of that part of the riviera of Salò, on the lago di Garda, which is called Tofolano, and whofe inhabitants are styled Benacenfes, from Benacus, the ancient name of the lake. He was, he modeftly declares, neither a poet nor an orator,—* poeta non fon' io, ne oratore,' --but I am willing to believe he was a good man, and that it was rather his virtues than his talents y Hift. Mem. Appendix, p. xlviii—lvi. z Hift. Mem. p. 172. 、 which recommended him to the accomplished family of Gonzaga, of which he feems to have been a protégé. Such is the deep obfcurity in which this author is buried, that the most fedulous inquiry has not led to the difcovery of any authentick notices concerning him. His drama is flightly mentioned by Allacci, who fuppofes it to be his only production." Mr. Hayley adds, to his remarks on the dramas of Andreini and Lancetta, that Milton was probably familiar with an Italian poem, little known in England, and formed exprefsly on the conflict of the apoftate Spirits; the Angeleida del Sig. Erafmo di Valvafone, Venet. 1590. Dr. Warton was of the fame opinion. See the Note on Par. Loft, B. v. 689. And Mr. Hayley has cited the verses, in which the Italian poet affigns to the Infernal Powers the invention of artillery. With this poem, I think, the mind of Milton could not but be affected. It begins: "Io canterò del ciel l' antica guerra, "Per cui fola il principio, et l' ufo nacque, "Quel che ne fù l' authore, & vinto giacque : "Godon trionfo eterno, eterna palma." Valvafone's defcription of the triumphant Angels in B. iii. is particularly interefting. The poem concludes with an animated Sonnet to the Archangel Michael, preceded by the four following lines; "Cofi diffe Michele, & da le pure Ciglia di Dio refulfe un chiaro lampo, "Che gli die fegno del diuino affenfo, "E tutto il Ciel fù pien di gaudio immenfo." All Arcangelo Michele. "Eccelfo Heroe, Campion inuitto, & Santo Orgogli fuoi reprimi, & gli contrasti, "A noftro fchermo con continuo vanto; "Quefti miei noui accenti, onde traluce "La gran tua gloria, e 'l mio deuoto affetto, "Accogli tu fin da l' empirea luce: "Sieno in vece di preghi, & al cospetto "Gli porta poi del fempiterno Duce, "Che di fua gratia adempia il mio difetto." Bowle appears to have Mr. Hayley feems to think alfo, that Milton may be fometimes traced in the Strage de gli Innocenti of Marino. The late Mr. entertained a fimilar notion. Note In Manfum, ver. 11. accordingly cited, from this on Paradife Loft. It was first published at Venice in 1633; and confifts of four books: 1. "Sofpetto d'Herode: 2. Configlio de Satrapi: 3. Effecutione della Strage: 4. Il Limbo." Milton has been * thought indebted likewise to Crashaw, the tranflator of the firft of these books. I will felect a few paffages, therefore, from this verfion, which feem a Biogr. Brit. edit. Kippis, vol. iv. p. 431. |