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Read Ebook: The Plays of Philip Massinger Vol. I by Massinger Philip
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y without interest, if we were not moved for a moment by her indignation at the rejection of her offer; and we see her at length consigned to Maximinus with as little emotion as is shown by themselves.
The introduction of a good and evil spirit disguised in human shapes was not to be expected in a work aspiring to the reputation of a regular tragedy: still, whatever be their departure from propriety, it must be remembered that such representations had a most solemn origin, and that the business in which the spirits are engaged has a substantial conformity with the opinions of the early ages in which the plot is laid. The opposition of the demons to the progress of the faith, and the reasoning and raillery which Dorothea expresses, under the influence of Angelo, against the pagan gods, are to be found in Justin, Tatian, Arnobius, and others. The separate agency of the spirits, and the consequence of their personal encounter, are also described in a characteristic manner.
Apart from Angelo, Harpax seems to advance in his malignant work. When the daughters of Theophilus express their zeal for paganism, he "grows fat to see his labours prosper;" yet he cannot look forward to the defeat of those labours in their approaching conversion, though on some occasions we find he could "see a thousand leagues" in his master's service. And this agrees with the doctrine, that when some signal triumph of the faith was at hand, the evil spirits were abridged of their usual powers. Again, when Harpax expects to meet Angelo, he thus expresses the dread of his presence, and the effect which it afterwards produced on him:
The tragedy is too full of horrors; but this is a fault of which our ancestors were very tolerant.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE.
SCENE, Caesarea.
THE VIRGIN-MARTYR.
GIFFORD.
Being come in person, shall, I hope, hear from you Music more pleasing.
Welcome, oh, thrice welcome, Daughters, both of my body and my mind! Let me embrace in you my bliss, my comfort; And, Dorothea, now more welcome too, Than if you never had fallen off! I am ravish'd With the excess of joy:--speak, happy daughters, The blest event.
A pretty one; but let such horror follow The next I feed with torments, that when Rome Shall hear it, her foundation at the sound May feel an earthquake. How now? Ha, ha, ha, ha!
The fable, however, is very ancient.--GIFFORD.
"Cold there compels no use of rugged furs, Nor makes the mountains barren; there's no dog To rage, and scorch the land. Spring's always there, And paints the valleys; whilst a temperate air Sweeps their embroider'd face with his curl'd gales, And breathes perfumes:--there night doth never spread Her ebon wings: but daylight's always there, And one blest season crowns the eternal year." GIFFORD.
The whole of this scene Gifford ascribes to Decker.
Diocle. We much thank your loves: But where's Sapritius, our governor, And our most zealous provost, good Theophilus? If ever prince were blest in a true servant, Or could the gods be debtors to a man, Both they and we stand far engaged to cherish His piety and service.
THE GREAT DUKE OF FLORENCE.
The first edition of this play was published 1636, when it was preceded by two commendatory copies of verses by G. Donne and J. Ford. Though highly and most deservedly popular, it was not reprinted. This may be attributed, in some measure, to the growing discontent of the times, which perversely turned aside from scenes like these, to dwell with fearful anxiety on those of turbulence and blood.--It is impossible not to be charmed with the manner in which this play is written. The style is worthy of the most polished stage. An easy elevation and a mild dignity are preserved throughout, which afford an excellent model for the transaction of dramatic business between persons of high rank and refined education. As to the subject, it is of itself of no great importance; but this is somewhat compensated by the interest the principal characters take in it, and the connexion of love with the views of state.--The scenes between Giovanni and Lidia present a most beautiful picture of artless attachment, and of that unreserved innocence and tender simplicity which Massinger describes in so eminently happy a manner. Were it not for the scene of low buffoonery in the fourth act, where Petronella assumes the dress and character of her mistress, The Great Duke of Florence would have been a perfect and unrivalled production.
THE TRULY HONOURED, AND MY NOBLE FAVOURER,
SIR ROBERT WISEMAN, KNT.
SIR,
As I dare not be ungrateful for the many benefits you have heretofore conferred upon me, so I have just reason to fear that my attempting this way to make satisfaction for so due a debt, will further engage me. However, examples encourage me. The most able in my poor quality have made use of dedications in this nature, to make the world take notice who and what they were that gave supportment and protection to their studies; being more willing to publish the doer, than receive a benefit in a corner. For myself, I will freely, and with a zealous thankfulness, acknowledge, that for many years I had but faintly subsisted, if I had not often tasted of your bounty. But it is above my strength and faculties to celebrate to the desert your noble inclination, and that made actual, to raise up, or, to speak more properly, to rebuild the ruins of demolished poesie. But that is a work reserved, and will be, no doubt, undertaken, and finished, by one that can to the life express it. Accept, I beseech you, the tender of my service; and in the list of those you have obliged to you, contemn not the name of
Your true and faithful honourer, PHILIP MASSINGER.
FOOTNOTE:
Sir Robert Wiseman was the eldest son of Richard Wiseman, a merchant of London, who, having acquired an ample fortune, retired into Essex, in which county he possessed considerable estates, where he died in 1618, and was succeeded by Sir Robert. The friend of Massinger was the oldest of fourteen children, and a man of an amiable character. He died unmarried the 11th May, 1641, in his sixty-fifth year.--GILCHRIST.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE.
SCENE, partly in Florence, and partly at the residence of CHAROMONTE in the country.
THE GREAT DUKE OF FLORENCE.
Make your approaches boldly; you will find A courteous entertainment. ! feathers to the broken wings of time:-- And all this I must part from.
To his person.--Here he comes: present it boldly. us. You well know That, three years since, to our much grief, we lost Our duchess; such a duchess, that the world, In her whole course of life, yields not a lady That can with imitation deserve To be her second; in her grave we buried All thoughts of woman: let this satisfy For any second marriage. Now, whereas You name the heir of Urbin, as a princess Of great revenues, 'tis confess'd she is so: But for some causes, private to ourself, We have disposed her otherwise. Yet despair not; For you, ere long, with joy shall understand, That in our princely care we have provided One worthy to succeed us.
We would not be abused.--Who have we here?
Return unto the prince--but he prevents My answer. Calaminta, take him off; And, for the neat delivery of his message, Give him ten ducats: such rare parts as yours Are to be cherish'd.
The soonest opportunity. The duke!
It would be as well if the queen of love had been a little more fastidious on this subject. Her facility, I fear, has done much mischief, as lovers of all ages have availed themselves of it: but she had it from her father, whose laxity of principle is well known:
You come not to him. See, if his desire To have conference with you hath not brought him hither In his own person!
Shall bear him company. See, sir, to my wish He does appear; but much transform'd from what He was when he came hither.
FOOTNOTES:
I have restricted myself to as few remarks as possible on the beauties of the author, but I cannot forbear observing, on the present occasion, that the act we have just finished, for language, sentiment, surprising yet natural turns, and general felicity of conduct, is scarcely to be paralleled in any drama with which I am acquainted.--GIFFORD.
All lawful pleasures.--How now, fellows! when Shall we have this lusty dance?
We now acknowledge the much wrong we did you In our unjust suspicion. We have seen The wonder, sir, your daughter.
This scene is exquisitely written. It must, however, be confessed, that Charomonte's justification of himself is less complete than might be expected from one who had so good a cause to defend.--GIFFORD.
It seems to have been the opinion of Massinger and his fellow dramatists, that no play could succeed without the admission of some kind of farcical interlude among the graver scenes. If the dramas of our author be intimately considered, few will be found without some extraneous mummery of this description; and, indeed, nothing but a persuasion of the nature which I have just mentioned could give birth to the poor mockery before us. As a trick, it is so gross and palpable, that the duke could not have been deceived by it for a moment; and as a piece of humour, it is so low, and even disagreeable, that I cannot avoid regretting a proper regard for his characters had not prevented the author from adopting it on the present occasion.--GIFFORD.
In this assurance. What sweet lady's this?
Surely Massinger intended that his characters should here be understood as speaking the truth. The contrivance by which he exculpates Giovanni is a clumsy one; but he was anxious to conclude his play, and took the first that suggested itself. Awkward as it may appear to the reader, it has, perhaps, quite enough dramatic probability to satisfy an audience
THE BONDMAN.
The Bondman was performed, as we learn from the Office-book of Sir Henry Herbert, Master of the Revels, at the Cockpit in Drury-lane, December 3, 1623. It was printed the following year, and again in 1638.
The main incident of the plot is taken from the life of Timoleon, as related by Plutarch. The revolt and subsequent reduction of the slaves to their duty may have been taken either from Herodotus or Justin, or Purchas's Pilgrim. The artifice by which they are quelled is silly and unnatural, and its introduction degrades a very beautifully managed plot.
The play was revived in 1660 by Betterton, who played Pisander; and several alterations of it have since been produced, but without success.
Our author never writes with more effect than when he combines his own fancy with real history; and in The Bondman he has produced a piece which is, with few exceptions, at once stately and playful, impressive and tender. He matures the love under the cover of the history; till at length the interest changes, and the history becomes subordinate to the love.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, MY SINGULAR GOOD LORD,
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