that go under that name. Gregory Nazianzen, a Father of the Church, thought it not unbeseeming the fanctity of his perfon to write a tragedy, which is intitled Chrift fuffering. This is mention'd to vindicate tragedy from the fmall efteem, or rather infamy, which in the account of many it undergoes at this day with other common interludes hap'ning through the poets error of intermixing comic ftuff with tragic ladness and gravity; or introducing trivial and vulgar perfons, which by all judicious hath been counted abfurd; and brought in without discretion, corruptly to gratify the people. And though ancient tragedy ufe no prologue, yet ufing fometimes, in cafe of felf-defenfe, or explanation, that which Martial calls an epiftle; in behalf of this tragedy coming forth after the ancient manner, much different from what among us paffes for beft, thus much before-hand may be epifti'd; that chorus is here introduc'd after the Greek manner, not ancient only but modern, and still in ufe among the Italians. In the modeling therefore of this poem, with good reason, the Ancients and Italians are rather follow'd, as of much more authority and fame. The measure of verfe us'd in the chorus is of all forts, call'd by the Greeks Monoftrophic, or rather Apalelymenon, without regard had to Strophe, Antiftrophe or Epod, which were a kind of ftanza's fram'd only for the mufic, then us'd with the chorus that fung; not effential to the poem, and therefore not material; or being divided into stanza's or paufes, they may be call'd AllæoStropha. Divifion into act and fcene referring chiefly to the stage (to which this work never was intended) is here omitted. It fuffices if the whole drama be found not produc'd beyond the fifth act. Of the file and uniformity, and that commonly call'd the plot, whether intricate or explicit, which is nothing indeed but fuch œconomy, or difpofition of the fable as may stand best with verfimilitude and decorum; they only will beft judge who are not unacquainted with Æschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, the three tragic poets unequal'd yet by any, and the beft rule to all who endevor to write tragedy. The circumfcription of time, wherein the whole drama begins and ends, is according to ancient rule, and best example, within the space of 24 hours. Samfon made captive, blind, and now in the prifon at Gaza, there to labor as in a common work-house, on a festival day, in the general ceffation from labor, comes forth into the open air, to a place nigh, fomewhat retir'd, there to fit a while and bemoan his condition. Where he happens at length to be visited by certain friends and equals of his tribe, which make the Chorus, who seek to comfort him what they can; then by his old father Manoah, who endevors the like, and withal tells him his purpose to procure his liberty by ransome; lastly, that this feaft was proclam'd by the Philistines as a day of thanksgiving for their deliverance from the hands of Samfon, which yet more troubles him. Manoah then departs to prosecute his endevor with the Philiftian lords for Samfon's redemption; who in the mean while is vifited by other perfons; and lastly by a public officer to require his coming to the feast before the lords and people, to play or fhow his ftrength in their prefence; he at firft refuses, difmiffing the public officer with abfolute denial to come; at length perfuaded inwardly that this was from God, he yields to go along with him, who came now the fecond time with great threatnings to fetch him: the Chorus yet remaining on the place, Manoah returns full of joyful hope, to procure ere long his fon's deliverance: in the midst of which difcourfe an Hebrew comes in hafte, confusedly at firft, and afterward more diftinctly relating the cataftrophe, what Samfon had done to the Philistines, and by accident to himfelf; wherewith the tragedy ends. THE |