grand event. As a proof of what is here mentioned, I refer the reader to Holinshed's * Description of the SHEW OF MANHOOD AND DESERT, exhibited at Norwich, before queen Elizabeth ; and more particularly to that historian's account of a TURNEY+ performed by Fulke Grevile, the lords Arundell, and Windsor, and Sir Philip Sidney, who are feigned to be the children of DESIRE, attempting to win the FORTRESS of Beauty, In the composition of the last spectacle, no small share of poetical invention appears.

was,

In the mean time, I do not deny that Spenser in great measure, tempted by the Orlando Furioso, to write an allegorical poem. Yet it must still be acknowledged, that Spenser's peculiar mode of allegorising seems to have been dictated by those spectacles, rather than by the fictions of Ariosto. In fact, Ariosto's species of allegory does not so properly consist in impersonating the virtues, vices, and affections of the mind, as in the adumbration of moral doctrine‡,

And to keep_that shew companie, (but yet furre off) stood the SHEWE OF MANHODE AND DESART; as first to be presented: and that shewe was as well furnished as the other: men all, saving one boy called Beautie, for which • Manhood, Favour, and Desart, did strive (or should have contended;) bit Good Fortune (as victor of all conquests) was to come in and overthrow Manhood, &c, Vol. 3. p. 1297. T. WARTON.

+ Exhibited before the queen at Westminster, ibid. p. 1317. et seq. T. WARTON.

It is observed by Plutarch, that Allegory is that, in which one thing is related and another understood. Thus Ariosto relates the adventures of Orlando, Rogero, Brada

under the actions of men and women. On this plan Spenser's allegories are sometimes formed: as in the first Book, where the Red-crosse Kaight, or a TRUE CHRISTIAN, defeats the wiles of Archimago, or the DEVIL, &c. &c. These indeed are fictitious personages; but he proves himself a much more ingenious allegorist, where his imagination bodies forth unsubstantial things, turns them to shape, and marks out the nature, powers, and effects, of that which is ideal and abstracted, by visible and external symbols; as in his delineations of Fear, Despair, Fancy, Envy, and the like. Ariosto gives us but few symbolical beings of this sort; for a picturesque invention was by no means his talent: while those few, which we find in his poem, are seldom drawn with that characteristical fullness, and significant expression, so striking in the fantastick portraits of Spenser. And, that Spenser painted these figures in so distinet and animated a style, may we not partly account for it from this cause; That he had been long habituated to the sight of these emblematical personages, visibly decorated

mante, &c. by which is understood the conquest of the pas sions, the importance of virtue, and other moral doctrines on which account we may call the ORLANDO a moral poem but can we call the FAERIE QUEENE, upon the whole, a moral poem? is it not equally an historical or political poem? For though it be, according to its author's words, an allegory or dark conceit, yet that which is couched or understood ander this allegory is the history, and intrigues, of queen Elizabeth's courtiers; which however are introduced with a moral design. T. WARTON,

with their proper attributes, and actually endued with speech, motion, and life?

As a more convincing argument in favour of this hypothesis, I shall remark, that Spenser expressly denominates his most exquisite groupe of allegorical figures, THE MASKE OF CUPID. Thus, without recurring to conjecture, his own words * evidently demonstrate that he sometimes had representations of this sort in his eye. He tells us, moreover, that these figures were, (F. Q. iii. xii. 5.)

-- A jolly company, • In manner of a maske enranged orderly.'

In his introduction to this groupe, it is manifest that he drew from another allegorick spectacle of that age, called the dumb shew, which was wont to be exhibited before every act of a tragedy. See st. 3.

Thus also in the Ruines of Time, he calls his noble alle. gorick representations of Empire, Pleasure, Strength, &c. TRAGICKE PAGEAUNTS:

Before mine eyes strange sights presented were

Like TRAGICKE PAGEAUNTS seeming to appeare."

T. WARTON.

This consisted of dumb actors, who by their dress and action prepared the spectators for the matter and substance of each ensuing act respectively; as also of much hieroglyphical scenery calculated for the same purpose." See Gortoducke, tragedy, written by T. Sackville, 1561, reprinted by Mr. Spence: Jocasta, a tragedie, written by G. Gascoyne and F. Kinwelmarshe, and acted at, Graics Inn, 1566: and the introduction to s. 7. act 3. of Shakspeare's Hamlet.

•And forth yssewd, as on the readie flore • Of some theatre, a grave personage,

⚫ Than in his hand a braunch of laurell bore, • With comely haveour, and countnance sage, Yclad in costly garments, fit for tragicke stage.

IV.

Proceeding to the midst he stil did stand,
As if in mind he somewhat had to say;
•And to the vulgar beckning with his hand,
In sign of silence, as to heare a play,
By lively actions he gan bewray
Some argument of matter passioned;
• Which doen, he backe retyred soft away;
And, passing by, his name discovered,

• Ease, on his robe in golden letters cyphered.'

He afterwards styles these figures Maskers, st. 6.

The whiles the Maskers marched forth in trim

array.

VII.

The first was Fancy, like a lovely boy, &c.'

From what has been said, I would not have it objected, that I have intended to arraign the

Beaumont and Fletcher, in their Play, A Wife for a Month, act. 2. s. ult. manifestly copy from Spenser's MASKE OF CUPID. A Maske of Cupid is there introduced, in which Cupid appears at the head of his servants or attendants, Fancy, De sire, Delight, Hope, Fear, Distrust, Jealousy, Care, Ire, Poverty, Despair, These are the Personages that attend Cupid in Spenser's Mask. Particularly Cupid says, Then clap high

'My coloured wings

So Spenser had represented him, F. Q. iii. xii, 23.

And clapt on high his coloured winges twaine.”

T. WARTON.

powers of our author's invention; or insinuated, that he servilely copied such representations. All I have endeavoured to prove is, that Spenser was not only better qualified to delineate fictions of this sort, because they were the real objects of his sight; but, as all men are influenced by what they see, that he was prompted and in duced to delineate them, because he saw them, especially as they were so much the delight of his age.

Instead of entering into a critical examination of Spenser's manner of allegorising, and of the poetical conduct of his allegories, which has been done with an equally judicious and ingenious dis cernment by Mr. Spence, I shall observe, that our author frequently introduces an allegory, under which no meaning is couched; viz. Alma is the mind, and her Castle the body, F. Q. ii. ix. 21. The tongue is the porter of this castle, the nose the portcullis, and the mouth the porch, about the inside of which are placed twice sixteen warders clad in white, which are the teeth; these Alma passes by, who rise up, and do obeisance to her, st. 26. But how can the teeth be said to rise up and bow to the mind? Spenser here forgot, that he was all allegorising, and speaks as if he was describing, without any latent meaning, a real queen, with twice sixteen real warders, who, as such, might, with no impropriety, be said to ise and bow to their queen. Many instances of

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