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 muft work a prejudicial effect, and therefore we cannot justly recommend it to perufal. CA T O. A TRAGEDY. By Mr. ADDISON. TH HE moral tendency of all Mr. ADDISON'S works, the ftrength of expreffion, the harmony of verfification, the purity of fentiment, and the afluence of idea, which fo eminently diftinguifh his productions, have ftamped great eftimation on his name as an author; perhaps his independent circumftances and station might to the obfequious or ignorant add fome luftre were we to judge of the play now before us by the complimentary copies of verfes which precede it, we fhould naturally prefume 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 fnarling, yet many of his ftrictures, and those very fevere ones, were indisputably juft; 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 cenfure 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 trifling 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 ftate 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 fo much deeper concern claim attention, and Portius difgraces his dignity by mean diffimulation; the advice he gives Marcus is worthy a philofopher, but when we confider it fprings from a defire of weaning him from the object of his own affection, it finks under the denomination of plaufible artifice; thus the elder brother becomes lefs an object of eftimation in this scene than the younger: on the appearance of Sempronius, Marcus retires to prevent his mental agitation from being discovered. Sempronius not immediately feeing Portius, hints at a confpiracy, 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 fhattered remains of Rome's fenate awful; it is astonishing why our author should have blended fo much love with a fubject fo foreign to it, yet Sempronius mentions his paffion for Marcia, as does Juba fometime after, fo that there are four fwains employed in fighing even while Cæfar is at, and ready to form their gates. Portius indeed juftly mentions, that it is a moft unfavourable feafon to court his fifter, and goes off with a spirited refolution Cato. refolution of encouraging the foldiers to fulfil their duty as Romans. On his departure Sempronius, in foliloquy, gives us to understand, that he expects Syphax, a Numidian chief, to grant him affistance in matters of mischief; then informs us, that Cato's refufal of Marcia to his wishes roufes refentment, and thence intimates a defign 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 fame 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. ADDISON's idea of hypocritical patriotifm, where on the principles of deception he makes Sempronius fpeak thus : I'll conceal My thoughts in paffion ('tis the surest way) A worn-out trick-Wouldft thou be thought in earnest He goes off to cultivate a fpirit of mutiny amongst the Roman foldiers, and leaves his friend to work, if poffible, upon Juba; the young prince. immediately appears, and taxes Syphax with looks of gloomy coldness, defiring an explanation; the old man, in a fhort, blunt reply, throws a farcaftical charge on,and disclaims Roman diffimulation; this draws from Juba a liberal compliment in favour of Cale. of his allies; in return, Syphax enters into a spirited comparison of Numidian worth, but confines himfelf to martial excellence, while Juba very fenfibly 'contrafts the moral and focial virtues; this warms the rough impatience of the old general, who gives his expreffion fuch fcope, that the prince is under a neceffity of giving a check, which stomachs the veteran, and causes him to try the pathetic, by mak ing 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 thofe beauties who may be met with in his own court of Zama, but the royal youth moft fenfibly returns, that his regard is fixed upon internal not external merit; here Marcia and Lucia appear, which caufes Syphax to retire, execrating the former, as being conscious that a fmile from her can overturn all the power of his perfuafion. The intercourse between Juba and his miftrefs we deem extremely infipid, the lady indeed judiciously reproves her lover's whining at fuch an interesting point of time, and fends him off to more material concerns with becoming refolution; Lucia, who seems to have fofter and lefs noble ideas than Marcia, upbraids her with giving the good-natured prince, as fhe oddly ftiles him, fuch treatment: Cato's daughter, however, manifefts great good fenfe in proceeding upon the principles of felf-denial, rather than effeminate the public caufe; Lucia confeffes herfelf unequal to fuch fortitude, hence arifes a difcovery of her attachment to one of Marcia's broVOL. I. thers, LI |