as apparently subversive of all poetical verisimilitude as that which Tasso, in the passage formerly quoted, seems to glance at in the "Italia Liberata" of Trissino, and that which has been condemned in "The Lusiad." The chief personage that directs the supernatural agency of this poem is Discord. This ideal and unsubstantial being, who seems to act towards the hero of this poem with the same sentiments, that Juno held towards Æneas, or Bacchus to the Lusiads, is described as being actively engaged in opposing the success of Henry. She consoles and animates his adversaries when depressed, and solicits and brings succours to their assistance: she raises insurrections among the inhabitants of Paris, procures the assassination of Henry III, and with the aid of Love contrives to separate Henry for some time from his army. In these attempts, which form the chief incidents of the superiour agency, she is assisted by many personages of the same description as herself. War, Policy, and Fanaticism are strenuous advocates in her behalf; and Love and Truth perform also a most active and conspicuous part among the characters of the

poem.

I cannot think that the French criticks, at least those of a superiour rank, and many such there are among the writers of that nation, would be found to pass a sentence different to what is here pronounced on the system of machinery, if they were brought to deliver any opinion on the present question. This I think is pretty evident with respect to the ingenious and sensible M. Marmontel, who stands foremost in the list of their best criticks. It is a remarkable circumstance in the preface which he prefixed to the "Henriade," that all consideration of the machinery is there completely overlooked. It is then scarcely necessary to observe that this could not have happened in a paper drawn up for the express purpose of recommending the beauties of that poem, had the authour found any thing in this part of the work to justify his approbation.

True it is, that another panegyrist of the same work does not express the same cautious silence on this subject. All however that he has advanced on the question of allegorical personages, does not call a single perfection of such machinery into view, which could qualify it to stand as an exception to what I now labour to establish. In the cause which he espouses, and which is rather gratuitously made out by a few false assumptions, the authour is merely led to assign it this less than negative merit : "Le merveilleux que l'auteur a employé ne peut choquer aucun

I do not even think it would be difficult to prove that the Abbé Du Bos would have ranged himself on the side of the question which is here espoused: and even without making many great allowances for what we may suppose would have been his sentiments if his work had been written subsequently to that of the "Henriade." On the impropriety of founding an epick poem on a recent story he expresses himself most unequivocally.' With equal decisiveness does he declare it to be his opinion, that in ceremonies and exhibitions, the Christian religion is equally fertile in fine imagery, as the Antient Mythology. Nor ought I to omit that he has given his direct negative to blending real and allegorical personages in the same composition. Even when he ceases to have

lecteur sensé. On the subject of the allegories in particular he thus delivers himself; "Toutes les allégories qu'on trouve dans ce poëme, sont nouvelles ; il y a la politique que habite au Vatican, le temple de l'amour, la vraye religion, les vertus, la discorde, les vices, tout est animé par le pinceau de M. de Voltaire.”r Without admitting with a smile the single quality ascribed to these inventions, that of being, as they are indeed, perfectly novel, it may be remarked on the whole of this defence, that such merit deserves just such a panegyrist.

Avant-propos pour la Henriade.

Reflex. Critiq. § 23.

t Ib. § 25.

in view the tacit justification of some of his own countrymen in their use of heathen machinery, he delivers himself in language which may be adduced as confirming the principles while it avoids the conclusions of Tasso on this subject. "Que les choses que vous inventez pour rendre votre sujet plus capable de plaire, soient compatibles avec ce que est de vrai dans ce sujet. Le poëte ne doit pas exiger du spectateur une foi aveugle, et qui se soumette à tout. Voilà comme parle Horace:"-Ficta voluptatis causâ, &c.

In this silence of both Italian and French criticks on the subject of allegorical agents in poetry, I do not forget that the question has been determined by a critick of our own nation, and established by a mode of proof which seems just as unanswerable as that adduced from Tasso on the subject of pagan machinery, to which we may yield our full concurrence, while we differ from the authour in the justice of its application.

"After the operation of immaterial agents," says Dr. Johnson, "which cannot

u Reflex. Critiq. § 24.

be explained, may be considered those of allegorical persons which have no real existence. To exalt causes into agents, to invest abstract ideas with form, and animate them with activity, has always been the right of poetry. But such airy beings are for the most part suffered only to do their natural office and retire. Thus Fame tells a tale, and Victory hovers over a general, or perches on a standard; but Fame and Victory can do no more. To give them any real employment, or to ascribe to them any material agency, is to make them allegorical no longer, but to shock the mind by ascribing effects to non-entity. In the Prometheus of Æschylus, we see Violence and Strength, and in the Alcestis of Euripides, we see Death, brought upon the stage, all as active persons of the drama; but no precedent can justify absurdity.""

u The same writer has given his opinion of the impropriety of both these systems of machinery now censured. "Dr. Warton, who excelled in critical perspicuity, has remarked, that the preternatural agents (in the Rape of the Lock) are very happily adapted to the purposes of the poem. The heathen deities can no longer gain attention: we should have turned away from a contest between Venus and Diana. The em.