ページの画像
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

not only from the whole thread of the story, but from lesser instances. See B. i. C. xii. st. 36, where the false prophet is bound, and yet escapes, and is now gone forth to trouble Fairy land, whose destruction will not be accomplished, till the throne of the Fairy queen is established in righteousness, and in all moral virtues. "He (Archimago) must be loosed a little season: He shall be loosed out of prison." Compare Revel. xix. 20, xx. 3, with B. i. C. xii. st. 36. And B. ii. C. i. st. 1.-The false prophet and deceiver had almost by his lies work'd the destruction of Sir Guyon and the Redcrosse Knight, B. ii. C. i. st. 8. The Christian Knight was well warned, and well armed against his subtleties. Our moral Knight is now his chief object; who is sent upon a high adventure by the Fairy Queen, to bring captive to her court an Enchantress named Acrasia, in whom is imaged sensual pleasure or intemperance. The various adventures which he meets with by the way, are such as show the virtues and happy effects of temperance, or the vices and ill-consequences of intemperance.

The opening with the adventure of the bloody-handed babe, unites the beginning and end, and is conceived with great art. How opportunely does Prince Arthur appear, the hero of the poem! who is seeking the Fairy Queen, and by his adventures making himself worthy of that Glory to which he aspires. He preserves the life of Sir Guyon, and afterwards utterly extirpates that miscreated crew of scoundrels, which, with their meagre, me lancholy Captain, were besieging the Castle of Alma.-Shall I guard the reader against one piece of poor curiosity? not enviously to pry into kitchens, out-houses, sinks, &c., while he is viewing a palace: nor to look for moles and freckles, while he is viewing a Medicean Venus. I will

venture to say, if he finds some things too easy, he will find other things too hard. "Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars," Prov. ix. 1. This allegorical house is built with some spoils from the Pythagorean and Socratick writers.-Whilst the Prince is extirpating the foes of Alma, Sir Guyon sets forward on his quest, and attacks the Enchantress in her own Island. And here our poet has introduced, keeping in view his general allegory, all those specious miracles, to which Homer, mingling truth with fable, had given a poetical sanction long before; as of Scylla and Charybdis, the songs of the Syrens, floating Islands, men by enchantments and sensuality turned into beasts, &c. which marvellous kind of stories Romance-writers seldom forget. Circe, Alcina, Armida, are all rifled to dress up Acrasia.

The characters in this book are the sage Palmer, the sober Guyon, the magnificent Prince Arthur, all well opposed to the cunning Archimago, and furious Sarazins. Braggadochio, and Trompart, are a kind of comick characters. Medina, Alma, and Belphoebe, are quite opposite to Medina's sisters, as likewise to Phædria and Acrasia. I am thoroughly persuaded myself, that Spenser has many historical allusions, and in this light I often consider his poem, as well as in that moral allegory, which is more obvious. In the last verse of this book, the Palmer says, "But let us hence depart whilest wether serves and wind." Sir Guyon and the Paliner leave the Island of Acrasia, taking the Enchantress along with them, whom they immediately send to the Queen of Fairy land they then repair to the house of Alma, and join the Briton Prince. UPTON.]

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« 前へ次へ »