ance to this blind father, since you mean to be a companion of my flight. ANT. Go then into miserable banishment! O my ancient father, stretch out your dear hand! I will accompany you, like a favourable wind to a ship. OED. Behold, I go! Daughter, be you my unfortunate guide! ANT. Thus, am I, am I, the most unhappy of all the Theban virgins! OED. Where shall I fix my old feeble foot? Daughter, reach to me my staff. ANT. Here, go here, after me. Place your foot here, my father, you that have the strength only of a dream. OED. O most unhappy banishment! Creon drives me in my old age from my country. Alas! alas! wretched, wretched things have I suffered," &c. So sudden were the changes or the refinements of our language, that in the second edition of this play, printed again with Gascoigne's poems in 1587*, it was thought necessary to affix marginal explanations of many words, not long before in common use, but now become obsolete and unintelligible. Among others, are behest and quell'. This, however, as our author says, was done at the request of a lady, who did not understand poetical words or termes3, Seneca's ten Tragedies were translated at different times and by dif ferent poets. These were all printed together in 1581, under this title, "SENECA His tenne TragediES, TRANSLATEd into English. Mercurii Nutrices hora. IMPRINTED AT LONDON IN FLEETSTREETE neare vnto saincte Dunstons church by Thomas Marshe, 1581t." The book is dedicated, from Butley in Cheshire, to sir Thomas Heneage, treasurer of the queen's chamber. I shall speak of each man's translation distinctly ". The HYPPOLITUS, MEDEA, HERCULES QETEUS, and AGAMEMNON, were translated by John Studley, educated at Westminster school, and afterwards a scholar of Trinity college in Cambridge. The HYPPOLITUS, which he calls the fourth and most ruthfull tragedy, the MEDEA†, Phoeniss. v. 1677 seq. p. 170. edit. Barnes. * [In Sir John Davis's Epigrams, which appeared about ten years later, a new-fangled youth who gives into every fashionable foolery of the time, is made to close the catalogue of his absurdities by giving praise to "Old George Gascoine's rimes," Epig. 22.-PARK.] command, kill. By the way, this is done throughout this edition of Gascoigne's Poems. So we have Nill, will not, &c. Pag. 128. Among others, words not of the obsolete kind are explained, such as Monarchie, Diademe, &c. Gascoigne is celebrated by Gabriel Harvey, as one of the English poets who have written in praise of women. Gratulat. Validens. edit. Binneman, 1578. 4to. Lib. iv. p. 22. in which are some alterations of the chorus ", and the HERCULES OETEUS, were all first printed in Thomas Newton's collection of 1581, just mentioned. The AGAMEMNON was first and separately published in 1566, and entitled, "The eyght Tragedie of Seneca entituled AgaMEMNON, translated out of Latin into English by John Studley student in Trinitie college in Cambridge. Imprinted at London in Flete streete beneath the Conduit at the signe of S. John Euangelyst by Thomas Colwell A.D. M.D.LXVI." This little book is exceedingly scarce, and hardly to be found in the choicest libraries of those who collect our poetry in black letter". Recommendatory verses are prefixed, in praise of our translator's performance. It is dedicated to secretary Cecil*. To the end of the fifth act our translator has added a whole scene, for the purpose of relating the death of Cassandra, the imprisonment of Electra, and the flight of Orestes. Yet these circumstances were all known and told before. The narrator is Eurybates, who in the commencement of the third act had informed Clytemnestra of Agamemnon's return. These efforts, however imperfect or improper, to improve the plot of a drama by a new conduct or contrivance, deserve particular notice at this infancy of our theatrical taste and knowledge. They show that authors now began to think for themselves, and that they were not always implicitly enslaved to the prescribed letter of their models. Studley, who appears to have been qualified for better studies, misapplied his time and talents in translating Bale's Acts of the Popes. That translation, dedicated to Thomas lord Essex, was printed in 1574o. He has left twenty Latin distichs on the death of the learned Nicholas Carr, Cheke's successor in the Greek professorship at Cambridge". Let groveling light with dulceat nyghte opprest, In cloking cloudes wrap up his muffled face; Let Hesperus, the loadesman of the nyghte, In western floode drench deepe the day so bryght.-PARK.] w See Newt. edit. fol. 121 a. * But I must except the Medea, which is entered as translated by John Studley of Trinity-college in Cambridge, in 1565-6, with T. Colwell. Registr. Station. A. fol. 140 b. I have never seen this separate edition. Also the Hippolitus is entered to Jones and Charlewood, in 1579. Registr. B. In 1566-7, I find an entry to Henry Denham, which I do not well understand, "for printing the fourth part of Seneca's workes." Registr. A. fol. 152 b. Hippolitus is the fourth Tragedy. [Qu. whether he had not a greater share of the whole?-HERBERT.] y Bl. lett. 12mo. [In the Bodleian library, marked 8°. 4. 44. Art. Seld.PARK.] z Entered in 1565-6. Registr. Station. A. fol. 136 b. * [In this dedication Studley says, he 66 was sometyme scholler in the Queenes Majesties grammer schoole at Westminster.' Wood speaks of him as "a noted poet" in his day; and probably inferred this from the metrical compliments of contemporaries prefixed to the early edition of his Agamemnon. Chetwood, whose authority is at all times very doubtful, tells us he was killed in Flanders in 1587. See Brit. Bibl. ii. 373.-PARK.] b In quarto, bl. lett. "The Pageaunt of Popes, &c. &c. Englished with sundrye additions, by J. S." For Thomas Marshe, 1574. At the end of Bartholomew Dodington's Epistle of Carr's Life and Death, addressed to sir Walter Mildmay, and subjoined to Carr's Latin Translation of seven Orations of Demosthenes. Lond. 1571. 4to. Dodington, a fellow of Trinity college, succeeded Carr in the Greek chair, 1560. See Camden's Monum. Eccles. Coll. Westmon. edit. 1600. 4to. Signat. K. 2. The OCTAVIA is translated by T. N. or Thomas Nuce, or Newce, a fellow of Pembroke-hall in 1562, afterwards rector of Oxburgh in Norfolk, Beccles, Weston-Market, and vicar of Gaysley in Suffolkd; and at length prebendary of Ely cathedral in 1586. This version is for the most part executed in the heroic rhyming couplet. All the rest of the translators have used, except in the chorus, the Alexandrine measure, in which Sternhold and Hopkins rendered the Psalms, perhaps the most unsuitable species of English versification that could have been applied to this purpose. Nuce's OCTAVIA was first printed in 1566. He has two very long copies of verses, one in English and the other in Latin, prefixed to the first edition of Studley's AGAMEMNON in 1566, just mentioned. Alexander Nevyle translated, or rather paraphrased, the OEDIPUS, in the sixteenth year of his age, and in the year 1560, not printed till the year 15818. It is dedicated to doctor Wootton, a privy counsellor, and his godfather. Notwithstanding the translator's youth, it is by far the most spirited and elegant version in the whole collection, and it is to be regretted that he did not undertake all the rest. He seems to have been persuaded by his friends, who were of the graver sort, that poetry was only one of the lighter accomplishments of a young man, and that it should soon give way to the more weighty pursuits of literature. The first act of his OEDIPUS begins with these lines, spoken by Oedipus. The night is gon, and dreadfull day begins at length t'appeere, Doth any man in princely throne reioyce? O brittle ioy! How many ills, how fayre a face, and yet how much annoy, In thee doth lurk, and hidden lies! What heapes of endles strife! Nevyl was born in Kent, in 15441, and occurs taking a master's degree at Cambridge, with Robert earl of Essex, on the sixth day of July, 1581k. He was one of the learned men whom archbishop Parker retained in his family1; and at the time of the archbishop's death, in 1575, was his secretary". He wrote a Latin narrative of the Norfolk insurrection under Kett, which is dedicated to archbishop Parker, and was printed in 1575". To this he added a Latin account of Norwich, printed the same year, called NORVICUS, the plates of which were executed by Lyne and Hogenberg, archbishop Parker's domestic engravers, in 1574o. He published the Cambridge verses on the death of sir Philip Sydney, which he dedicated to lord Leicester, in 1587P. He projected, but I suspect never completed, an English translation of Livy, in 1577. He died in 1614". The HERCULES FURENS, THYESTES, and TROAS, were translated into English by Jasper Heywood*. The HERCULES FURENS was first m Strype, Life of Parker, p. 497. He is styled Armiger. See also the Dedication to his Kettus. n Lond. 4to. The title is, "Kettus, sive de furoribus Norfolciensium Ketto duce." Again at London, 1582, by Henry Binneman, 8vo. And in English, 1615, and 1623. The disturbance was occasioned by an inclosure in 1549, and began at an annual play, or spectacle, at Wymondham, which lasted two days and two nights, according to ancient custom, p. 6. edit. 1582. He cites part of a ballad sung by the rebels, which had a most powerful effect in spreading the commotion, p. 88. Prefixed is a copy of Latin verses on the death of his patron archbishop Parker; and a recommendatory Latin copy by Thomas Drant, the first translator of Horace. See also Strype's Parker, p. 499. Nevile has another Latin work, Apologia ad Wallia Proceres, Lond. for Binneman, 1576. 4to. He is mentioned in that part of G. Gascoigne's poems called DEVISES. His name, and the date 1565, are inscribed on the Cartularium S. Gregorii Cantuariæ, among bishop More's books, with two Latin lines which I hope he did not intend for hexa meters. • It is sometimes accompanied with an engraved map of the Saxon and British kings. See Hollinsh. Chron. i. 139. P Lond. 4to. viz. "Academiæ Cantabrigiensis Lacrymæ tumulo D. Philippi Sidneii sacratæ." See Note in the Register of the Stationers' Company, dated May 3, 1577. Registr. B. fol. 139 b. It was not finished in 1597. [Nevyle has five pages of verses in commendation of the author before Googe's Eclog. &c. 1563.-PARK.] Octob. 4. Batteley's Canterb. App. 7. where see his Epitaph. He is buried in a chapel in Canterbury cathedral with his brother Thomas, dean of that church. The publication of Seneca's Oedipus in English by Studley, or rather Gascoigne's Jocasta, produced a metrical tale of Eteocles and Polynices, in "The Forrest of Fancy, wherein is contained very pretty Apothegmes, and pleasant Histories, both in meeter and prose, Songes, Sonets, Epigrams, and Epistles, &c. Imprinted at London by Thomas Purfoote, &c. 1579." 4to. See Signat. B. ij. Perhaps Henry Chettle, or Henry Constable, is the writer or compiler. [See supr. p. 243.] At least the colophon is, "Finis, H. C." By the way, it appears that Chettle was the publisher of Greene's Groatsworth of Wit in 1592. It is entered to W. Wrighte, Sept. 20. Registr. Station. B. fol. 292 b. [Mr. Warton's copy of "The Forrest of Fancy" came into the possession of my respected friend James Bindley, Esq., who favoured me with the perusal, and from its great difference in style to the received productions of Constable, I should hesitate to assign the work to him; nor does it much resemble the compositions of Chettle; such, at least, as I have inspected, viz. "Kind Harts Dreame," 1592, and "England's Mourning Garment," on the death of Queen Elizabeth. -PARK.] * [To Heywood, Neville, and other contemporary translators, the following tribute was offered by T. B. in verses to the Reader before Studley's version of the Agamemnon, 1566, When Heiwood did in perfect verse What toughe reproche the Troyans of Whose verse and style doth far surmount, So may not Googe have part with hym, printed at London in 15613, and dedicated to William Herbert lord Pembroke, with the following pedantic Latin title:"Lucii Annaei Senecae tragoedia prima, quæ inscribitur HERCULES FURENS, nuper recognita, et ab omnibus mendis quibus scatebat sedulo purgata, et in studiosae juventutis utilitatem in Anglicum tanta fide conversa, ut carmen pro carmine, quoad Anglica lingua patiatur, pene redditum videas, per Jasperum Heywodum Oxoniensem." The THYESTES, said to be faithfully Englished by Iasper Heywood felow of Alsolne colledge in Oxenforde, was also first separately printed by Berthelette at London in 1560. He has added a scene to the fourth act, a soliloquy by Thyestes, who bewails his own misfortunes, and implores vengeance on Atreus. In this scene, the speaker's application of all the torments of hell to Atreus's unparalleled guilt of feasting on the bowels of his children, furnishes a sort of nauseous bombast, which not only violates the laws of criticism, but provokes the abhorrence of our common sensibilities. A few of the first lines are tolerable. O kyng of Dytis dungeon darke, and grysly ghost of hell, That in the deepe and dreadfull denne of blackest Tartare dwell, Where leane and pale Diseases lye, where Feare and Famyne are, Where Discord standes with bleeding browes, where euery kinde of care; Whose verse also is full as good, Or better of the twaine? A Nevyle also one there is In verse that gives no place To Heiwood, though he be full good, Nor Goldinge can have lesse renowne, And by the thondryng of hys verse A great sorte more I reckon myght And this our Author (Pund) one of them And lesser prayse deserveth not Give therefore Studley part of prayse, 66 lyues with Joue, another Ganymede." That thus dysturbeth mee, This sayde, I felt the Furies force Enflame me more and more: And ten tymes more now chafte I was Than euer yet before. My haire stoode vp, I waxed wood1, And, as the Furye had me vext, My teethe began to quake. |