have introduced the wanton wife of old Malbecco, and the not very chaste Malecasta. To these may be added those characters, which though out of Nature's ordinary ways, yet are highly proper for a Fairy poem, as the giant and giantess, the three fosters, and the Satyrs; all fit emblems of Lust.

If it be objected to the above remark, that Belphabe is a character set up for admiration; and that she envied all the unworthy world, C. v. st. 51.

"That dainty rose the daughter of her morn"—

I answer, that every reader of Spenser knows whom Belplæbe, in every circumstance of the allegory, represents; and if she envied all the world, it was because no one in the world was yet found worthy of her: Have patience; our poet has found a magnificent hero worthy of Gloriana, or Belphœbe, or this his Fairy Queen, (for these names figure to us the same person,) and GLORY will be allied to MAGNIFICENCE, completed in all the Virtues.

As Homer often mentions his chief hero Achilles, to show that he has this unrelenting hero's resentment still in view; so likewise does Spenser keep still in view the magnificent Prince Arthur, who is in pursuit of Gloriana. There are many historical allusions in this Book: the poet himself hints as much in many places: See the Introduct. st. iv. and v. That gracious servaunt there mentioned, is his honoured friend Timias: we see the fatal effects of the wound which Lust inflicted on him in C. v. st. 20. Queen Elizabeth we may see "in mirrours more than one;" even in Britomartis, though covertly; in Belphoebe more apparently. The whole third Canto relates to the English history: Queen Elizabeth is as elegantly complimented by Spenser, as Augustus Cæsar was by Virgil, or Cardinal Hippolito by Ariosto: and though Britomartis is shown her progeny by narration only, yet the poetry is so animated, as to vie with the sixth Eneid, or to rival the third Canto of Ariosto; where the heroes themselves, or their idols and images, pass in review. How nervous are the verses, where the son of Arthegal and Britomartis is described? Like as a lion, &c. Merlin, rapt in vision, paints as present, though absent, the heroical Malgo: 'Tis all as finely imagined, as expressed: Behold the Man, &c. The pathos is very remarkable, where he describes the Britons harassed and conquered by the Saxons,

"Then woe, and woe, and everlasting woe

This is truly Spenserian both passion and expression.* Presently after, how poetically and prophetically are kingdoms represented by their arms and ensigns! The restoration of the British blood, and the glories of Queen Elizabeth's reign, must in an historical view close the narration. But how finely has the poet contrived to make

Merlin break off? But yet the end is not! Intimating there shall be no end of the British glory. I take it for granted that Spenser intended these historical facts as so many openings and hints to the reader, that his poem “a continued allegory" should sometimes be considered in an historical, as well as in a moral, view.

But let us see how this third Book differs from the two former; for in difference, opposition, and contrast, as well as in agreement, we must look for what is beautiful. And here first appears a Woman-Knight, armed with an enchanted spear, like another Pallas,

which in her wrath o'erthrowes "Heroes and hosts of men."

There is likewise a most material difference from the two former Books in this respect, namely, that the two several Knights of Holiness and of Temperance succeed in their adventures; but, in this Book, Sir Scudamore, whe at the Court of the Fairy Queen undertook to deliver Amoret from the cruel enchanter Busirane, is forced to give over his attempt; when unexpectedly he is assisted by this emblem of Chastity, Britomartis ; who releases the fair captive from her cruel tormentor: and thus Love is no longer under the cruel vassalage of LUST.

We have in this Book many of the heathen deities introduced as Fairy beings: Cymoente or Cymodoee the Nereid; (for by both these names she is called ;) Proteus, Diana, Venus, and Cupid. But this is not peculiar to this Book alone: nor the introducing of characters, which have power to controul the laws of Nature. We have heard of Merlin before, but here we visit him in his own Cave. The Witch is a new character; for Duessa and Acrasia are Witches of another mould go and see her pelting habitation, C. vii. st. 6, 7. One would think the poet was painting some poor hovel of a pitiful Irish wretch, whom the rude vulgar stigmatized for a witch on account of her poverty and frowardness. The enchanted House of Busirane is a new piece of machinery, and exceeds, in beauty of description, all the fictions of romance-writers that I ever yet could meet with. The story of Busirane is just hinted in the sixth Canto, to raise the expectation of the reader, and to keep up that kind of suspense which is so agreeable to Spenser's perpetual method and manner. We have seen Braggadochio and Trompart before, which are comick characters, or characters of humour; such likewise are the Squire of Dames, and Malbecco.

The various adventures are remarkably adapted to the Moral. Notwithstanding the distresses of all these faithful lovers, yet by constancy and perseverance they obtain their desired ends: but not altogether in this Book; for the constant Florimell is still left in doleful durance; Amoret is delivered from the cruel Enchanter, but finds not her lover; Britomartis is still in pursuit of Arthegall: And the suspense is kept up, that this Book might connect with the following, and that the various parts might be so

I think this expression improper in the mouth of Merlin; for it judiciously joined as to make one Poem. ls Scriptural. TODD.

UPTON.]

THE FOURTH BOOK OF

THE FAERIE QUEENE;

CONTAYNING

THE LEGEND OF CAMBEL AND TRIAMOND, OR OF FRIENDSHIP.