truth, had all the survivors, with the exception of the Abbot, been involved in the same fate, no one would have "raised the waters" for them. Roseilli had hitherto preserved some of our esteem; but his treatment of Fiormonda, who had done nothing to excite his displeasure, except giving him the dukedom, with herself, since he exclaimed, upon her promise of kindness, "Blessed, for ever blessed be the words! In death you have reviv'd me." reduces him to a level with the rest. It is useless to observe on the other characters; the duchess dying in odour of chastity, after confessing and triumphing in her lascivious passion; the poor duke, in defiance of it, affirming that "no man was ever blest with so good and loving a wife," and falling upon his sword, that he may the sooner share her tomb, together with "his unequalled friend," who so zealously had laboured to dishonour him; with other anomalies of a similar kind, render this one of the least attractive of Ford's pieces. It is not, however, without its beauties;-many scenes are charmingly written for the greater part, and few of our author's works contain more striking examples of his characteristic merits and defects. It was received, the titlepage says, generally well; an expression of which it would be hazardous to fix the precise import; but the author and his friends appear to have regarded it with complacency. THE END OF VOL. I. |