Massinger, Philip, 1583-1640 -- Criticism and interpretation
In each part,
With his best of fancy, judgment, language, art,
Fashion’d and form’d so, as might well, and may
Deserve a welcome, and no vulgar way.
_ 460 Cf._ IV., 1, 28, and IV., 5, 216.
461 I., 2.
462 The way in which the apple circulates reminds us of the Umbrana in
Beaumont’s amusing _Woman-Hater_.
463 The reference to an architect in IV., 2, 178, suggests that in the
first draft of the play Paulo had appeared in that character.
464 IV., 2.
465 III., 1.
466 III., 4.
467 IV., 3.
468 III., 2, 69.
469 IV., 1, 17.
470 IV., 3, 196; V., 3, 53.
471 V., 5, 42.
472 III., 1, 162.
473 V., 5.
474 II., 1, 35.
_ 475 Cf._ _The Virgin Martyr_, I., 1, 405 and V., 2, 4.
476 Epilogue, line 9.
477 There is too much kneeling in this play; Hortensio kneels, I., 1,
200; Matilda, III., 3, 60 and 123; Lorenzo, IV., 1, 167; Matilda
again, IV., 1, 184; Alonzo and Pisano, V., 1, 180; Matilda again,
V., 3, 101; the Ambassador, V., 3, 169.
_ 478 I.e._, the “emphatic” double ending. _Cf._ II., 4, 21; II., 6, 51;
II., 7, 69: III., 1, 114; IV., 3, 81; IV, 3, 155.
_ 479 N. S. S._, p. 393.
480 The disappointment which we feel at Camiola’s lot may be paralleled
by Bellario in _Philaster_.
_ 481 The City Madam_ was printed in 1658. Perhaps this accounts for
Colley Gibber’s statement that Massinger died in 1659. The editor of
the play, Andrew Pennycuicke, “one of the actors,” being, as the
name would seem to imply, a canny Scot, dedicated the first edition
“to the truly noble John North Esquire,” and the second, _totidem
verbis_, “to the truly noble and virtuous Lady Anne, Countess of
Oxford.” I owe this fact to the kindness of Mr. P. Simpson. It is to
be noted that both editions read “out-conquered,” whereas Cunningham
has printed “not-conquered.”
482 Hilario is Massinger’s one attempt at the Shaksperian “fool”; but
what a contrast there is between Hilario and Touchstone or Feste!
483 Dekker’s word.
484 II., 1, 20.
485 Notice the skill with which Sforza, in I., 3, works up to his
unexpected and terrible request.
486 A clever passage is that where Francisco points out that nothing
succeeds like success (IV., 1, 16-36).
487 V., 2, 256. _Cf._ IV., 2, 75:
Hold but thy nature, Duke, and be but rash,
And violent enough.
_Cf._ also I., 2, 30; I., 3, 369; III., 3, 252.
488 I., 1, 111-125.
489 III., 3.
490 II., 1, 121.
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